Candle lighting time is 7:38
Choose life!
As we near the conclusion of the Book of Deuteronomy, we have the double parshahs of Nitzavim and Vayyelech this sabbath.
It was not quite a month ago when we read the parshah, Re’eh, a parshah in which Moses set forth two paths that the Children of Israel could follow to their future. The first path would result in a blessing that would be received if they elected to follow God’s commandments, while the second path would result in a curse if they ch0se to turn away from the commandments and follow false gods.
Now, as the Children of Israel are about to cross over the Jordan into the Promised Land, Moses gathers the entire Jewish nation before him and tells them again that they must choose between good and evil. In the final verses of Nitzavim, Moses says to the congregation, “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil, in that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances; then thou shalt live and multiply, and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest in to possess it. But if thy heart turn away, and thou wilt not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them, I declare unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish; ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over the Jordan to go in to possess it. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life…”
Then, in Vayyelech, Moses passes the torch of leadership to Joshua, who had been selected by God to lead the Children of Israel into the Promised Land in place of Moses. “And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, ‘Be strong and of good courage; for thou shalt go with this people into the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee; He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee; fear not neither be dismayed.'”
Can you imagine being in Joshua’s position? Yes, God would be there with him, and, yes, Moses told him not to be afraid, but he was about to supplant a leader, Moses, who had stood up to the powerful Pharoah; Moses, who had been presented with the Ten Commandments at Sinai; Moses, who had led the people through the wilderness for forty years; Moses, who had stood tall against an often rebellious nation; Moses, who was the greatest leader that this nation of people or any nation of people had ever known. A daunting task indeed. Would you have accepted this tremendous responsibility? The challenge was incredible, but, in the end, how could you say no to God?
Holiday Schedule
Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, September 4
Evening Service…………………… 7:15pm
Thursday, September 5
Preliminary Service………………. 8:30am
Shachris…………………………………. 9am
Torah Reading……………………….. 10am
Sermon…………………………….. 10:45am
Musaf………………………………. 11:15am
Recess……………………………….. 1:15pm
Tashlich……………………………… 6:15pm
Minchah………………………………… 7pm
Maariv……………………………….. 7:15pm
Friday, September 6
Preliminary Service………………. 8:30am
Shachris…………………………………. 9am
Torah Reading……………………….. 10am
Sermon…………………………….. 10:45am
Musaf ……………………………… 11:15am
Shabbos
Saturday, September 7
Morning Service…………………… 9:20am
Yom Kippur
Friday, September 13
Sermon……………………………… 7:30pm
Maariv ………………………………. 7:45pm
Saturday, September 14
Preliminary Service…………………… 9am
Shachris……………………………… 9:30am
Torah Reading……………………. 10:30am
Sermon…………………………….. 11:15am
Yizkor……………………………….. 11:45am
Musaf………………………………. 12:15pm
Recess……………………………….. 2:30pm
Minchah…………………………….. 5:50pm
Neilah……………………………….. 6:50pm
Breaking of the Fast……………… 8:12pm
Sukkos
Thursday, September 19
Morning Service…………………… 9:20am
Friday, September 20
Morning Service…………………… 9:20am
Thursday, September 26
Preliminary Service………………. 9:20am
Shachris……………………………… 9:40am
Yizkor…………………………………… 11am
Simchas Torah
Friday, September 27
Morning Service…………………… 9:20am