Jewels captivate hearts. Beyond their physical qualities or economic value, there is something about coruscating colors and refractions of light that fills our soul with joy.
“A story is told that God’s divine throne is filled with empty spaces of varying sizes and designs. Each space represents the soul of a person who has fulfilled his or her task in this world. Each soul is a different colored jewel…only when the spaces are filled and the crown is complete, will the messiah descend and the world be completed.”
The Jewish calendar month of Elul began yesterday. It is customary during Elul to begin spiritual preparation for the high holy days. For the third consecutive year, artist/musician Craig Taubman has compiled 29 unique stories that comprise “Jewels of Elul.” Limned by an extraordinary group of people including Elie Wiesel, the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Matisyahu and Neshama Carlebach, each story is a reflection on this year’s theme of ‘hope and healing.’
Each day throughout the month, a new “jewel” will be posted to the website and hard copies are available for free, thanks to the generous contribution of the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.
Elul begins the repentance process; “selichot,” prayers for forgiveness, echo inside our minds. It is believed that the Hebrew letters of Elul—Alef-Lamed-Vav-Lamed—represent an acronym for the phrase “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li,” which in English translates to “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” The ‘beloved’ being God and ‘I’ being the Jewish people.
As a people, we look to each other and to God as we reflect on our lives and ask forgiveness from those we have hurt. We forgive one another and we forgive ourselves. Thus, healing begins and we can look to the future with hope.
For a dose of daily inspiration, you can find the glittering jewels at www.jewelsofelul.com.
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