Rabbi Eve Posen

This Shabbat is unique. Nestled between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Shabbat Shuvah, literally the “Shabbat of Return,” invites us into the sacred pause between beginnings and atonement. It is a moment for reflection, for choosing what direction we will turn our lives toward in the year ahead.

Parshat Vayelech seems almost tailor-made for this week. Moses, standing at the end of his life, prepares the people for their next chapter. He reassures them: “Chizku v’imtzu.” “Be strong and resolute, for it is God who goes with you; God will not fail you nor forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6) Moses then hands the mantle of leadership to Joshua, reminding Israel that even in moments of transition, blessing is found not in certainty, but in the abiding presence of God.

The Torah portion also introduces the mitzvah of hakhel, the great gathering every seven years, when all Israel, from elders to infants, assemble to hear Torah. This ritual highlights that blessing is not abstract; it is communal. The Torah becomes a blessing only when it is shared, heard, and lived together.

On Shabbat Shuvah, as we stand in the middle of the Ten Days of Awe, we too are asked to gather—not on a mountaintop or in a courtyard, but here in our community. We gather to remember that our return to God is not accomplished alone. The blessings of renewal, forgiveness, and life come alive in relationship with one another and with the Divine.

The message of Vayelech resonates deeply with the themes of teshuvah: turning and returning, blessing and being blessed. Blessing in Judaism is never only about what we receive; it is about what we generate. To bless is to name holiness, to bring awareness to God’s nearness, to transform ordinary acts into sacred opportunities.

As we walk through these holy days, may we feel the strength of Moses’s charge: “Be strong and resolute.” May we gather like our ancestors, seeking blessing not only for ourselves, but for our entire community. And may our turning toward God and toward each other in this season of teshuvah become the greatest blessing of all.