Elul 157 articles

Months

Moshe had gone up in the Month of Sivan, and returned after forty days and forty nights, on the 17th of Tammuz with the First Luchos. When Moshe observed the Jewish People sinning by creating and worshipping the Golden Calf, and participating in other sinful activities centered around the worship of that idol, he broke that first set of Luchos. He ascended Mount Sinai a second time, on the eighteenth day of Tammuz, the day after the great sin, and remained there for another forty days and forty nights, praying to G-d to spare the Jewish People and to return His full Presence among them.

At the conclusion of the second forty day and forty night period (that is, on the 29th of Av, Erev Rosh Chodesh Elul), G-d forgave the Jewish People and instructed Moshe to ascend Har Sinai yet again the next day, to receive the Second Luchos, on which would be inscribed for the second time the Ten Commandments. Moshe’s ascension to Har Sinai for the third time (which also took forty days and forty nights, ending on Yom Kippur) occurred on Rosh Chodesh Elul.

HaShem also restored His Presence to the Jewish People by authorizing the construction of the “Mishkan,” the Temporary Structure which served as a “Residence,” so to speak, for the Divine Presence, before the building of the First Temple in Jerusalem.

The Sin of The Golden Calf and Forgiveness
The Sin of The Golden Calf and Forgiveness
When the Jewish People sinned by worshipping the Golden Calf (Shemot 32:1-6) right after receiving the Torah from G-d, in effect rejecting His great gift, Moshe broke the first set of...
Jun 30, 2006
By OU Staff
Resh Lakish, the Reformed Bandit
Resh Lakish, the Reformed Bandit
Shimon, the son of Lakish, was the leader of a group of bandits, during the role of the Romans, after the Destruction of the Second Temple. He had a reputation for...
Jun 30, 2006
By OU Staff
Rabbi Akiva, Master of Teshuvah
Rabbi Akiva, Master of Teshuvah
Rabbi Akiva, as a young man, did not know a word of Torah. He worked as a shepherd for “Ben Kalba Savua,” one of the richest men in Yerushalayim. One day,...
Jun 30, 2006
By OU Staff
Stories from the Talmud about People who Repented
Stories from the Talmud about People who Repented
“Midrashim” about “Baalei Teshuvah,” People who Repented Some of the “Midrashim” found in the Talmud about “Baalei Teshuvah,” People who Repented, are as follows: “One who says, ‘I will sin, then repent;...
Jun 30, 2006
By OU Staff
The Four Steps of Repentance
The Four Steps of Repentance
Teshuvah (Return, or Repentance) is a generous gift from G-d, which allows us to erase our improper actions through a four-step process (see below). The Torah tells us that no matter...
Jun 30, 2006
By OU Staff
Stories from the Talmud about Repentance
Stories from the Talmud about Repentance
“Midrashim” about “Teshuvah,” Repentance “Midrashim” are stories and ideas from sections of the Talmud not dealing directly with aspects of Jewish Law. The stories are either true stories about famous or...
Jun 30, 2006
By OU Staff
What are Sin and Repentance?
What are Sin and Repentance?
“Sin” or “Chet” in Hebrew, means “failure in our relationship with HaShem (G-d).” Our goal should be to continually move closer to G-d, But “chet” is behavior which causes us to...
Jun 30, 2006
By OU Staff
Rosh Chodesh Elul
Rosh Chodesh Elul
Elul and Rosh Chodesh Elul – In Relation to Other Months of the Year 1 Nisan 2 Iyar 3 Sivan 4 Tammuz 5 Av – 30 days 6 Elul – 29...
Jun 30, 2006
By OU Staff
Who Should Lead the Selichot Prayers?
Who Should Lead the Selichot Prayers?
Who Should Lead The Selichot Prayers? It is very important that suitable individuals be chosen to lead the Selichot as well as the Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur Prayers, and to blow...
Jun 30, 2006
By OU Staff
Brief Explanation of the “Thirteen Attributes”
Brief Explanation of the “Thirteen Attributes”
Brief Explanation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy (based on ArtScroll Siddur) The enumeration and explanation of the Attributes follows the generally accepted opinion of Rabbeinu Tam, as found in Rosh...
Jun 30, 2006
By OU Staff

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