Elul is upon us!!!

These are words which strike fear in the heart of nearly every Neve girl. The mere mention of the month can send a shiver down one's spine. I heard a vort (speech - kind of) on Shabbos about how each prevoius generation lamented how the following generation "didn't feel Elul." I've also heard stories about how bubbies would faint in shul (synagogue) when Rosh Chodesh (the new month) of Elul was announced.

What is all this? Why the hubbub? Is it because of the intensity of the month? That people are more introspective, searching out the qualities and actions which they should improve? Shouldn't we be doing that all the time anyway? Well, yeah.

However, the Jewish Year lends itself to different things at different times. Like Pesach (Passover) is the time for personal freedom (want to kick a habit? there's your time). So, Elul is a time for introspection, a time when G-d is especially close to us, and will help us do teshuvah (repentance). Maybe girls start freaking out because to waste this time, the time when it would be "easier" for us to really work on ourselves, would really be chaval (a shame), to put it mildly.

Get ready!!! It's coming.......... duhn duhn DUHN! ELUL!

What is Elul?
Aish's info on the holidays
Rosh Hashana Survival Kit