Elul is the sixth month counting from Nissan, and the last month before Tishri, the month of the High Holy Days: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. Elul follows the months of Tammuz and Av when various catastrophes from Jewish history are remembered and mourned. 

Yet we have learned in the preceding month of Av that it is also a period of comfort. The period starting immediately after the tragic Tisha be-av and continuing for seven weeks, which includes the whole month of Elul, is called the “seven weeks of comfort”. The Shabbat following after 9th of Av is called Shabbat Nachamu and as a Haftara the portion of Isaiah 40 is read, which starts with the famous words “nachamu, nachamu ami” in Isaiah 40:1, which were chosen as the theme verse for the ICEJ. 

In Jewish tradition, Elul is a time of soul-searching, of repentance, in the sense of the exhortation by Haggai (1:7): Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways, set your heart on your ways.”, in Hebrew: “simu levavchem”, take care, be attentive. In the Jewish tradition, the shofar is blown now every day. Not only once a month at every new moon, or during holidays – every day. The Jewish tradition calls it a wake-up call, a call to repentance. It serves to prepare for the month of Tishri with the solemn Day of Atonement and the climax at the Feast of Tabernacles. 

Notice that in the midst of the calls for repentance, there is mercy, compassion, there is hope. This is why the month of Elul is also called the month of mercy. The Jewish tradition even says when the shofar sounds, God descends from His throne of judgement and sits on the throne of mercy. It is said that God is more approachable. This is the origin of the phrase that has come to illustrate the situation of the month of Elul: the King is in the field. The picture is this: normally, in order to get an audience with the King, you have to pass many hurdles: make an appointment, go through many officers, and then you may be granted a short interview. You enter the powerful palace of the King where everything speaks of his power. He sits on the throne and exercises power and judgement.  

But every year at a certain time, the King abandons his palace and is walking in the fields. That means that he is approachable. Anyone can come near, and he will show mercy and favor. This is what happens during the month of Elul to those who humble themselves and seek His face. They can meet Him more easily than in other times. 

In Hebrew Elul is spelled aleph-lamed-vav-lamed, and it is interpreted as an acronym, leading to a phrase from the Song of songs: Ani Ledodi Vedodi Li – I am my beloved’s and He is mine. 

The Song of Solomon is a love song, and it is interpreted as a revelation of the love relationship God wants with us. It is quite striking that this love theme comes up during the month of repentance. But it is entirely within the Jewish tradition. During the month of repentance, God’s love comes to the surface.   

If we know that God loves us, it makes repentance easy. God is love, and love casts away every fear. God loves us and He did not give us the spirit of fear but of power, love and of a sound mind. You did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”  

This is why the love song is a fitting theme for the month of repentance. And this is also what the New Testament teaches. Paul writes in Romans:  

Do you despise the riches of His kindness and the forbearance and long-suffering, don’t you know that the kindness of God leads to repentance? (Rom 2:4) 

May we use this opportunity and prepare our hearts for the next month, for the period which culminates in the Feast of Tabernacles.