One of the focuses in Elul should be to recognize all the chesed Hashem does for us and to praise Him for them. This idea is hinted at in the roshei teivos of ךל נחנוא מודים תפראתך שםל מהלליםו, "We thank You and we praise Your glorious name...." (said in Vayevarech David). The roshei teivos of these words spell אלול, and the word מודים is in between the letters that spell אלול, because the avodah of Elul is to praise Hashem, and to recognize all the kindness He does for us.
Praising Hashem also includes thanking Him for saving us from tzaros. The Mishnah (Avos 5:5) lists the ten miracles that took place in the Beis HaMikdash:לא הקודש בשר הסריח ולא ,הקודש בשר מריח אשה הפילה אש גשמים כיבו ולא ...המטבחים בבית זבוב נראה ולא ,מעולם מערכה עצי של, "No woman miscarried due to the scent of the kodashim meat, the holy meat never spoiled, a fly wasn't seen in the slaughter room...rain never put out the fire on the mizbeiach..." These miracles specify the tzaros we were saved from, not only the gifts we received. This is certainly also a reason to praise Hashem.
The tefillah of Modim is about praising Hashem, so why do we add the request in Modim, during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah of בריתך בני כל טובים לחיים וכתוב, "Inscribe all Yidden, with whom You made a covenant, for a good life?"
Tiferes Shlomo zt'l (Vayeira נותן ה"ד) explains that whenever we praise Hashem, it is an ideal time to ask for more. As it states, הודו טוב כי 'לה, if you praise Hashem, חסדו לעולם כי, the kindness will continue forever. So, we praise Hashem for the good we received, and we request that Hashem continue giving us these kindnesses, and even more than before.
We should ask for a good year in Elul, and once again, in Tishrei. As we will discuss later, the beginning of the year is a very special time to daven. And when we daven, we should request a lot. Hashem is יכול כל, He can do anything. When we ask for a lot, Hashem will grant it to us.
During these days, at the beginning of the year, when the King encourages us to request our needs, we should be wise, not like the fourth man, who failed to seize the opportunity before him.
People collecting money usually don't get too much from going around in the beis midrash. The mispalelim generally give small donations — a quarter, a dollar, maybe five dollars. But when a needy person visits a wealthy person at his home, he receives far more. Why?
Reb Tzadok HaKohen zt’l explains that when someone collects in beis midrash, he doesn’t expect to receive much, and that’s why he doesn’t get much. But when he goes to the rich man’s home, he expects to receive more, and therefore he receives more.
The lesson is that one receives according to his expectations. Therefore, when we daven, we should raise our expectations, and then we will receive so much more.
A candy store owner once told a young child that he could take a handful of candies from the candy jar free of charge. The child declined to take the candy himself, so the storekeeper scooped up a handful and handed it to him. When he returned home, he explained why he didn't take the candy himself. “The storekeeper's hand is much larger than mine.”
The nimshal is that we request that Hashem open His hand and grant us kindness. Hashem's hand is much larger than ours. When Hashem bestows upon us His kindness, it will be far more than what we can take or even imagine on our own.
Reb Naftoli of Ropshitz zt'l told the following: Once, a soldier spotted a soldier from the enemy’s army raising his rifle to shoot Czar Nicolai. The loyal soldier shouted loudly. This caused Nicolai's horse to jump. The bullet hit the horse instead of Nicolai. "You saved my life," Nicolai said to the soldier. "How can I repay you?" The soldier replied, "I don't get along well with my commander in the army. I want to be moved to a different battalion." "Your request will be fulfilled," Nicolai said, "but you are a fool because you could have requested so much more. Even if you had requested to be the general, I would have granted your request."
Reb Naftali of Ropshitz zy'a said that people are also foolish when they ask for small things from Hashem, like a bit more money, or a drop more success, and the like. They can ask for much more, and Hashem will grant them their requests.
The Midrash ("תתן נתן" ראה לעז מעם ילקוט) tells a story that took place when Alexander Mokdon came to Eretz Yisrael. A Yid came forward to greet and bless Alexander. Alexander appreciated the gesture and rewarded him with a city. Alexander's servants asked, "He is a poor man. He would have been satisfied with a smaller present, too. Why did you give him a city?" Alexander replied, "When one gives a gift to express appreciation, its value should be according to the eyes of the giver, and not according to the receiver’s perception."
The Lev Simchah zt'l repeated this Midrash and explained that we say in תפילת טל (on Pesach): שמינו העמד כערכך דוד, "Beloved, according to Your assessments, establish our name." This means that Hashem should give us kindness as He understands kindness, for that will be much greater than when it is according to our limited perception.
