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Elul and the Eclipse

Solar eclipses always occur on a New Moon. That is just the mechanics of astronomical motion.

New months on the Hebrew calendar always begin on a New Moon. It's a lunar calendar, so… yeah.

Therefore, it is not unexpected that on the day of the recent eclipse, a page was turned on the Jewish calendar and the month of Elul began. What might be surprising, however, is how perfectly matched the traditional associations of Elul are to what ought to be our response to the signs in the heavens.

Elul is the last month of the rabbinic Jewish year,¹ so Elul naturally becomes a season for taking spiritual inventory and reflecting upon how far we've come, or perhaps, how far we've fallen. The point of reflection is to take a mindful look at how things came to be the way they are, either good or bad, and to repent for the things gone wrong. 

Another tradition of Elul is the blowing of the shofar. The sounding of the horn awakens the consciousness from the spiritual slumber that's beset by sin. Then with fresh eyes and ears, one can more easily recognize our Creator and hear His direction for moving forward into the times that lie ahead.

The Apostle Paul, on more than one occasion, encouraged the Believers to examine themselves. In fact, his letter to the Corinthians went beyond ordinary encouragement and into strong admonition, writing that their failure in this area had resulted in deaths (cf 1 Corinthians 11:30)! 

Although on the surface Paul was referring to examining oneself before the act of taking Communion, this scripture has layers of truth that refer to other aspects of relationship as well.  If one calls God "Father," then there is an obligation to respect that relationship in all of our communications and familial bonds with Him.

Paul had to repeat this advice in another letter to the Corinthians:

Examine yourselves whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Or do you not recognize yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are unapproved?  (2 Corinthians 13:5, Berean Literal Translation)

 

So, what does this have to do with the Solar Eclipse? 

 

During the Eclipse Event there was a melding of cards. There was the religious card, the esoteric card, and the science card. Each one was announcing their values, whether prophesying an apocalypse, proclaiming a tryst between the sun god and the moon god, or debunking anything that cannot be quantitatively classified.  Some were saying that this sign in the heavens was a divine judgment upon the United States because of its transit from coast to coast. Others were scoffing at that notion because, they said, the eclipse is no more than a predictable occurrence that primitive cultures explained with superstition before mankind developed astrophysics; their implication being that if you believe Acts 2:19, "I will show wonders in the heavens above," then you're a Neanderthal. 

So clearly, in this swirl of voices, there is a need for examination, consideration, and discernment in regard to any meaning of the eclipse. Whether you attribute it to divine providence, happy serendipity, or random coincidence, it is hard to miss that, at the very least, it is poetic that the eclipse fell at the beginning of Elul, a time of introspection.

Chabad.org says, "The theme of Elul is return to your essential self—a.k.a. teshuvah² —helped along by prayer and charity. 'The King is in the field,' they say, meaning that the G‑dly spark within you is much more accessible, as long as you search for it."

Just as the eclipse traveled through different stages, Teshuvah is also a process: Recognizing the rupture where we've missed the mark, forsaking the sin, regretting the breach, confession and the making of amends, and finally, accepting forgiveness necessary to "return to our essential selves" as they put it. For if we cannot accept forgiveness for our soul, it will torment our faith.

It is a "Seek the Lord while He may be found"³ kind of thought. In the parable told by the rabbi, the King of the Universe goes out to the countryside during the month of Elul. He is in the field now, accessible to the common people, but come Rosh Hashanah He will be on the throne, goes the story.  The point being that it is easier to build a relationship with God now when He is in your field than later when you are face down in His Throne Room. 

Genesis 1:14 clearly states: God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years."

During totality in a solar eclipse, the separation of day and night is not quite as distinct as usual.  And through the millennia we seem to have lost the knowledge of interpreting signs.  But the stark awe of a solar eclipse was undeniable. If one could not see the design of the Creator in that event, then his heart has grown dangerously stone-like. 

Sometimes God can seem silent and remote. That was not at all the case during the eclipse, for the eclipse was a multi-sensory event. Not only were there dramatic visuals, but also tangible changes in ambient temperature and aural changes of evening sounds. The Master Designer had His creation on display, inviting us to experience it, and I think also taking pleasure in watching what we do with it—much like any good father likes to see how his kids handle a new toy, tool, concept, or instruction. 

As a cadet here on the Bootcamp Planet, my takeaway from all this is that Earth has entered a new phase of our basic training. An eclipse crossing America at the start of Teshuvah has significance in both its geography and its timing.  Teshuvah is a season of turning back to God, and America has been given a season to turn back to God.

 

¹ There are different "new years" on the Jewish calendar. link to Hebrew calendar info

² Teshuvah (lit. “return”); repentance, return to a Jew’s true essence; Chabad is a Hasidic Jewish ministry. Hasidic Jews skew toward more individual asceticism and less ritual than the reform or orthodox branches of Judaism.

³ Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.  Isaiah 55:6