Rabbi Benayahu Shmueli, Head of the Yeshiva: Chizuk for the 10th of Elul

The Spiritual Value of Time in Elul and the Holiness of the Sabbath

Ten days of Elul have passed, leaving only twenty days remaining before the new year. We must consider how to succeed during this period to merit a good and blessed year, knowing that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is waiting for us.

We were privileged to experience a unique Sabbath celebrating the anniversary of the passing of the Ben Ish Chai, marked by spiritual elevation and a meaningful third meal. The Ben Ish Chai teaches that every hour of Torah study on the Sabbath is equivalent to 1,000 hours. Furthermore, he notes that during the month of Elul, every hour is equal to a full month. Consequently, studying Torah for one hour on a Sabbath in Elul equals 1,000 months of study, with an even greater virtue if one studies the Zohar. With only two Sabbaths remaining in the month—Parshat Ki Tavo and Parshat Nitzavim—we must fully utilize this time.

Joy, Exile, and the Ultimate Redemption

Parshat Ki Tavo opens with the phrase "VeHaya im tavo" ("And it shall be, when you come into the land"). Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar (the Or HaChaim) notes that the word "VeHaya" always denotes joy. One might question why a portion containing 98 curses begins with joy. The Or HaChaim explains that after 40 years in the desert, entering the Land of Israel was the ultimate fulfillment of Israel's journey. Although Hashem cared for the nation in the wilderness with clouds of glory, manna, a nearby well, a pillar of fire, and miraculous garments tailored to every desire, true joy came when they finally arrived in the Land upon which Hashem’s eyes are set year-round.

This historical transition mirrors the future Redemption. Full joy will be realized at the end of the process, as stated in Psalms: "Then our mouth will be filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing." When the Third Temple descends directly from Heaven, it will bring unprecedented celebration.

By contrast, the Talmud records that during the building of the Second Temple, the elders wept while the youth danced. The weeping of the elders drowned out the joy of the youth because the elders had witnessed Shlomo's (Solomon's) First Temple and recognized that the Second Temple was a step down. The Third Temple, however, will be a heavenly, magnificent structure without equal.

True joy is achieved when we blot out Amalek, as the command "You shall blot out the memory of Amalek" immediately precedes "And it shall be, when you come into the land." Erasing Amalek removes spiritual obstacles to inheriting the Land. Furthermore, the Torah prohibits plowing with an ox and a donkey together because their spiritual combination strengthens the Sitra Achra (the Other Side). To counter this impurity, Hashem provided Yosef the Righteous (compared to a bull/ox) and Yissachar (compared to a strong-boned donkey). When Yaakov stated he possessed an ox and a donkey, he alluded to his descendants who engage in Torah and neutralize these spiritual forces.

The verse "In all their affliction He was afflicted" (B'chol tzaratam lo tzar, Yishayahu 63:9) contains a textual variation: it is written with an Aleph (Lo - "no") but read with a Vav (Lo - "for Him"). Together, the letters spell out the word Elul. In exile, Hashem shares in the affliction (Lo with a Vav), whereas at the redemption, there is no affliction (Lo with an Aleph).

Preparing for the King: The Parable of the Moroccan Monarch

We are commanded: "Seek Hashem while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Yishayahu 55:6), which refers specifically to the present moment. A person cannot arrive on Rosh Hashanah without prior preparation during Elul and expect immediate blessings.

This is comparable to a man who walks into a wedding hall on the very day he decides to get married, demanding an immediate event. The hall manager would reject him, explaining that a wedding requires months of advance planning—booking caterers, music, and photographers. Similarly, one cannot approach Hashem on Rosh Hashanah demanding a good life without having made reservations through spiritual preparation throughout Elul.

Rabbi Shteinman related a story about a French Jew who traveled to Morocco annually to harvest wild, un-grafted etrogim in the mountains. A wealthy Jewish friend of his in France lived near a non-Jewish millionaire who happened to be the father-in-law of the King of Morocco. The neighbor maintained a grand villa specifically for the King’s visits. Upon learning the King was visiting, the French Jew requested permission to see him to recite the traditional blessing: "Blessed is He who has shared of His glory with flesh and blood."

The King agreed to the meeting and asked the Jew about his family. When the Jew mentioned that his youngest son would celebrate his Bar Mitzvah in a month, the King inquired about the nature of the event. The Jew explained that at age 13, a boy becomes obligated in the commandments, marked by a religious celebration.

