Shalom, Friends.  We are in the midst of the 7 weeks of consolation.  After Tisha B’av, when we mourn the destruction of both the First and Second Holy Temples in Jerusalem, we have 7 weeks until the new year of 5787 begins.  As with every Rosh Hashanah, we hope to get a fresh start and a new year of expectations, of hopes, of optimism.

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During these 7 weeks, we make our way through the weekly Torah reading in the book of Deuteronomy.  This is Moshe’s second and final discourse to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land which, of course, he will not have the privilege of entering with them.

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Moshe Rabeinu – Moses, our First and Greatest Rabbi – is speaking to B’nei Yisrael on the 1st day of the 11th month of the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.  This is his last chance to impress on the people what their mission is, what their role on the Earth is, what God needs them to accomplish from now on, forever.

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Why do these people need to hear this now?  Who are these people that Moshe is talking to?  It’s been forty years, so we know these are not the people who witnessed the 10 plagues that freed them from slavery. These are not the people who saw God part the sea, so that they could escape from the pursuing Egyptian army.  These are not the people who saw that army and its powerful charioteers drowned by the returning sea, the greatest empire of its day defeated.

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These are not the people who stood at the foot of Mount Sinai, while Moshe spent 40 days and 40 nights bringing down the Torah and its Ten Commandments.  And these are not the people who demanded that Aaron build a golden calf to worship, when they were impatient and worried about Moshe’s return.

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No, these are the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the former slaves.  They need to know why we were freed from slavery, and what we need to do when we enter the Promised Land…what we need to bring to the entire world, based in this little land in the Middle East.

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I believe that Moshe is also talking to us, the Jews of today.  We Jews of 2026 are beset from many sides, as Jewish institutions in Canada suffer gunshots and are burned to the ground.  As physical violence against Jews occurs throughout the world, whether on the streets of New York City or European cities.  As hate speech becomes more rampant in social media, from people on all sides of the political spectrum.

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As we move closer to the Days of Awe between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, this is an ideal time to recharge our spiritual batteries, to refresh our connection to our eternal role in human society, to get straight in our relationship to God and to our fellow humans.

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The great Rabbi Jonathan Sacks – of blessed memory – had this to say about this period:

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“For ten days, beginning on Rosh Hashanah and reaching a climax on Yom Kippur, we have prayed, ‘Remember us for life, O King who desires life, and write us in the book of life – for Your sake, O God of life.’ Now, having survived the trial, we are faced with the deepest question of all. What is life? What is this gift we have been granted? What gives life meaning, purpose, substance? What will redeem us from the shadow of death? Kohelet’s answer, in a word, is joy.”

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Yes, friends, we are tasked with spreading joy among our people, and among our neighbors wherever we live.

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As we approach the High Holy Days, I hope that you will also look at the ways you can bring joy to yourself, your family and your community.

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Our weekly Lunch & Learn for August will focus on the upcoming High Holy Days, on the month of Elul, on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, on the joyous, triumphant sounds of the Shofar.

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Join us for Shabbat services, every week our place of Joy.

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Rabbi Brian Serle