Elul Teachings

Week 4: Closing Reflections – Rabbi Ruth Zlotnick

Suggested teachings and reflections by Rabbi Dana Benson

The Shofar and its Call

Suggested Framing Language: We are closing in on Tishrei, the last days of Elul are upon us. The shofar’s cry may now be familiar to us if we have heard it during this month, or our hearts are beginning to yearn to hear its ancient sacred sound as we have year over year in our lives. The calls of the shofar have had many meanings and purposes to our community throughout time. As we close out our Elul Teaching series, we reflect on the Shofar, its purpose, how it helps call us into community, past, present, and future, as we enter into the holiest days of our year.

Text 1:

Rabbi Dr. Janet Madden writes “The word shofar is connected to hollowness. Emptied of its core of bone, reduced to a sheath of keratin and other proteins, the shofar is a ram’s horn, a remnant of a ram’s vitality and virility. In biblical times, the shofar was used to signal danger, to declare war, to accompany the anointment of a king, and to celebrate redemption. The shofar is the only ancient biblical instrument to survive as an enduring feature of Jewish spiritual practice.

Rabbi Art Green teaches that the shofar is a wordless sound that evokes a forgotten language.

And Maimonides, the Rambam, characterizes the sound of the shofar during Elul as a “wake-up call,” a reminder to those who are “asleep” that it is time to rise up from complacency.

Reflection:

Consider the sounds of the shofar.

Can you imagine various moments in your life where you heard its sound? Where were you, how old were you? What were the sounds, smells, and sights like in the place you were?

What did it mean to you in the past? Does the call mean the same thing to you now? How has it changed? Why has it changed?

How do you wish or want the shofar to make you feel?

What do you hope will be different about yourself when you hear the shofar call next year?

Read through the following texts and consider what the shofar is calling you to change or to do this year. Are you ready to be awoken by its sound? Is your heart open to its call?

What steps do you plan to take to make the changes you hope for a reality in the year to come? How might you ensure that you hear the Shofar’s blast in your spirit well into 5785?

The call of the shofar are both cries of tears and cries of joy.

Every person living in our world shares the experience of taking a breath and crying when they first are born.

How does the Shofar mirror these cries?

What do the ‘cries’ of the shofar teach us about engaging with the physical manifestation of our emotions and the universality of crying?

Do you ever cry out for help, support, friendship, love? What if you let your voice cry out with the strength of the cry of the shofar? How might it help you in releasing and experiencing those emotions

Text 2: Calls of Elul

by Rabbi Yael Levy from “A Way In”

Let us welcome each other to this new season.
Tradition teaches that as Elul begins
The Divine Presence reaches for us,
Calling to us with love:

Return
Return to me and I will return to you. (Zech 1:3)
You are cherished, you are loved, return.

Return to the wisdom of your heart.
Return to the truths of your soul.

Return to the awareness that you are here with each other,
With all creatures, with each blade of grass, each mountain stream.

Return to the awareness that life unfolds in mystery
And there is no knowing what will be.

Return to me, the Divine calls,
I am right here
And you are needed, necessary,
Worthy.

Return to a willingness to begin again
To enter fully into this endeavor of life
To step into the unknown,
And be part of a new creation waiting to take form.

At times the Presence has to shout
Over the protesting, despairing mind,
remind us that this soul work
Of ours is to be done with compassion,
For it is complex being a human
And we are living in a world on fire.

The shofar sounds
And the Divine calls.
May we turn and enter this season with compassion and courage.
May our journeys be for healing and peace.

Text 3: This Is Real And You Are Completely Unprepared by Alan Lew

The three books are opened in heaven. When the shofar sounds one hundred times, it blows open the gates of heaven. When the shofar sounds one hundred times, it forms a bridge between heaven and earth, and we enter heaven on that bridge. When the shofar blows one hundred times, it cracks the shell of our awareness wide open, and suddenly we find ourselves in heaven. When the shofar blows one hundred times, we hear the voice of heaven in it. We experience Revelation. God’s voice comes down to earth on the same bridge we used to go up to heaven.

Texts 4 & 5: Every Day, Holy Day by Alan Morinis

On Willingness:

“WHEN CONFRONTED BY an opportunity, or a trying situation, all sorts of reasons can arise that steer us away from active engagement. Imagine coming to the end of your life and realizing how much you missed because you leaned away from life instead of gently and wisely leaning into the challenges and possibilities. Willingness means being ready to engage, contribute, and even risk. When the children of Israel came to the Red Sea, it only split for them once Nachshon ben Aminadav walked into the water up to his chin.”

We will do and we will hear. —EXODUS 24:7

PHRASE: The whole heart steps forward.

