What makes the High Holy Days holy? What makes the New Year new? You do.
Your effort to make peace with the past and commit yourself to a more just and compassionate future makes 5762 different from 5761. It is for this reason that our sages set aside the month of Elul, the month prior to Rosh HaShanah, for the specific spiritual task of teshuvah, returning to God and godliness.
Central to the work of teshuvah is selichot, asking for and granting forgiveness. They even gave us a formula for doing so: “If I have hurt you in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, advertently or inadvertently, I ask for your forgiveness.” This is what we are to say to those we love, those we don’t, and even to those we hardly know. Why such a broad category? Because it is not the receiving of the forgiveness that counts, but the asking for it. Our rabbis teach: If one from whom you sincerely ask forgiveness three times still refuses to bestow it, you are forgiven by the very sincerity of your asking.
Because of the importance of teshuvah, selichot, and the month of Elul, STAR has recruited over two dozen rabbis from across the denominational spectrum to to share the wisdom and challenge of Elul with you.
The Elul Project is an on-line learning experience that runs for 39 days: from the first of Elul through Yom Kippur. To participate all you have to do is register- you will automatically become a part of an international, fully interdenominational community of spiritual seekers looking to transform their lives through asking for, granting, and perhaps receiving a bit of forgiveness.
Each day (with the exception of Shabbat and the holy days) you will receive e-mail from us exploring the theme of forgiveness and teshuvah (returning to God and godliness). These will act as daily reminders that Elul is not just another month, but an opportunity for making peace in your life and the lives of others.
Each week we will present a new text on teshuvah accompanied by modern commentary from our Elul Project rabbis. You are encouraged to post your own comments and questions on the Elul Forum message board. Also, you can "talk" directly to reach other via the Elul Chat. And we have set up the REGRETS location where you can post those things you wish you had done and didn’t do or those things you did do and wish you hadn't done.
In these ways we can learn from each other how best to make forgiveness and godliness an on-going part of our lives.
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