מְבָרְכִים רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל, אֲמִירַת כָּל הַתְּהִלִּים בְּהַשְׁכָּמָה. יוֹם הִתְוַעֲדוּת.

[On Shabbos Mevarchim, it is our custom] to recite the entire Book of Tehillim early in the morning and to hold a farbrengen on that day.

חֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל הוּא חֹדֶשׁ הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן. דִּכְמוֹ בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת הִנֵּה הַבַּעַל עֵסֶק . . בִּכְדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָעֵסֶק כִּדְבָּעֵי וְיִתֵּן רֶוַח רַב, צָרִיךְ מִזְּמַן לִזְמַן לַעֲשׂוֹת חֶשְׁבּוֹן וּלְתַקֵן אֶת כָּל הַחֶסְרוֹנוֹת . . כֵּן הוּא גַּם בַּעֲבוֹדָה הָרוּחָנִית בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ, דְכָל הַשָּׁנָה הִנֵּה כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹסְקִין בְּתּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת וּבְמִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת, בְּחֹדֶש אֱלוּל הוּא חֹדֶשׁ הַחֶשְבּוֹן אֲשֶׁר כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, כָּל חַד וְחַד לְפוּם שִׁיעוּרָא דִילֵיה, הֵן הַיּוֹשֵׁב אֹהֶל וְהֵן הַבַּעַל עֵסֶק, צְרִיכִים לַעֲשׂוֹת חֶשְׁבּוֹן צֶדֶק בְּנַפְשָׁם מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר עָבַר עֲלֵיהֶם בְּמֶשֶׁךְ הַשָּׁנָה, וְלֵידַע הַמַּעֲלוֹת בַּעֲבוֹדָתָם וּלְחַזְקָם, וְאֶת הַחֶסְרוֹנוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶם וּבַעֲבוֹדָתָם לְתַקְּנָם. . דְעַל יְדֵי הֲכָנָה טוֹבָה זוֹ . . זוֹכִים לְשָׁנָה טוֹבָה וּמְתוּקָה בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת וְרוּחָנִיּוּת.

Elul is a month of reckoning. Just as a businessman who wants to run his business properly and most profitably must take stock from time to time and correct anything amiss, so too must we act in our spiritual work of avodas HaShem.

Throughout the year the Jewish people study Torah, observe mitzvos, and cultivate desirable character traits. The month of Elul is the time of reckoning, when each and every Jew according to his capacity, be he a Torah scholar or a businessman, has to make a fair account within himself over everything that has transpired in his life in the course of the past year.1 Thus, he can acknowledge the good points in his Divine service and reinforce them, as well as correct the shortcomings in himself and in his efforts. And by virtue of such positive preparation, we are found worthy of being blessed with a good and sweet year, both materially and spiritually.2

Living as a Chassid

The process of introspection mandated by Elul begins with a definition ofpurpose. When a person appreciates the purpose of his life, he feels energy welling up within him and is empowered to accomplish and achieve. He wants to see his goals — the ideals in which he believes and with which he identifies — manifest in his life.

He desires that his activities be constructive and fruitful, so from time to time he appraises them and examines whether they are aligned with his ultimate objective or whether he needs to redirect his focus.

Elul is a time for such introspection.