ROSH CHODESH ELUL

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15 August 2015 at sun down = 1 ELUL, 5775
א' באלול תשע״ה

The new month of ELUL
Rosh Chodesh ELUL
ראש חודש אלול

Beginning of new Hebrew month of ELUL. ELUL is the 6th month of the Hebrew year. Corresponds to August or September on the Gregorian calendar.

Psalm 104:19
עשה ירח למועדים שמש ידע מבואו׃
a.sa ya.re.ach l'mo.a.dim she.mesh ya.da m'vo.o:
You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set

Rosh Chodesh blessing (Blessing of the New Month):
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יהי רצון מלפניך יהוה אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו שתחדש עלינו חדש טוב באדנינו ישוע המשיח אמן

ye·hi ra·tzon mil·fa·ne·kha ADONAI E·lo·hei·nu ve·lo·hei a·vo·tei·nu she·te·cha·desh a·lei·nu cho·desh tov, ba'a·do·nei·nu Ye·shu·a ha·ma·shi·ach, a·men

"May it be Your will, ADONAI our G-D and G-D of our fathers, that you renew for us a good month in our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Amen."

Blowing the Shofar [שופר]:
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Beginning on Rosh Chodesh ELUL and continuing until the day before ROSH HA'SHANAH, it is customary to blow the shofar (ram's horn) every day (except for Shabbat). This practice was adopted to help us awaken for the coming High Holidays....

ELUL אלול is an acronym for ANI L'DODI V'DODI LI אני לדודי ודודי לי, which means I AM MY BELOVED'S AND MY BELOVED IS MINE. It is an expression of LOVE and TESHUVAH (TURN BACK TO G-D).

Song of Solomon 6:3
אני לדודי ודודי לי הרעה בשושנים׃

a.ni l'do.di v'do.di li ha.ro.e ba.sho.sha.nim:

I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine, that feedeth among the lilies.

The custom is to first blow TEKIAH [תקיעה], a long single blast (the sound of the King's coronation), followed by SHEVARIM [שברים], three short, wail-like blasts (signifying repentance), followed by TERUAH [תרועה], several short blasts of alarm (to awaken the soul), and to close with TEKIAH HA'GADOL [תקיעה הגדול], a long, final blast.

Shofar blessing:
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ברוך אתה יהוה אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו לשמע קול שופר

ba.rukh at.tah ADONAI E.lo.hei.nu me.lekh ha.o.lam a.sher ki.de sha.nu be'mitz.vo.tav ve.tzi.va.nu lish.mo'a kol shofar

Blessed are You ADONAI our G-D King of the universe who sanctifies us with His commandments and commands us to hear the sound of the shofar.

TEKIAH [תקיעה]
SHEVARIM [שברים]
TERUAH [תרועה]
TEKIAH HA'GADOL [תקיעה הגדול]

CHODESH TOV - חודש טוב
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