High Holiday Message From Rabbi Joel Tessler
of Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah
This week begins the month of Elul. The Rabbis tell us that each of the four letters of the word Elul stand for the four words Ani LeDodi V'Dodi Lee, I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me. This phrase of love is often recited at wedding, and probably is one of the most well known phrases in the Tanach.

What event in our history connects this month with the concept of love? Over 3300 years ago, Moshe and the Jewish people left Egypt. Fifty days later they stood at Mt. Sinai. The Talmud sees that event as a marriage between G-d and his people. The Midrash tells us that G-d lifted a mountain over our heads to create a chupah for this wedding ceremony. The two tablets were the wedding ring which the Jewish people accepted as a bride does from her groom.

The Midrash recounts how G-d had finally found an entire nation to share his dreams and values for a better world, founded upon ethical monotheism and an all encompassing system of law. This was truly a match made in heaven. Yet, in less than forty days, the Jewish people built the Golden Calf proclaiming it as their g-d.

When Moshe saw this act of infidelity and abandonment toward G-d, he smashed the tablets containing the Ten Commandments; it was as if a spouse threw the wedding band away after witnessing his or her beloved in bed with another, and only fifty days after the wedding.

G-d was so angry he wished to sever the love bonds and end this relationship forever. But Moshe interceded and in the end G-d called Moshe back to Mt. Sinai to receive another set of Tablets.

Moshe returned to Sinai on the first of Elul. Elul became symbolic of the ability to repent and forgive and love became stronger after the awful transgression, and the marriage of G-d to Israel has remained intact until today.

Certainly life is filled with many successes and failures. We have the ability to choose correctly and we have the ability to err dreadfully. We often hurt the people we are closest to. Elul teaches us that we can start over. Elul reminds us we can forgive even if we are not able to forget. Elul is the month for human beings. For to be human is to love, to err, and to love again.

May we find the wisdom to make the right choices and when we don't may others find the strength to understand and forgive. "I am to my beloved as my beloved is to me."

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