Parshas Devorim Shabbos Times Erev Shabbos Shabbos Day Candle Lighting 5:08pm Latest time for Shema 9:57am Shkiya 5:26pm Shabbos Ends 6:11pm Avos Ubonim at Home Avos Ubonim 7:10-7:55pm Join us on Zoom at 7:55pm for this week's RAFFLE Tisha B'Av Program This year the Shaarei Tisha B'Av program will take place Live Via Zoom The program will include Eicha 6:20pm followed by an Inspiring personal story by Rabbi Dov Cowan (JLE London) EXPLANATORY KINNOS from 9am Including International Guest Speaker Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz (Rov in North Woodmere NJ, Senior lecture at YU) More details to follow Short Vort on the Parsha In his sefer 'pirkei machshava,' Rabbi Tauber writes extensively about the role of tragedy. Chazal relate that when the Romans were killing the great holy 10 martyrs, the angels shouted at Hashem 'is this what the reward for [their study of] Torah is!' and Hashem responded that 'if the angels are quiet, fine, but if they continue then I will destroy the world.' It seems Hashem had no response; were the angels right? Rav Pinkus explains that Hashem was saying here that the world deserves destruction, and the way to save it is to have a time of tragedy which will serve as a means for the Jews to cry tears to Hashem in each generation for these holy martyrs. Thus, Hashem was telling the angels that 'if you continue with your claims and want to get your way and stop these murders, then the world will end up being destroyed; only if you are silent and let this go then it is through this tragedy that future generations will cry out to Me and allow the world to continue.' This is THE idea of tragedy/sadness; it is so that a Jew who seems like he is completely in the dark and despite that cries out and forges a connection with Hashem - to hang on and show commitment; this is only an opportunity in tragedy and tests. 'V'emunascha baleilos' - true Emunah is forged when one can hold on to Hashem in the dark. This is why Tisha B'Av is called a 'mo'ed,' a name normally reserved for festivals, because mo'ed means 'meeting' - and on Tisha B'Av we do meet with Hashem even in our time of darkness and tragedy; this is the greatest expression of our commitment to Him.