Judgment and Mercy in Elul and the Days of Awe Elul leads up to the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe), a time of intensely focusing on repentance and forgiveness. The Days of Awe begin with Erev Rosh Hashanah on September 24 and end with the close of Yom Kippur on the night of October 4 (1–10 Tishrei). As such, it is traditionally considered to be a time of introspection, taking stock of one’s life, evaluating one’s actions, and contemplating what one has accomplished during the previous year both materially and spiritually. The very word Elul (which is an ancient Akkadian word meaning harvest) is similar to the Aramaic root verb meaning search. Elul is followed by the month of Tishrei, which commences with Rosh Hashanah, a period of reconciliation. According to rabbinic tradition, Moses returned to Mount Sinai during the month of Elul, remaining there for 40 days following the incident of the Golden Calf (Exodus 32; 34:27–28). This would have been the time between the new moon or Rosh Chodesh of Elul and the holy day of Yom Kippur, which is the 10th of Tishrei, a period of 40 days in which he prayed to God to forgive the Hebrew people for the sin of the Golden Calf. According to the book of rabbinic teachings, the Talmud (Bava Bathra 121a), his returning with a second set of tablets is considered as evidence of God’s mercy.
Posted on: Wed, 27 Aug 2014 12:39:03 +0000
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