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Today is the twelfth day of Elul, which means half of the month is nearly gone.  On the other hand, half of it is still left.  How will each of us use this sacred time for our High Holiday preparation?

Rabbi Alan Lew of blessed memory, a pioneer in the practice of Jewish meditation, reflects on the paradox of Ki Tetze, our Torah portion this week, which falls every year during Elul.  Even the laws of war described have a purpose, he teaches.  “This business of becoming aware of ourselves is a matter of life and death.  Finding out who we really are needs to be approached with focus and energy, not unlike going into battle.”[i]

Sometimes that search reveals gifts and qualities of which we can be very proud.  There is also the probability that the commitment Rabbi Lew speaks of makes us realize we still have a long way to go.  We have hurt ourselves and others over the past year.  We have made mistakes we still feel self-conscious about.  In other words, we are messy and imperfect and all the more human because of it!

How will we contend with the hard places our Elul contemplation may bring us to?  Is there a way, rather than letting these struggles stop us, to simply observe them and allow them to teach us more about ourselves?

I hope to welcome Shabbat with you at our 7:00pm service tonight.  During the coming year, the first Friday of the month will be called “Rabbi’s Choice.”  That means you may hear a sermon, or we may participate together in a story, a question and answer-based discussion or… well, come to Temple and find out!

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Gutterman