Shabbat Shuva is the Shabbat between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. It takes its name from the Haftara from Hoshea 14 which reads: “Shuva Yisrael – Return, O Israel, to HaShem your G-d.”
During these days we are obligated to do shuva, to repent. In fact, some people call this Shabbat T’shuva since it is the Shabbat of the Ten Days of Repentance. It is customary in all congregations for the Rabbi to give a sermon calling on the people to repent before Yom Kippur. He also reviews with them the laws of Yom Kippur.
If I could change anything in shuls around the country, I would start by eliminating the weekly sermon. They should have a hot kiddush with chulent and kugels, and some lchaims. The Rabbi, if he wants, can speak then, over the crowd. Rabbis should not be speaking every week – it drives people from shul. Who wants to be talked to every week? I thought shul was for prayers?
The Rabbis of old spoke twice, once this shabbos and once before Yom Kippur. That makes sense.
Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser in Brooklyn speaks to thousands of people on Shabbat Afternoon. If you live in Flatbush check him out.
I will post my Teshuva speech after Shabbos.
gweitz.ar
10/4/2008
In my city there are more than a few people who attend Chabad’s Kabalat Shabbat (which begin really early) and then rush to the synagogue I attend (which is one block away) to listen to the Conservative Rabbi’s drasha. And there are also many who come to the synagogue mostly to listen to the Rabbi. So I disagree with you.
Yeah, I know, those people should sit with the Rabbi and study. And many do it. But how did they start to? By listening to him on Shabbos, getting really interested in Torah, and THEN going to study….