In our main Dvar Torah, we spoke about the importance of ensuring the “cleanliness” of our Torah.
Such preparation is a universal need, and for that reason, Hashem gives us the month of Elul to reset, purify, and prepare ourselves for His presence in our lives when He is most accessible, during the Aseres Yemei Teshuva from Rosh HaShana until Yom Kippur.
We can take lessons from the instructions of how to prepare Eretz Yisrael for the Bais HaMikdash and korbanos and apply them to our own life preparation.
Just as Devarim 12:2 tells us to eradicate all the places where foreign gods were served by the nations we are inheriting, whether high on a mountaintop, on a hill, or under a tree, so should we check ourselves top to bottom to ensure we’re not harboring any foreign influences that incite us to sin. Just as we eliminate and destroy their altars and pillars, we must vanquish the things that facilitate our distance from Hashem.
The next verse says, “Don’t do this to Hashem, Your G-d.” That’s because when it comes to things that could inspire us to serve Hashem and bring us closer, we must cherish and preserve them as best we can.
Thought of the week:
When we pray, we are speaking to Hashem. When we learn Torah, He is speaking to us.
