These past few weeks, we have discussed how in the month of Elul, G-d comes down from Heaven and is amongst us, closer to us, begging us to get closer to Him.
In this week’s Torah portion of Nitzavim there are two verses on which on want to focus:
Deuteronomy 30:6 “Umal Hashem Elokechah Et Levavchah v’et Levav Zarachah/G-d, your G-d will “circumcise” your heart and the heart of your children (enabling you) to love G-d your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul, for the sake of your life.” There is an acronym at play here. The aleph in Et, the Lamed in Levavchah, the vav in V’et and the Lamed in Levav, spell the month of Elul, which we are in currently. G-d will remove the obstacles in our hearts that prevent us from loving Him. He will work with us.
Deuteronomy 30:14: “Rather this thing is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.”
In the month of Elul, we are to take stock of the outgoing year and realize that all that we have, we have from G-d, and we have to internalize this gratitude, so that It is absorbed in our hearts, and the gratitude is in our mouth in the form of praise to G-d.
What the heart/mouth combination promotes is the recognition that with the forthcoming holiday of Rosh Hashanah, we re-establish G-d as our omnipotent king who has the unique ability to grant all our wishes, and so whatever we desire in our heart, we verbalize to G-d as requests for a healthy, prosperous new year. Trust that He hears our prayers, and has the ability to grant us all that we ask of Him…and may it be only for the good.
Shabbat shalom.
Suri