The relatively infrequent combination of Shabbat Shuvah and Vayelech read as a single parshah is close to my heart, because my own Bar Mitzvah was on Shabbat Shuvah/Vayelech. Since I began serving as a Rabbi, Shabbat Shuvah has taken on an added significance for me.
In many communities in Europe of yesteryear, the Rabbi spoke twice a year- on Shabbat Shuvah and Shabbat Hagadol, before Yom Kippur and Pesach, respectively. I’m sure some of you might wish that we reverted to that model, but think again- the Rabbi often spoke for several hours at a time on each occasion. The shul would be packed; the Rabbi donned a tallis and, with soaring oratory, wove together concepts in Jewish law, aggadic passages and relevant applications, often using the opportunity to deliver gentle (or stern) rebuke as well. The Teshuvah sermons of many great Rabbis are collected in anthologies of their writings, and each one is several dozen pages long!
Times have changed, but the tradition of the Shabbat Shuvah and Shabbat Hagadol derashot endures. I hope you will join me this Shabbat afternoon for this year’s offering: The Traitors Among Us: Kapos, Informants and Other (Seemingly) Unforgivable Offenses. We will discuss the relationship of the State of Israel to Jews who persecuted other Jews during the Holocaust, and what halachic authorities had to say about reintegrating them into the Jewish community. While also a fascinating historical discussion, it raises profound questions about such fundamental issues as what it means to be part of the Jewish community, how we should relate to mistakes made in our youth and who, indeed, deserves a second chance. In addition to all of that, there is a fascinating Dallas (and Akiba/Yavneh) connection to this topic- come on Shabbat Afternoon after 6:55 Minchah to find out!
Hakarat HaTov Corner
I am grateful to everyone who turned out on Rosh Hashanah to make it a memorable and meaningful Yom Tov. I am looking forward to an equally special Yom Kippur, if not more so!
