The great 20th Century theologian, mystic and activist, R’ Abraham Joshua Heschel, referred to Shabbat as a ‘palace in time.’ The seventh day, he asserted, was a refuge from the unending demands of the week, a holy space for connection constructed by our intentionality and our willingness to step back.
The month of Elul, which begins in a few weeks, is not a palace. It often reminds me more of a bus terminal, stretching out endlessly, with lots of horns blaring and a fair amount of anxious energy. A Port Authority in time, we often spend the month coming back to the eternal bus-station-questions, “How did I get here?” and “Where am I headed?” It is certainly possible to spend this month in the same ways that we are accustomed to passing time— mindlessly scrolling, listening to podcasts, checking email. Yet, Elul offers us a little more space than we are used to to dig in and do the work of cheshbon nefesh/soul-accounting.
Beginning on the 1st of Elul and spanning the 29 days until Rosh Hashanah, I will be sending out daily spiritual prompts with a mix of traditional teachings, lyrical poetry, folksy anecdotes and the occasional culinary metaphor. These prompts might lead to conversation, reflection, journaling or a slight smile as you read. They should not lead to any sense of added guilt or pressure or self-judgment. We have enough work to do without feeling bad about being behind on Elul emails.
Whether this is your first time hearing about Elul or you are a master in the work teshuvah/return, I welcome you to come along for a month of reflection and reorientation.