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

