Home To Our Beloved

Right now I happen to be learning maseches ksubos which is the most delicious gemara since the creation of the human mind [I willl tell you that about every masechta I am learning and I mean it!]. The gemara talks a lot about בתולות. A בתולה is considered by far the most desired entity in womanhood and thus it costs a LOT to marry her [in the olden days the husband used to support the wife and in some segments of the population this custom continues]. A 200 zuz financial obligation in case of death or divorce. [Good divorce line that I can't resist - "I am tired of this already. Instead of getting married again I am just going to find a woman I don't like and buy her a house":-) AHHHHH]. I mean for that price you can buy 100 kids [the 'goat' type (not the one that often defies authority and needs braces) that we sing about as our alimentary canal is pondering how it is going to digest all of that matza that is drowning in wine at the end of the seder].

A בתולה. Untouched. ['Where is he going with this', I can hear you thinking. "Hear you thinking"? How do you hear someone thinking??]

Elul. The mazel [spiritual constellation] of the month of Elul is בתולה. A fresh start. Untouched by sin or evil. Purity. A new beginning. After the destruction of Av we start afresh. Like an old broken down house that was gutted and renovated, making the house look brand new.

We all start again. Clean slate. Prepare yourselves. Shaarei Tshuva, Chovos Halevavos, Nesivos Shalom. Whatever is your pleasure. But we are returning home to our Source. To our dearly beloved. The ruptured relationship will be healed.

אני לדודי ודודי לי roshei teivos אלול.