The Path of Elul

Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

Though it may be cliché to say that we are living in troubling times, it is true. Over the past few years, we have lost many of our great men and leaders. If you think about it, the number of people we looked up to and turned to for guidance who are no longer with us is tragically overwhelming. We peer into the void and wonder if, and how, it can be filled. Just recently, we lost a leading, towering rosh yeshiva, who was a mentor and guide to thousands, and a rebbe who was respected as a talmid chochom and tzaddik.

Tragedies abound. Young people hover between life and death, and just this past Sunday, there was a levayah for a young mother who suddenly took ill and passed away shortly thereafter.

Eretz Yisroel has been at war for almost a year, facing attacks from the north, south, east and west, with prospects for more attacks and a more intense double-pronged war developing. The country is unstable and ripping itself apart.

As Elul, the month of rachamim (mercy), is upon us, it appears that we have been in a period of din for too long now. What can we do to earn Hashem’s mercy so that He brings an end to our pain, suffering and losses?

This week’s parsha discusses the brachos that were delivered at Har Gerizim and the klalos that were delivered at Har Eivol. The people who follow the mitzvos of Hashem would be blessed and those who wouldn’t would be cursed.

The posuk (28:47) states that the reason the curses would befall a person is because he did not serve Hashem through joy and happiness. Many wonder why performing a mitzvah without simcha causes a person to become cursed and punished. After all, he did perform the mitzvah.

We will offer an explanation.

Last week, in Parshas Ki Seitzei, we studied 74 mitzvos, the most contained in any parsha. The most intriguing mitzvah there is the one that Chazal say never happened, namely, the ben sorer umoreh, the deviant son.

While the posuk states that he didn’t obey his parents, the Gemara (Sanhedrin 71a), quoted in Rashi, teaches that the mitzvah relates to a 13-year-old boy who stole and ate meat and wine. He is brought to bais din, and if the charges are proven, he is put to death.

What did he do to deserve the ultimate penalty? Rashi quotes the Gemara (ibid. 71b) that he is punished al sheim sofo, because if he engages in this activity, he will eventually commit acts that are punishable by death.

The Ramban gives two reasons for his severe punishment. One is that he mocked his parents and rebelled against them, and the second is that he is a zollel vesovei, a glutton. “By doing so, he is transgressing the commandment of kedoshim tihiyu, to be a holy people (Vayikra 19:2). He has also transgressed the commandments earlier in Devorim (13:5) of “ve’oso sa’avodu…uvo sidbokun - to serve Hashem and to connect to Him.”

He continues: “As I explained (Devorim 6:13), this indicates that we are to know Hashem [and include Him] bechol derocheinu, in all we do, and a person who eats and drinks such as this one will not know the derech Hashem, the path of Hashem.” The one who conducts himself in this way has veered from the path of Hashem and will never be able to get back onto it.

Not only doesn’t he have his priorities straight, but the ben sorer umoreh thinks that life is about having a good time and seeks ways to increase enjoyment. He doesn’t understand that the purpose of a Jew’s life is, as the Ramban writes, to serve Hashem and follow the path that He set out for us.

Someone who spends his days seeking pleasure will never be satiated. He’ll never have enough and he’ll never be happy. There will always be another restaurant to try out, another plane to procure, a bigger and more upscale home to move to, and a faster, nicer, more comfortable car to be driven in.

In this introspective month of Elul, we work on perfecting ourselves. One of the prime seforim people study to guide them in this pursuit is the classic Mesillas Yeshorim, written by the Ramchal. He opens the sefer by stating that at the root of being a meritorious person who properly serves Hashem is to know and understand our obligation in this world, to serve Hashem and to enjoy basking in the light of His presence.

We all know, and it should be obvious, that the world did not come into existence by itself. Through a cursory examination of a tiny fly, with its legs, wings, brain, eyes, digestive system, and more, it becomes evident that even such a small creature is far too complex to have simply evolved by chance.

Look at a tree growing in your backyard and reflect on its growth and internal irrigation system—how it sprouts fresh green leaves in the spring, which then change color and fall off in autumn—and it becomes obvious that this process didn’t happen by itself.

Since Hakadosh Boruch Hu created the world, He did so with a purpose. If the purpose of creation were simply for people to enjoy themselves, why is there so much pain and suffering in the world? Why does each person experience sadness, grief, anguish, and loss? There must be a higher reason for Hashem’s creation, especially of Am Yisroel, who Chazal teach are the very purpose of creation.

