Chai [18] Elul, 12 days before Rosh Hashanah, is the birth date of two of the greatest Jewish luminaries of the Torah's inner dimensions in the last 300 years.
The Baal Shem Tov, founder of the entire Chasidic movement, was born on this date in 1698
The Baal Tanya, founder of the Chabad school of Chasidut, was born on this date in 1745
It is also the date on which the Besh"t revealed the Chasidic movement, in 1734
as well as the yahrzeit of the great Maharal of Prague in 1609 (direct paternal ancestor of the Baal Tanya)

This issue includes two articles of the Baal Shem Tov's teachings (2-3) plus, of course, a story (7);
and two about Ki Tavo, the weekly reading (5-6), the latter being an important teaching of the Baal Tanya.
The lead article is the venerable Chai Elul Meditation Wheel of our Mother organization, Ascent-of-Safed.