[Avodah] What to do in Elul

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Sep 03, 2020 at 10:33:32AM +0300, Moshe Zeldman via Avodah wrote:
> If one should not say "starting YK I will never...", then how does that fit
> with the Rambam in Teshuva (1:1) where part of the vidui is saying "and I
> will never do X again"?

I'm going to shift topics a little from what the Rambam says should
be done to what experience (and 20th cent Mussar sefarim) has shown
does work.

Lots of diets I promised myself I would start right after the chagim
never happened. So, I don't think there is much commitment in "starting
YK I will never..."

Maybe we should be following the incremental approach... Promising now
to take steps that by Yom Kippur I would be up to not doing X again,
and by Chanukah not doing X-1, and by Pesach, X-2, and by next YK...

Again, not claiming you can read that into the Rambam. But it does
fit the Rambam's requirements for vidui while still having more chance
of success than expecitng to be able to permanently change habits and
character on a dime.

:-)BBii!
-Micha

--
Micha Berger                 The meaning of life is to find your gift.
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   The purpose of life
Author: Widen Your Tent      is to give it away.
-- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF -- Pablo Picasso