A Spiritual “Retreat”

Today is Rosh Chodesh the beginning of the Jewish month ELUL.

This is the month right before Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur the holiest days of the year. Elul the name of the month is an acronym each letter represents a word, “Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li – I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me” this verse in Torah is referring to the connection the Jewish people have with G-d and G-d with us.

This month is the “preparation month” to the New Year. This is the time we are to calculate and take stock of what we did the past year and what is still on the “to do list”.

“If a person is chopping wood in the forest, says the Talmud and the head of the ax dislodges from the handle killing a passerby, the accidental “murderer” must flee for his life to one of the Cities of Refuge.” There is a mitzvah in this week’s torah portion to build six cities of refuge. These cities were dedicated for people who killed someone by accident, they can escape there protecting themselves from the hands of the closest relative of the deceased individual who may avenge his blood. This is a place of refuge until the issue is resolved and proven in court that it was an accident. If one murders intentionally escaping to the cities of refuge will only help until the court case. If proven guilty he is then executed if the court can’t prove it, G-d made a promise “justice shall be done” and that murderer will die of other means.

The Job of the court is NOT to guaranty that justice is done. That is G-d’s job! The purpose of the court is to be a conduit, a vehicle to do everything humanly, intellectually and physically possible to judge and rule justly and fairly. Ultimately G-d handles the REST.

This Month says Kabbala is a month of “refuge”. This is the month prior to judgment day, this is the time to run into a city of refuge and place where we can put ourselves on a different plane. Get involved in something positive thus blocking out the outside - the influences. When we decide to start a new mitzvah everyday or weekly or whatever makes one comfortable to handle, that is creating an atmosphere a space of “spiritual protection” – a city of refuge.

This is the time to take upon oneself a new mitzvah to begin keeping NOW in honor of the upcoming New Year.

According to Jewish law we begin wishing everyone from today on – “A Happy and Healthy New Year.” We also begin sounding the shofar until the day before Rosh Hashanah, we then skip one day and sound it again on Rosh Hashanah.

With Blessing for a Happy New Year.

Rabbi Avrohom Winner