Elul to Shemini Atzeret
The journey of the High Holidays – Elul through Simchat Torah, is a single, continuous arc of self‑discovery and closeness with our Creator. Elul awakens us to the opportunity of “yemei ratzon,” days of Divine good will, when the gates of return are flung open and we can draw nearer than ever to Hashem (God). Rosh Hashanah’s shofar (ram’s horn trumpet) calls us to crown the King and awaken the pure spark with us in, while the Ten Days of Repentance invite us to examine our deeds and become new people through teshuvah (repentance). Yom Kippur cleanses and reconnects us with our Father who loves us unconditionally. Sukkot then wraps us in Hashem’s embrace as “the time of our joy,” and Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah bring us into the King’s inner chambers, where we rejoice with His Torah. Each section of this article reflects on one of these moments, offering insights that can turn this time into a purposeful journey.
Elul – Days of Favor
The last month of the Jewish calendar is Elul. The days of Elul are called yemei ratzon -days of good will. At the time of the giving of the Torah, there was a good will in Heaven, which was lost through the sin of worshiping the Egel HaZahav (golden calf). By repenting during the 40 days from the beginning of Elul until Yom Kippur (day of atonement), the Jews regained this good will, and received the second luchot (tablets). This good will was the same good will that they had originally, before they had sinned. Every year, we have the opportunity to reawaken this good will during these special 40 days. When we engage in repentance, Hashem remembers the original good will of these 40 days.
After the sin of the golden calf, the Jews repented and prayed, in order to receive the second tablets on Yom Kippur. So too, every year, these days are an opportune time to pray for one’s self and others, and as an outcome, on Yom Kippur we will merit to a new level of connection to the Torah.
The Hebrew letters of the word Elul stand for ani l’dodi v’dodi li – I am for my Beloved, and my Beloved is for me. This signifies that if one works himself to come closer to Hashem during the days of Elul, Hashem will help him from on high during the days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. (Ohr Gedalyahu, pg. 6-9)
Rosh Hashana – A True Servant
On Rosh Hashanah, we blow a ram’s horn – the shofar, to inaugurate Hashem as King. The Sfat Emet (a Chassidic master born in Warsaw, Poland) writes that the theme of Rosh Hashanah is fear of Hashem; this is connected to Hashem’s kingship. A true servant of the king does all of his actions to fulfill his master’s will, and before every act that he takes, he considers beforehand whether its fulfillment will bring benefit to his master.
Shofar Blasts
What do the shofar blasts mean to us? Rabbeinu Sa’adiah Gaon (rabbinical scholar born in the 9th century in Egypt) writes that the Rosh Hashanah shofar is connected to the shofar blasts which took place at Har Sinai (Mt. Sinai) at the giving of the Torah. It is also connected to the shofar that will be blown at the ingathering of the scattered Jews from exile, with the arrival of Mashiach (the Messiah). The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 33b) derives many of the laws of the Rosh Hashanah shofar from the laws of the shofar blown in the Yovel (Jubilee) year, which signifies the freeing of slaves. This indicates that the role of the Rosh Hashanah shofar is to awaken one to freedom, from the evil inclination and from the angel of death. This level was attained when the Jews received the Torah at Mt. Sinai, and when Mashiach arrives, we will attain it again.
The Rosh Hashanah shofar connects us to this freedom. Rabbi Tzadok Hakohen writes that just as past events can make an impression on us, so too future events can have an impression on us. When we blow the Rosh Hashanah shofar, it connects us to both the past and the future – to the freedom that was at the giving of the Torah, and to the freedom that will be in the times of Mashiach. The shofar blasts awaken within us a spark of freedom.
Forever a Pure Jew
Rambam (Maimonides – a prolific scholar born in the 12th century in Spain) writes that although the primary reason we blow shofar on Rosh Hashanah is simply to fulfill Hashem’s commandment, it also hints to the following message: “Wake up sleeping ones from your sleep, and slumbering ones awaken from your slumber, and investigate your deeds, and return in repentance, and remember your Creator! (Hilchot Teshuvah 3)”
Every Jew has a pure spark within himself that is not affected by sin – it is free from the evil inclination. When the future Messiah arrives and the Great Shofar will be blown, this spark will be awakened in the Jewish heart, causing it to spread to the entire body, making us completely free from the evil inclination.
When we blow the Rosh Hashanah shofar, this spark is also awakened in the person’s heart, as Maimonides writes, that the shofar awakens one from his sleep. This does not have the power of the Great Shofar of the future, as it only awakens one from his sleep, without freeing him entirely from his evil inclination. Nonetheless, by strengthening this pure spark, it gives one the ability to come to his own individual redemption, and to true freedom. (Ohr Gedalyahu, pg. 12-14)
Aseret Yemei Teshuvah
The ten days spanning from the first day of Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur are called the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, the ten days of repentance. Repentance in these days is especially favorable, and one has the opportunity to repent for any sins he may have committed in the previous year.
