Related reading: The Month of Cheshvan: Calendar, Dates, Torah Portions, and Meaning and The Month of Tevet: Calendar, Holidays, Torah Portions, and Meaning.
Elul is the great month of preparation in the Jewish year. It stands between Av, with its memory and consolation, and Tishrei, with Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. So someone searching for an Elul calendar usually wants more than Hebrew and Gregorian dates. They want to know when Elul begins, when Selichot are said, when the shofar is sounded, which Torah portions are read during the month, and how to turn preparation for the High Holidays into something clear, alive, and family-friendly.
This page gathers the key dates, customs, Torah portions, educational meaning, and quiz questions for the month of Elul. It is suitable for reading, printing, lesson preparation, Shabbat-table learning, or opening an Elul quiz for a family, class, or group.
In Short: What Happens in Elul?
Elul is the sixth month when counting from Nisan, and the final month before Tishrei in the yearly cycle. On the Gregorian calendar it usually falls in August-September. Elul has 29 days and ends on the eve of Rosh Hashanah.
The month’s central themes include:
- Rosh Chodesh Elul: the beginning of a month of reflection, repair, and preparation
- Shofar: in many communities, the shofar is sounded on weekdays during Elul as a call to awaken
- Selichot: many Sephardic communities begin at Rosh Chodesh Elul; many Ashkenazic communities begin on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, or earlier depending on the calendar
- “L’David Hashem Ori V’Yishi”: many communities add Psalm 27 during Elul and the High Holiday season
- Reviewing the year: a time to ask what we learned, what needs repair, and whom we need to ask for forgiveness
- Weekly Torah portions: usually around Re’eh, Shoftim, Ki Teitzei, Ki Tavo, Nitzavim, and sometimes Vayelech
- Bible Quiz connection: questions about teshuvah, shofar, Selichot, Moses on Mount Sinai, Deuteronomy, and preparing for Rosh Hashanah
Elul Calendar: Key Dates
A useful Elul calendar should show the Hebrew and Gregorian date for each day, the weekly Torah portion, Selichot according to custom, Erev Rosh Hashanah, and the main preparation points of the month. Gregorian dates change each year, so a live site should load them from a reliable, regularly updated calendar source.
| Hebrew date | Milestone | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Av-1 Elul | Rosh Chodesh Elul | Rosh Chodesh Elul usually lasts two days: 30 Av and 1 Elul |
| Weekdays in Elul | Sounding the shofar | A widespread custom is to sound the shofar after Shacharit on weekdays, excluding Shabbat and Erev Rosh Hashanah, according to communal custom |
| From Rosh Chodesh Elul | Selichot in Sephardic communities | Many Sephardic communities begin saying Selichot from the beginning of Elul |
| Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah | Selichot in Ashkenazic communities | A common Ashkenazic custom is to begin on the Saturday night close to Rosh Hashanah, or the previous Saturday night depending on that year’s calendar |
| Throughout the month | Reflection and teshuvah | A time for personal review, asking forgiveness, charity, prayer, and repairing relationships |
| Shabbatot of the month | Torah portions of Elul | Usually around Re’eh, Shoftim, Ki Teitzei, Ki Tavo, Nitzavim, and sometimes Vayelech |
| 29 Elul | Erev Rosh Hashanah | The final day of the year; preparation for Rosh Hashanah and the opening of Tishrei |
For example, in Hebrew year 5786, Rosh Chodesh Elul begins on Wednesday evening, August 12, 2026, and continues until nightfall on Friday, August 14, 2026. According to Hebcal, Leil Selichot in the Ashkenazic custom that year occurs after nightfall on Saturday, September 5, 2026. Always check dates, Torah portions, and Selichot times by year, location, and communal custom.
The Meaning of Elul
Elul is a month of closeness. After Av, when we learned to remember brokenness and seek consolation, Elul invites us to take another step: not only to be comforted, but to return, repair, and prepare for a new year. In Jewish tradition it is associated with teshuvah, mercy, and forgiveness, so it is especially suited to educational language that speaks about practical change rather than fear.
