Elul A Spiritual Month that Precedes the Jewish High Holidays

From Judaism.About.com

Elul, the last month of the Hebrew year, is the month preceding Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Hashanah, the Jewish New Year's Day, is "Judgment Day." On Rosh Hashanah, God judges how we behaved.

Yom Kippur is the Jewish Day of Atonement. On Yom Kippur, we repent for our sins, and God determines our reward or punishment.

Accordingly, Elul is a time of introspection, repentance, reconciliation, and heightened spirituality as Jews prepare to be judged and sentenced by God.

Introspection

In preparation for Judgment Day, we think critically about how we have behaved during the year and how we can improve our behavior in the upcoming year.

Elul is a time for personal growth. During Elul, we should ask ourselves if we made the most of our life and reached our potential this past year and how we can improve ourselves in the upcoming year.

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