We will soon begin the Hebrew month of Elul. Since Elul is the last month of the year and directly proceeds Rosh Hashanah, the Yom HaDin, Day of Judgement, it is observed in repentance and with the recitation of Selichot, Penitential prayers. In some places it is customary to rise during the final hours of the night for the recitation of Selichot during the entire month of Elul. Some rise for Selichot beginning on the 15th of Elul. The Ashkenazi custom: however (which we follow), is to recite Selichot beginning with the first day of the week in which Rosh Hashanah falls, provided that at least four days are left before Rosh Hashanah. If not, then Selichot are begun on the first day of the week prior.

Beginning with the second day of Rosh Hodesh Elul until Erev Rosh Hashanah four Shofar calls Tekiah, Shevarim, Teruah and another Tekiah are blown daily after the Shacharit service. This sounding of the Shofar is not prescribed by the Torah, but originates in Jewish custom. When Moshe ascended Mount Sinai on Rosh Hodesh Elul to receive the replacement set of the Ten Commandments, the Shofar sounded in the camp in order to make known to all the Israelites that Moshe had ascended on high so that they might not again err and come to idolatry as they had when he went to receive the first set of Tablets. Forty days later, on the 10th of Tishrey — Yom Kippur, Moshe returned setting forever in our calendar the penitential period from Rosh Hodesh Elul to Rosh Hashanah and culminating with Yom Kippur.

From the second day of Rosh Hodesh Elul until and including Hoshanah Rabba we also recite Psalm 27 after the Shacharit and Maariv services: “A Psalm of David, the Lord is my light and my salvation.” This custom is based on the Midrashic comment: “The Lord is my light” — on Rosh Hashanah: “and my salvation” — on Yom Kippur: “For He will hide me in His tent” — on Sukkot.

It was just in the last bulletin that I was thanking the members of the congregation for its wonderful tribute to me for being your Shaliach Tzibbur for the last 10 years. A few days after that celebration, I found myself in surgery with a number of weeks of recuperation. So, I would like to extend my personal and warmhearted appreciation to all of you in this edition of the “Bulletin” who have called, visited me, made donations for my speedy recovery and continually worried about my well being. If the rest of the Jewish community of Detroit knew each of you as I do and how caring this congregation is, they would all be members.

May the month of Elul, with its Shofar blowings and penitential prayers lead all of us, in good health, towards a spiritual new year.