because you did not serve the God, your God, with happiness and with gladness of heart… (Devarim 28:47)

If you go out to war against your enemies, and God, your God, will deliver him into your hands, and you take his captives… (Devarim 21:10)

ANOTHER NAME FOR a judge is “Elohim,” one of the few Names of God that can have a holy and profane meaning. Man was made be “b’tzelem Elokim,” and we use the Kuf (k in English) instead of the actual Heh (h in english) because we are referring to God, so the Name is holy. 

THIS SHABBOS IS Shabbos Mevarchin, because next Thursday and Friday is Rosh Chodesh Elul, b”H. It’s when we begin our ascent to the summit, to Rosh Hashanah and the 10 days of repentance.

VERY FEW BLESSINGS that we make are actually instituted by the Torah. Most of them are rabbinic in origin, one notable exception being Birchas HaMazon, otherwise referred to as “bentching.” The source, of course, is in this week’s parsha, the verse mentioned above.