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Questions for Elul?

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Do you have any strategies to make your Teshuva more effective this year?

Do you draw on your early Teshuva days for inspiration?

Do you have actuals tools and techniques and processes or do you just try to be generally better?

Any other Elul thoughts to share?

5 comments on “Questions for Elul?”

  1. Elul is called Chodesh HaRachamim by the Jews of Kurdistan; the community elders work to bring peace between husband and wife and between friends.

    SOURCE: The Month of Elul by Rabbi Yitzchok Tessler, 2009 August 19, Weekly Link Magazine, page 64
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  2. The prayers for Rosh Hashanah are very long. Now is the time to start listening to recordings of the prayers. This helps me get refamiliar with the tefilot (which I know pretty well). The familiarity allows me to later relate to the prayers, their meaning, and their effect on me. Now is also a good time to review the mahzor, and learn the simple meaning of any unfamiliar prayers.

  3. There is some very interesting, inspiring material related to teshuvah, Elul, and Rosh Hashanah in parts of R’ Nosson of Breslov’s magnum opus Likutei Halachos. There are recent Hebrew editions with nekudos (vowels) and a comprehensive index.

    This describes one such edition:
    http://www.breslov.com/meshech/meshech2.jpg

  4. This isn’t really an Elul specific strategy but I am focusing on it this year. I am looking at my tefilah and for each major prayer in the Amidah I am asking myself if I am doing all I can. When I daven about Hashem healing the sick or bringing peace to the world I am asking myself what have I done to bring peace, or to help the sick. Normally the answer is not enough, and I am trying to use this to change my behaviour.

    I heard a talk that said before we ask for help from Hashem we have to have done everything we can. If we don’t we are just being lazy and arrogant (excpecting Hashem to fix things that we have not taken the effort to try and fix).. So going into Rosh Hashanah I am looking into what I do and whether it matches what I daven for.

  5. I hope to start studying “Getting to Know Yourself”. I purchased the book based on Mark Frankel’s recommendation on this site. https://beyondbt.com/2009/08/06/getting-to-know-your-self-soul-centered-self-esteem/

    I also will attend some sessions of “Studies in Selichos.” These will take place every Monday and Wednesday, from August 11 until September 6 from 8:45 PM – 10 PM at Cong. Tomchei Torah (Rav Feivel Cohen’s Shul), 1966 Ocean Avenue, Brooklyn (between Avenues N and O).

    The program includes explanations of many aspects of selichos. Maariv will follow. I called and was that the program is open to men and women. The phone number for information is 718-998-5822.

    Chodesh Tov, K’Tiva v’Chatima Tova to all!

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