The familiar phrase “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li,” “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” offers a beautiful reading of Elul. This is a time of mutual connection, longing, and return. It is not only a person standing before a list of mistakes, but a person trying to come closer again: to God, family, friends, oneself, and a better path.
Elul can be taught through four themes:
- Awakening: the shofar reminds us to pause the routine and ask a real question
- Reflection: not self-blame, but an honest review of the year that passed
- Repairing relationships: asking forgiveness, making peace, giving thanks, and using words that heal
- Preparation: moving toward Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur intentionally instead of arriving at the last minute
Shofar in Elul: A Small Sound That Wakes the Heart
The shofar is one of the most recognizable signs of Elul. In many communities, it is sounded on weekdays after Shacharit. The shofar is not a long speech; it is a short, simple, powerful sound. Educationally, that is exactly its strength. It does not explain everything. It invites us to ask.
Opening questions for home or classroom:
- What does the sound of the shofar remind us of?
- Why do we sometimes need an outside sound to wake something inside?
- What is one thing I want to repair before Rosh Hashanah?
- Whom can I thank or apologize to this week?
- How can a small awakening become a good habit?
Add a gentle note on the site: the details of shofar sounding in Elul, when it is done, and whether it is sounded on Erev Rosh Hashanah vary by communal custom. This page offers educational explanation and does not replace local halachic guidance.
Selichot: Words That Prepare the Heart
Selichot are prayers and poems of mercy, repair, and forgiveness recited in preparation for the High Holidays. There is an important difference between communal customs: many Sephardic communities say Selichot from Rosh Chodesh Elul, while many Ashkenazic communities begin on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, or earlier when the calendar requires it.
An educational page does not need to include the full Selichot text without checking text rights and the desired rite. It is better to explain the purpose of Selichot, how to prepare for them, and what can be done with children:
- Explain that forgiveness is not only a word, but a movement of responsibility
- Choose one short idea about repair and discuss it in simple language
- Ask who needs to hear thanks, apology, or reconciliation from us
- Distinguish between asking forgiveness from another person and doing inner work with ourselves
- Connect Selichot with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
“L’David Hashem Ori V’Yishi” and Psalm 27
In many communities, Psalm 27, “L’David Hashem Ori V’Yishi,” is recited during Elul and the High Holiday season. The psalm speaks about light, trust, longing, and closeness to the house of God. For a Bible Quiz site, this is a strong opportunity to connect the calendar with a verse, a chapter, and the skill of attentive reading.
A short learning component could:
- Show the name of the chapter and its place in Psalms
- Explain the central theme in simple words: light, trust, and seeking closeness
- Offer a quiz question: which word or idea repeats in the chapter, and why does it matter?
- Invite children to choose one verse that speaks to them, without necessarily reproducing the full text if licensing is unclear
Torah Portions in Elul
The Torah portions read during Elul change from year to year and may differ between Israel and the Diaspora. Usually Elul falls within Deuteronomy, around Re’eh, Shoftim, Ki Teitzei, Ki Tavo, Nitzavim, and sometimes Vayelech.
The themes of these portions fit a month of repair and preparation:
- Re’eh: choosing between blessing and curse, and the human ability to choose direction
- Shoftim: justice, law, leadership, and public responsibility
- Ki Teitzei: many mitzvot that touch daily life, sensitivity to others, and responsibility in small actions
- Ki Tavo: first fruits, gratitude, blessing, and rebuke that reminds us of the weight of choice
- Nitzavim: “you are standing,” covenant, choosing life, and the invitation to return
- Vayelech: transition of leadership, writing the Torah, and preparing the next generation, when read in Elul or near it
A monthly page should ideally include a dynamic “Torah portion in Elul” component by year, date, and reading custom. That turns the page from a general article into a useful tool connecting calendar, parashah, and weekly quiz.
Customs and Family Learning Themes
Elul is well suited to short, daily, practical learning. It does not need to feel heavy or frightening. Presented well, Elul can become a month of good conversations, small gestures, and habits that prepare the home for a new year.