Repentance achieves two things. Firstly, it atones for his sin so he does not receive a punishment for transgressing the will of God. Furthermore, it purifies him, filling in the void that was created in his soul through sinning, and bringing him closer to Hashem. When a sinner recognizes the severity of his sin and repents, Hashem recreates him as an entirely new person who, as Maimonides writes, is beloved and close to Hashem. (Ohr Gedalyahu pg. 16-17)
Yom Kippur – A Day Of Atonement
The Torah states that on Yom Kippur we are cleansed from all of our sins. Rabbi Akiva says (Yoma 85b), “Fortunate are you, Israel. Before whom are you purified, and who purifies you? Your Father in heaven”. Maharal explains that the fact itself that we are connected to Hashem, purifies us on Yom Kippur.
Another aspect of this is that by recognizing that Hashem is our Father, who loves us despite our sins, we achieve atonement. The holy sage Rabbi Akiva taught “Fortunate are you Israel…”, and his student Rabbi Meir taught (Kiddushin 36a) that we are always called sons of Hashem, whether or not we follow His will.
Another student of his, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, revealed the tremendous love that Hashem has for us, as he writes in the Zohar (foundational kabbalistic book), that if only we would know the great love that Hashem has for Israel, we would lift our garments, roar like lions, and run after Him! They all teach us that a Jew should believe with complete faith, that despite all of his sins throughout the year, Hashem is our Father who purifies us. (Netivot Shalom vol. 2, pg. 163-164)
Sukkot – a Time to Rejoice
Each of the Jewish festivals has its own special opportunity for growth. Just as Pesach (Passover) is the time of our freedom, and Shavuot is the time of the giving of the Torah, Sukkot is the time of our happiness. We know that on all Jewish festivals one must be happy, so what is special about Sukkot that makes it the time of our happiness? After we are uplifted and cleansed from our sins on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Hashem brings us into His house, which is the sukkah, where we rejoice with Him.
Whole-Hearted Return
This can also be understood based on the following parable by the Torat Avot (Rabbi Avrohom of Slonim). A son of the king once left his father and was separated from him. Eventually, the son returned to the king. The king accepted his son, but he still suspected that perhaps his son did not return to him full-heartedly, rather out of fear. However, when the king noticed his son doing the king’s will with happiness and love, the king understood that his son indeed had returned to him with his full heart.
Similarly, on the days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, a Jew returns to Hashem out of yirah – fear. When Sukkot arrives, which represents love of Hashem and is the time of our happiness, the Jews rejoice with Hashem, proving that they have returned to Hashem full-heartedly. The essence of Sukkot is for the Jew to serve Hashem out of love, and with great happiness. (Netivot Shalom vol. 2, pg. 189-191)
Rabbi Chaim Vital (born in Tzfat, Israel in 1542) writes that the happiness one has when fulfilling a mitzvah (Torah commandment) is the root of all mitzvot. Avodat Hakodesh says that one is rewarded more for the happiness he has when fulfilling a mitzvah than for the mitzvah itself! On Sukkot, Hashem gives us the ability to retain the lofty heights we reached on Yom Kippur, by surrounding us in the sukkah, and giving us the opportunity to rejoice before Him. This infuses our mitzvah observance with longevity, giving us energy to continue our mitzvot throughout the rest of the year. (Netivot Shalom vol. 2, pg. 194-195)
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Sukkot concludes with Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, when we rejoice and dance with the Torah scrolls. In Israel these are celebrated on one day, whereas other places they are celebrated on two separate days. The Zohar writes that on Shemini Atzeret we are sitting alone with the King – Master of the Universe, and whatever we ask of Him on that day he will give us. A wise person does not ask for his personal needs, because they can change from time to time. Even if he receives what he needs now, tomorrow he will need something else. Instead, he asks to always be allowed to come before the king, so that he will always be able to request what he needs. (In truth, one should open up to Hashem to ask for all of his desires, from the most important needs to the most trivial wants.)
Sitting Next to God
Similarly, when a Jew is uplifted to sit before Hashem, his primary request is that he should remain there forever, so he will always be in the house of the King. This is what David HaMelech (King David) requests (Tehillim 27:4), “One thing I asked from Hashem, that I desire, that I sit in the house of Hashem all the days of my life, to see the sweetness of Hashem, and to be seen in His chamber”.
We dance and rejoice with the Torah, and through the power of the Torah, we merit to sit with Hashem. By connecting with the Torah, we can remain connected to Hashem throughout the year, and receive blessing in all areas of our life. A Jew takes the tremendous happiness and love revealed by Hashem on Simchat Torah with him throughout the year. This will remind him that even when things may seem dark, Hashem is always close by, and taking care of him. (Netivot Shalom vol. 2, pg. 219-220, 223, 224)
High Holidays in a Nutshell
The High Holiday season is a carefully woven tapestry that compels us out of our routine life and guides us from awe to love. These days of Elul train us to hear the shofar’s call and respond; Rosh Hashanah and the Ten Days of Repentance push us to realignment; Yom Kippur strips away our missteps and reveals our essential purity. Sukkot teaches us to serve with joy, and Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah remind us that the ultimate goal is enduring closeness with Hashem through His Torah. As you move through the teachings in this article, allow each one to lift on this spiritual ascent. May the inspiration you find here help you align your life with your values and carry the connections of this sacred time into the rest of your year.
By Rabbi Shmuel Sampson
