#BlogElul: Acting from the Heart

Mishkan Tefila, the Reform prayer book, includes this passage as an alternate prayer:

Pray as if everything depended on God.
Act as if everything depended on you.

In the context of Elul, this passage can serve as a reminder that:

1. It is our responsibility to act as God's partner in the work of tikkun olam (repair of the world).
2. It is important to make every act -- large and small -- count.
3. We should strive to make all of our acts intentional, thoughtful, and meaningful. 

If we attempt to follow these guidelines, we won't be acting at all.  Rather, we will be living as our genuine selves, acting only from the heart.

Inspired by Ima on (and off) the Bima, this #BlogElul post is one in a series marking the days of the Hebrew month of Elul, which precedes the Jewish High Holidays and traditionally serves as a time of reflection and spiritual preparation for the new year.