Name of the month: ELUL
Other names of the month:
Mazal of the month: BESULA (maiden)
Tribe of the month (according to the Arizal): GAD
Tribe of the month (according to the Zohar): ZEVULUN
The nature of Elul
The month of Elul has a dual nature. On the one hand it is the end of the year that started with Rosh Hashana, at the beginning of the month of Tishrei. On the other hand it is seen as a preparation to the new year – coming thirty days before Rosh Hashana. In this vein, it is the sixth month from Nissan and we find that the sixth always prepares for the seventh – e.g. the sixth day of the week, Friday that is called Erev Shabbos, prepares for the seventh day of Shabbos. Similarly in the months, the sixth month of Elul prepares for the seventh month of Tishrei seen in the emphasis on teshuva as seen in the blowing of the shofar every day as a wake up call. The mazal, astrological sign, for Elul is Besula, a maiden. The tribe that this month parallels is Zevulun, according to the order of birth, or Gad, according to the Degolim, camps.
The switch in Elul
The Zohar tells us that the twelve months of the year where to be split between Yakov (representing the Jews) and Esav (representing the other nations of the world). They were to each have three months in the summer and three months in the winter. The summer months of Nissan–Iyar–Sivan to Yakov while the months of Tammuz–Av–Elul to Esav. In the winter months, Tishrei–Cheshvan–Kislev to Yakov while Teves–Shevat–Adar went to Esav. However, Yakov won over the month of Elul and this is why the nature of this month is dedicated to teshuva, symbolised by the switch from Esav and sinning to Yakov and doing good.