Elul gets our souls ‘warmed up’ to start fresh for the New Year.
For Elul this year, I am pleased to share with you words from some of my favorite teachers from whom I have learned a great deal over the years. Some may be familiar and some may be new to you. I will bring you selections from the Sfat Emet, Henry David Thoreau, Rabbi Jonathan Slater and more plus my commentary on them. I welcome your thoughts.
Please share brief teachings from your favourites. If you have a special text, verse, poem, or prose that has influenced you during your life, please send it to me at rabbiplumb@mishkantefila.org .
Food for the Soul
Ein kemach, Ein Torah. Ein Torah, Ein kemach. אִם אֵין קֶמַח, אֵין תּוֹרָה. אִם אֵין תּוֹרָה, אֵין קֶמַח.
If one has no food, it is a struggle to learn Torah or to be guided by it. If one has no Torah, then one has no spiritual nourishment and will feel empty.
Today eat healthy food and choose a verse from Psalm 27 that you can relate to, and suck on it as if it is chocolate that slowly fills your mouth with its flavor. Read it three times slowly. Let it enter your mind and heart, and bring you sustenance today.
