Halocho #159 - Why do we blow the Shofar during Elul

Today - Sunday - is the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul. Today's date is 30 Av 5768. Tomorrow - Monday - is the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, and first day of the month of Elul. The next 40 days, starting tomorrow, correspond to the 40 days that Moshe spent on Har Sinai, to receive the 2nd set of Luchot (Tablets with the 10 commandments written on them). Moshe came down with these Luchot on Yom Kippur. Ever since, these 40 days are especially auspicious for Teshuva; repenting. The custom is to blow the Shofar after Shacharit (the morning prayers) from tomorrow, until Sunday, 28 Elul (28 September) , as a reminder to start improving ones Torah observance and to repent for past misdeeds. On Erev Rosh Hashana the Shofar is not blown, so as to create a break between the custom of blowing Shofar in Elul and the Torah-commandment to blow Shofar on Rosh Hashana. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 128:1, 2 Chodesh Tov, - Danny Sunday, 1st day Rosh Chodesh Elul 5768

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