Today is the fourth day of Creation, when G‑d created the sun, moon, and stars:
G‑d said, “Let there be luminaries in the expanse of the heavens, to separate between the day and night….” and it was so. G‑d made the two large luminaries: the large luminary to rule by day and the small luminary to rule at night, and the stars…. G‑d saw that it was good. It was evening, and it was morning, a fourth day. (Genesis 1:14–19)
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The Selichot ("supplication") prayers are recited in the early morning hours, before the morning prayers, in preparation for the "Days of Awe" of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Links: More on Selichot
As the last month of the Jewish year, Elul is traditionally a time of introspection and stocktaking -- a time to review one's deeds and spiritual progress over the past year and prepare for the upcoming "Days of Awe" of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.
As the month of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness (see "Today in Jewish History" for Elul 1) it is a most opportune time for teshuvah ("return" to G-d), prayer, charity, and increased Ahavat Yisrael (love for a fellow Jew) in the quest for self-improvement and coming closer to G-d. Chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi likens the month of Elul to a time when "the king is in the field" and, in contrast to when he is in the royal palace, "everyone who so desires is permitted to meet him, and he receives them all with a cheerful countenance and shows a smiling face to them all."
Specific Elul customs include the daily sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) as a call to repentance. The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below to view today's Psalms.
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Elul is also the time to have one's tefillin and mezuzot checked by an accredited scribe to ensure that they are in good condition and fit for use.
Links: More on Elul
The ancient Book of Formation teaches that there is more to the universe than time and space. There is a soul.
Whatever is found in the universe’s soul is found somewhere in its space. And whatever is found in space, is found in time.
In the soul of the universe there is a consciousness from which all consciousness extends.
In space, there is the Land of Israel, a space from which all space is nurtured.
In time, there is Rosh Hashanah, a time from which all time is renewed.
It is not just a starting point, but a head, a new beginning of time, when a new consciousness enters our universe.
As the head governs the body, so all that will transpire in the coming year is first conceived in these two days.