A Great Gift Like No Other! by Rabbi Benayahu Yissachar, Shmueli, Shlit"a
By Yeshivat Nahar Shalom Staff
arizalelulThirteen Attributes of Mercy openvilna gaonrabbi yosef chaim
• Our master, the Arizal, says: Now this is called the month of Elul, this is called the Month of Mercy and Forgiveness. • The gates of heaven are opened. He says, the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy open and illuminate: "Almighty, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth"—it opens up.

- Our master, the Arizal, says: Now this is called the month of Elul, this is called the Month of Mercy and Forgiveness.
- The gates of heaven are opened.
- He says, the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy open and illuminate: "Almighty, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth"—it opens up.
- Now there is a great light in heaven.
- Repentance—as soon as a person knocks, great gates are opened for him.
- As it is written: "Open for Me an opening as small as the eye of a needle, and I will open for you an opening as wide as the entrance of a hall."
- Only, let that opening be like steel, pierced clear through from side to side, so that tomorrow this opening won't close.
- You open—and the Holy One, Blessed be He, opens for you.
- It is not just what you opened that Hashem opens. You opened a small one, the size of a needle's eye—and the Holy One, Blessed be He, opens for you like the entrance to a grand hall, an opening that wagons and carriages can enter through.
- Isn't it worth it? The gates of heaven are opened for him!
- Rabbi Yosef Chaim (the Ben Ish Chai) says: Know that already from the Shabbat of Blessing [Shabbat Mevarchim], when the Jewish nation blesses the new month on Shabbat, the illumination of Rosh Chodesh begins—the illumination of the month of Elul begins.
- That is to say, when do the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy already open? Already on Shabbat! They have already opened for us.
- Already this great light of repentance begins—isn't it worth it for a person?
- Now he has a gift, as the Vilna Gaon writes: He says, a great gift like no other has the Holy One, Blessed be He, given us.
- Every day a person should dance and rejoice that we have such a great gift in the month of Elul, which is the month of repentance.