King in the Field

For a couple of weeks now, we’ve been hearing about the month of Elul – “I am for my beloved and He for me,” and the “King is in the field.” I’ve been struggling with this message and what it means. I want to feel the difference between this month and every other month. It’s easy to relate to Rosh Hashana, to the “Day of judgment.” Rosh Hashana is the day that He decides existential questions regarding our very existence. But what am I supposed to do with “the King is in the field?” That’s almost like inviting me not to be serious, to take it easy, cause after all, the King is in the field, and I have to do is walk up to Him and ask forgiveness, right? Here’s what I think, though it’s not complete, yet…Kaballah says there are thirteen “attributes of mercy” shining this month. They are always there, but this month they are more emphasized. So, if the mercy is out there, it must mean that we need some mercy, right? It must mean that we’re not so great, that we’ve messed up somewhere along the line, and that’s why He all of a sudden made this mercy available. I’m starting to get that. Well, Chai Ellul, the 18th of the month is coming up this Shabbat, and that’s the birthday of the Baal Shem Tov as well as the Baal HaTanya, so maybe by then I’ll get the rest of this figured out. For now, though, have a look at our weekly words of Torah, at http://jerusalemconnection.org/weekly For something deeper on the subject of prayer and meditation, look at www.jewishspiritualbooks.com, and for something local, have a look at www.chabadjerusalem.org And if you like your Torah on several subjects in digest form, try www.neirot.org