The Fear of Elul
אלול
יוֹם אִירָא אֲנִי אֵלֶיךָ אֶבְטָח תהלים נו ד
The Fear of Elul
Someone has just quoted me, that I said that Elul should be like a Purim, and I am told that it went “viral”; the whole world is talking about it. And I was told that for many, many people, it saved them, because they were very depressed. Now, I don't deny that. Somebody asked me about that today, and I said “I can't say that for everybody. Some people should NOT do that. Some people should make half a Purim, not a whole Purim, and some people should make a double Purim. You're terribly depressed, so do Teshuva on Simcha!” (I can make the case for anything). However, I would like to say one thing. The general M'halech for everybody today, is "take it easy" these days. We are not what we used to be. We're not in Kelm, Slabodka, or Novardok; we have to be much, much more chilled.
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The Brisker Rav says that before a person has Bitachon, יוֹם אִירָא אֲנִי אֵלֶיךָ אֶבְטָח תהלים נו ד If you are scared, that's real Bitachon. If you are not scared, and you don't chap that there's a problem, that's not Bitachon. (I say, everything's good. My Rebbe, R' Gershon Zatzal, used to laugh and say "Yes, it's fine, it's fine. It's good, it's good). But ideally, you have to have a fear!
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In the olden days, people were petrified of Elul - R' Yisroel Salanter12
Similarly, when it comes an Elul, if you are going to go around “chilling out" in Elul and making a joke out of Elul... you have to somehow have a fear! Elul is not a joke! Do you know what it means Yom HaDin? Do you know what a Pachad it is? Did you see what happened on October 7? Is it a joke? Maybe if they would have davened a little harder on Rosh Hashanah it would not have happened? The Chofetz Chaim used to constantly say that if people would have davened a little more, there would not have been a WWI.
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Do you know what davening does? So take advantage of that Elul; there are a lot of things that could happen! The world out there is not a joke. So I recommend, the first thing is, realize that it's very serious. And if you realize that it's serious, then Hashem will respect you more, because He like that. And THEN you'll start chilling; you'll go buy ices and have some fun, and go to Yapchik for some "serious food", and enjoy life and have fun. But first realize that it is Elul, because if you are not going to realize that there are potential problems, then you may be in trouble.
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You have to strike a balance. Don't get depressed. But at the same time remember מִי יִחְיֶה וּמִי יָמוּת our lives are in the balance and it's a big Zechus when you're a little scared. Aderaba, it's a good thing for you. You'll go further. Everybody has to have Sechel and do what's going to work for you. And be Mispallel that you should have the right Elul, and we should all be Zoche to a K'siva Va'chasima Tova.
12 אור ישראל (קבוצת מכתבים ומאמרים להלהיב הלבבות ליראת ה' וללימוד היראה והמוסר, לאדמו"ר הרב הגאון רשכבה"ג החסיד והעניו אור עולם המפורסם בכל קצוי ארץ מרנא ורבנא ישראל ליבקין מסאלאנט זצוקללה"ה, חובר מאת תלמידו הרב הגאון הגדול צדיק ונשגב שמו מרן רבי יצחק בלאזער זצ"ל בעל שו"ת פרי יצחק, וילנא תר"ס, עמ' 60) מלפנים כאשר ידעתי, כל איש אחזו פלצות, מקול הקורא קדוש אלול. החרדה הלזו נשאה פריה להתקרב לעבודתו ית"ש, איש לפי ערכו. ויש לציין מש"כ בספר דרכי חיים ושלום (אוצר מנהגי אדמו"ר מרן חיים אלעזר שפירא זי"ע, אבד"ק מונקאטש והגלילות, ע"י תלמידו ר' יחיאל מיכל גאלד זצ"ל הי"ד, מנהגי חודש אלול, אות תרפו) בשבת מברכין אלול, כשהרים קולו נאדר בקודש לומר "ראש חודש אלול יהיה ביום פלוני", חיל כיולדה אחז לכל השומעים. וכן אחר כך באמירת יחדשהו וגו' אחר תיבת "ולרפואה שלמה" היה מוסיף ואומר בקול בכי "ולתשובה שלימה" ולגאולה קרובה ונאמר אמן, ואם אבן הוא, נימוח ופשפש במעשיו.
