The Avoda of Elul-In Elul, Hashem demands a Jew to stimulate his relationship with Him:
The term אני לדודי is the expression of a Jew’s intimate relationship with G-d. Ani Ledodi refers to the Divine service performed by a Jew to become closer to G-d. This refers to the Divine service of a Jew in arousing his inner love and fear for G-d during this month. This form of service is defined as an אתערותא דלתתא [arousal from below] and it is the Divine service that affects the relationship Hashem will decree to have with us on the upcoming Rosh Hashanah. The next part of the acronym, ודודי לי, refers to an אתערותא דלעילא, an arousal from above, from G-d, to draw down and reveal G-dliness below. This revelation takes place on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Thus Elul is the aspect of אני לדודי, while Rosh Hashanah is the aspect of ודודי לי, and it is the Avoda of a Jew in his Ani Ledodi, in his Divine service, that affects the Vedodi Li. Thus in this month, a Jew is to initiate the first steps in his relationship with Hashem and this will then be met by Hashem greeting the Jew in return. [This is in contrast to a different verse recited by Shlomo in Shir Hashirim of “Vedodi Li Ve’ani Lo”. This verse refers to the month of Nissan and represents the initiation of the relationship by Hashem and the reciprocal arousal it then creates within the Jew. This was represented in Nissan by Hashem revealing Himself to us with all His might and glory, which aroused within us a deep love and desire to cleave to Him. Thus while Nissan represents the Avoda of Hashem to stimulate us to love Him, the month of Elul represents the Avoda of Bnei Yisrael to stimulate Hashem, so to say, to reveal His love to us.]