We are right in the middle of the Hebrew month of Elul (אלול), a time when we are meant to be contemplating what we would like our future relationship with God to be like. Elul shares the same Gematria (numerical value) as the word Binah (בינה), understanding (they both equal 67). What is the significance of this numerical relationship?
For many (perhaps most) people the High Holidays are a time of resolving to improve their behavior, the actions they do each and every day. For some reason it never seems to work the way we want it to. Despite all the sincere resolutions of a better behaved future, people usually seem to revert to their old behavioral patterns pretty quickly. That is because resolving to be better without taking the time to achieve any understanding of why we act in the way we do will ultimately not accomplish anything.
Elul is the time for Binah, for taking the time to understand ourselves and where we stand before God and why. Once we arrive at that understanding we can move on and truly change.
3 comments:
I might recommend an edit. Change:
"Despite all the sincere resolutions of a better behaved future, people usually seem to revert to their old behavioral patterns pretty quickly."
to:
"Despite all the sincere resolutions of a better behaved future, I usually seem to revert to my old behavioral patterns pretty quickly."
or:
"Despite all the sincere resolutions of a better behaved future, I know some people have reverted to their old behavioral patterns pretty quickly."
I humbly suggest the article lacks in dan l'kaf zechut. "Most people"?! Really?! The Jewish nation is a holy one, and I think you should assume they are tzaddikim unless you know otherwise for individuals. For people you haven't yet met, you cannot assume they revert to their old ways. You should only say what you know - which is how you are yourself, and perhaps if other people open up about themselves to you so intimately. Otherwise you are judging and casting aspersions on people you haven't even met.
I hope I don't sound too harsh, but I intend only to defend am yisroel and humanity, a holy body of Hashem's creations who, from a dan l'kaf zechut perspective, are great people.
I might recommend an edit. Change:
"Despite all the sincere resolutions of a better behaved future, people usually seem to revert to their old behavioral patterns pretty quickly."
to:
"Despite all the sincere resolutions of a better behaved future, I usually seem to revert to my old behavioral patterns pretty quickly."
or:
"Despite all the sincere resolutions of a better behaved future, I know some people have reverted to their old behavioral patterns pretty quickly."
I humbly suggest the article lacks in dan l'kaf zechut. "Most people"?! Really?! The Jewish nation is a holy one, and I think you should assume they are tzaddikim unless you know otherwise for individuals. For people you haven't yet met, you cannot assume they revert to their old ways. You should only say what you know - which is how you are yourself, and perhaps if other people open up about themselves to you so intimately. Otherwise you are judging and casting aspersions on people you haven't even met.
I hope I don't sound too harsh, but I intend only to defend am yisroel and humanity, a holy body of Hashem's creations who, from a dan l'kaf zechut perspective, are great people.
You've lost much of my respect by ignoring a legitimate comment related to ahavat yisroel/censoring your blog.
I applaud your noble efforts but think you should be more open to (at least discussing criticism). i'm no longer subscribing to your blog though because clearly our hashkafot are different. you seem a lot more comfortable than I am to talk about "most people" negatively.
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