Likutei `Etzot -- Elul
(Collected Advices of Rebbi Nachman Z"TzUKL)
Literal translation from Hebrew by Nissim Kaufmann Sh"Y, last changed 09/10/05

1. The intentions of Elul are remedy for blemish of the Covenant. And through this one shall find his mate, and she will not be against him, only will she lean after his will. And the main intention of Elul, see Likutei Moharan 6.

2. The month of Elul is the time fit for attaining knowledge, i.e. that one should attain to know and understand what one did now know before; and through this one makes new garments for his soul, and is saved from all the afflictions (see Knowledge).

3. Elul is capable of circumcising the foreskin of his heart, until he pays attention and thoroughly feels the pain of his sins in truth, until also all the hearts of all the drops that were drawn from him to any place that they were drawn, etc., should also feel, and a great noise should be made amongst them and they shall return in teshuvah, all of them (see Repentance).

4. The main thing of repentance is the month of Elul, for they are days of favor, since Moshe went up to receive the latter tablets and opened a paved road to go on. And the main way to repentance that Moshe made is to know that the Lord, blessed-be-He, is everywhere, and to find the Lord, blessed-be-He, everywhere, in all the declines in the world and in all the advances in the world, for sometimes through a man’s going up, for instance if he becomes wealthy, then he forgets the Lord, blessed-be-He. Also even in the service of the Lord we have found that there is one that went up to a great level, then denied at the root, may the Merciful One save us. Therefore one must ask of the Lord, blessed-be-He, that He should draw him close in an approach that will not harm him. And likewise in all the declines in the world, God forbid, even in the lowest level, also there one must tie himself to the Lord, blessed-be-He, for his Kingship rules over everything (see 27 in Strengthening and elsewhere).