Prayer for the Month of Elul 5775 by the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

Prayer for the Month of Elul 5775

By the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

With the Help of Heaven

Master of the World, Omnipotent One, at the Molad (birth of the new moon) of the month of Elul, which will occur on Friday night, the 30th of Av, at 5:02 and 8 chalakim (parts) [in Guatemala: 8:02 Friday night], during which we ascend to the Kodkod (crown/vertex) of Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man). In this twelfth month, all the 12 "diagonal boundaries" are included, in the secret of "and on the crown of the head of the one separated from his brothers" (Deuteronomy 33:16), with which Jacob and Moses blessed Joseph. For Menashe and Ephraim correspond to the twelfth month, and they correspond to Reuben and Simeon, the secret of the Odem (Ruby) and Pitdah (Topaz) stones, red and green. For in the month of Elul, all 12 hues shine forth, in the secret of the Shoham (Onyx) stone, which is black and absorbs all colors. And through the teshuvah (repentance) of the month of Elul, we merit the filling of the moon, in the secret of "Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies" (Joshua 10:12-13). For the month of Elul is when we rectify the diminution of the moon in its entirety. The moon corresponds to the Kingdom of the House of David, for only he [King David] will recite the blessing at the feast of the Leviathan. Then, Hashem spreads the skin of the Leviathan over the walls of Jerusalem, and the light shines from the beginning of the world to its end. For immediately with the beginning of the Molad of the month of Elul, the light of Jerusalem goes and intensifies from moment to moment and second to second, until it shines in all the worlds. Therefore, its zodiac sign is Virgo (the Virgin), which testifies to a new beginning without any blemish. Therefore, "Had I not (Lulei) believed to look upon the goodness of Hashem in the land of the living" (Psalms 27:13) hints at the month of Elul [the letters of Lulei form Elul]. And therefore, we recite this Psalm throughout the entire month. Then Elijah the Prophet, called Elijah the Gileadite, will be revealed. He reveals the delight and adornment that Hashem had before the creation of the world, in the secret of Gal-Ed (Witness Mound). He will come and herald the Geulah (Redemption) in the month of Elul before the conclusion of the Shmittah (Sabbatical) year. Then, on the night following the first day of the Festival, the King will stand in the presence of the entire congregation of Israel and read from Mishneh Torah (Deuteronomy), illuminating the entire world. This is in the secret of "You set a crown of pure gold upon his head" (Psalms 21:4)—that Noah's dove will come from the Garden of Eden and place a crown of pure gold upon his head [Zohar, Shlach 184b], and he will illuminate the world from one end to the other, in the secret of "You gladden him with joy in Your presence" (Psalms 21:7). Therefore, the tribe of Gad, from whom Elijah descends, merits the blessing "He tears the arm, also the crown of the head" (Deuteronomy 33:20). For only Elijah the Prophet, who was of the seed of Gad, can elevate the world to the aspect of the "arm," to Shechem (the shoulder/portion), in the secret of "I have given you one portion (Shechem) over your brothers" (Genesis 48:22), and up to the Kodkod (crown) of Adam Kadmon of Adam Kadmon. This is the secret of Amram—Amar Naki (pure wool)—the root of the souls of Israel. It is the secret of the Gavia (Goblet), the 13 Attributes of Mercy from the Name Ayin-Beis (72). Therefore, throughout the month of Elul, we recite the 13 Attributes from the Name Ayin-Beis, the secret of Joseph's goblet.