Elul

A shofar that would not sound and Shahar Pe'er's refusal to quit offer an Elul lesson in perseverance, inner strength and preparing for the Jewish New Year one day at a time.

"We will not forget and cannot forget that Gaza is ours," Strock said at a prayer event near the Gaza border attended by prominent Gush Katif rabbis and members of the security cabinet.

Parashat Ki Tetze abruptly shifts from collective responsibilities to personal ones. It is the densest legal section of the Torah, containing more commandments than any other parasha.