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A painting from the forli siddur, Italy, 1383

Elul

Elul is the 12th month of the Hebrew calendar and is a time during which the liturgy focuses on preparation to stand before God in judgement on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

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Shemittah
Shemittah, or the sabbatical year, is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah in the land of Israel. During the Shemittah year, working the land is prohibited, produce that grows on the land takes on sacred status, and debts are forgiven. Shemittah is first mentioned in the Torah in Exodus 23:10-11.
Red Sea
The Red Sea (Yam Suf in Hebrew) — often mistranslated as the Reed Sea — is located along Egypt's eastern border. In the book of Exodus, when the Israelites flee slavery in Egypt, the Red Sea stands between them and their freedom. God miraculously splits the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to pass through. The Egyptians though pursued the Israelites into the Red Sea, wherein they drowned.
Kiddush
Kiddush — literally, sanctification — is the ceremonial prayer before the main meals on Shabbat and holidays, recognizing and sanctifying the holy day. It generally includes a blessing on wine and at least one paragraph about the holiness of the day.
This Week’s Torah Portion
Re'eh
Re’eh (“See”) details a series of laws in advance of the Israelites’ entrance into the Land of Israel. These include the obligation to destroy idolatry, laws of tithing and charity, dietary laws, holiday laws, and the prohibition of offering sacrifices outside of the place designated by God.
On the Jewish Calendar
Rosh Chodesh
Rosh Chodesh (the new month) is celebrated for either one or two days. Before the calendar was set, this was determined by whether the new moon was seen on the 30th of the month. The Torah instituted that each new month be commemorated with a sacrifice. While no animals are currently sacrificed, many mark Rosh Chodesh with extra singing and prayers, including Hallel, Torah reading, and a haftarah. In some communities, women gather together and refrain from work in honor of the womens' refusal to contribute to the making of the golden calf.
Rosh Chodesh Elul this year begins on the evening of:
August 23
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