DIARY
15-30 August 2008
15-29 Menachem Av 5768

Saturday night-Sunday 23-24 August / 23 Av
Yahrzeit of Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanyevski, the "Steipler Rav" (1899-1985).

Thursday 28 August / 27 Av
Today is observed as Yom Kippur Katan ("minor day of atonement") with optional fasting and supplications in preparation for the coming Rosh Chodesh Elul, which begins on Saturday night.

Friday night-Saturday 29-30 August / 29 Av
Shabbat Parshat RE'EH
Torah Reading: RE-EH, Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17. Haftara: Isaiah 54:11-55:5.
Shabbat Mevarchin blessing the coming month of Elul. The Molad (junction of the sun and the moon) will be on Sunday afternoon at 14:14 and 12 chalakim.

Saturday night-Sunday 30-31 August /30 Av
Rosh Chodesh Elul First Day
Today is 3280 years since the conclusion of the thirty days of mourning for Aharon the High Priest in the year 2488 (1272 B.C.E.).

Attributes of the month of Elul: Ruling permutation of the letters of HAVAYAH: KEH KEH VAV YOD, contained in the final Hebrew letters of the words of the verse ootzedakaH tihyeH lanOO kI "and it shall be righteousness to us when..." (Deut 6:25). The month's corresponding letter is: YOD; Human attribute: ACTION; Body Part: LEFT HAND ; Tribe: GAD; Constellation: BETULAH (Virgo, the Maiden).

Chodesh Tov UMevorach!!!
Have a Good and Blessed Month!!!

Sunday night-Monday 31 August-1 September / 1 Elul
Rosh Chodesh Elul Second Day
On this day Moses ascended Mt Sinai for his third forty day stay culminating on 10 Tishri (Yom Kippur) when he received the Second Tablets after accomplishing G-d's reconciliation with Israel following the sin of the golden calf. In our times too, these forty days are a time of supreme favor (Ratzon) and the gates of Teshuvah, return to G-d, are open to all.

At the conclusion of the morning prayers the Shofar is sounded today and every day (except Shabbat) until one day prior to the eve of Rosh Hashanah, as a reminder to arouse ourselves in Teshuvah in preparation for the coming Days of Awe.
From today onwards until Shemini Atzeret (last day of Succot), Psalm 27 "HaShem is my light..." is recited daily after the morning and afternoon (Chassidim custom) or evening (Lithuanian custom) prayers. "Everyone who recites it morning and evening is assured he will live out his years in goodness and pleasantness, and he removes from himself all the accusing forces and nullifies all harsh and evil decrees, and he will win his case in the Judgment" (ARI).

It is appropriate to have one's Mezuzot and Tefilin checked during the month of Elul to ensure that they are not flawed.

Tuesday 2 September / 2 Elul
The Edot HaMizrach (Sephardic communities) today begin rising for pre-dawn Selichot (penitential supplications) every day (except Shabbat and Yom Tov) until Yom Kippur. Although the Ashkenazi communities do not begin rising early for Selichot until 21 September/21 Elul, their members are advised to take advantage of the longer nights for Torah study, hisbodedus and prayer.

Tuesday night-Wednesday 2-3 September / 3 Elul
Yahrzeit of R. Shraga Feivel Mendelovitch (1886-1948), founding father of the Yeshiva system in America and head of Torah VeDaas, Brooklyn New York.

Friday night-Saturday 5-6 September / 6 Elul
Shabbat Parshat SHOFTIM
Torah Reading: SHOFTIM, Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9. Haftara: Isaiah 51:12-52:12.
Today is the yahrzeit of Rabbi Gershon Shaul Yomtov Lipman Heller (1578-1654), author of the Tosfos Yom Tov in-depth commentary on the Mishneh.

Friday night-Saturday 12-13 September / 13 Elul
Shabbat Parshat KI TEITZEI
Torah Reading: KI SEITZEI, Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19. Haftara: Isaiah 54:1-10.