TODAY IN JUDAISM: Thursday, August 23, 2012

B"H


Elul 5, 5772 * August 23, 2012

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T O D A Y I N J U D A I S M
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* Laws * Customs * Jewish History * Daily Quote * Daily Study *

Today is: Thursday, Elul 5, 5772

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Today's Laws & Customs
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· Elul Observances

As the last month of the Jewish year, Elul is traditionaly a time of introspection and stocktaking -- a time to review one's deeds and spiritual progress over the past year and prepare for the upcoming "Days of Awe" of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.

As the month of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness (see "Today in Jewish History" for Elul 1 [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=A212BB7CE776FDACFD253878EE81E066&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ]) it is a most opportune time for teshuvah [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=000C2C6189A6D2B7C2A30989E4A9000E&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ] ("return" to G-d), prayer [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=D2C2DBFA65431A532F25592BEB65E2F3&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ], charity [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=1A69CACAAE54F1A41EE99FE672F61392&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ], and increased Ahavat Yisrael [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=D2A52337D0D78BC6B26E6FDB45DDE4FD&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ] (love for a fellow Jew) in the quest for self-improvement and coming closer to G-d. Chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=B96339F1FB87D190B144FBDF9527E5BF&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ] likens the month of Elul to a time when "the king is in the field" and, in contrast to when he is in the royal palace, "everyone who so desires is permitted to meet him, and he receives them all with a cheerful countenance and shows a smiling face to them all."

Specific Elul customs include the daily sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) as a call to repentance. The Baal Shem Tov [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=791F001CCF2542A31AF8FCAC209D19CA&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ] instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=AC42D9A49BF92640069686DADBCDEEAE&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ] each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below to view today's Psalms.

Chapter 13 [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=0E2324D3035514FBA9F23FC45A5DE5D3&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ] Chapter 14 [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=B6EE5237E3A50766119D4AC69317D0AB&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ] Chapter 15 [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=122E24B075A5807BEA5F19B57163EFC1&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ]

Elul is also the time to have one's tefillin [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=A74FCBC109E557AB015051700ED5E386&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ] and mezuzot [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=FFC0584A91682C85A57F6C531B30AE25&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ] checked by an accredited scribe to ensure that they are in good condition and fit for use.

Links: More on Elul [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=437C4FD39E53C6CDDAE1D1A7546EAB1C&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ]

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Today in Jewish History
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· First Chassidic Aliya (1777)

The first Chassidic aliyah ("ascent" - immigration to the Holy Land), led by Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, Rabbi Abraham of Kalisk and Rabbi Yisroel of Polotzk, reached the Holy Land on Elul 5 of the year 5537 from creation (1777 CE). They were all disciples of the 2nd leader of the Chassidic movement, Rabbi DovBer, the "Maggid of Mezeritch [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=6CA759C3065D566C9D8015E6430F3933&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ]" (who had passed away five years earlier) and colleagues of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi [ http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=B96339F1FB87D190B144FBDF9527E5BF&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2 ], founder of Chabad. Initially, Rabbi Schneur Zalman was part of the group; but when the caravan reached the city of Moholiev on the Dnester River, Rabbi Menachem Mendel -- whom Rabbi Schneur Zalman regarded as his teacher and mentor after the Maggid's passing -- instructed him to remain behind to serve as the leader of the Chassidic community in White Russia and Lithuania. Rabbi Schneur Zalman retained close ties with the settlers in the Land of Israel and labored to raise funds for their support.

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Daily Quote
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And it will come to pass, when all these things befall you -- the blessing and the curse which I have set before you -- that you will consider in your heart, among all the nations where the L-rd your G-d has banished you. And you will return to the L-rd your God with all your heart and with all your soul... Then the L-rd your G-d will bring back your exiles... Even if your exiles are at the end of the heavens, the L-rd your G-d will gather you from there... and He will bring you to the land which your forefathers possessed, and you will take possession of it; and He will do good to you, and He will make you more numerous than your forefathers...

- Deuteronomy 30:1-5


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Daily Study
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Chitas and Rambam for today:

Chumash: Shoftim, 5th Portion Deuteronomy 18:14-19:13 with Rashi
· English Text:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=555328FE93D7C9DF7731FF315190218B&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
· Video Class:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=CDFA3A2A4F788689CAE57929BABCBA91&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2

Tehillim: Chapters 29 - 34
· Hebrew text:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=D35046E58C72F43D78AD68C7ACEFE2FD&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
· English text:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=032570BF2B34BF84E29AF25F2EF106E0&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2

Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 10
· Lesson in Tanya:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=3241AF0CADF36AED16638EAD08C24650&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
· Hebrew Text:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=41942821DE0C4B9E16CA3603A01F518B&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
· Tanya Audio Class:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=01EEAA59EDEB1236203A576BF7B7C682&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
· Live Video Class:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=29801ACDDDE2AA90E03B15ACD2D8E544&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2

Rambam:
· Sefer Hamitzvos:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=3CD720F719B58952C78F6979932F94DA&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
· 1 Chapter: Shofar, Sukkah, vLulav Chapter Eight
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=BE4FA36FC720C55EC9266856E0A2E5C0&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
· 3 Chapters: Pesulei Hamukdashim Chapter 17, Pesulei Hamukdashim Chapter 18, Pesulei Hamukdashim Chapter 19
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=3BA27700360ED5B3B50731371DECC145&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2

Hayom Yom:
· English Text:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=EA465A31E6AB68812736D1384C9FB6E8&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2

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