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29 Av 5759 - August 11, 1999 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Opinion & Comment
Running Towards Rosh Hashanah

Few things so highlight the depth of our golus as the way the rhythms of life of the non-Jewish world affect us. For many of those who live in chutz la'aretz it is hard these days to escape the dominant spirit of the beginning of August, the dog-days of summer, the time the whole world (or at least the Northern Hemisphere) thinks about relaxing a little.

Yet in the yearly cycle that really counts, it is already the beginning of Elul. Elul! The time in which all good men begin to prepare for the upcoming yemei hadin. A time of introspection and evaluation, and of increasing tension as the days of yomim noraim come nearer. It is definitely not a time to relax.

September seems altogether a better time for Elul. The climate is cooler and, for those who are exposed to it, the non-Jewish world also returns to work and study after the long summer of vacationing. But we have no time to waste, for the yemei hadin are fast approaching.

HaRav Dovid Povarsky, zt"l, once said in a shmuess that the entire thrust of what we have to do in Elul can be summed up in the words of the Tanna Ben Azzai in Ovos (4:2): "Run to do even a simple mitzva."

Do not just walk to do a mitzva -- run to it. This teaches us that our obligation is not just the actual act of performing the mitzva itself -- but we must also exert ourselves and try hard even in the stages that precede and lead up to the actual performance of the mitzva. The preparation that leads up to the mitzva is also important and even that has a right way to be done.

This is our avoda in Elul which is the period that precedes and leads up to the yomim noraim. We must not think, mistakenly, that the only thing of importance is Rosh Hashanah itself. In fact, even the time leading up to Rosh Hashanah, the preparation for the yom hadin, all the days of Elul, are important in themselves. In this period we must conduct ourselves specially, and rededicate ourselves to avodas Hashem so that we will be, in effect, running -- not walking -- to Rosh Hashanah. We must seize each day of Elul as another rung in the ladder that leads up to Rosh Hashanah.

Running implies actions performed with speed and enthusiasm, quickly overcoming obstacles, trying to get there faster, ignoring distractions, and consistently pursuing a goal without being slowed by fatigue.

Running to Rosh Hashanah in Elul must be such that we ignore all distractions and strengthen ourselves physically and emotionally, with a consistent and unflagging devotion to avodas Hashem so that we will be ready for the upcoming Rosh Hashanah.

On your mark . . . get set . . . GO!


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