Devarim
"These are the words which Moshe spoke to all Israel on the other
side of the Jordan in the desert ..." (Devarim 1:1)
Parsha Devarim is always read on the shabbos before Tisha B’Av.
It is also referred to as the Mishna Torah, a review of the torah.
In this parsha Moses speaks to the Israelites on the East Bank of
the Jordan River prior to their entering of Caanan after 40 years
of wandering in the desert. The majority of this parsha is devoted to reviewing the history of their journey and chastising and reprimanding them for their sins and shortcomings. It is interesting to note that Moshe waited until this time, right before his death to rebuke the Jews. This is basically the final goodbye of Moshe. Needless to say he was worried that this nation which had had a difficult time in their acceptance of Hashem and torah would now be embarking on a new era one which would not include Moshe, and one in which
they needed to heed G-ds commandments.
“you have been rebellious with G-d from the day I knew you..”
They would be going from an existence in which their every need was miraculously taken care of to a more "earthly, existence. It has been said that the book of devarim was given to the jewish people by Moshe as a preparation for this transition.
Moshe is specific to remind them and warn them of their transgressions and what happens when G-ds word is not adhered to. It is difficult to offer critisicm,but the sages teach that when Moshe "spoke" to the Jewish people he did so “subtly and gently” .Rebuke is most effective when it can be perceived as being sincere. Perhaps this is why Moshe waited until this point –prior to his death to speak to them in this manner. They were willing to accept and hear his words of admonishment. Rashi has noted
"Had the people felt that Moshe's rebuke was insincere and that he had ulterior motives, his words would have been ineffective. A person will only accept rebuke if he feels that the rebuker has his best interest in mind."
We also see that timing is a major factor
. In many instances one needs to wait until the “right time” to be critical. What a lesson to be learned how careful one must be in what comes out of ones mouth! Words are so powerful that their misuse caused the destruction of the Second Temple and drove the Divine Presence from our midst. Words are so powerful that sacred speech can actually reverse the fatal process.
It all goes back to saying the right thing at the right time. The name of the parsha – Devorim – means “words.” Mere little words can cause real damage to others, but words can also help us heal rifts and
regenerate our bond with one another. Let us Try to remember this as we approach Tisha B’Av.
Shabbat Shalom,
Miriam
These are the terrible events which occurred on Tish B'Av 
The sin of the spies caused Hashem to decree that the Children of Israel who left Egypt would not be permitted to enter the land of Israel;
The first Temple was destroyed;
The second Temple was destroyed;
Betar,the last fortress to hold out against the Romans during the Bar Kochba revolt in the year 135, fell, sealing the fate of the Jewish people.
One year after the fall of Betar, the Temple area was plowed.
In 1492, King Ferdinand of Spain issued the expulsion decree, setting Tisha B'Av as the final date by which not a single Jew would be allowed to walk on Spanish soil.
World War I – which began the downward slide to the Holocaust – began on Tisha B’av.
The shabbos before Tisha B’av is called Shabbos Chazon (shabbos of the vision) This shabbos we are suppose to increase our joy before the sadness of this day of Tisha B’av which this year falls out this Sunday. The Shulchan Aruch tells us that on this day it is permitted to prepare a feast like that which Solomon made when he was made king; that the anticipation of the future kingdom might give us the strength to turn the sorrows of exile into the joys of redemption.
Squash pie
2 boxes of squash
4 eggs
¾ non-dairy creamer or soy milk
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
1 teasp cinnamon
1/2 cup(1 stick) margarine
1teasp. almond extract
preheat oven to 350 degrees . In a bowl, mix all ingredients (can do it by hand or with a mixer).Put mixture in a ready made pie crust or can make from scratch.
top with a mixure of 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup margerine and sprinkle over top of squash.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until nicely browned.
Standing Rib Roast(reminds me of a crown)
1 5-6 lb.standing beef rib roast
Salt and pepper
4 tabl. Margarine
Melt the margarine and smear over roast. Season rib
roast with salt and pepper.and garlic powder
Allow roast to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degree F. Rub roast with salt, pepper and
garlic powder. place roast on a rack in the pan with the rib side
down and the fatty side up. Roast for 1 hour. Turn off oven. Leave
roast in oven but do not open oven door for 3 hours. About 30 to
40 minutes before serving time, turn oven to 375 degrees F and reheat the roast. Important: Do not remove roast or re-open the oven door from time roast is put in until ready to serve.
