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8 votes

Where in the rabbinic writings are there examples of the word "Elul" that mean or imply "harvest" and/or "search"?

For the first one: there's an Aramaic term עללתא, meaning "crop" or "harvest" (see Talmud, Nedarim 55a, and Targum Onkelos to Vayikra 25:3). Could be that the Akkadian cognate, if ...
Meir's user avatar
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8 votes
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Rosh HaShanah for Under 20

Based on the accepted answer to the question you refer to (Why does earthly punishment start at 13 and divine punishment at 20?), it seems that teenagers really should be taking the Yamim Noraim ...
Danny Schoemann's user avatar
4 votes

What is the source and reason for saying L’Dovid during Elul and most of Tishrei?

This article quotes: ...the Siddur Alyiyat Eliyahu and the Machzor by the same editor, Mikrai Kodesh, in both these siddurim the editor offers the following as the source for l'Dovid: "Sha'...
NJM's user avatar
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4 votes

When exactly do we start saying l'david for Elul?

Nusach Ashkenaz starts the night of 1 Elul as they say it at Maariv & Shacharis. Nusach Sefard starts the morning of 1 Elul as they say it at Shacharis & Mincha.
Gershon Gold's user avatar
4 votes
Accepted

"Shofar" in Elul - Are its laws the same as blowing on R"H?

R. Dov Lior bluntly says one is permitted to blow from an invalid shofar during Elul; presumably because it is only a minhag and therefore dinei shofar don't govern something that isn't halahically ...
Oliver's user avatar
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4 votes

Should one recite Mourner's Kaddish between the daily Psalm and Psalm 27?

In principle you could say Kaddish on just a couple verses, but you don't usually see people stopping after every few lines of the daily Psalm to say Kaddish because the general rule* is to always ...
Double AA's user avatar
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3 votes

Advice how to prevent sin

According to the Mesilat Yesharim: אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיִּתְבָּרֵר אֶל הָאָדָם הֱיוֹת הַטּוֹב הַהוּא כּוֹזֵב לְגַמְרֵי מְדֻמֶּה וּבְלִי שׁוּם הַתְמָדָה נְכוֹנָה, וְהָרָע בּוֹ אֲמִתִּי אוֹ קָרוֹב לְהִוָּלֵד ...
Shimshon's user avatar
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3 votes

Where do we first see Elul as a time for repentance?

The earliest source I'm aware of is from the second year of Darius. See Haggai, chapter 1.
Double AA's user avatar
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3 votes

Recommendations for explanations of selichos

Mateh Levi is a classic peirush, and there's a copy of Selichos with it at http://beta.hebrewbooks.org/23516, although a lot of the pages have ink blots or something that make them difficult to read. ...
Meir's user avatar
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3 votes

What type of nuts may not be eaten during Elul?

Dose of Halacha points out that the custom is only to avoid them on Rosh Hashana itself. The Rema (OC 583:2) writes that many have the custom to avoid eating nuts on Rosh Hashana. One reason for this ...
Zvi's user avatar
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2 votes
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(How) is Chai Elul observed in Chassidic communities?

Chabadpedia has an article. מעת אשר נתפרסם אשר יום השמונה עשר בחודש אלול הוא יום ההולדת של הבעש"ט ושל רבינו הזקן - נהגו, בכמה מקומות ובפרט בבתי כנסיות חב"ד, לעשות אותו יום-התוועדות בסיפור מעשי ...
Avrohom Yitzchok's user avatar
2 votes

What is the source and reason for saying L’Dovid during Elul and most of Tishrei?

Likkutei Mahariach vol III quotes from Siddur R. Shabtai (R. Shabtai of Rașcov) that this psalm contains allusions to the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, as evidenced by the thirteen mentions of the ...
Joel K's user avatar
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2 votes
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Feeling overwhelmed with too much teshuva to do

First of all, I must compliment you on a question that displays an important level of sensitivity to the issue. Rav Yechezkel Levenstein in his sefer Ohr Yechezkel on Elul asks your question. His ...
N.T.'s user avatar
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2 votes

Feeling overwhelmed with too much teshuva to do

*this is from a recent article on aish. com: I hope it helps. "...The Neilah service – the peak of Yom Kippur. Our last opportunity to gain forgiveness and atonement. But it’s not just a time of ...
Mina Rut Haim's user avatar
1 vote

Advice how to prevent sin

The general rule is to study Torah. אם פגע בך מנוול זה משכהו לבית המדרש. אם אבן הוא נימוח, ואם ברזל הוא מתפוצץ If this despicable one (the yetzer hara) attacks you, drag him to the Beit Midrash. If ...
Rabbi Kaii's user avatar
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1 vote

I am trying to find the gregorian dates that are equivalent to Elul 29. but only those that close the 7-year Shemitah cycle since 2008

There are many applications that will convert a Hebrew date to a Gregorian date. One that will print you lots of possibilities is this one by Stephen Morse. You can ask it "When did (or will) ...
magicker72's user avatar
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1 vote

Feeling overwhelmed with too much teshuva to do

As the Mishnah says in pirkei avos- your job is not to complete the work, but you have no right to quit either. G-d has designed you for the specific job of being you, and no amount of self change-...
הגוי קדוש's user avatar
1 vote

Feeling overwhelmed with too much teshuva to do

While you didn't explain your personal situation, there's a mistake people make that you may be making as well. The Rambam says at the beginning of Hilchos Teshuvah (https://www.sefaria.org/...
MichoelR's user avatar
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1 vote

What selichot do Ashkenazi Jews say?

It’s unclear from the question itself, but since you tagged this elul, I assume you mean the selichos said during the last week of Elul? In that case, my Artscroll Nusach Lita seems to be the volume ...
DonielF's user avatar
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1 vote

Yachid blowing shofar during Elul

R' Ephraim Greenblatt writes (1:394) that there a few reasons for why we blow the Shofar. 1) Tur and Rosh quoting Pirkei Deraabi Eliezer - it was blown in the desert when Moshe went up Mt Sinai to ...
Zvi's user avatar
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