This coming week we welcome the Hebrew month Elul, the last month of the Jewish civil calendar. Being the month before the New Year infuses it with meaning, and with special observances. The month of Elul pushes us to start, ever so gently, rethinking our actions and devising ways in which to go through the process of t’shuvah, the process of recognizing our errors, asking for forgiveness, and when faced with the opportunity, refrain from making the same mistakes.
There are some rituals that aid us in this endeavor. Every day of the month of Elul we read Psalm 27, during prayer services. There are many reasons why Psalm 27 is used at this time of the year, since it has many beautiful verses that can nurture compassion and goodness in our hearts. I offer you today an interpretation of this Psalm:
For the one whom God loves,
I know in my heart that the Eternal shines the light that guides me to where I will find fulfillment,
and therefore I have no reason to fear.
I know in my soul that the Eternal embraces me with goodness and kindness,
and therefore I have no reason to feel dread.
And sometimes when difficult people appear in my life, when it feels like they might consume me,
when I am close to forgetting the light, the fulfillment, the goodness and the kindness
I remember who I am and all You are
and I know that I possess reservoirs of abilities in which I can trust.
When it seems that internal conflicts will stop my actions and my agency in this world,
You remind me that I can step away from fear and find my voice.
What I ask of You is simple:
to remind me that this world is Yours and I am doing Your work here,
in this planet that is Your sanctuary,
beautiful, wondrous.
I am Your partner and my life is meaningful,
and while it is risky and fragile,
I long to experience it fully.
In Your presence I sing,
I breathe long enough to see
that I can stand up to any challenge, to any obstacle.
There are times I am unable to connect with You
and I cry out
afraid and lonely.
I hear the refrain borne out of fear: “everyone I love is gone and everything is meaningless.”
I try to find my way in the darkness,
I ask You to remind me of our connection,
as I long to have faith and see Your goodness in the land of the living,
when I remember to listen to the words in my heart:
“Trust in the Eternal. Strengthen and fill your heart with courage, and trust in the Eternal.”
We usher the month of Elul on Wednesday night, Thursday, and Friday, when we will start reading Psalm 27 every day, until Hoshanah Rabbah. I wish you the creative freedom to make this psalm yours, to translate it in a way that will emphasize the interconnectedness of people, planet, and God, making your words meaningful, and your life more peaceful.