Day 25 – Approaching Rosh Hashanah: The Day of Judgment
Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgment, the birthday of the world, and the annual coronation of the King. Tradition teaches that on this day…
Day 24 – Deepening Tzedakah
Tzedakah—righteous giving—is the third pillar. As the Days of Awe approach, the Sages urge increased charity. “Charity delivers from death” and “tzedakah saves from death”…
Day 23 – Deepening Tefillah
Tefillah—prayer—is the second pillar. During these days prayer becomes more frequent, more honest, and more focused. The daily recitation of Psalm 27, the addition of…
Day 22 – Deepening Teshuvah
Teshuvah is the first of the three classic pillars that avert the evil decree. As Rosh Hashanah draws near, the work of return intensifies. Maimonides…
Day 21 – Selichot and the Thirteen Attributes Intensify
As Elul advances, the penitential prayers known as Selichot take center stage. Sephardic communities begin them at the start of the month; Ashkenazic communities traditionally…
Day 20 – The Work of Middot: A Summary and Turning Point
The past ten days have focused on the concrete shape of teshuvah in character: humility, guarded speech, the overcoming of anger, love of neighbor, practical…
Day 19 – Healing Envy and the Breach Between Brothers
Envy and jealousy are among the most corrosive middot. Proverbs 14:30 calls envy “rottenness of the bones.” It destroys relationships, communities, and nations. The historic…