Tag Archives: Rabbi Simon Jacobson

Elul Expedition — King in the Field


Elul Expedition — King in the Field

The metaphor for the space of God-connection on Rosh Hashanah is “the palace.” The “palace” is a most special experience, separate from ordinary life, a place of special holiness, a place we don’t enter casually. We prepare as best we can, physically and spiritually. We do our best to be worthy, and where we fall short, we pray for compassion and forgiveness.

Elul is different. The metaphor for the God-connection space is “the field.” During Elul, our sages teach, “the King is in the field.” The “field” is the material space where we live our ordinary lives. Teshuvah — returning. During Elul, God is doing teshuvah! Returning to us to meet us in the field.

Our challenge during Elul: to meet God’s teshuvah with our own. But where and how do we find God in the field? Is it when we take the opportunity to do an act of kindness for another person? Is it how we notice with gratitude when someone does an unexpected act of kindness for us? Is it when we see a beautiful flower, or the smile on the face of a stranger, or stop to listen to a bird sing? Is it all of the above?

So here’s our invitation: Post a Comment below, on any or every day of Elul, about your personal encounter with the King in the Field. We also invite you to check out the comments of friends who are sharing the journey, and share your personal responses to what they have said.

Most of all, we invite you to share this journey of our Torah Circle community!

To post your encounter with the “King in the field,” please scroll all the way down. Once your post is complete, it will appear on top.

Devarim


You can find the rest of the parsha text on Chabad.org at Devarim.

Va’etchanan


You can find the rest of the parsha text on Chabad.org at Va’etchanan.

Eikev


You can find the rest of the parsha text on Chabad.org at Eikev.

Re’eh


You can find the rest of the parsha text on Chabad.org at Re’eh.

Shoftim


You can find the rest of the parsha text on Chabad.org at Shoftim.

Ki Teitzei


You can find the rest of the parsha text on Chabad.org at Ki Teitzei.

Nitzavim

You can find the rest of the parsha text on Chabad.org at Nitzavim.

Rosh HaShanah

A section for posting commentaries from any source, as well as personal comments, about Rosh HaShanah.

Sukkot Commentaries

A section for posting commentaries from any source, as well as personal comments, about Sukkot.