
19 Aug HAYOM – TODAY!
While it still be hot outdoors, and the
sun is shining brightly, summer is slowly
coming to an end. The back-to-school
sales are being advertised, and the shelves
are already stocked with knapsacks and
notebooks, pens and pencils, reminding us
that the end of August is approaching, with
September not far behind.
As Jews, we have another reminder. Elul.
This Shabbos is Shabbos Mevorchim Elul.
Elul’s is HaShem’s gift of time to us as a
preparation for Rosh HaShana. A time to
take a good look at ourselves and ask how
can I improve. What can I do to prepare
for the awesome days when we stand in
judgment for our past deeds and plead for
a new year
Elul is a time to turn to HaShem with
tefilla. The root of the word tefilla is pileil.
To judge, to contemplate. Before davening,
and especially during the month of Elul,
to take some time out for introspection
and self-reflection. Time to ask ourselves,
where am I going in life, what’s it all about.
Tefilla also means to connect. Davening
is a time to strengthen our connection to
HaShem, to ask not only for ourselves but
for others. For family, friends, Am Yisroel
and Eretz Yisroel. No request is too small,
no wish is too large. Daven for ordinary
things, daven for the miracles we all need.
It is said about Elul, Hamelech b’sodeh,
the King is in the field. HaShem leaves
His palace to be closer to His people, to
listen to their needs. So take advantage and
daven, and then daven some more. As the
Navi Yeshayahu says, “Dirshu HaShem
b’heematzo, Seek out HaShem when He
can be found, kra’auhu b’heyos karov, call
upon Him when He is near.” (Yeshayahu
55:6) Not only is HaShem waiting for us to
turn to Him during Elul, but it is said that
the neshamos of our ancestors, our bubbas
and zeides are pleading our case before
HaShem’s throne.
Tik’u bachodesh shofar. As a wake-up call
to prepare us for Rosh HaShana, we sound
the shofar during the month of Elul. As a
child, I knew that Elul had arrived when I
heard the soul-stirring sounds of the shofar
that my father zt”l blew each morning. I
went off to school with Elul on my mind.
Elul is a time for change and new
beginnings. One is never too old, and
it is never too late. One of my sons-in-
law, Ellie, who is a physician, related the
following story to me. An older colleague
of his in the hospital recently approached
him with a request. “I’m already getting
on in years, I haven’t put on tefillin since
my Bar Mitzva. I don’t even know where
my tefillin are. Now that I’m getting older,
I’m thinking of my life, of my destiny, and
building a connection to G-d. I want to start
putting on tefillin again, but don’t know
where or how to begin.” Ellie purchased a
pair of tefillin, showed him how to put them
on, and taught him the proper brachos to be
recited when doing so. Like the doctor who
made change in his life, Elul has the power
to transform each and every one of us.
This Shabbos, we read Parshas Re’eh.
Re’eh is always read either on Shabbos
Mevorchim Elul (like this year) or on
Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Elul. This is no
coincidence, as the spirit of Elul is very
much present in the parsha. In fact, in the
opening pasuk, Moshe tells Klal Yisroel,
“Re’eh anochi nosein lifneichem hayom
bracha u’klala, See, I present before you
today a blessing and a curse.” (Devarim
11:26). The choice is in our hands. It’s
Chodesh Elul. Make the right choice.
Re’eh is part of Moshe’s final message to
Bnei Yisroel. By using the term “hayom
– today”, Moshe is emphasizing that this
message is only not for his generation,
but for all time. Moshe is telling us, look,
observe the world around us. Re’eh, to
see with our own eyes the blessings that
come with a Torah-imbued life. A life of
ethics, morals, and family values.
The Slonimer Rebbe teaches that Parshas
Re’eh being read Elul time comes with
a message of “seeing”. That during the
month of Elul, HaShem gives us “super
vision”, making it easier for us to see
the correct life path to follow, to merit
teshuva, to be judged favorably on Rosh
HaShana for a year of health, prosperity,
nachas, mazal and bracha.
Rav Chanina teaches that hakol b’yedei
Shomayim, Everything is in the hands
of the Above, chutz m’yiras Shomayim,
except for a fear and reverence of Heaven.
It’s all in HaShem’s hands, if a soul will
be male or female, healthy or sickly, tall
or short, beautiful or plain, rich or poor.
Characteristics and life circumstances are
from Above. But yiras Shomayim, one’s
respect and reverence for Heaven, how we
react and what we do with our lives, the
path we choose, that is all up to us. Yiras
Shomayim – what is important to us. Who
we look up to, what are our priorities, that’s
in our hands.
Re’eh – See. Moshe is telling us, look at me,
I had my share of difficulties. I stuttered,
I grew up in the house of Pharoah. I had
to escape to Midyan. I faced a nation that
many-a-time stood up against me. Yet,
I became Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe the
leader, the teacher. Moshe who took the
nation out of Egypt. Moshe who led the
people through the desert. Moshe who was
able to speak to HaShem and deliver the
Torah.
We can ask, how are we to become a
Moshe. After all, the Torah tells us, Lo kom
k’Moshe od, there was only one Moshe.
The answer is, we don’t have to. We only
have to live up to our potential. To make
the most of our lives.
No two of us are created exactly the same.
Each of us has our own talents, our own
capabilities and even our own limitations.
But each of us has our unique mission on
this world, and it is up to us to use the tools
given to us by HaShem to accomplish what
we were put on this world to achieve.
Hayom – Today. Moshe’s mission given
with love to his people. Given with love
for future generations. Hayom – for today
and every day. Hayom – to choose a life of
bracha, bringing blessings to ourselves and
the world around us.