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Shabbat starts on Friday at 5:39pm and ends on Saturday at 6:37pm. The weekly Torah portion is Re’eh and Shabbat Mevarchim Elul. Rosh Chodesh is on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mincha 1pm continues at Ainsworth Property – GF/459 Collins Mon-Wed. Join the WhatsApp group where we take a count to confirm each day.

Weekly sushi & shiur will continue on Wed at about 1.10pm (after mincha) at A-P GF/459 Collins – and via zoom. Current topic: collecting on debt security. Details here and on the WhatsApp group.

Thought of the Week with thanks to Annette Charak.

The opening words of this week’s Torah reading and part of Moshe’s final address to the people, famously present a striking choice: “See, I set before you today a blessing and a curse”. In telling the people to “see” what he says (and not just hear the words), Moshe is telling them to choose with understanding and intent.

The people are not just being presented with two options to choose between – that would be a no-brainer; choose the blessing. But the promised blessing will come only if the people obey the Divine commandments; if the people turn away, the curse will follow.

Our free will gives us power to choose how we live. And with each choice, we sculpt our moral landscape, ideally moving toward deeper ethical and spiritual commitment, toward a life of righteousness and compassion.

This reading urges us to live with intention. We can look at daily decisions not just as routine choices but as opportunities to weave blessing into our lives.

The choice between blessing and curse is far more than a simple choice; it’s an invitation to reflect on how we live and how our actions shape our lives and, ultimately, the world around us.