40 | AUGUST 5 • 2021

I

t’s so interesting that preparation
deepens an experience. But this
applies particularly to deep and
meaningful experiences. The truth
is, an experience that is superficial is
not enhanced by preparation; it can
sometimes even be ruined
by preparation.
The more profound the
experience, the more it is
enhanced by preparation.
And what could be a
bigger experience than that
of Rosh Hashanah, the day
of judgment for us and the
entire world?
Next week, the month of Elul begins.
It is such an important month in the
Jewish calendar. Elul is the month
before Rosh Hashanah — thus it is
the month of preparation for Rosh
Hashanah, two days that are of the
utmost significance and impact.
These are the days of judgment and
introspection, of reflection on the
purpose of creation and the purpose of
our lives. We cannot simply walk coldly
into such an experience. We need to
prepare.
And that’s what the month of Elul

is about. It is a month of preparation
before entering into Rosh Hashanah,
followed 10 days later by Yom Kippur.
Elul is a time of preparation not just for
Rosh Hashanah, but for Yom Kippur as
well, and for the 10 days in between.

A MINDFUL LIFE
Preparation is crucial to how our sages
guide us to live a life of meaning. Living
a life of goodness, in harmony with the
will of Hashem, requires preparation.
To live such a life means to live in a
constant state of preparation — to
live with mindfulness. We don’t just
rush through life oblivious to what is
taking place; we carefully consider our
purpose and the general direction of
our lives. We consider our actions and
give genuine, deep thought to who we
want to be and where we want to go.
In the Mesillat Yesharim, one of the
classic works of spiritual development
and growth, written by Rabbi Moshe
Chaim Luzzatto, known as the Ramchal,
he describes a ladder of ascending
levels of spiritual achievement to help
us to grow and become truly great
people. The starting point of the ladder
is what the Ramchal calls zehirut, which

means living with self-awareness and
mindfulness.
The Ramchal quotes an image from
Jeremiah the prophet, who talks about
people living life “like a horse charging
headlong into battle.” The image is
a powerful one. Think of horses in a
cavalry charge, with no awareness of
what is going on around them, but
still rushing headlong because they
are caught up in the frenzy of the
moment. Rather, we should live with
mindfulness, and Elul arrives as a
reminder for us to return to this state of
mindfulness — therefore, it is crucial in
preparation for Rosh Hashanah.
Mindfulness is about living with
careful introspection and self-awareness
of what we are doing, which enhances
the spiritual experience of living like a
Jew. An example is saying the Shema
and praying. These are two important
mitzvahs. In the Shema, we accept God
as our King, and we can experience a
moment of incredible closeness to God
as we accept His authority in our lives.
Prayer is a time when we pour out our
hearts to God in a state of vulnerability
and deep emotional connection to Him.
These two mitzvahs are fulfilled when

Why
Preparation Is
Essential for a
Spiritual Experience

Chief Rabbi
Warren
Goldstein

SPIRIT
A WORD OF TORAH