Dear Doves,
      The sound of a trumpet is associated with the event called The Blessed Hope. What trumpet sound? There were silver trumpets or shofars (ram's horn) trumpets used in Temple times at Jerusalem. The month of Elul, 29 days of month 6 of The Spiritual Year, is a period distinctive for a call to repentance each day. There is a specific word for it called Teshuvah. It is about returning in faith and repentance to the Lord. The name Elul has originated from the Akkactian word for "Harvest." This year, according to the Hillel Calendar, Elul begins on 8-30 at sunset. Of course we think of the sound of trumpets on The Feast of Trumpets. Until Tishri 1, we are still in the Season of Pentecost. However, the trumpet (shofar) is blown on many days in Elul before The Feast of Trumpets, before Tishri 1 and the beginning of the new Civil Year for Israel.
      Curiously, the shofar is not sounded for each day during Elul. It is blown 6 of 7 days a week except for day 7 (weekly Sabbath/Shabbat) and the last day of Elul (Elul 29). So the trumpet sounds 24 days out of 29. Some people begin on the last day of Av (Av 30) in order for the period to be 30 days rather than 29.
      As of this year, for the 24 days, it is blown 3 days plus 6, plus 6, plus 6, plus 3 days. At day 3 of The Scriptural Week, it will be sounded the last day at day 24 of the 29 days. On Elul 29 from 9-27 to 28, on day 4 of The Scriptural Week, the trumpet (shofar) is not blown. The trumpet (shofar) is silent. This will be The Last Day of Elul and The Last Day of the current Civil Year for Israel.
      It is customary to recite Psalm 27 during each day of Elul. Psalm 27:5 states the following. "For in the day of evil He hides me in His booth; In the covering of His tent He hides me." Elul is a period of preparation for the spiritually momentous days in Tishri, month 7. These include The Feast of Trumpets on Tishri 1, then the Days of Awe, then Yom Kippur (The Solemn Day of Atonement) on Tishri 10. On Tishri 15 begins The Feast of Booths. Other names for this are the Feast of Tents, The Feast of Tabernacles,The Feast of Harvest, The Feast of Ingathering, Sukkot, or The Season of Our Joy. The idea of covering also relates to the concept of kappur, a covering in blood, as in Yom Kippur.
      The following are some important events in Scriptural History during days of Elul. On Elul 1 Moses ascended Mount Sinai the 3rd time, to receive the second set of the stone tablets with the 10 Statements (the 10 Commandments) written on them. This was the ketubah, the wedding/marriage document between Adonai and The House of Israel. He descended 40 days later on Yom Kippur. Elul 1 was his Day of Ascent. On Elul 17 Noah dispatched the dove from the window on the ark. On Elul 23, the dove returned with the olive tree twig and leaf in its beak. The days of Elul are blessed, may we enjoy them Come quickly, Lord...
 
With Love and Shalom,
Jean