Torah Calendar
15-28 Elul, 5782
September 11-24, 2022
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Attributes of the month of Elul: Ruling permutation of the letters of HAVAYAH: KEH KEH VAV YOD, contained in the final Hebrew letters of the words of the verse ootzedakaH tihyeH lanOO kI "and it shall be righteousness to us when..." (Deut 6:25). The month's corresponding letter is: YOD; Human attribute: ACTION; Body Part: LEFT HAND ; Tribe: GAD; Constellation: BETULAH (Virgo, the Maiden).
Tuesday night-Wednesday September 13-14 / 18 Elul
Today is
the anniversary of the birthday of Rabbi
Israel Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760),
founder of Chassidism, and it was also
the date on which he first revealed himself.
Likewise it is the anniversary of the birthday
of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812),
founder of the Chabad Lubavitch chassidic
movement. Many chassidim customarily hold
festive communal meals to encourage and
strengthen each other in following the
chassidic pathway.
Today is also the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Yehuda Loewe, the "Maharal" of
Prague (1525-1609), outstanding scholar, mystic and philosopher and
legendary creator of the Golem.
As the Day of Judgment draws closer, we should rectify whatever we can -- such as searching our shelves and closets for any borrowed items (e.g. books etc.) that we need to return to their owners.
Thursday night-Friday September 15-16 / 20 Elul
Today is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi
Avraham ben Naftali Hertz Shternhertz "Kochav
Lev" (d. 1955), grandson
of Rabbi Nosson of Breslov and leading
Breslover elder in Uman and Jerusalem,
Israel.
Today is also the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Cahanman (1886-1969),
the Ponevitcher Rav and founder of the prestigious Ponevitch
Yeshiva, Bnay Brak, Israel, and of Rabbi Mosheh Aryeh Freund (d.
1996), Chief Rabbi of the Eda Charedis of Jerusalem. Both were holocaust survivors
who were instrumental in rebuilding Torah institutions after the war. Today
is also the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler (1872-1970),
outstanding Tzaddik, Mussar teacher and author of Michtav MiEliyahu.
Friday night-Saturday September
16-17 / 21 Elul
Shabbat Parshat KI TAVO
Torah Reading: KI
TAVO, Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8.
Haftara: Isaiah 60:1-22.
Saturday night-Sunday September
17-18 / 22 Elul
First day of Selichot (Ashkenazim)
Tonight the Ashkenazi communities
begin to rise before the dawn every weekday
until the eve of Yom Kippur (October 4)
for Selichot (penitential
prayers), thereby joining their Sephardi
brothers, who began rising for Selichot
immediately after Rosh Chodesh Elul. Some
communities have the practice of reciting
the Selichot on Saturday night starting
about an hour before midnight, i.e. near
the beginning of the middle "watch" of
the night. Those who did not rise for Selichot
at night or before dawn may recite them
after daybreak prior to the daily Shacharit
morning prayer.
"A few supplications with kavanah (proper intention) are
better than many without" (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, 1:4). Many
people have the custom of fasting on the first day of the
Selichot. Those who are unable to fast from food may choose to observe a "fast
from speaking", Ta'anit Dibbur.
Monday night-Tuesday September 19-20 / 24 Elul
Today is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen of Radzin (1838-1933), known as the Chafetz Chaim, author of works on the prohibition of evil speech and of Mishneh Berurah on the laws of daily prayer and blessings, Shabbat and festivals.
Tuesday night-Wednesday September 20-21 / 25 Elul
According to the opinion
of Rabbi Eliezer HaGadol, today is the Anniversary
of the first of the "Six Days of Creation",
which culminate on the first day of Rosh
HaShanah, the sixth day of Creation, when
Adam was created. On each of these six
days the unique light of the associated
Sefirah shines in all the worlds.
Today is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi
Shimon bar Yochai.
The Holy Zohar states that at the end of days an awesome event will
take place on this date (Balak 212b).
During the Elul season of repentance, Israel are like the inhabitants of a city who go out to greet the King in the fields prior to His entry into the city (on Rosh Hashanah), and now each individual has the opportunity to approach the King in person in advance of the coming Day of Judgment.
Everyone
who recites Psalm 27, "HaShem
is my light", morning
and evening from the beginning
of Elul until the end of Succot
is assured he will live out
his years in goodness and pleasantness,
and he removes from himself
all the accusing forces and
nullifies all harsh and evil
decrees, and he will win his
case in the Judgment.
-- ARI
Friday night-Saturday September
23-24 / 28 Elul
Shabbat Parshat NITZAVIM
Torah Reading: Deuteronomy
29:9-30:20; Haftara: Isaiah
61:10-63:9, seventh and last of the
Haftarot of Comfort read between the
Fast of Tisha B'Av and Rosh HaShanah.
This is the last Shabbat of the year, and we should make every effort to receive
this Shabbat with the greatest joy and devotion.
It is customary NOT to bless the coming month in the Synagogue after the Shabbat
Torah reading. This is "in order to outwit the satan" (i.e. not to
alert his attention to the coming Day of Judgment in order to avoid his accusations),
and in any case, the month of Tishri is so holy that it is "blessed in
heaven" instead. However, those who have the custom of reciting the entire
book of Psalms on Shabbat Mevorchin also do so on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah.
The Molad of Tishri is on Sunday September 25 at 09:00 and
6chalakim p.m.
Today is the anniversary of the death of King Saul and his
three sons at the battle of Mt Gilboa.
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