On the fifth of Elul, Ezekiel was sitting in his home in Babylonia, with the elders of Judah seated before him. Suddenly, the hand of G‑d fell upon him, and he experienced a vision in which he was transported to Jerusalem and shown all the abominations taking place there. He was then informed about Jerusalem’s impending destruction, which indeed took place less than five years later.
Ezekiel’s prophecy of that day ended on a positive note:
So said the L‑rd G‑d…although I have scattered them among the lands, I will be a minor sanctuary for them in the lands where they have come…I will gather you from the nations, and I will assemble you from the lands where you have been scattered, and I shall give you the Land of Israel…I shall place a new spirit within you, and I shall remove the heart of stone from their flesh, and I shall give them a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:16–19)
Read the prophecy: Ezekiel chs. 8–11
Link: The Prophet Ezekiel
The first Chassidic aliyah ("ascent" - immigration to the Holy Land), led by Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, Rabbi Abraham of Kalisk and Rabbi Yisroel of Polotzk, reached the Holy Land on Elul 5 of the year 5537 from creation (1777 CE). They were all disciples of the 2nd leader of the Chassidic movement, Rabbi DovBer, the "Maggid of Mezeritch" (who had passed away five years earlier) and colleagues of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chabad. Initially, Rabbi Schneur Zalman was part of the group; but when the caravan reached the city of Moholiev on the Dnester River, Rabbi Menachem Mendel -- whom Rabbi Schneur Zalman regarded as his teacher and mentor after the Maggid's passing -- instructed him to remain behind to serve as the leader of the Chassidic community in White Russia and Lithuania. Rabbi Schneur Zalman retained close ties with the settlers in the Land of Israel and labored to raise funds for their support.
As the last month of the Jewish year, Elul is traditionally a time of introspection and stocktaking -- a time to review one's deeds and spiritual progress over the past year and prepare for the upcoming "Days of Awe" of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.
As the month of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness (see "Today in Jewish History" for Elul 1) it is a most opportune time for teshuvah ("return" to G-d), prayer, charity, and increased Ahavat Yisrael (love for a fellow Jew) in the quest for self-improvement and coming closer to G-d. Chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi likens the month of Elul to a time when "the king is in the field" and, in contrast to when he is in the royal palace, "everyone who so desires is permitted to meet him, and he receives them all with a cheerful countenance and shows a smiling face to them all."
Specific Elul customs include the daily sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) as a call to repentance. The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below to view today's Psalms.
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Elul is also the time to have one's tefillin and mezuzot checked by an accredited scribe to ensure that they are in good condition and fit for use.
Links: More on Elul
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
To live a G‑dly life, to keep all the mitzvahs with awe, with love, and with joy—this is not something distant from you. It is who you truly are.
Because within you is a soul, a G‑d point, a divine living being that cannot allow itself to be torn away from G‑d, that only desires to be always at one with Him.
For this thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it. (Deut. 30:14)
The Alter Rebbe taught:
Here’s what you must do:
Fix a time each day to study the words of inner Torah and ponder who G‑d is, who you really are, and what the relationship is between your soul and Him.
And then call out to Him in prayer that He will open your heart.
Then, at those moments when you are tugged away from your true desires, you will only need to remind yourself, “No, this is not me. The real me doesn’t want to be separated from my G‑d even for a moment. Why should I be a fool and listen to a voice that is not me?”
The struggle—the struggle is precious. It is not up to you to win the struggle. Cherish the struggle.
But to be who you truly are in the things you do, the words you speak, and the thoughts you choose to dwell upon—this is very close to your heart.
It is who you truly are.