On Monday, August 25, the OU Women’s Division of Israel sponsored a beautiful Rosh Chodesh Elul seminar at the Great Synagogue in Yerushalayim. This writer had the privilege of attending in person.
The overflow crowd of women of all ages first participated in a stirring Hallel service led by Avigail Scheinfeld. Then, Rabbi Avi Berman, Executive Director of OU Israel, greeted everyone. He spoke about the importance of Rosh Chodesh and how Hashem gave it to klal Yisrael as a gift. Hashem said, “I gave you the Torah, and you will be My partner in running the world.” Rosh Chodesh enables us to establish the calendar, and klal Yisrael determines when Yom Tov falls. “We’re in a partnership with Hashem,” he explained.
Rabbi Berman pointed out that all the miracles we’ve witnessed over the past 22 months demonstrate Hashem’s siyata diShmaya. “Hashem is telling us, ‘I want you to defeat everyone who comes against good. I need your children and grandchildren to make it happen. I want you to help bring back the hostages.’”
He then thanked everyone involved in organizing and supporting the program.
Following his remarks, Mrs. Zemira Ozarowski, Director of the OU Israel Women’s Division, delivered a short shiur. She noted that there are seven acronyms we derive from the Hebrew month of Elul. Elul, she explained, is a time when Hashem is especially approachable – He is waiting for us. It is a time to feel that Hashem is with us in everything we do.
One acronym for Elul connects to the Arei Miklat (Cities of Refuge). When B’nei Yisrael first entered Eretz Yisrael, one of their first tasks was to establish these cities. Why were they so significant? Mrs. Ozarowski explained that most of us are neither r’sha’im nor tzadikim; we are beinonim – in between. Those who sinned were usually beinonim who lost focus on Hashem, so they needed a system of protection. They would run to the cities of the Leviim, who were dedicated to serving Hashem.
A city of refuge provides a physical sanctuary in space, while Elul offers us a sanctuary in time. Elul is the opportunity to do t’shuvah, a gift that was given to us before the world was created. “During Elul,” she encouraged, “we must place ourselves among the Leviim: Attend shiurim and surround ourselves with Torah.”
Next, Mrs. Shani Taragin, yoetzet halachah and lecturer at Matan, spoke about the spiritual goals of Elul. She explained that our mission during this month is to rise from yir’as Hashem (awe and reverence of Hashem) to ahavas Hashem (love of Hashem). We ask Hashem to “circumcise our hearts,” reaching the level of Ani l’dodi v’dodi li.
Every day of Elul, she said, is a time for t’shuvah, t’filah, and tz’dakah. “When you love someone, you speak with that person,” she explained. “You can’t truly talk to Hashem until you’ve built a relationship with Him through t’shuvah.”
Mrs. Taragin shared insights on “circumcising the heart.” The Ibn Ezra taught that Hashem will complete the process for us – He will remove the barriers around our hearts – but we must begin the work ourselves. Rebbe Nachman taught that t’shuvah begins with choice: You must first decide to return, and then Hashem performs the “bris milah of the heart.”
The Arizal taught that Chodesh Elul is a unique moment in time – an eis ratzon, a period of Divine favor – especially for t’shuvah as a collective nation.
Raquel Kirszenbaum then addressed the audience, focusing on the concept of fear. She explained that there are two types: fear that paralyzes you and fear that draws you closer. Yir’as Shamayim, she said, is reverence and awe, and it naturally leads to love.
“When we realize how great Hashem is, and yet He chooses to have a relationship with us, we understand our own importance,” she said. “That builds us up. When you feel close to someone, your fear becomes the fear of damaging that closeness. That is fear born from love.”
She added that before the arrival of Mashiach, people will desire Torah out of love and will seek closeness to Hashem. “That,” she said, “is what Elul is all about: realizing how much your relationship with G-d means to you.”
She connected this to Yom Kippur, explaining that it marks the day Hashem forgave the Jewish People and Moshe Rabbeinu brought down the second Luchos. “Yom Kippur is about restoring connection – returning to who we can truly be.”
She pointed out that the Kohen Gadol, after the Yom Kippur service, returned to his home, bringing holiness into his family life. “The mezuzah reminds us how to behave wherever we are,” she said, “because G-d’s presence is in every room.”
Following this, well-known speaker Shira Smiles delivered an inspiring shiur. She spoke about how t’shuvah, t’filah, and tz’dakah can overturn a harsh decree, focusing particularly on the transformative power of tz’dakah.
“How,” she asked, “does tz’dakah accomplish this?” She offered several answers: When you support someone financially, you’re giving him or her life. Measure for measure, Hashem grants life in return. She quoted Rav Dovid Hofstedter, who taught that the root of tz’dakah comes from the verse, “They will seek My presence.” When we give, we seek to draw closer to Hashem.
She described two forms of tz’dakah. In the first, the giver’s compassion is stirred for the recipient, often as a way of easing one’s own discomfort. In the second, the motivation is to perform genuine chesed – kindness for its own sake. This higher form, she explained, has the power to annul harsh decrees.
“T’shuvah, t’filah, and tz’dakah,” she emphasized, “require moving beyond yourself. Everything we have belongs to Hashem, and He entrusts us with it for His purposes. When we give, we acknowledge that reality.”
She quoted a source: “With tz’dakah, I will see Your face,” explaining that giving transforms us. “Tz’dakah moves you from being self-centered to becoming someone who cares for others,” she said.
Mrs. Smiles also shared an acronym for Elul highlighting that the essence of the month is how we treat one another. “Do we look at others with a good eye? Are we happy for their successes?” she asked.
She cited Rav Avigdor Miller, who taught that the way to merit compassion during the Y’mei HaDin (Days of Judgment) is to smile. “Say ‘Good Morning.’ Give the benefit of the doubt. See the good in others. These are things Hashem wants us to do.”
Quoting Rav Soloveitchik, she explained that Hashem created the world with words, and we, too, create “worlds” with our speech. “A smile, a compliment, or even a simple hello can uplift someone,” she said. “Through our words, we emulate Hashem by bringing life and hope to others.”
“When you judge others favorably,” she added, “Hashem judges you favorably. Chesed – a form of tz’dakah – has the power to change a harsh decree. Real chesed means going beyond yourself, asking about others, showing genuine concern, and not always bringing the conversation back to yourself.”
She cited the Sifsei Chayim, who taught that when a person steps outside of himself, his ego shrinks, and Hashem, in turn, judges him more gently. The Chofetz Chaim similarly taught that if you judge others harshly, Hashem will judge you harshly; if you judge with mercy, Hashem will treat you with mercy.
She concluded by explaining that Hashem is like your shadow; He reflects how you treat others.
By Susie Garber