Chevre, this week’s parsha is כִּי†תָבוֹא (Ki Tavo). There is a pasuk (a sentance) in this week’s parsha that reads, “And HaShem has distinguished you today to be for Him a treasured people, as he spoke to you, and to observe all His commandments.” Throughout the Torah there are statements, requests, mitzvot, pleadings to follow HaShem’s rules or guidelines. And throughout history the Jewish people have at times been more strict or less strict to following those guidelines. Sometimes it depends on the person or group internally and sometimes it depends on external forces. There is also a saying “sometimes you keep Shabbat and sometimes Shabbat keeps you” (or something similar). This isn’t “vendor” lock-in, but the case that this “vendor” has always been there for us and helping us along the way. Throughout the turbulent history of the Jewish people, we can see examples of this. And throughout all of this, however, HaShem is there waiting for us to return to do Teshuvah. We are in the month of Elul leading up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It’s our time to reflect. Shabbat Shalom