Parshat Ki Tavo - hearing your heart's song

Parshat Ki Tavo - Deut. 28:2 "And all these blessings shall come upon you, and overtake you, if you hear the voice of the Lord your God."

"Listen, listen , listen to my heart's song; listen, listen, listen to my heart's song, I will never forget you, I will never forsake you.  .  ."  May we each listen to and hear the voice of our heart's song.

Elul - Psalm 27

Psalm 27:4 - "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life."

We are called to recite Psalm 27 each day from Rosh Hodesh Elul through Hoshanah Rabbah. Psalm 27 speaks of the suffering that comes upon us and the adversaries who pursue us.  Yet though it may seem that a host is encamped against us, our hearts need not fear.  May we have the faith and courage to sing praises and recognize that we truly can dwell in the eternal all of the days of our lives.    

Shoftim

Parshat Shoftim - Deut. 16:20 - "Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live, and inherit the land which the Lord your God gives you."

R. Ashi said. "Justice, justice you shall pursue, the first (mention of justice) refers to a decision based on strict law, the second, to a compromise." (Sanhedrin 32b)

We experience and respond to ourselves, each other, and the broader world based on both the letter and the spirit of the law - from places of both gevurah (strength) and chesed (lovingkindness).  May we know when and how to use both responses as we pursue justice in our lives.