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This week’s blog was written before the horrific school shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. My first reaction was, “Oh no! Not again!”. CNN reached out to me, and I prerecorded an interview with Laura Coates that aired later in the evening. I know that there is nothing at this time that can alleviate the shock, the disbelief and anger that the community, and indeed all of America, feels. Through private channels I have offered to be of any assistance I can be to the community, because I know. I pray that God embrace all of Minneapolis and shelter them in the wings of the Divine Presence.

We have begun the final month of the Jewish calendar, the month of Elul. Unlike its English calendar counterpart, December, which features a plethora of holidays, it is a rather muted time. In the Mishnah, it is listed as one of the new years, as on the first of Elul, every domesticated animal eligible for sacrifice was one year older. This was necessary to determine suitability for use in the Holy Temple. Otherwise, it is a nondescript month. Or perhaps not.

The Jewish people transformed this mundane set of days into something quite remarkable – a month of introspection. We are familiar with those who make new year’s vows leading up to January 1, and the challenge of keeping them. In Judaism we went further, creating a framework for self-improvement. Before those steps are taken, we engage in a period of reflection. How did we miss the mark? In what ways could we have done better, or more? What are the regrets that we carry? Who are the people that we hurt? 

These questions are not easy ones to ponder, as they are weighty, and demand that we be honest with ourselves and self-critical. Only pure honesty will enable us to peer deep into ourselves, recognize our failings, acknowledge them, and determine the sincerest ways that we can affect change. It takes bravery and boldness to take the first step: create time to begin the process. Once we begin, we must forge ahead. For many of us, doing so without guidance is not easy, and we don’t even know how to begin. I’m sure that there are many useful resources that one can call upon, both online and print. I regularly share one that is offered annually by a rabbinic colleague of mine, who publishes an on-line 30-day workbook to help guide us through this period. For those interested, I encourage you to examine www.jewishmindful.org, and look for the selection “Return: 30 days of Reflection”. You might find this a helpful guide for this process of introspection. 

Each one of us has the potential to be an even better version of ourselves, and the month of Elul is the mechanism to encourage this personal growth. There is a daily reminder introduced into our morning service (except for Shabbat): the sounding of the shofar. Maimonides likened it to an alarm clock, with the clarion calls telling us to wake up from our slumber and examine our souls. The goal of imitating God through the performance of mitzvot enables us to become godlier in every element of our lives. Just like our forebears, we are encouraged to walk with God. The month of Elul is our annual opportunity to actualize that dream, to elevate our daily lives into regular moments of godliness. May the next thirty days be ones of meaning for you.