by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz
Elul, the Jewish month before Rosh HaShana, is known as a time of preparation for the High Holidays. For those involved with the administrative details of hosting High Holiday services, it is a time fraught with details and concerns. For clergy, it is a time of intense preparation and planning for conducting services, coordinating with other clergy and staff, and for preparing sermons that are meant to be powerful, deep, spiritual and not too long! For the people in the congregation, many of whom will not enter a synagogue again until next year at the season of the High Holidays, it is a rare and precious opportunity to meet with old and new friends, catch up on family news and remember how it feels to be in the physical presence of other people observing the Jewish holidays, each in their own unique way. While each of these activities is important, they do not reach the core opportunity of the month of Elul, which is spiritual preparation for a New Year.
What is the ‘job’ of Elul? Elul is sometimes described as the month of reflection, where we are instructed to look carefully at our lives—our actions, thoughts, decisions and choices. Doing so, we may find some parts of ourselves that need a little ‘refresher’—a little polishing—where perhaps our intentions got a little rusty or our thoughtful plans became buried under masses of emails. How can we identify those parts of ourselves which have become sluggish, full of accumulated ‘stuff’ and thus resistant to change?
There is a five step process of change which I have used in a variety of situations….I think it might be useful as a kind of prescription for the spiritual work of Elul.
Awareness. Until we are aware of something there’s no way to change or improve it. When we didn’t know that cigarette smoking was dangerous…becoming aware of that fact was the necessary first step to change. Think of when we realized that constant stop stress was taking a toll on our intimate relationships…becoming aware was the first step.
Interest. We can become aware of a behavior or thought pattern and brush off that awareness. “Oh, well….everyone thinks that” , or “There’s nothing could do about it” , or I’d rather think of something else”. Are all examples of either passively or actively ‘putting something on the ‘back burner’, an effective strategy for staying stuck. Moving from awareness to interest is the second step toward change as it moves and focuses our attention.
Examination. We can be aware of something and have casual interest in it, but we can stay remained paralyzed in our old thought and behaviors unless we find the mental and spiritual energy to examine ourselves. Loving self examination is the next necessary step toward change.
Decision. Thorough, loving self reflection and examination is useful, but can be a muddy end point, unless it comes to some conclusion, some decision, some intention to act. People sometimes get stuck at this point, clear about their intentions, but somehow unable or unwilling to take the final step.
Action. Acting on that decision is what makes the change real in our lives. Whether the decision is large and life changing or small and personal does not matter.
What matters is following through all five steps of the job of Elul…only then can we start the new year anew.