RS Blog & News

I hope you're having a joyful and meaningful High Holy Day season. This Shabbat is "Shabbat Shuvah" - which means "Shabbat of return". From the word "shuvah" we also get the word "teshuvah", which means "repentance". 

- What are you returning to at this time of year?

- In what way is "repenting" - apologizing for what you may have done wrong - like "returning"?

In last week's Parshah, Moshe (Moses) gathered all of our ancestors together, reminding them of all the commandments, our agreement with God to follow them in return for God protecting us. Moshe told us that God wants us to choose wisely between good and bad, between a life of blessings and a life of bad consequences. This week's Parshah is "Vayelech", meaning "and he went". Moshe goes back to the people, speaking his own words (instead of God's) this time, telling them that he is 120 years old, that it's no longer easy for him to get around, and that God is not allowing him to go to the land of Canaan with them. He says God will take care of them in the new land, that they should not fear going there, and that they should be strong and courageous.

- Have you ever been nervous or worried about going somewhere new? Why?

- What did you need (or would you need) to be "strong and courageous" about something new and uncertain? Who could help you?

Moshe brings a man named Joshua in front of the people, who will be their new leader, and tells him to be strong and courageous, because God will not fail them or leave them. Moshe then writes the Torah down. He gives it to the priests for safekeeping, and tells them to read it to the people in seven years during the holiday of Sukkot (which is why, at the end of Sukkot, we have "Simchat Torah", the celebration of the Torah, when we rewind the scroll and begin reading the Torah over again). Moshe says to make sure everyone is listening when the Torah is read - including children and strangers - so that they will learn what it says. This may be the first instance in history of something that sounds like school - a group of people learning together. 

- You've seen the Torah: How long do you think it took Moshe to write it all down? (The Torah doesn't tell us.)

- We still read the Torah every week, over 3,000 years later. Is it still relevant? Why or why not?

- You've been to school and have experienced different teachers: What advice would you give to Moshe to make sure that the teaching goes well, that the people learn?

God tells Moshe that he will die soon and needs to make sure that Joshua is ready to lead the people. God then predicts that the people will one day turn away from God and be punished for it. So God gives Moshe one last assignment: To summarize this predication in a song and teach it to them.

- Why would God want everyone to remember a song about the greatness of God and about how they will forget the mitzvot (commandments)?

- Why put this into a song instead of just having people memorize words or a poem?

- What music and songs do you like? How is listening to songs or singing them different from listening to words or reciting them?

Yom Kippur is coming up. We think of Yom Kippur as a time when our direction for the coming year is set. It's a time of apologizing, but also appreciating what we have, thinking about what we hope for, and energizing ourselves for the year to come.

- Is there anyone to whom you owe an apology?

- Is there someone to whom you should say "thank you"?

- What do you hope for in the coming year?

May the year ahead bring you happiness, growth, new experiences, and new energy.

Shabbat shalom and shana tova,

Dan