An Individual Awakening

We are now in the month of Elul. Elul is a time of awakening. The shofar is customarily blown every day, as it was when Moshe Rabbeinu ascended to Mount Sinai on Rosh Chodesh Elul for forty days to receive the Torah. The Jew becomes aware of his responsibilities in this world – his potential to bond with the Creator of the universe and his ability to perfect himself and the entire creation. The shofar arouses us, as do the auspicious days of Elul themselves, to awaken from the lethargy of an entire year. They urge us to once again gain a recognition of ourselves and our mission in this world.

In this light we are given one of the hints of Elul in the verse “U’mal Hashem Elokecha es levavcha v’es levav zarecha – Hashem, your G-d, will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring” (Devarim 30:6). The first letters of this verse spell Elul. The awakening of Elul removes all the partitions and obstacles between us and our Creator and intensifies our recognition of and sensitivity to Hashem. To do this, we must reorient ourselves to know both our true selves and our Creator.
(Rabbi Zev Leff)