Elul - Man and His Beloved

ELUL

Elul is acronym Ani Lidoadee – I am for my beloved, Vidoadee Lee – and my beloved is for me, and we found countless times where the relationship between HY and the Jews is likened to that of a Man and his Beloved.

Previously on this blog I already wrote how this makes it more natural for a woman to connect with HY, then for a man, see there. Here I would like to build on this.

A woman has 4 very strong emotions regarding her man, these her body and whole being scream out, even if she doesn't actually let them escape her lips. These are not simple pronunciations, but repeated and continuous, incessant, flowing and gushing, and pleading. Much of this unfortunately is reduced to vulgar and coarse language, simply because the way of holiness has been despaired[1]. Obviously it will be more powerful if one actually expresses himself out loud to HY, but there is also the factor of streaming the thoughts intensely as described above.

1.       NEED. Even before any contact is made, and throughout any union, there is the overall urgent and or definite NEED.

2.       GRATITUDE. [YES!]

3.       The need to really experience him completely: GIVE IT TO ME….

{particularly on the inhale}

4.       Surrender. I AM YOURS.

{particularly on the exhale}

One should offer these up to HY, every second, for every second in this world one's very being and essence, his composition, consciousness, and breath is all from HY, and one can max out on this, pouring out, even only in thought – in his mind, thanks and gratitude, and plead to receive more, and to fully surrender and be His.[2]

The wise will understand that this is just the groundwork, the beginning, every detail enhances, intensifies, and fortifies the aggregate effect. One must be nak*d – completely bare and open before G-d, completely vulnerable, and then of course there is the factor of humiliation, and so much more.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!

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[1] There is a story of the Baal Shem Tov who saw that there was great prosecution against Israel because there was a priest who had never experienced a nocturnal emission. So the Baal Shem Tov visited him and caused it to happen, the Baal Shem Tov spoke in holiness cloaking his words in worldly expressions, which were enough to bring the priest over the edge just by hearing them. And as the power of holiness is infinitely greater, who can imagine what the Baal Shem Tov experienced!

[2] These four can parallel the 4 preceding steps of the building of the Malchus in the first blessing of Shemoneh Esray (very succinctly): Melech (Kessehr) – need. Oazair (chaba"d) – gratitude for being there for you. Oomoasheyu (chaga"t) – getting everything. Oomugain (nihe"y) – completely dominated.

Also the three particular expressions can correlate to the three main paradigms of the Yichudim the Ramchal revealed. 1. Gratitude – zivug of the middle – azteelus, where we are just recipients. 2. Give it to me – the second level of Yichudim where azteelus is the soul and the tzadikim are the body – definite players. 3. Utter consummation – the highest and final Yichud of the beginning and the end, where the end shows that there is just the beginning, there is only HY.