"Sometimes, when we think about our duty in Elul and how to prepare for Rosh Hashonoh..." These are the opening words of HaRav Chaim, who continues, "we become confused. I suggested to the avreichim that they lend more of a hand in the home because of the upcoming Day of Judgment. One young man said in Elul, he has taken upon himself to refrain from going out to the tumult of the street, which he considers as a good practice of not being 'subject to a test.' I protested: Chas vesholom! Where it is necessary, one should not argue thus; it is an pointless excuse.

The truth is that one should have a general view regarding our duties towards Hashem; one must asses a person's obligation in this world and what the Torah expects from us, to begin with, and what the month of Elul demands, in particular...

"This is what Hakodosh Boruch Hu said: "From all of the nations which I have created, I love only Yisroel, as is written: 'For Yisroel is a youth and I love him.' From all that I have created, I love only justice, as is written, 'For I, Hashem, love only justice.' My sons, I swear that in the merit that you preserve justice, I preserve" (Shofetim Rabba 5).

The splendid and most beloved palace was given to us: the Days of Judgment. Throughout the love which He feels towards us, this is the greatest gift of all.

With the commencement of the study in Maseches Nozir, a daily shiur has been introduced, summarizing 8 pages of the gemara on each day, under the title of 'Siach HaTorah.' This follows the regimen of study of Shas which Rabbenu Sar HaTorah followed in his self-obligated course of study from Erev Pesach to Erev Pesach.

It is known that since his passing, the initiative of Siach HaTorah was instituted as a subsidiary of Siach Emunah in his memory, in which the course of study is followed according to Maran's practice — eight pages a day. In this structure of study, hundreds of erudite students follow a strict and demanding regimen of eight pages of gemara a day, and succeed honorably in maintaining it.

From whatever aspect we look at the situation, we cannot help but be dizzy. To the devout public of those who fear Hashem, the upcoming elections are fateful, decisive and critical. "A day of judgment," as our rabbonim, from the beginning of state, defined it, all the more so when we are subject to a ruthless, brutal and merciless persecution against the chareidi public as a whole, and the public of Torah students in particular.

This is not only the stated declaration of the Opposition parties which have agreed to sit alongside the Hamas representatives from the 'Moslem Brotherhood' rather than with the chareidim, to say nothing about their outspoken agreement to join the "Democrat," an extreme Leftist who regards the IDF soldiers as those "who murder children as a hobby," and not with the representatives of large families which they believe should be starved.

Their unconcealed goal is to impair, in every way possible, the electoral power of the chareidi public and to reduce it as much as possible so that it can be trodden down to the dust.

...

This essay was originally published thirty years ago.

Part 2

The first part developed the importance of tefillah and its centrality in human life. It underlies all success and Chazal say that Hashem might engineer a person's circumstances in order to encourage him to pray more and better.

In these two articles, in honor of Elul, we will dwell upon some of Reb Yeruchom's insights into man's specific kochos hanefesh. Reb Yeruchom dedicated his life to perfecting himself as well as others and he certainly became an expert in this field. One ability that is specifically given to Klal Yisroel is the koach of tefillah.

Each Man's Special Midda

In another shmuess (1, 103-4) Reb Yeruchom affords us a very important insight into each man's avodas Hashem.

The posuk says in Vayechi (49:28) that Yaakov blessed his sons, "Each man in a sense similar to his brochoh." The phrase, "in a sense similar to his brochoh," is a very complex one.

When Yaakov chose to give his sons brochos, he chose areas in which they already excelled. Reb Yeruchom understood from the posuk's description of Yaakov that in character traits, brochoh serves only to enhance strengths of character which are already present.

One could ask, "Wouldn't it be more advisable for Yaakov to give brochos in other areas, so that his children would excel in all their middos?"

Reb Yeruchom answers that just the opposite is true. ...