In honor of the month of Elul and the days of mercy and favor, the holy Sfas Emes zt”l, wrote a rare letter of encouragement and inspiration for these precious days and exalted times.
This is the text of his holy words (Sfas Emes, Likkutim for Elul, Letters):
“Be’ezras Hashem, Rosh Chodesh Elul 5625, Warsaw.
To my beloved, distinguished, devout, and wise avreich, Rav Mattel Chaim, may his light shine. Peace and all the best to you forever.
“My beloved friend of my soul, on Rosh Chodesh Elul, it is not proper to remain asleep in the slumber and lethargy of this world, for these are days of repentance. Without a doubt, during such times, there is an awakening from Heaven toward man as well. However, one must open a doorway, at least to ensure that one’s desire is directed solely toward this purpose, as Chazal said: ‘Open for Me like the eye of a needle...’
The Rebbe shlita (the Chiddushei HaRim zt”l), explained that the word Elul corresponds to the pasuk (Tehillim 100:3), )ולא( וְלוֹ אֲנַחְנוּ And not ourselves,’ which is written (כתיב) as, ‘and His’ (וְלוֹ), with a vav, and read (קרי) as ‘not’ (ולא). He interpreted that both are one and the same concept: everything a person is ’not,’ meaning nothing in themselves, is ‘His,’ i.e., belongs to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
“This is the essence of Elul (composed of the letters not [לא] and His [לו]): what a person is ‘not,’ implying nothingness, belongs ‘to Him,’ to Hashem.
“The meaning is as follows. It states (Yeshayahu 57:15), אֶשְׁכּוֹן וְאֶת דַּכָּא וּשְׁפַל רוּחַ - I dwell with the contrite and lowly of spirit, while regarding arrogance, Chazal said (Sotah 5a): ‘He and I cannot dwell together.’
“The reason for this is clear. This can be compared to a king who has a thousand servants. He gives a single coin to one and to another, a thousand coins. The wealthier servant is arrogant towards the king and offends him, whereas the humbler servant continuously acknowledges the king’s generosity and offers him praise. Later, the king grants favors to the humble servant rather than to the arrogant one.
“So, too, Hakadosh Baruch Hu, knows man’s thoughts. The greatness of any human being relative to Hashem is as sand compared to jewels—and actually far less! For even the great angels derive everything from Him. Were He to will it, He could make us as great as them. What, then, is the basis for arrogance over our greatness? Only the smallest among them, who acknowledges that all comes solely from Him, continually receives more and more from Him.
“May the Holy One grant you life, blessing, peace, and success in all matters.”
So conclude his pure and golden words regarding the avodah of the month of Elul.