We are here as Hashem’s children, as the posuk says, “Bonim atem laHashem Elokeichem” (Devorim 14:1). We were created to observe Hashem’s mitzvos, to study His Torah, and to walk on the path He has paved for us. We must know that this is our purpose in life and behave accordingly. Those who do so earn the blessings of Hashem, as expressed in the Torah and specifically in this week’s parsha.

Additionally, by fulfilling our obligations, we become satisfied with ourselves and feel content in knowing that we are succeeding in life. Doing what we are meant to do nourishes our neshamos and brings us joy, gratification and a sense of attainment.

A person who understands that by performing mitzvos he brings brocha upon himself and fulfills the very purpose of his life will approach each mitzvah with joy. Someone who truly appreciates the inherent value of mitzvos will eagerly seize every opportunity to perform them. Procuring an esrog, for instance, is not seen as a burden; rather, he happily goes from place to place, seeking the finest esrog he can afford. He eagerly anticipates making the brocha and shaking it together with the lulav, hadasim, and aravos. With gratitude, he thanks Hashem for granting him the life and merit to perform this mitzvah, and he shakes them with joy and pride. This is true for every mitzvah.

Our original question is now answered. A person who does not perform mitzvos with joy reveals a lack of understanding of his true purpose in life. He fails to appreciate that the Creator, who sustains him, has asked him to fulfill these mitzvos. To paraphrase the Ramban’s words regarding the ben sorer umoreh, such a person does not know the derech Hashem, the path of Hashem upon which good people walk.

A most important task for parents is to be mechanech children to understand the correct priorities in life. This is not only crucial for their growth and success. It goes to the very core of their being and lives as bnei and bnos Yisroel.

The yeitzer hora is cunning, and young people who are not yet aware of its tricks can easily become entangled in material desires and peer pressures. We must guide them to follow the right path and emphasize Torah values that provide lasting fulfillment and joy. They need to understand that, as children of the Melech Malchei Hamelachim, they should conduct themselves with the dignity of royalty.

The most effective way to instill these values is through example, by learning with them and sharing meaningful divrei Torah and stories.

There is a new, fascinating sefer on the life of the Chofetz Chaim written by Rav Dov Eliach. He discusses that the Chofetz Chaim would wear simple clothes, but they were always perfectly clean and fitting, for he was a “ben Melech” and always conducted himself as such. All through the day, everything he did was for Hashem. He always sought to be connected with Hashem and was never distracted from his task of walking in the derech Hashem and acting as Hashem would want.

When he would get dressed, he would say, “I am doing this lesheim Hashem.” When he aged and began encountering difficulty in putting on his shoes, he said each time, “Ribono Shel Olam, I am doing this for Your honor.”

When he washed himself, he said, “Lesheim Hashem,” and when he wrote a letter, he would dip his pen into the bottle of ink and proclaim, “Lechvod Hashem.”

Everything was about Hashem, for he knew that his purpose in this world was to serve Hashem, and he knew that he was a favorite son to the Melech.

We need to follow his example and learn the lesson of the ben sorer umoreh, understanding what Hashem wants from us and consistently walking His path with the dignity of royalty. By doing so, we will merit Hashem’s brachos and experience true happiness, regardless of our circumstances. We will recognize that Hashem created the world and placed us in it for a supreme purpose.

We would dedicate our time to pursuing mitzvos and acting with kindness towards others. We would speak appropriately, dress properly, always be neat and clean, avoid places we don’t belong, and strive to be righteous and exemplary in all our actions.

We would earn the brachos listed in this week’s parsha, as would our children and others who follow our example.

And if we err, or fall from the path, we would get back on. We would regret our mistakes, do teshuvah, and be welcomed back into Hashem’s embrace.

We can all reach that level. We can all aspire to be like the Chofetz Chaim and other great tzaddikim, growing in Torah and avodah, if we maintain proper, eternal priorities and avoid being misled by trivial pursuits. Chasing fleeting pleasures that quickly disappear and offer little lasting value will only leave us with an empty feeling.

Elul, the Chassidic masters taught, stands for “lo anachnu.” We are Hashem’s. “Lo anachnu” - we are not for ourselves.

Elul is the time to forsake our silly wants and desires, and to recognize that we are Hashem’s. If we acknowledge that we are His, He will respond by affirming our connection and showing us mercy, just as a parent shows mercy to his children.

We have just passed the midway point of Elul. There is still much to do, but if we are on the derech Hashem and take steps towards rectifying our actions and bringing ourselves closer to Hashem, He will reach out to us, bring us all the way aboard, and grant us a kesivah vachasimah tovah. Kein yehi ratzon.