Parshas Nitzovim-Vayelech Shabbos Times Erev Shabbos Shabbos Day Candle Lighting 5:49pm Latest time for Shema 9:21am Shkiya 6:07pm Shabbos Ends 6:49pm Special Motzei Shabbos Program Avos Ubonim at Home Avos Ubonim 7:45-8:30pm Join us on Zoom at 8:30pm for this week's RAFFLE Guest Speaker - Rabbi Aryeh Goldman Selichos Program Please see attached flyer for Shaarei's Selichos Program (Next Motzei Shabbos) Rosh Hashana Guide IY'H next week we will be sending out a guide with some of the Halochos relevant to davening at home If you are uncertain how you will be able to hear Shofar this year - please contact Rabbi Berlin Shaarei Website Shaarei has recently updated its website - <https://www.shaareitefillahmelbourne.com> https://www.shaareitefillahmelbourne.com This week's Parsha Chizuk - <https://youtu.be/n8mkz19wv3c> https://youtu.be/n8mkz19wv3c For other shiurim including recent Elul Shiurim - <https://www.shaareitefillahmelbourne.com/other-shiurim.html> https://www.shaareitefillahmelbourne.com/other-shiurim.html Daily Elul Shofar Blowing and Inspiration Join Us LIVE VIA ZOOM each day to hear the Shofar Followed by short words of Inspiration Sunday -Thursday 5:30pm, Friday 3pm A DOLLAR A-DAY 40 DAYS CAMPAIGN It's still not too late to sign up Sign up today using link - <https://www.trybooking.com/au/donate/shaarei40> https://www.trybooking.com/au/donate/shaarei40 Short Vort on the Parsha You are standing today - all of you - before Hashem your God (29:9) In this pasuk, Moshe is telling the Jewish People that they are standing before Hashem, about to enter into His covenant and accept upon themselves all of the mitzvos of the Torah. Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman asks, 'In truth, every one of us is constantly standing before Hashem; if so, what is the great significance that Moshe had to inform the Jewish People that they were specifically standing before Hashem at this point in time?' Perhaps one could answer as follows: While it is certainly true that we are constantly standing before Hashem and He is constantly noting our deeds, there are times when we are in effect, closer to Hashem in a very real way. If we imagine a land where the king governs all of his subjects, we can say that they are all under the watchful eye of the king - they are all 'before him.' Each citizen is looked after by the king, and to a degree, enjoys a relationship with him, but their relationship is limited. However, a subject who approaches the king and offers to live in his palace and dedicate his entire life to the king, serving him in every way 24 hours a day, is going to enjoy a much closer relationship with the king. He is going to be better looked after and as a resident of the palace, all of his needs are going to be taken care of. Perhaps this is why Moshe informed the Jewish People that they were standing before Hashem. He was telling them that because they were about to enter into a covenant with Hashem to observe His Torah at all times, they were no longer merely subjects of the King, they were now loyal servants agreeing to live in the King's Palace - as such they were about to be 'before Hashem' in a way that they had never previously experienced.