Learning ideas:
- On Rosh Chodesh: each person chooses one word for the new year - gratitude, courage, listening, joy, learning
- In the first week: listen to the shofar or speak about a sound that awakens change
- Mid-month: write a thank-you note to someone who helped us this year
- During the Selichot period: choose one person who deserves reconciliation or appreciation
- On Erev Rosh Hashanah: name three good things from the past year and three things we want to improve
For children, you can say it simply: Elul is the month when we do not wait for Rosh Hashanah to surprise us. We arrange the heart the way we arrange a holiday table: making space, cleaning gently, and preparing room for a new blessing.
Questions for Children and an Elul Quiz
An Elul quiz can combine knowledge, Torah portions, customs, and personal questions:
- Which month comes before Elul?
- Which month comes after Elul?
- How many days are in Elul?
- What custom involving the shofar is associated with Elul?
- What are Selichot?
- What is one difference between Sephardic and Ashkenazic customs for beginning Selichot?
- In which biblical book is “L’David Hashem Ori V’Yishi” found?
- Which Torah portions are usually read during Elul?
- Which portion speaks about “choosing life”?
- What is one small repair we can begin this week?
Call to action: Start the Elul quiz and choose a track by age: children, teens, family, or classroom. Begin with calendar questions, continue with shofar and Selichot, and end with a personal preparation task for Rosh Hashanah.
Recommended Page Experience
To make the page useful rather than only informative, build it as a monthly tool:
- A month calendar with Hebrew and Gregorian dates for each day
- Markers for Rosh Chodesh Elul, beginning of Selichot by custom, the month’s Shabbatot, and Erev Rosh Hashanah
- Year, location, and communal custom selector
- A “today in Elul” area with one daily question or small repair task
- Weekly Torah portion by year and Israel/Diaspora custom
- Print or PDF button for the Elul calendar
- Quick links to the Hebrew calendar, today’s Hebrew date, Selichot, Rosh Hashanah, and the weekly Torah portion
- An Elul quiz with questions about teshuvah, shofar, Selichot, and Deuteronomy
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Elul occur?
Elul usually falls in August-September on the Gregorian calendar. Exact dates change each year, so the calendar should be checked for the relevant year.
How many days are in Elul?
Elul has 29 days. After it begins the month of Tishrei, with Rosh Hashanah.
What do people do during Elul?
Elul is a month of preparation for the High Holidays. Common customs include sounding the shofar on weekdays, saying Selichot according to communal custom, adding Psalm 27 in many communities, giving charity, prayer, reflection, and asking forgiveness.
When do Selichot begin?
Many Sephardic communities begin Selichot from Rosh Chodesh Elul. Many Ashkenazic communities begin on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, or earlier depending on that year’s calendar. Local custom should be checked.
Is the shofar sounded every day in Elul?
In many communities, the shofar is sounded on weekdays during Elul, usually after Shacharit. It is not sounded on Shabbat, and many communities do not sound it on Erev Rosh Hashanah. Details depend on custom.
How is Elul connected to teshuvah?
Elul is considered a month of reflection and teshuvah before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is a time to review the past year, ask forgiveness, repair relationships, and prepare for a new year.
Which Torah portions are read in Elul?
The portions change by year and by Israel or Diaspora custom. Usually Elul falls around Re’eh, Shoftim, Ki Teitzei, Ki Tavo, Nitzavim, and sometimes Vayelech.
How does Elul connect to a Bible Quiz?
You can include questions about the shofar, Selichot, Psalm 27, Moses on Mount Sinai, Deuteronomy, choosing life, asking forgiveness, and preparing for Rosh Hashanah.
Elul Quiz Idea
Quiz name: “Elul: The Sound of the Shofar and the Road to a New Year”
Suggested structure: 20 questions in four stages: the Elul calendar, shofar and Selichot customs, the Torah portions in Deuteronomy, and a family teshuvah task. At the end, users receive a small mission: choose one person to thank, one person to apologize to, and one habit to begin before Rosh Hashanah.
Recommended Schema Markup
Add Article, BreadcrumbList, and FAQ Page schema. If a print or PDF component is implemented, add a short HowTo schema: choose a year, open the month of Elul, mark Selichot by custom, check the weekly Torah portion, and print the calendar.