Parashat Re’eh and Great Sisterhood Event

Song filled and joyful Kabbalat Shabbat!

Tonight at 7 PMCantor Ben-Moshe’s Parashat Hashavua:This Shabbat is Shabbat R’eh, as well as the beginning of the month of Elul, the month which leads up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. R’eh is always read near the beginning of Elul, and the parshah begins with words that are appropriate to the season. “See, this day I set before you blessing and curse.” At this time of year, we become keenly aware that we must make a choice, between blessing and curse, good and evil. Elul is a time of introspection, a time to examine our lives and look to what needs improvement. The truth is that there is always room for improvement, that even the most saintly person is not perfect. There is a deeper truth here, though. The verse says “this day”-not only the day on which Moshe spoke these words to the People of Israel, nor even the beginning of Elul. “This day” means any day and every day. Every day the choice is set before us, to do the right thing or not. We humans are given that choice-we do not act according to instinct, but we transcend our instincts in order to act according to conscience. Let us do so, not only at the High Holiday season, but “this day” and every day. Shabbat Shalom and Hodesh Tov, a Good Month of Elul.Shabbat candle lighting at 7:38 p.m.📷Check out the High Holiday Schedule at Beth El!http://bethelaustin.org/high-holidays/📷Weekly Parasha from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sackshttp://rabbisacks.org/cc-family-edition-reeh-5779/📷Please consider sponsoring a kidush lunch. Send us a note at bethelaustin@yahoo.com and we can plan to cook your favorite treats.📷Sunday School Starts September 8. To register, please go to our websitehttp://bethelaustin.org/education-2/