Tikkunim III

We have already determined that Tikkun does not only mean to fix. (See Tikkunim II) There are yet more definitions of Tikkun in the Talmud:

“R. Hanina Hoza’ah (of Hozae, Khuzistan) laid down: It is a legal presumption that a Chaver would not allow any unprepared (Not Metukan) thing to pass out of his hand.” (Eiruvin 32a)

The Talmud is offering another use of the word Tikkun: Properly prepared.

This form of Tikkun of Elul is to use this month to properly prepare ourselves for Rosh Hashanah. This doesn’t seem much different than the common translation of Tikkun as “Repair,” when we repair our lives and behavior, we are preparing ourselves for the Rosh Hashanah judgment.

However, there is a specific application of Tikkun as Proper Preparation in a prayer we recite daily and as part of the Rosh Hashanah Mussaf: When we say in the second paragraph of Aleinu, “Litakein olam b’malchut Sha-dai,” usually translated as “To fix the universe through the Almighty’s sovereignty,” we are also saying, “To properly prepare the world to receive the Almighty’s sovereignty on Rosh Hashanah.”

We prepare the world for the Almighty’s sovereignty each time we recite a blessing over a food and include the description of God as, “Melech Ha-Olam,” King of the Universe.
We prepare the world for God’s Kingship with each of the morning blessings that acknowledge numerous aspects of creation; sight, mind, legs, feet, bodily functions etc. with the blessings that contain “Melech Ha-Olam.”

Our job during Elul is to focus our intention when reciting these blessings on “Tikkun olam b’malchut Sha-dai,” preparing the world for God’s coronation as King on Rosh Hashanah.

We can prepare the world for God’s sovereignty by focusing our efforts on preparing our homes as places that reflect God’s rule. We can create “Tikkun Olam” by conducting business in a manner that is appropriate to God as Sovereign over all, including money. We can be “World Preparers” by insisting that we always speak as if we were standing before the King.

Elul is a month of Tikkun; Tikkun Olam, preparing the world to receive, reflect and express Malchut Sha-dai.