Rabbi's Message: Slichot

Shavua Tov,

There’s something powerful about being in the final days of the Jewish year.  It feels different, to me, than the last week of December.  At this moment, nearing the conclusion of the month of Elul, we know that Rosh Hashanah is approaching.  It will soon be a day of celebrating our world, the new year, and community.  Yes, the liturgy of the New Year begins to set us up for the deep spiritual work of the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe), yet it is a celebration - we say Shanah Tovah!  

But, immediately after Rosh Hashanah, we embark on the journey of the Days of Awe, a time when the Book of Life has been cracked open only to be closed on Yom Kippur and sealed at the end of Sukkot.  So, these final days of the year, the final week of Elul, feels as if all the “stuff” in our hearts, minds, and souls has been accumulated and now is the time to sort through it.  From one perspective, we can imagine that this is the work of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, yet in the Ashkenazi Jewish tradition, we have this final week as a period of Selichot.  The 15th century Spanish Rabbi, Joseph Albo, wrote in his Sefer HaIkkarim, “We do not wait for Rosh Hashanah to come. We desire to approach the day of judgement as friends of God, not as strangers. In this manner we are confident that God will give us a good year.”

So, Selichot is the time in which we search our own souls and begin to prepare ourselves spiritually for Rosh Hashanah, the Days of Awe, and eventually Yom Kippur.  It is a period of spiritual reflection deeper than the balance of Elul and in preparation for the days ahead.  As we embrace these final moments of Elul and engage with Selichot, may we discover again our opportunity to be-friend God, Divine, Mystery of Creation, whatever it is we believe.

Shanah Tovah U’Mitukah - A Good and Sweet New Year,

Rabbi Evon