Rabbi’s Monthly Message

A Message from Rabbi Eliana Willis (Fall 2025)

There is a saying about the month of Elul: “The King is in the field.” This teaching comes from the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Menahem Mendel Shneerson, one of the early Hasidic masters. He uses the language of “King,” which we recognize so well from the High Holy Days. On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, our liturgy emphasizes the image of God as a King, seated high on a lofty throne. This imagery evokes grandeur and existential awe, which we are meant to experience on those sacred days. After all, they are the Yamim Nora’im – the Days of Awe. In this manifestation, God can feel distant, even intimidating.

But according to the Alter Rebbe, God is not always found on a high and lofty throne. He teaches:

“Before a king enters his city, its inhabitants go out to greet him and receive him in the field. At that time, anyone who so desires is granted permission and can approach him and greet him. He receives them all pleasantly, and shows a smiling countenance to all…”

In contrast to the lofty throne, when the King is in the field, he is accessible to anyone who wishes to approach. And the month of Elul is when the King is in the field.

* * *

The Alter Rebbe’s parable reminds us that the High Holy Day season begins long before we show up in shul on Rosh Hashanah. Elul invites us to reacquaint ourselves with the Divine in the ordinary rhythms of our lives.

While this story offers a powerful framework for our relationship
with God, the teaching speaks more broadly as well.

As we approach the High Holy Days, there may be things in our lives that feel far away or out of reach—maybe a goal or resolution for the new year that seems unattainable. An apology we’ve struggled to make. A relationship we hope to repair or deepen. These hopes can feel distant or daunting. And by the time we reach Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, the year has already begun—and we may still feel unsure how to begin the spiritual or relational work we long to do.

But these aspirations don’t have to feel so far off. In Elul, what once felt distant may, in fact, be closer and more accessible than we imagined. Elul is a time to take small steps toward the change we hope to create in the year ahead.

The Alter Rebbe speaks of the field. The field is not only where the people are, but also a place of work—our daily labors and routines. It’s not only in the synagogue or on the holidays, but in the small and everyday moments of our lives, that the Divine can be found. It is in these moments that we can seek out holiness—and begin the quiet work that we hope will grow into lasting change over the course of the year.

Then, when we arrive at Rosh Hashanah, God is not so far away. Our dreams for the coming year are not so far away. We have only to continue the work we have already begun.

Rabbi Eliana Willis