09/06/2024
Day 250 6:48am ~ IHO my mother’s 3rd yartzheit. I watched Mom grow more devoted to Jewish study in her later years. Thanks for the role modeling, Mom, miss you!
ON ELUL
The Jewish calendar is filled with *time* to reflect. Needed more than ever now (or, simply as much as ever....)?
Weekly on the Sabbath, rest and reflection are built in to support your soul, and your life. Another soul-connection opportunity began this week with the Hebrew month of Elul. This month is a lay-up for the holiest days of the Jewish calendar-Rosh HaShanah (the Jewish New Year, begins 10/2) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement, begins 10/11).
> This Spring, I wrote about another oppty to reflect, Counting the Omer --the 7-week period to learn & live (daily!) the Jewish Principles of the Sefira (Chesed-loving kindness, Gevurah-Justice and discipline, Tiferet-harmony and compassion, Netzach-endurance, Hod-humility, Yesod-bonding or connection, Malchut-sovereignty or leadership). <
Elul is an opportunity to, '...remove whatever obstacles hamper our lives; get closer to G-d; improve our relationships, and to start the New Year with renewed vigor, to make our lives better and to help build a better world.' (Rabbi Simon Jacobson, 60 Days, A Spiritual Guide to the High Holidays).
In his guide, Rabbi Jacobson offers a map to a spiritual and holy communion with God during the Jewish High Holidays. He tells us that if you would like to change something in your life, NOW IS THE TIME. Elul is the last month of the Jewish calendar, time for reflecting over the past year. How did it go for you?? Is there anything you want to change going forward? Elul is the oppty (and there’s a map below!), the doors are open, “Unprecedented doors open up for you now, opportunities that do not come very often. Act. Now is the time.” (Jacobson)
For those of you who don’t remember their Hebrew calendar or Jewish holidays (or never knew)--On Yom Kippur, the doors are closed for the year....so really, NOW IS THE TIME!
You can choose your modality to reflect---pray, meditate, converse, walk in nature, create a group, or you can journal.* Whatever works for you, just consider it and DO IT (please!).
whew. this took a lot out of me but I wanted to share it with my Jewish friends, exactly NOW, one month before the one-year anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack that changed the experience of Jews the world over. Thank G-d we have the Jewish calendar to support our lives. To my compatriots, be gentle with yourselves, breathe, hug yourselves, reflect on your life--be who and how you want to be--to bring civility, love and compassion to humanity.
And to each one/every one: I invite you to join us and use our beautiful, self-loving, compassionate, and thoughtful practices to grow your Soul and improve your Self.
with love, Susan
*Here are prompts offered by Rabbi Jacobson:
LIST THE AREAS YOU WANT TO WORK ON: 1. Between me and G-d 2. Between me and other people 3. Between me and myself
THINGS YOU WANT TO WORK ON: Intellectual-Torah | Emotional-Prayer | Action oriented-Mitzvot | Self-Soul (my addition!)
