By Rabbi Yitzchak Saeidian
Removing the Barrier:
One of the well-known remazim of Elul is found in the pasuk:
“וּמָל ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֶת לְבָבְךָ וְאֶת לְבַב זַרְעֶךָ”
“And Hashem will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring.”
(Devarim 30:6)
The first letters of אֶת לְבָבְךָ וְאֶת לְבַב spell אלול, hinting to a special avodah of this month. This would seem to indicate that the avodah of Elul requires removing the “orlah” of our hearts. What does that mean? In general, an orlah represents a barrier (see Rashi, Shemos 6:12)—something that obstructs growth and prevents a person from reaching his full potential.
Chazal understand that Avraham Avinu’s milah removed a barrier, allowing him to attain a new level of communication with HaKadosh Baruch Hu (Rashi, Bereishis 17:3).
So too, each of us possesses internal barriers that keep us from becoming the people we are capable of being.
Elul is the time to identify those obstacles and begin removing them.