Don’t Think You Haven’t Grown

Many shmuessen and lectures delivered at this time of the year start out something like this: “It’s hard to believe another year has gone by. And did we change? Did we keep our Yamim Noraim resolutions and kabbalos? We’re still the same people we were 12 months ago!”

I would like to suggest that these kinds of statements are not really productive, encouraging, or even true.

But let’s first talk about a great and popular niggun: Reb Eitan Katz’s “Elul.” Its lyrics are: “De de daye, daye, de daye, daye, daye, de de daye, daye, de daye, daye, daye…” If you haven’t heard it, I suggest you do. It is not slow and somber but upbeat and full of joy.

I recall the first time I heard it. I wondered, “Why would a niggun that is supposed to be related to teshuvah have such an upbeat feel?”