The Elul Project 5784: Day 26

compiled by Evan Traylor

הִגִּיד לְךָ אָדָם מַה־טּוֹב וּמָה־יְהֹוָה דּוֹרֵשׁ מִמְּךָ כִּי אִם־עֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט וְאַהֲבַת חֶסֶד וְהַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת עִם־אֱלֹהֶיךָ׃

“And what does God require of you? Only to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Today's Reflection

Rabbi Samlai taught: With regard to the Torah, its beginning is an act of kindness and its end is an act of kindness. Its beginning is an act of kindness, as it is written: “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). And its end is an act of kindness, as it is written: “And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab” (Deuteronomy 34:6).

— Babylonian Talmud Sotah 14a:6

Today's Question

This text describes ordinary actions (clothing others, burying the dead) as acts of mercy/loving-kindness.

What everyday, ordinary actions could you commit to this year to show more mercy/loving-kindness?

We encourage you to share your thoughts in response to our daily question by emailing elul@templemicah.org as we will incorporate many of them in our Yom Kippur afternoon service and dance. Will you join us?

About this year's Elul Project

Micah 6:8

Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

Our daily emails this Elul correspond to these three invocations of Micah 6:8 - to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. Through this exploration, we ask, “What does God require of each of us, and of this community?” 

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