The King expressed a desire to attend, but noted that royal protocol required full dress and security, which would cause too much commotion. Instead, the King presented him with a gift check for 40,000 Euros. Seeing the Jew’s hand tremble, the King remarked that while 40,000 Euros is a large sum, a King of Morocco must give a gift worthy of his monarchy so as not to bring dishonor to the crown.

The lesson applies directly to Elul: when the King of Kings approaches us in the field, we must not ask for small things. We should request grand spiritual gifts—wisdom, understanding, and complete mastery of the Torah and Talmud—because Hashem gives abundantly.

The Parable of the King in Disguise

A story is told of a king who disguised himself in tattered clothes to sit among the poor and hear their conversations, while his bodyguard watched from a distance.

• The first poor man remarked: "If I met the King, I would ask him for a house, as I am homeless."
• The second poor man said: "I would ask him for two million dollars."
• The third poor man said: "I need a top lawyer to represent me in my trial."
• The fourth poor man mocked them all: "You are talking nonsense! Do you really think the King would care or give you anything? Even if you asked, he wouldn't give you a thing!"

Shortly after, all four men received official letters from the palace:

• To the first: "You requested a house—you have been granted a 200-square-meter home with a garden on Ovadia Street."
• To the second: "You requested two million—it has been deposited into your bank account."
• To the third: "You requested a lawyer—one has been appointed for you."
• To the fourth: "The King regrets that he cannot help you, as you asserted that the King does not help."

The lesson is clear: when we approach the Holy One, Blessed be He, we must have faith in His ability and willingness to grant our prayers.

Esoteric Secrets of Ki Tavo and the Power of Repentance

In Parshat Ki Tavo, the Ari z"l explains that the 98 curses (Tzakh Kelalot) are fundamentally hidden blessings, fulfilling the verse: "Hashem your L-rd turned the curse into a blessing for you."

Tractate Megillah (31b) records that Ezra ordained the reading of the reproaches in Leviticus before Shavuot and those in Deuteronomy before Rosh Hashanah so that "the year may end along with its curses." Tosafot explains that Parshat Nitzavim is read directly before Rosh Hashanah as a buffer, ensuring the week immediately preceding the new year ends on a sweet, positive note rather than with reproaches. Nevertheless, reading the admonitions fulfills the principle of "we shall render the prayer of our lips instead of bulls" (Hosea 14:3), sweetening any impending judgment.

This concept is encoded in King David's words: "Praise Him with Tof (drum) and dance" (Haleluhu b'tof u'machol, Psalms 150:4). The book Mishnat Chasidim explains the numerical hints within the text:

• The word Tof (ת = 400, & פ =80) equals 480.
• The prefix B'Tof signifies double Tof (2X480 =960).
• The 40 days from the New Moon of Elul through Yom Kippur consist of 960 hours (40 days X 24 hours = 960 hours).

Thus, if a person praises Hashem through complete repentance during these 960 hours (B'Tof), he merits Machol—divine forgiveness for all sins.

Targum Yonatan ben Uzziel provides a dramatic description of the moment Moshe delivered the reproaches in Deuteronomy 28:1. When Moshe uttered these words, the earth quaked, the heavens trembled, the sun and moon darkened, the stars lost their brightness, the trees stood motionlessly, and the Patriarchs cried out in distress: "Woe to our children! If they sin and these curses fall upon them, how will they endure? Will no merit protect them?"

A prophetic echo (Bat Kol) immediately proclaimed: "Fear not, Patriarchs of the world! Even if the merits of all generations should cease, your merit will never cease, and My covenant with you will protect them." Moshe then clarified that his warnings were conditional, meant to urge the nation toward obedience and repentance.

Furthermore, the word count of the 98 curses in Deuteronomy 28:15 contains 676 words. This number equals the numerical value (gematria) of Re'ot ("evils") and is the exact square of the Divine Name (Havayah): 26 X 26 = 676.

The secrets of these admonitions were also addressed by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in the Zohar Chadash. When the scholars of the study hall sent a query to Rabbi Shimon via a heavenly messenger (Shafnina), Rabbi Shimon wept, and together with Eliyahu the Prophet, revealed the inner sweetening of the curses.

May we strengthen ourselves in prayer and complete repentance during these sacred days of Elul.