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Shabbat starts on Friday at 5:46pm and ends on Saturday 6:44pm. The weekly Torah portion is Nitzavim-Vayeilech. Selichot starts on Saturday night.
Pre-Rosh Hashana Lecture – Rabbi Yonason Johnson view details here.
Mincha continues at Ainsworth Property – 7/459 Collins St (North Tower), at 1.00pm and we use the WhatsApp group to confirm numbers.
The weekly lunch & shiur continues on Wed at 1.10pm at A-P 7/459 Collins – and via zoom, followed by mincha. Current topic: Sale and hire terms. Details here and on the WhatsApp group.
Thought of the Week with thanks to Asher Seifman.
It is well known that the month of Elul, and to a greater degree, the days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are propitious times for repentance.
The Shelah haKadosh cites from the sefer Emek Bracha (written by the his father) that fascinating parallels are drawn between the laws relating to the kosher status of a shofar and the laws relating to repentance. This is premised partially on the term ‘shofar’ (שופר) hinting at a penitent, who both aims to improve (משפר) his behavior and in order to do so, needs to assume a mindset of humility ( שופר = שפל רוח) .
Focusing on one of these laws: a shofar should ideally be the horn of a ram (איל). Derivatives of this Hebrew word refer to concepts of strength and power. This alludes to the fact that repentance in its ideal form occurs in one’s youth, when proclivity to sin is at its peak and one is able, despite that continuing proclivity and the recurring opportunities to repeat his sin, to exercise discipline, abstain from sin, and demonstrate true repentance. Whilst even the repentance of a person on their death bed is ultimately considered effective, it does not compare in quality and effect to the repentance of one who repents in their youth at the earliest opportunity.
May we all heed this lesson and succeed in adopting an appropriate degree of humility in our introspection, and zeal in our efforts of self-improvement, with the shofar as our reminder in the days that remain before Yom Kippur – the ultimate day of atonement. May the upcoming year be a year of blessing for all.