Q: Dear Rabbi Levy shlit”a,
I wanted to ask about the transition between the summer fun and lack of responsibility characteristic of bein hazmanim into the serious aura of Elul. How does it work, and how are we meant to do this? How are we—and especially kids—meant to leap from days spent hiking and frolicking on the beach into the awe-inspiring says of Elul, which for who belong to Eidot Hamizrach, includes Selichos! At the same time, how does a long, concentrated summer vacation fill us with energy for the coming months anyway? Can a person eat and sleep all at once to stock up on energy? What’s different about vacation, and what’s the purpose in it all?
Hagaon Harav Dovid Levy shlit”a replies: From the tone of your letter, I gather that you don’t belong to the group who enjoys vacation, and if given the choice, you’d choose routine over vacation any day. The reason might be that your kids are all home and bored, and it could be that you’re genuinely disturbed by the lack of responsibility and schedule. In any event, you’re raising important points, which I would like to address.
From the stories in Chazal, it really does seem that, in their times, the schedule was entirely different. “The Braisa teaches: Rabbi Eliezer Hagadol says: When the fifteenth of Av arrived, the strength of the sun waned… and from hereon, [someone] who adds [to his hours of learning at night] will add on [his days, as written in Mishlei 3:] ‘For lengthy days and years of life and peace they will add to him.’ And one who does not add [hours of learning at night], will die.” (Taanis 31a)
This would seem to mean that as the nights become longer, and the days shorter, it is necessary to devote more hours to learning at night. On the other hand, we can’t so easily dispense with what has become Klal Yisrael’s custom of bein hazmanim, which was instituted by Gedolei Yisrael.
Perhaps this can be explained through Chazal’s words in Brachos 35b: “Rava said to the Chachamim, ‘I beg of you, during the days of Nissan (harvest) and the days of Tishrei (crushing of grapes and olives), don’t appear before me [to learn], so you should not have to toil for your livelihood throughout the year.”
Indeed, from here we see that there are times when bitula hi kiyuma, pausing the study of Torah is the most effective way to uphold it. A break from routine gives people energy to go on, both before and afterward, and this applies in every realm of life. What energizes a person during the summer zman is the knowledge that vacation is right around the corner. Similarly, people start the Elul zman off with a bren, fired by the boost of strength and vitality that they gained from bein hazmanim.
From here, we see that the principle of bein hazemanim is pure, and its motive is to infuse strength into the learner both before and after.
On the other hand, it’s also clear that bein hazemanim needs to be limited to a particular time frame, and vacation can’t continue forever, because too much will drain a person of his strength and distract his heart and aspirations from what is truly important. During bein hazemanim, we should make sure to enjoy the recess from regular schedule and connect to the family with positive, enjoyable experiences. You can keep tabs on yourself by ensuring that you’re makpid on davening on time every day and learn at least one seder a day. But you should also try learning something different than usual and delve into a subject that you generally wouldn’t have time to learn.
Vacation isn’t about shedding responsibility or wasting time; it’s about recharging physical and spiritual batteries, releasing tension, and reigniting the spark inside.
This is, specifically, why after three weeks of bein hazmanim, we enter Elul emotionally and spiritually invigorated, eager to learn and grow in avodas Hashem. There is no contradiction between the two. Bein hazmanim is truly the introduction to Elul, as the famous saying goes “AV” is roshei teivos for “Elul ba—Elul is coming…”
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