Seal of the Kovno Killel
There was a Beis Mussar in Kovno, founded by HaRav Yisroel Salanter. One member of his family, R' Dovid Lipkin, called by many 'the Porush' or 'ascetic,' used to spend many hours there. Many Jews used to come to this place on the Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh Elul and after the prayers, R' Dovid would gather some of these mispallelim, myself included, and say:
"Are you aware of how HaRav Yisroel used to call the devotions and prayers of the month of Elul?
"He compared it to a locomotive which had traveled a downward route for eleven months, nonstop. On the twelfth month, it wants to return and climb back up the same path. How much toil and effort this requires! This is the challenge of Elul! (Amudei Sheish by R' Avrohom Weiner z"l).
"The first thing this locomotive must do is to come to a halt.
"Stopping the downward course is the first step in the change of direction."
The Mashgiach of Yeshivas Ponovezh used to say: "A person sits in a train and travels, keeping on going. He leans back leisurely on his seat and says to himself: 'Boruch Hashem, Rosh Hashonoh is already behind me. I have triumphed in the judgment. Now I can proceed with my usual routine.' But he is unaware that the train is traveling in the opposite direction! He is capable of traveling thus for his entire life until he arrives at a certain station in his life and suddenly realizes that something is amiss, that truly, he is traveling along — but in the opposite direction!"
"For He prepared the way for them for ascent, but from the depth of their deeds."
