Elul Logs Rebooted

Elul: Full Circle

Today is Rosh Chodesh Elul, which also marks this blog’s anniversary. I first began writing here to make a public record of the changes I wanted to pursue for Elul 5783 (2023). With the sudden passing of the Rosh Yeshiva זצ״ל, the blog also became a place to process that loss, which naturally broadened its scope.

Later, I wrote a postmortem reflecting specifically on how the Elul resolutions went. One conclusion I reached in that postmortem was simple: when it comes to change, less is more. If I were to do it again, I would focus on just one thing.

Gratitude Meditation

That’s it—that’s my plan for this Elul. One practice, done consistently.

While I believe that more than one resolution risks diluting focus, I do want to keep reinforcing a standing commitment: truthfulness, or at least not lying. But because this isn’t new, it feels like maintenance rather than addition, so it doesn’t take away from the “one thing” principle.

Another caveat is that for the first week I will allow done for a meditation that is at least 3 minutes long (to allow myself to get into the practice with less friction).

The Inspiration

The inspiration for this resolution came from the Rebbe שליט״א’s shiur in בים דרכך, where he explains that the essence of teshuvah is returning to Hashem with joy. And when one returns in joy, Hashem receives him immediately with love. That framing—teshuvah as joy, not just as heaviness or regret—struck me deeply. Gratitude felt like the most direct way to put that into practice.

I plan to review this with the Rebbe and see if the resolution needs refinement, but for now the core feels clear.

Tracking the Practice

To make this resolution concrete, I plan to log my daily gratitude meditation in Obsidian as part of my journaling workflow. This will serve as both a record and a reminder. Every two weeks, I’ll post an update here on the blog summarizing how the practice is going—what worked, what slipped, and what I’ve learned in the process.

Looking Ahead

Two years ago, I set out with many intentions; life reshaped them in ways I couldn’t have expected. This year, I am aiming for clarity rather than quantity. Elul always returns, ready or not, and it gives us the chance to return as well—one step, one practice, one turn.

May we be זוכה to a year of genuine return, of gratitude, and of blessings in 5786.