אם לא תשמר לעשות את כל דברי התורה הזאת הכתבים בספר הזה ליראה את השם ... (כג-טו)
Elul is a time to THINK and contemplate the love we have for Hashem and the love He has for us. Elul is not a scary, intimidating time. Of course we have fear, but our yirah should stem from the fact that I don’t want to do anything wrong because I don’t want to ruin the relationship that I have with Hashem. It is not a fear of being punished, it is a fear that I have something so special and so awesome, that I don’t want to mess up. It is a fear that comes from love and not the other way around.
Let us make this easy to remember. We will call it the A B C and D of creating a real bond with Hashem. A stands for Appreciation. Probably, the greatest way to love Hashem is by thinking about all the million acts of kindness He does for you every day and appreciate them. By not thinking about and taking for granted all the good in our lives, we are depriving ourselves of the greatest gift of all, true Happiness. B stands for BE HAPPY. This is a sure fire way to love Hashem. Focus on the positive. See the good in others. Point out the beauty in nature. Find things to be happy about and you will love Hashem. Surely there are things in your life that make you unhappy, but that is not an excuse not to notice and celebrate all the good.
C stands for Cheshbon Nefesh. Yes, we all must make an accounting at this time. The Chovos HaLevavos writes that the introspection one needs to make is to think about how much they take for granted, and how much they need to think about all those things that we never think about and thank Hashem for. And last but not least, D stands for DAVEN. My friends, if you wish to have a real, deep, meaningful and loving relationship with another, you must communicate. You must talk with them, confide in them, share your innermost feelings and dreams. Davening is our way of communicating with Hashem. By pouring out your heart and knowing that He hears every word you say, you are building a real kesher with the Master of the World.
So, remember the A B C and D of Elul and you will have the recipe for the greatest achievement in life.