Teaching Team
Elul One
Just a reminder to everyone. Today is Elul One, the first day of the month of Elul and the Season of Repentance. Today begins a forty day period of time that culminates with the Day of Atonement. This is a season for serious introspection, confession and mending of ways.
Today may also be the anniversary of the Master’s immersion and the occasion of the heavens opening, the Spirit descending like a dove, and the Bat Kol (voice from heaven) announcing, “This is my Son, the Beloved, In Whom I am pleased.”
May the Spirit of the LORD will rest upon you, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
D. Thomas Lancaster
Elul 1, 5767
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Visitor Feedback:
I would love it if FFOZ would gather all this useful info. about the different dates, holidays, feasts etc. and put out a book.
FFOZ has so many people just starting on their journey into the Torah and learning for the first time the roots of their faith - I'm glad we have the blogs to turn to for info. but a book would be even nicer!
Shalom,
Rob
DTL Replies: Remember, anyone can sign up to receive our monthly calendar program for free by becoming an eRosh subscriber through MyFFOZ.
Rob | August 15, 2007 4:47 PM
Question: I've counted the days from Elul 1 to Yom Kippur on this year's calendar and I only get 39 days...why do we say it's 40 days when it's not? Am I miscounting?
DTL Replies: You are correct. This year, because of the lunar cycle, it is only 39 days. Ordinarily it is 40.
Jonathan | August 15, 2007 8:53 PM
Is the tradition of the 40 days of Teshuvah biblical or is it just a tradional teaching? My family tells me, (because I want to do these day the way you teach,) that I am once again following the traditions of man, just as I did for years in the christian church. Is there scriptural bases for keeping these 30 day of Teshuvah when I have already repented before G-d and returned to keeping His laws and commandments? Is this teaching found in the scriptures?
Please respond! it is important for me to know in order to help my family understand.
DTL Replies: Shalom. The 40 days of repentance are a traditional teaching. Just because it is traditional and not directly commanded does not mean that it is without value. We know full well from numerous examples that the Master and the Apostles kept many “traditions of men.” Paul himself said that he never violated the traditions of the elders.
However, there is a biblical source of sorts. The custom of repenting forty days before Yom Kippur goes back to Mount Sinai. After the sin of the golden calf, and the breaking of the tablets, Moses went back up Mount Sinai and undertook another forty day fast. The people at Sinai, waiting his return, were waiting to see if God would forgive their sin and restore the covenant. Moses returned on the fortieth day with the new tablets and news of the LORD's forgiveness, including the thirteen attributes of His merciful nature. According to the count of the days, the day on which Moses returned and broke his fast was Yom Kippur. Likewise, the Master undertook a forty day fast in the wilderness. So we do find biblical precedents for forty-day periods of spiritual intent.
Annette | September 6, 2008 7:38 PM