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August 25, 2006
Rosh Chodesh Ellul began last night
The second day of Rosh Chodesh Ellul began last night - the longest weekday shacharit of the year was this morning: it's the beginning of a new month, so you've got a Torah reading, musaf, and hallel. You say the psalm for the day of the week, the psalm for Rosh Chodesh (which is my favorite psalm), and the psalm for Ellul (about which more in a minute). And you blow the shofar for the first time this High Holy Days season.
As I did last year, I'm going to post some Ellul food for thought every day until Yom Kippur here. You can also find the link on the sidebar under "Yamim Noraim." And I am going to post Rabbi Amy R. Scheinerman's guide to teshuvah using Psalm 27 (which is recited every day from Rosh Chodesh Ellul until Yom Kippur).
She divides the psalm into four sections, one for each week. (I changed her dates to this year's.) Each week has a theme:
The Rambam [Moses Maimonides, 12th century] wrote in his Hilkhot Teshuvah (Laws of Repentance) of three steps: Regret, Rejection, and Resolution. I have added one more, which I place first: Responsibility. Together these make the Four R's of Repentance:(This is a tiny section of the introduction, the rest is worth reading.)1. Responsibility (for the week of 1 Elul/August 25, 2006)
2. Regret (for the week of 8 Elul/September 1, 2006)
3. Rejection (for the week of 15 Elul/September 8, 2006)
4. Resolution (for the week of 22 Elul/September 15, 2006)
I will post a link to each section on the appropriate day and you can always bookmark the homepage and use this guide as you see fit.
Psalm 27
Adonai is my light and my life. Whom shall I fear?
Adonai is the foundation of my life.Whom shall I dread?
When evil-doers assail me to devour my flesh,
It is they -- my adversaries and enemies -- who stumble and fall.
Should an army besiege me, my heart would not fear.
Should war beset me
Even then would I be confident.
One thing I ask of Adonai,
Only this do I seek: to live in the house of Adonai all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of Adonai, to frequent his Temple.
For Adonai will conceal me in his sukkah on an evil day,
and hide me in the covert of his tent,
raise me up high on a rock.
And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies all around me
And I will offer sacrifices in [Adonai's] tent
with the sound of trumpets.
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Adonai.
Hear my voice, Adonai, when I cry out
have mercy on me and answer me.
"For yourself," says my heart.
"Seek My face."
Adonai, I seek Your face.
Do not hide Your face from me.
Do not push aside Your servant in anger.
You have always been my help.
Do not forsake me, do not abandon me, O Lord my deliverer.
For my father and my mother abandon me, but Adonai gathers me up.
Show me Your way, Adonai,
and lead me on a level path
because of my ever-watchful foes.
Deliver me not over unto the will of my adversaries
For false witnesses have risen up against me
and those who breathe violence.
If I had not believed to look upon the goodness of God,
[I would no longer be] in the land of the living.
Look to Adonai.
Be strong and of good courage.
Look to Adonai !
Judith | 08/25/06 at 03:01 PM | Categories: - Yamim Noraim
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Anonymous | August 25, 2006 03:10 PM
