This article first appeared on meaningfulminute.org Rav Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Chassidus, explained the nature of Elul with the following parable. Usually, a King is found in the royal palace. It is difficult to gain access to the King. Appointments are difficult to come by and one must go through an intricate bureaucracy to get even a minute amount of time. Those who do not live in the capital must journey to reach the King. The King’s throne is situated deep in the palace and one must pass many levels of security before reaching the King. Even when one finally is received by the King, it is a formal meeting with all of the trappings of a royal meeting. Every word must be meticulously prepared because every moment of the King’s time is exceptionally precious. In contrast, there are times when the King travels outside of the palace. When the King is out in the field anyone can approach him. Those in the field need not travel great distances nor jump through endless hoops to gain an audience with the King. They are not dressed to meet a King nor do they have any prepared statements. In these moments the farmer in the field has access to the King in a way that even the highest ministers do not when the King is in the palace. In Elul, Hashem is in the field. During the year there is a distance that a Jew feels when confronting Hashem. There can be a formality to our relationship. In Elul, Hashem comes to us. We can address Him directly and as we are. The
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