Love and Resolve

As I write these words on the last Friday of August, Labor Day is just around the corner. A refrain from a favorite Grateful Dead tune: ‘Summertime’s come and gone, my oh my.’ In addition to our
looking into September, this Shabbat we announce the imminent arrival of Elul, the month that serves as a corridor toward the new year of 5785.

Our tradition guides us toward spiritually preparing ourselves for the new year. There’s Teshuva, Turning Back towards God, toward each other…looking inward, taking an inventory. What to
keep, what to release, what to fix (can it be fixed?). Our sages transform the name of the month Elul (אלול) into an acronym for אני לדודי ודודי לי , ‘I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me.’
This powerful teaching tells us that love is at the core of our mission. Our introspection is guided by love and care; caring for, caring about — in circles which radiate outward from our intimate
family commitments to other close-knit circles … eventually — to everyone whose paths we cross.

Back to ancient pop/rock & roll…easy to dismiss the Beatles’ declaration that ‘all you need is love’ … we probably need a few more tools in the spiritual survival kit, but — love (not such a simple idea) might just be the Most Important thing there is.

One last thing — I saved it for last because it’s a tough item. Our brothers and sisters in Israel who have been mourning those who were murdered back on October 7 have recently passed their eleven months of reciting Kaddish. If anything I’ve written about love and care means anything at all – we are not permitted to forget about them. I am talking about a sacred obligation to the souls of the dead as well as their families who surely struggle with impossible burdens. As we enter into this corridor of Elul, let us resolve to keep faith. To extend our love. To care. To support our family over in Israel in any way we can. Make a promise to yourself and to them.