PRACTICE When a difficulty arises, willingly lean into it rather than resisting or avoiding.

On Simplicity:

THE HEBREW histapkut can be translated as “simplicity,” “frugality,” or “contentment.” Each translation picks up on a different facet of this inner attitude. The Mussar teachings encourage us to live a more simple and spiritual life. But they go one step further: don’t live simply while regretting and resenting all you have given up. And to go one step further still: the heart is freed to pursue holiness when you rejoice in what you have.

Ben Zoma said: Who is rich? One who is happy with his lot. —PIRKEI AVOT 4:1

PHRASE Rejoice in my portion.

PRACTICE Reduce your consumption in a different area of your life every day.

Morinis, Alan. Every Day, Holy Day: 365 Days of Teachings and Practices from the Jewish Tradition of Mussar (p. 134). Shambhala. Kindle Edition.

Week 3: Chava Mirel

During the month of Elul, we are encouraged to engage in daily practices to help us open our hearts to the process of Cheshbon Hanefesh, or taking account of our souls. One of these practices is the daily recitation of Psalm 27, a text which reflects the full spectrum of human experience. There’s expression of complete faith, acknowledgment of vulnerability, and a universal yearning for connection and presence.

I love this translation by Rabbi Brant Rosen:

Psalm 27: you are my light and my hope

you are my light and my hope
why should i fear?
you are my life and my strength
so why do i tremble?

when i contemplate surrender
to my dread of the unknown,
i hold tight to you
and your strength gives me strength.

i only ask one thing of you,
just this one thing:
that i may be welcome in your house
all the days of my life,
to dwell in your innermost place
in safety beneath
the softness of your wings.

be my shelter when
i am wracked by hardship and disquiet,
offer me sanctuary and from there
i will sing hymns to the darkness
with openness and love

do you hear my song?
do you hear me when i cry
to you?
do not turn away –
i seek you endlessly,
i turn constantly toward your light.

in my darkest moments
of this i am sure:
i will never be alone,
yes, even if my father and mother
abandoned me, you will be there
to gather me up

guide me in your ways,
lead me down the paths
of wholeness and peace,
remind me that no matter
how far i may stray
there is always a road
to return.

though i don’t always see it
i will ever trust in your goodness
right here
right now
in the land of the living.

hold on to your hope
and be strong.
the time of our return
will soon arrive.

The 4th sentence of Psalm 27 has been close to my heart ever since I composed a melody for the line – Achat Sha’alti. This sentence expresses the author’s deep longing to dwell in the presence of holiness all the days of their life.

I was always moved by the familiarity of this sentiment in my own experience. We so often lament the distractions and overstimulation of modern life, wishing we were more present to our everyday miracles. The psalm reminds us that this is not just a modern problem – it is a universal aspect of human existence.

The practices of returning to these words over and over again can help us to refocus on our highest values and tune in, each to our own inner compass.

What practices are helping you return to your most authentic self this year?

For more information about Psalm 27 practices, check out this podcast series, The Light Lab, which features an episode about Achat Sha’alti in which I was interviewed.

https://www.lightlab.co/podcast/episode-31-achat-shaalti

2 videos:

Tiktok Achat Sha’alti teaching:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IaBCilh1Em_EhJcyvaP8YkkHcz4imClt/view?usp=drivesdk

Achat Sha’alti YouTubeVideo:

https://youtu.be/olqBdmrwkhQ?si=3JODQMJNhN1vm_GS

Koli Ekra – song from psalm 27 by Elana Arian:

https://youtu.be/FJ_y67VGlTk?si=sGBCRqR9vZ6RjNmA

Week 2: Rabbi Laura Rumpf

Orienting Towards Possiblity:

A Creative Practice for Elul

[During the] month of Elul… God [prepares] God’s self to receive our intentions and co-create with us in this New Year… [The] month of Elul is a time in our tradition when we prepare ourselves for the possibility of creating some sort of new Life.-

Rabbi Adina Allen, “The Womb from Which the World Came

Framing for Elul Week 2: Orienting Towards the Possible

Elul is a month potent with possibility-inviting us to mine the wisdom of the year that has been, and discover where we might grow or embrace change as we prepare to roll our scrolls back to the beginning. A blank page, or a new beginning, while liberating, can also be daunting in the face of life’s complexity and busyness. Creativity does not happen in a vacuum, or without the context of what has already happened. The sources and creative prompts offered below are an invitation to use the teshuva (reflection and soul accounting) process to take one small step towards beginning anew, embracing the uncertainty of what lies ahead, using materials already at our disposal.

Start close in, don’t take the second step or the third, start with the first thing close in, the step you might not want to take. Start with

the ground you know, the pale ground beneath your feet,

your own way to begin the conversation.

