CBI Blogs

On Fridays, we email two Elul Thoughts, out of respect for those of us who choose not to look at email on Shabbat. We wish you a blessed and restful Shabbat and hope you continue finding inspiration in our Elul Thoughts.

September 6-7, 2024/3-4 Elul 5784
Rabbi Judith Siegal

Want to know a terrible and badly kept secret? Almost every family has rifts and estrangements. It is not often discussed, but we notice these difficulties at life's transitional moments - B'nai Mitzvah ceremonies, weddings, and funerals. This month of Elul gives us ample opportunity to do the hard work of repair (teshuva) and to reflect on our lives. Another secret is found at the very beginning of Kol Nidre liturgy: "And God responded: "I forgive, as you have asked." One might wonder why those words are found at the beginning of the service and not at the end. Why do we pray all day if we already know we will receive forgiveness from the Eternal? The rest of the 25 hours of Yom Kippur give us time to think about where the real work needs to be done - which relationships need repair. It forces us to ask ourselves important questions about the people in our lives: 

"Have I asked forgiveness from someone I have hurt?" 

"Have I granted forgiveness to one who hurt me?"

"What more do I need to do to mend the rifts I have with these loved ones....?"

The lesson of Yom Kippur is no secret: we do not know what lies ahead. Yom Kippur reminds us that death looms for all of us mortals. The time is now to restore our connections to one another and to repair the brokenness in our relationships. Don’t wait. Let go of resentment. Start anew. That is no secret. 

Rabbi Glenn Ettman

Our family has a tradition: after Rosh Hashanah services, we gather for dinner at my brother-in-law’s house. Each of us in our family hosts one holiday, and we enjoy each other's company (and often scotch).

My brother-in-law usually keeps the patio screen door open so people and dogs can move freely. One Rosh Hashanah evening, it was lovely outside, and the patio door stayed open. That is, until I went to put away my plate and get a glass of wine. I did not realize someone had closed the screen door. When I came back out, I walked right into it, spilling wine everywhere. I exclaimed “Who would put a door in an open doorway?”

This incident made me think about the approach to the High Holy Days when the doors and gates are wide open and there's nothing preventing us from entering. The doorways to forgiveness, newness, and change are wide open. The preparation of the entire month is when we can change, connect to God, and find new meaning in our life. The spiritual doorways that have been closed all year are open now. God welcomes us back with love, hoping we'll become better than last year. 

Chasidic masters teach that we each have seven doorways to our souls: two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and one mouth. Everything we encounter enters our consciousness through these personal doorways. They allow us to interact with the world consciously. 

This time of year, we turn inward, focusing on how we can enter through doorways in our lives. How can we heal? How can we find a pathway toward others who may not agree with us but are still human? And in what ways will we enter these open doorways with hope, and the desire to be the best versions of ourselves. 

Today, may we open the doorways of our consciousness and understanding, confront what we see, and be guided by wisdom. May we walk through doors of compassion and forgiveness without fear of stumbling (or bumping into it). We can all succeed if we try.