Our sages explain that what makes Shabbat and Yom Tov special, preventing us from performing a number of ordinary worldly tasks, is that the world is lifted up to God. In other words, a certain Divine energy (the 13 Attributes of Mercy) is revealed.
For example, a person's behavior at home is not the same as in the king's palace. Generally, in the king's palace, people avoid certain behaviors that are inappropriate for the place and time. The same is true on Shabbat and Yom Tov; the world becomes "the King's palace.".
We are now at the beginning of Elul, the last month of the Jewish year. This is a month of preparation for the coming year. Our sages tell us that the same energy is revealed in this month as on the Sabbaths and High Holy Days throughout the year. So why isn't it a whole month of Shabbat?
An example to help understand this is that during this month, the King is in the countryside, not in his palace. When the King is in his palace, all who visit him must behave in a special way (as on Shabbat). But when the King leaves his palace for the countryside, where his full majesty is not readily apparent, it is a special time, but people's behavior does not change (it is as on ordinary days).
It follows from this that during the month of Elul, God is closer to us, smiling, and listening to the requests of all people to give us a year with health, success, and joy.
Let us take advantage of the King in the field! Let us ask, but let us ask wisely. Let us ask for peace, let us ask for tranquility to express our Judaism, and, most importantly, let us ask that our Exile may soon end.