by Rabbi Mike Comins
~ In order to acquire wisdom and Torah, one must make oneself hefker, open and abandoned, like this desert. (BaMidbar Rabbah 1)
Of the many
reasons our tradition offers for why the Torah was given at Sinai, one is
particularly relevant for Elul. The desert is an optimal environment to do Teshuvah. More than that. To reach our
full potential, we are advised to become like the desert.
Why does the
desert have the power to change us?
First and
foremost, the desert is a dangerous place. Like Hagar1 or Elijah2,
you can easily lose the way, ...
