This Shabbas is Rosh Chodesh Elul and we begin the month leading up to the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. It is a time for everyone to begin to introspect and take a real look at themselves. Have they become a better person? Have they improved? There is an expression I am not sure who says it that goes something like this. When we are young we think we will change the world, as we get older we realize we may only be able to change our country, then we realize we may only be able to change our city, our community etc. eventually a person realizes that he may only be able to change himself.

Some people focus their whole lives on changing or making an impact on the masses, but don't ever look inwards and try to just change themselves. The ultimate purpose for our existence is to change ourselves, by the fact that we are all interconnected in a spiritual sense, any change on the personal level will in fact impact the entire world but on a less obvious and superficially glorious way. There are select individuals who make a positive noticeable impact on the entire world which is wonderful, but these are unique individuals and it doesn't necessarily mean that they have made any change internally.

Of course there are obligations between man and his friend which we must also fulfill. But when it comes to "solving world hunger" G-d doesn't expect from us something that we don't have the tools to do. It is in every person's power though to effect change in themselves, this we do have the tools for each person on his/her own level.

Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov ,

Heath