Today, Thursday marks the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul where we begin begin to add Psalm 27 “L’David HaShem Ori”. On the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, Friday we begin to blow the Shofar in preparation for the Yamim Noraim, Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur.

 

Elul allows us the chance to take an account of what has gone on in our lives over the past year. Elul also gives us a chance to begin preparing for the new year. It is a time for us to look at the past and prepare for the future.

 

Elul is a time to look at the positives and the negatives of the past year, where we try to build on the positive and try to learn from the negative. We must take an honest look as to where our lives are heading- are we moving up or moving down? 

 

This is our opportunity to strive for bigger and better things in the upcoming year. God has given us the power to change and to move forward and better ourselves. God gives us the opportunity to do Teshuva repent and begin anew.

 

Today is the day that Moshe carved the second set of tablets. Unlike the first set of tablets which God had given to Moshe on Mt. Sinai, Moshe had to fabricate the second set by himself. God gave Moshe the opportunity to mold the tablets himself and work his way back up to Mt. Sinai where he pleaded to God for him to forgive Bnei Yisrael for worshiping the golden calf. Finally, God granted complete forgiveness 40 days from today, on Yom Kippur.

 

Let us reflect on making ourselves better people and strive to make meaningful changes in our lives that will help make the world a better place, changes that will endure the way that the second set of tablets endured.