Parashat Nitzavim-Vayeilekh
Torah: Deuteronomy 29:9 - 31:30
Haftarah: Isaiah 61:10 - 63:9 (Seventh Haftarah of Consolation)
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One Good Turn Deserves Another
These final few days leading up to Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Awe are a time of introspection and repentance. Jewish tradition teaches that during this time, we should repent and make amends for all of the wrongs we have done, to God, to our relatives, to our friends, to everyone with whom we have a relationship. The Hebrew word for repentance is "teshuvah". The root of this word, "shuv", appears seven times in Deuteronomy 30:1-10. The word connotes repentance, turning, returning, turning around, and recalling. It has active and reflexive forms.
"... and you shall recall (v'hasheivota) them to your mind ..." 30:1
"and you shall return (v'shavta) to the Lord your God ..." 30:2
"and the Lord your God will return (v'shav) your captivity and have compassion upon you, and will return (v'shav) and gather you from all the peoples ..." 30:3
"and you shall return (tashuv) and hearken to the voice of the Lord ..." 30:8
"... for the Lord will return (yashuv) to rejoice over you for good ..." 30:9
"... if you turn (tashuv) to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." 30:10
R. Shlomo of Radomsk once asked, if the Torah states in verse two that "you will return to the Lord your God", implying repentance, why does it say so again in verse eight? He answers that before a person repents, he doesn't even know what offenses he has committed - he doesn't know that he doesn't know. Only after the first steps of teshuvah, through the process of cheshbon hanefesh (accounting of the soul) does he realize the enormity of his wrongs. So he begins to ascend, step by step, in his spiritual development. It's not a one-shot deal.
What R. Shlomo doesn't say, perhaps because it was obvious to him, is the role that God plays in all of this. It's a two-way conversation. We turn toward God; God turns toward us. We move closer to God; God moves closer to us. We repent; God draws us into greater repentance.
How do we start? The answer is found in the concluding sentence of "Etz Chaim", recited at the conclusion of every Torah service. "Bring us back (hashiveinu), Lord, to You, and we will return (v'nashuvah), renew our days as of old." Lamentations 5:21. We seriously ask God to help us repent, and we are on our way!
Shabbt Shalom! L'shanah Tovah Umetukah Tikateivu
V'tichateimu - May you be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet new year!
Rabbi Richard Flom
Congregation Beth Meier
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Candlelighting: 7:03 PMFriday: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 PM. Oneg shabbat follows the service.
Saturday: Shabbat Morning service – 10:00 AM. Torah: Rabbi Gary Charlestein and Avremi Manzur; Haftarah: Avremi Manzur. Kiddush lunch follows.
Saturday evening: Selichot dinner, program and service. At 8:00 pm we will have a light, pareve Israeli-style dinner, followed by a viewing and discussion of the film “The Quarrel”, and then our traditional Selichot service (about 10:00 pm) conducted by Cantor Kerry Katz and Rabbi Richard Flom. (RESERVATIONS REQUIRED - FOR DINNER ONLY)
Monday: Office closed - Labor Day.
Tuesday: Lunch and Learn - Noon. We will conclude our study of Rambam’s Hilkhot Teshuvah.
Wednesday: Erev Rosh Hashanah Service – 6:30 PM – Beverly Garland Hotel.
Thursday: Rosh Hashanah Morning service - 8:30 AM – Beverly Garland Hotel.
Friday: Rosh Hashanah Morning service - 8:30 AM – Beverly Garland Hotel.
Friday evening: NO Shabbat evening service.
Saturday, 7 September: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am.
Sunday, 8 September: Fast of Gedalia. First day of
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This d'var torah is offered in memory of my grandmother, Cora Slome, whose yahrzeit falls on Tuesday. Y’hi zikhronah liv’rakhah.
This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah (complete healing) for Dov Nechemya Hakohen ben Rachel Chaya Sarah, Eve Beatty, Howard Ehrlich, Joshua Erenmark, Jerry Forman, Pamela Huddleston, Rose Jordan, Sara Lanxner, Frank Marcovitz, Phil Raider, Rachel Robbins, and Virginia Sullivan.
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