In Part I, we followed Moses' advocacy that averted God's decree of destruction against the Israelites, and his decision, upon witnessing the people's failure firsthand, to shatter the tablets at the foot of Mount Sinai. That was only the beginning of his response. What follows — rooting out the problem, confronting his brother, rallying his most trusted allies, and climbing the mountain once more — completes the picture, and gives Elul its name.
Read MoreOn the first day of Elul, 2448 — more than 3,300 years ago — Moses climbed Mount Sinai for the third and final time, to carve out a second set of tablets. That climb came at the end of a grueling stretch of tefillah and advocacy, all aimed at restoring God's closeness to the Israelites after the sin of the golden calf and the shattering of the first tablets. Because that mission succeeded, Elul was established for all generations as a season of cheshbon hanefesh — self-accounting — and teshuva.
Read More
