Our Rabbis teach us that during the month of Elul, God makes Himself more accessible than at any other time of the year. During this period of introspection and self improvement, God is standing there with us in the fields, helping us along.
Join me as we discover why this is? What is special about this time period that God makes Himself more available? In the course of the discussion, we’ll also discover a Talmudic debate as to when the world was created, why the day of judgement is on Rosh HaShana and an amazing parable from the first Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi.
Happy Listening!
Rabbi Moshe
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Sources:
Isaiah 55:6, “Seek out God when He is present…” – https://www.sefaria.org/Isaiah.55.6?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=he
Rosh HaShana 18a, above verse referring to 10 days of repentance – https://www.sefaria.org/Rosh_Hashanah.18a.11?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
Meiri, Chibur HaTeshuva, pg. 250, extends above verse to Elul (Hebrew only) – https://beta.hebrewbooks.org/reader/reader.aspx?sfid=21880#p=267&fitMode=fitwidth&hlts=&ocr=
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Likutei Torah, Devarim 32:1, the king in the field parable (Hebrew only) – https://chabadlibrary.org/books/adhaz/lkutey/29/32a.htm
Rosh HaShana 10b, debate if world was created in Tishrei or Nissan – https://www.sefaria.org/Rosh_Hashanah.10b.10?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
Rabbi Nissim of Gerondi (the Ran), 3a in the Rif, why are we judged on Rosh HaShana – https://www.sefaria.org/Ran_on_Rosh_Hashanah.3a.3?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
Rashi on Exodus 33:11, calculations of Moses’ multiple ascents and descents from Mount Sinai – https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Exodus.33.11.2?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en