By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com The material below is based upon Maamar #1,2, and 8 of Vaadim published last Elul delivered by Rav Schustal Shlita and published by Rabbi Shimon Meir Perlman in a Kuntrus entitled, “Kol Dodi.” TWO CUSTOMS The Shulchan Aruch cites two customs for the strengthening that occurs during Elul.  The Mechaber writes that the custom is to awaken early in the mourning and recite slichos from Rosh Chodeh Elul onward – until Yom Kippur. The Ramah writes that the Minhag of the Bnei Ashkenaz is not so, rather from Rosh Chodesh onward they blow the shofar. The term, “not so” seems to be implying that it is actually not proper [for Ashkenaz]– and that only blowing the Shofar is the method in which to proceed.  This requires clarification. What exactly is the debate between the custom of Ashkenaiz and that of Sefarad? What is the problem with starting from Rosh Chodesh Elul? DATES BACK TO GAONIM The two differences in minhagim already dates back to the times of the Gaonim.  When we examine the underlying root of the matter we will unfold a fundamental difference which are essentially two different paths in how to understand the Avodah of Elul. ASHKENAZIC VIEW: ELUL IS PREPPING FOR TESHUVAH The Askenazic view based upon the view of Rav Hai Gaon( cited in the Rosh on Rosh Hashana 40a) is that the Avodah of Elul lies in preparing for Teshuvah, because Teshuvah is often unsuccessful if one does not prepare for it. At the sin of the Aigel, our forefathers had already prepared for Teshuvah for many days – so when Rosh Chodesh arrived they could engage in Teshuvah the entire 40 days before Yom Kippur.  But for the future generations, when Rosh Chodesh Elul arrives we need to prepare for the Teshuvah. SEFARDIC VIEW: ELUL IS FOR TESHUVAH ITSELF The segulah, or virtuous remedy, of the month of Elul is based on the power of Teshuvah.  It was formed in our very first year in the wilderness, when the nation of Israel engaged in penance for the sin of the golden calf.  At that point their penance enable Mosher Rabbeinu to bring down a second set of tablets and that time became immortalized as especially propitious for doing penance. WHAT THE SHOFAR DOES The Shofar is a call to prepare ourselves for Teshuvah,  Initially, the blast made on Rosh Chodesh was enough to awaken us and strengthen ourselves for the entire month.  However, on account of the fall in our spiritual stature and our fear of Heaven was not like it was – the sages of Ashkenaz deemed it proper to blast the shofar every day of Elul. RAV NOSSON WACHTFOGEL’S QUOTE OF RAV YERUCHEM LEVOVITZ Rav Chaim Volozhin zt”l (Ruach Chaim chapter 6) cites the pasuk in Tehillim (34:15), “sSay away from evil and do good” as being quite precise in terms of the order – distance from evil first because otherwise the good that you do will be tainted. Rav Nosson Wachtfogel zt”l, quoted an interesting idea from Rav Yeruchem Levovitz zt”l,  he illuminated a second understanding of the verse. It is possible that one can disnace oneself from evil through the process of doing good.  [Rav Dovid Schustal shlita is of the opinion that this […]

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