Based on the Chassidic discourse, Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li by the Rebbe (5726)
The month of Elul is a time of teshuvah—a deep return to G-d. The Sages teach that "Elul" is an acronym for the Hebrew verse in Song of Songs: "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine."
But what inspires this desire to return? Is it fear? Awe? The approaching Days of Judgment? The Rebbe teaches that the deepest motivation for teshuvah is neither fear nor obligation—it is pleasure.
The Alter Rebbe illustrates this with his famous parable of the King in the field, explaining the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy during Elul. This ex-traordinary Divine light is normally re-served for the holiest days of the year. Yet in Elul, it is accessible to every Jew.
In Elul, the King leaves His palace and comes into the field, so to speak. In other words, Hashem meets each Jew where he is, wherever he may be spiritually, and every Jew is given the unique opportunity to approach the King.
The King's presence in the field grants us a netinat koach—a Divine arousal—to draw close to our Creator. When we then take that first step by expressing our desire to approach Him, a desire manifested through our commitment to do His will, the King receives us with a "smiling counte-nance" (panim sochakot). More than simp-ly a smile, the expression literally conveys joy and laughter. Just as laughter reflects an inner, intrinsic delight, so too does the King's smiling countenance reveal Hashem's essential delight in His people.
This G-dly pleasure is even higher than the delight generated by our observance of Torah and mitzvot, and even higher than our teshuvah. It stems from G-d's very Essence and from the essential bond be-tween Him and every Jewish soul.
When the King "shows a smiling counte-nance" to the people, revealing His essen-tial delight in them, it awakens within us a reciprocal delight in G-dliness. Our pleas-ure in G-dliness becomes the essence of our pleasure—our greatest delight.
This awareness gives us the strength to overcome every obstacle and return to Hashem wholeheartedly. The energy of Elul comes not only from delighting in Hashem, but from feeling Hashem's de-light in us. Realizing that He is our Be-loved and we are His beloved awakens a powerful desire to reciprocate that love.
The natural place of the Thirteen Attrib-utes of Mercy is the King's palace, not the field. They belong to the highest spiritual realms and should seemingly be revealed only on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Yet G-d willingly leaves His palace be-cause His greatest desire is to dwell in this world and have a genuine relationship with every Jew.
When we sense Hashem has come to meet us, we long to accompany Him back to the palace, meeting G-d in His true splendor on the High Holidays. We prepare for the High Holidays by clothing ourselves in Torah and mitzvot—acts that express and deepen our relationship with Him.
The Jewish soul originates even higher than Torah and mitzvot, rooted in G-d Himself. Yet it is specifically through To-rah and mitzvot in this physical world that this essential bond is revealed, allowing the mutual delight between Hashem and His people to shine openly.
By Rabbi Ariel and Chana Margulies. To receive a free Elul meditation, email [email protected].