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August 16, 2023

Elul: A Time for Reflection

Like any major physical endeavor, from a sprint to a marathon, spiritual practice requires preparation. The month of Elul starts at sundown on Wednesday, August 16. Throughout this month, we are in training for the High Holidays, considering our actions in 5783 and how we want to change in 5784. The shofar is blown every morning during Elul—like a starting whistle for your spiritual boot camp. JTS offers many resources to support this "training," from live webinars exploring the central texts of the holidays, to commentaries and videos to help direct your intention for study and reflection.

Online Learning Series

THE TORAH OF THE NEW YEAR

ONLINE | SEPTEMBER 6, 12, 19, AND 26, 1:00 P.M. ET

Prepare for the fall holidays with JTS faculty, who will explore several of the biblical texts that we read during this season of reflection and renewal. With Rabbi Mychal Springer, Dr. Aaron Koller, Rabbi Eliezer Diamond, and Rabbi Gordon Tucker. Starts September 6.

Insights to Deepen Your Experience

WHY THE 27TH PSALM?

From the beginning of the month of Elul, Psalm 27 is recited daily, invoking a sense of protective power as we begin the process of teshuvah. In this commentary, Dr. Alan Cooper explores the history of the liturgical use of this psalm and some of the hidden meanings in the text.

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THE CALL OF THE SHOFAR

Hearing the Shofar blast each day in Elul is a way of preparing us for the High Holidays. In this commentary, Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz reflects on the sound of the shofar as a wake up call "to consider our own paths, how we have fallen short, and how we might still do better for those we love and those in our charge."

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TRACKING OUR MITZVOT

Like many of us, Dr. Judith Hauptman's Fitbit motivates her to get to 10,000 steps. She explores the concept of a mitzvah tracker—a mechanism where we set goals to motivate engagement with the commandments. This lively video highlights Talmudic sources that connect to the idea of keeping tabs on what you're doing right in preparation for the High Holidays.

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FINDING THE RIGHT METAPHOR

Dr. Amy Kalmanofsky's commentary on the language of sin—as a weight, debt, or stain—offers a way to consider teshuvah (repentance or return) in this penitential season. For each of these metaphors, Jewish texts offer a way to address the issue and move forward in our lives.

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#JTSElulBlasts

For more ideas to prepare for the High Holidays, check out our social media feeds where we will be posting content throughout the month, including a new series of videos from JTS rabbinical students. #JTSElulBlasts

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