The 18th of Elul is a double birthday. On this date, the soul of Rabbi Israel "Baal Shem Tov," founder of the chassidic movement, entered the world in 1698, and on the very same date in 1745, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, creator of the Chabad branch of chassidut, was born. The number eighteen has the same numerical value as the word "chai,"—life. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, once said, that "Chai Elul," (the 18th of Elul), breathes life into the service of the month of Elul.
The holy books point out that the word אֶלוּל (Elul) is an acronym for the words (taken from Song of Songs): "אַנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִי", "I am to (G‑d), my Beloved, and my Beloved is to me." We share a multi-faceted relationship with G‑d—He is our king and we are His subjects; He is our father and we are His children; He is our shepherd and we are His flock—but with the approach of the new year, we focus on our husband-wife relationship, a relationship which is characterized by passionate love.
Who is G-d? Why did He create us? What is the master plan?—All these questions are glaringly ignored in the TorahI recently stumbled across an 'Encyclopedia of the World's Major Religions.' I started reading the entry on Judaism, and was amazed at the writer's insight when he speaks of the stark difference between Judaism and all other religions. Other religions are based on a particular theology and philosophy, and their rules and codes of conduct are a direct consequence of their belief system. Judaism, however, is based on a Torah which is principally a book of rules. Jewish philosophy developed afterwards, and is based on the interpretations of the laws. Incredibly, most of the thirteen principles of our faith are not articulated in the Torah; instead the Torah is almost entirely preoccupied with technical 'do's and 'don't's! Who is G‑d? Why did He create us? What is the master plan?—All these questions are glaringly ignored in the Torah.
This accurate description of Judaism does not support our husband-wife relationship hypothesis. A marriage is not based on rules, rather on mutual affection. A marriage starts with two people who get to know, and deeply appreciate, each other, and in this manner develop a love which leads them to commit to each other "'till death do they part." A stable marriage does not find its roots in two people who meet, and one turns to the other and says, "Let's get married. Who I am is irrelevant, but here's my list of demands…" a monarch and his subjects share a rule-based relationship, not a married couple.
Studying chassidut allows one to become intimate with G‑d. Gaining a (minimal) understanding of our Creator, His awesomeness, His incredible benevolence, and the personal relationship He shares with every Jew, allows the bride – the Jewish people – to connect to G‑d and appreciate Him. Our sages say we were betrothed to G‑d at Mount Sinai, and the wedding will take place with the coming of Moshiach. In anticipation of the wedding which is looming close, we must study chassidut, the ultimate marriage handbook!
Indeed, the 18th of Elul breathes new life into the most important marriage of all.
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