Elul in Pre-War Europe
During Elul, even the biggest Tzaddikim would disappear to be alone with Hashem. R' Elchonon Wassermann Zatzal would visit the Chofetz Chaim during Elul, and later he would visit the famous Mussar Yeshiva, Kelm. Although in those days they had much more Mussar than our Yeshivos have, yet, during Elul there were Yeshiva Bachurim who would visit special Mussar Yeshivos to give themselves an extra injection of Yiras Shamayim. Some of these Mussar Yeshivos could learn Mussar for hours!
Many of these Mussarniks would cry whenever they davened Shmoneh Esrei, and this was all year round! Imagine Elul! During Elul, they would be extra careful with Shmiras HaChushim (watching their “senses”, i.e., mouths, ears, and eyes. (Seforim). This was from the [unwanted] sights of pre-war eastern Europe, where the streets were a “dream” compared the American streets of today. However, in a sense, our Dor can be considered greater, since we try despite being in a mud-hole of Goyish’keit and materialism.
Imaging the high Madrega of a person in our lowly generation who makes a slight attempt to copy our glorious past! And if he can’t do a decent Shmiras HaChushim, then he davens before learning Mussar, begging Hashem that the Mussar should sink into his Neshama, and turn his: ל ב אֶּ ןבֶּ cold heart into a: ל ב בָ רשָ feeling heart.
I remember that you couldn’t talk to R' Shalom Schwadron Zatzal throughout Elul until Yom Kippur! He had a forty-day Taanis Dibbur! And when R' Itzel’e Peterburger Zatzal had to go to the doctor during Elul, he kept his Taanis Dibbur despite his Matzav. The doctor told his wife that he has pity on her, since she is “nebach” married to a deaf and dumb person!
Elul is the time to work on Bitachon and Simcha. L'Dovid Hashem Ori, which is said every day during Elul, really calms you down with Bitachon. But first, we need to realize the gravity of our Matzav during Elul. Then, our Bitachon is real; that despite our great fear of Yom HaDin, we still have Bitachon that with Hashem’s help we will have a Shana Tova.
כ ןיְהִ י רָ צוֹן אָ מ ן,
