Shabbat Shalom!.
Shabbat Shalom!.
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Shabbat Shalom!.
Netzavim (29:9-30:20)
You are standing today, all of
you, before G-d” (29:1)
This week's parsha deals with the period of time just prior to the death of Moshe. He gave his final plea to the Jewish nation to heed his instructions and follow the ways of Torah. The word Netzavim means to “stand firmly”, and one of the features of the parshah is that it alludes to the blessing HaShem gives to the Jewish people, the blessing that "you will always stand firmly”. This is the moment the Israelites have been waiting for, they are ready to move into the promised land and once again Moshe reminds the people not to stray.
"..perhaps there is among you a man or woman, or a family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from being with Hashem, our G-d, to go and serve the gods of those nations…”
(29:19)
The words ”this day” “Hayom" are repeated over and over again in this parsha.This tells us that “this day”,right now, is the moment which we have an opportunity to become a better person, a better Jew. Instead of focusing on the hurdles that we will (possibly) encounter in the future; instead of looking back at our past and getting depressed at what we did not accomplish, we need to concentrate on today. What a wonderful “present” we are given each day and it is up to us to decide what will become of this day.
“We can fill it or we can kill it “is an expression which seems so appropriate especially during this time prior to Rosh Hashanah. We read parsha Nitzavim on the last Shabbos before Rosh Hashanah as we prepare ourselves to stand before Hashem so we will be blessed with a good new year. One never forgets past mistakes, but we can learn from them. Rabbi Twerski has said, If we “think of how many things you learned as a result of pleasant experiences.” we would be hard pressed to list many things, but we would be able to list things we have learned from a painful experience.
Begin today to make the change -- for the better. We can rectify the past and move forward. We do this during this time by “teshuva” the process by which we reestablish our connection to the Almighty.
“It is not hidden from you, and it is not far off (30:11). The Torah is not difficult or “hidden” it is easily accessible to anyone who wants to let it in. "you shall take it to your heart." This is the time of year to make a commitment to correct our mistakes. G-d is especially "close" at this time, and as the verse in this week's parsha says,
"God will remove the barriers from your hearts" (Deut. 30:6).
The Torah is not a remote impossibility; rather its fulfillment is within the grasp of every Jew.
Judaism, being a religion of action, says it is not enough to "mentally" regret one's misdeeds. Nachmanides takes this passage literally; he understands that Teshuva requires verbal articulation of our misdeeds. In instances where someone else was wronged, an apology must be made directly to that person. In instances where we transgressed the Almighty's will, we must privately, with no one listening, confess to our Creator.
So as we prepare ourselves for Rosh Hashanah let us stop and engage in serious introspection .This is the time for reflection, for steadying ourselves in our values and priorities.
We need to remember that new beginnings offer us hope and we all have a chance to start over on a new page in the book of life. The choice is ours, we can change and renew ourselves for a new year of increased blessing. The best time of our life is “Hayom” !
Shanah Tova U’mituka
A Happy and Sweet New year!
Shabbot Shalom,
Miriam
The recipes this week will be a continuance of those for the Rosh Hashana holiday. A really great recipe was emailed to me from a close friend who has contributed to this website in the past. Thanks Shoshana!
Rosh Hashanah Turkey Burger
½ scallions, thinly sliced
1/2cup celery finely chopped
3 granny smith apples peeled and diced
1/8 cup canola oil
4 lbs. ground turkey( I have also used non- meat soy
product)
2 tbslp. Salt
1 tbls. Black pepper
2 tsp. Tabasco
1 lemon, juice and grated
½ bunch parsley finely chopped
¼ cup major grey’s chutney pureed
Sautee scallions, celry and apples in the canola oil until
tender. Let cool place ground turkey in large mixing bowl
and the sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into burgers or place in large baking dish bake in 350 degree oven. If in burger form grill on lightly oiled grill. Grill each side At least 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes. Put any topping you like,ie avocados,tomatoes,lettuce onions, etc.
Very Easy Apple Cranberry Crisp
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup shortening, melted
1 tablespoon water
1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
5 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced
store bought prepared pie crust
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Stir in the melted shortening and water to form a crumbly mixture.
In a large saucepan, mix together the cranberry sauce and cornstarch. Bring to a boil, and then remove from heat. Stir in the apples. pour into prepared pie crust. Crumble the oat mixture over the apples.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Serve warm.
Shabbat Shalom!.