Start with your own question,

give up on other people’s questions,

don’t let them smother something

Simple.

Start right now,

take a small step you can call your own

don’t follow someone else’s heroics, be humble

and focused,

start close in, don’t mistake

that other for your own.

-Excerpt from “Start Close in” by David Whyte

What steps/conversations/practices feel most immediately relevant for you as we journey through Elul towards a New Year?
What makes a “close in” step hard? How do you meet that resistance and discern what you need to do regardless?

First Step – Rabbi Rachel Barenblatt

It’s not going to be easy.

All of your roadmaps are wrong.

That was another country:

those lakes have dried up

and new groundwater is welling

in places you won’t expect.

You’ll begin the journey in fog

destination unknown, impossible.

Don’t be surprised by tears.

This right here is holy ground.

Take a deep breath and turn away

from cynicism and despair

listen to the voice from on high

and deep within, the one that says

I’m calling you to a place

which I will show you

and take the first small step

into the surprising sun.

For reflection: How do you feel about surprises and uncertain outcomes? What acts for you as an antidote to despair when you encounter the world?

Text into Practice: Find a few simple materials to create with. Allow whatever has surfaced from the texts inspire an intention (see model below) and then set a 5 minute timer for being with whatever comes through with materials. Allow another 1-2 minutes to witness what you’ve made using the template provided, or a stream of conscious Free Write.

Intention

I find… I receive… I explore… I feel… I open to… I discover… I hear…

Art Making Guidelines:

Follow pleasure

Keep going

Notice everything

No comment

Witness

Get quiet.

Describe what you see.

Free write in response to the piece and the process.

Include all thoughts, feelings and associations.

*Guidelines inspired by the Jewish Studio Project.

Week 1

Introduction to Elul

It’s Elul, the last month of the Jewish year leading up to the High Holy Days. We are honored to welcome our new colleagues Rabbi Laura Rumpf and Chava Mirel as they join us during this auspicious time in the Jewish Calendar. To help us reflect on this special month, we will be sharing teachings, music, art, and more with unique insights from Rabbi Laura and Chava so that we may get to connect with them more deeply. We hope you will engage in these materials with others in the community as we approach this season of awe.

Rabbi Alan Lew in his book “This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared” describes the spiritual path of Elul through the end of the High Holy Day season:

On this journey our soul will awaken to itself. We will venture from innocence to sin and back to innocence again. This is a journey from denial to awareness, from self-deception to judgment. We will learn our Divine Name. We will move from self-hatred to self-forgiveness, from anger to healing, from hard-heartedness to broken heartedness. This is the journey the soul takes to transform itself and to evolve, the journey from boredom and staleness—from deadness—to renewal. It is on the course of this journey that we confront our shadow and come to embrace it, that we come to know our deepest desires and catch a glimpse of where they come from, that we express the paradoxical miracle of our own being and the infinite power of simply being present, simply being who we are. It is the journey from little mind to big mind, from confinement in the ego to a sense of ourselves as a part of something larger. It is the journey from isolation to a sense of our intimate connection to all being. This is the journey on which we discover ourselves to be part of an inevitable chain of circumstances, the journey beyond death, the journey home.

As Alan Morinis writes in his book, “Every Day, Holy Day: 365 Days of Teachings and Practices from the Jewish Tradition of Mussar:”

AWE IS A human experience of the transcendent piercing apparent reality, a glimpse of the supreme within the mundane. However it may come to us, a moment of awe gives us a small taste of the cosmic mystery, and an intuitive intimation of the divine. Awe does not protest phenomenal reality; rather, it offers direct affirmation of the eternal that lies within the worldly. Awe is an invitation to seek, delivered directly to the heart.

Praiseworthy is the person who is always filled with awe. — PROVERBS 28:14

PHRASE: The beginning of wisdom is awe.

PRACTICE: Put yourself in places that bring out the experience of awe in you.

Reflections

In the past year, where have you been in relationship to your most authentic self, to your closest circle of loved ones, to your community?

What about your relationship to your concept of the4 Divine, or God, or the energy that unites us all?

Do you feel “at home” in these relationships; if not, why not?

When was the last time you experienced awe?

Consider the elements that made up that moment: Where were you? Who else was there? What did it look/sound/smell like?

Why do you think we refer to the days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur as the Days of Awe?

Consider how ‘awe’ can be experienced through multiple emotions such as joy, fear, wonderment, overwhelmed.

How might you seek out ‘awe’ in the coming weeks and year? What places might you put yourself in to bring out the experience of awe?

We call Rosh Hashanah ‘hayom harat olam,’ the day the world is created, as if for the very first time. The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are also known as the Ten Days of Teshuvah/Return.