Click here to see BTYA’s Cheshbon HaNefesh calendar for the month of Elul. It is derived from the 3rd perek of the Chovos HaLevavos Sha’ar Cheshbon HaNefesh.
The calendar starts on Sunday of Rosh Chodesh and gives us an opportunity to spend a small amount of time each day of Elul contemplating a particular aspect of our Creator, His Torah, the world, our Eternal soul, and our relationship with all of these.
Please print this calendar and hang it wherever you will see it daily (your fridge/the front door/etc.).
Bli neder, we will also be posting these reflections daily and they will, IYH, include added insights from Rav Malinowitz.
To get the daily reflection emails, click here and send the email that opens.
We thank Mrs. Tamar Loring for composing the calendar.
This Cheshboh HaNefesh initiative is being undertaken as a zechus for a refuah sheleima of our dear Rav Chaim Ze’ev ben Kayla.
CHOVOS HALEVAVOS – Cheshbon HaNefesh No. 6
Friday, September 6/ ו’ אלול
Reflect that the entire physical world exists by Hashem’s will and that nature does not rebel against Hashem’s instructions. My body’s organs work in harmony. Can I do any less?
Additional insights from HoRav Malinowitz:
Yes, I have free will.
But shouldn’t my choice be to blend in with the entire universe in fulfilling the will of G-D?
As R’ Yerucham Levoviotz states many times throughout his sefarim–our choices should reflect that, in reality, we don’t have a choice
CHOVOS HALEVAVOS – Cheshbon HaNefesh No. 5
Thursday, September 5/ ה’ אלול
Reflect that Torah came from Hashem and not a human king. Reflect on my attitude about the importance of understanding the Torah, which is the source of life.
Additional insights from HoRav Malinowitz:
Think and reflect — do I have clarity in the knowledge of my Torah, or HaShem-commanded obligations? Am I lax in knowing exactly what it is that I am required to do, or not do?
And if I don’t know–do I have a Rav or Rebbe to guide me?
Remember: These are HaShem’s rules, not laws or rules of a secular or temporal nature!
CHOVOS HALEVAVOS – Cheshbon HaNefesh No. 4
Wednesday, September 4/ ד’ אלול
Reflect upon the chesed of getting the Torah to draw us close to Hashem’s will, thus attaining this World and the Next. Think about the favor of being given the capacity to understand Torah. Think about neglecting Torah study.
Additional insights from HoRav Malinowitz:
How thankful should we be that we have Hashem’s revealed will of how we should live; thus attaining true pleasure in this world–AND ETERNITY!!
Imagine that you are lost in a jungle–and you have no idea how to survive, how to get food or drink, how to avoid the wild animals and the native cannibals … a lad shows up, and hands you a jungle-survival book … and thanks to this book, you indeed survive — and emerge from the jungle in 6 months, to live in regular, sophisticated civilization.
THE GRATITUDE YOU would feel towards that lad — do we feel that way every morning as we say birkas haTorah???
CHOVOS HALEVAVOS – Cheshbon HaNefesh No. 3
Tuesday, September 3/ ג’ אלול
Reflect that I have intelligence and insight. I was given good middos and noble qualities and characteristics.
Additional insights from HoRav Malinowitz:
How often do we think about, appreciate, our abilities as human beings to be sane, thoughtful, intelligent, creative creatures — to be problem-solvers, to be discerning?
Interesting how the rational process primarily focused on in our birkos hashachar —hanosain lasechvi vinah — is the ability to discern differences (see Mishnah Berurah 46:4).
When was the last time you thanked HaShem for being sane? Would you care to visit facilities where they take care of people who aren’t?
When was the last time you contemplated and appreciated our human qualities of midos tovos, and character development?
And so we should use our faculties of intelligence to understand and to say –Thank you HaShem for my intelligence!
CHOVOS HALEVAVOS – Cheshbon HaNefesh No. 2
Monday, September 2/ ב’ אלול
Reflect on the chesed HaShem in my body. I have graciously been gifted with eyes, hands, legs, and so much more. I have a whole and complete body that works in harmony.
Additional insights from HoRav Malinowitz:
I was blind–how thankful am I towards the Dr who cured me? Poke’ach Ivrim!
I couldn’t walk— how thankful am I towards the Dr who fixed it all up? Hamaychin mitz’adei gaver!
I was basically inert, helpless—hanosain laya’eif ko’ach!
I was paralyzed! How thankful am I towards the Dr who cured me? Mattir assurim, zokeif kefufim ….
We actually need to go through every single limb and every single organ and every single biological function.
HOW THANKFUL SHALL WE BE???
CHOVOS HALEVAVOS – Cheshbon HaNefesh No. 1
Sunday, September 1 / ר”ח אלול – א’ אלול
Reflect on the chesed HaShem in my own existence. I am more distinguished than an animal, plant, or inanimate object. Hashem has given me shelter and all my needs since birth.
Additional insights from HoRav Malinowitz:
Let’s reflect on the fact that certainly no one can claim to be entitled to have been brought into existence! Thank you Hashem! How can I ever thank you enough for just that!??!
Then consider that you could have been brought into existence as an inanimate rock–no prior entitlement to have been brought into existence even as a living blade of grass! Or as a cat!
So how can we ever thank Hashem for being a human, a proud Jew who knows about Hashem!
There was no prior entitlement that your very existence, your life, and the story of your life should have had that result!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!