This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Ha’azinu — פרשת האזינו, read on Shabbat, September 19, 2026. It is also Shabbat Shuvah, the “Shabbat of Return” between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. That makes this one of the most reflective Shabbatot of the Jewish year: a day to listen deeply, remember clearly and take one honest step toward return.
Shabbat times for Beverly Hills and Los Angeles
- Friday, September 18, 2026: Candle lighting in Beverly Hills, California 90211 is at 6:38 PM.
- Saturday, September 19, 2026: Shabbat ends at 7:31 PM.
Please allow enough time to prepare before candle lighting. Yom Kippur begins the following evening, Sunday, September 20, making this Shabbat an especially meaningful pause for every Jewish family.
Ha’azinu: a song that asks heaven and earth to listen
Ha’azinu is Moses’ great poetic song near the end of the Torah. It opens with a sweeping call: “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; let the earth hear the words of my mouth.” Moses gathers memory, warning, gratitude and hope into language meant to remain with the Jewish people long after his life.
He compares Torah teaching to rain and dew. Rain may arrive with strength, while dew settles quietly, yet both give life. Spiritual growth works the same way. Sometimes a dramatic moment wakes us up. More often, change arrives through small words and repeated acts: a blessing said with attention, an apology offered without excuses, a little more patience at home or a few minutes of Torah learning.
The song also asks Israel to remember: “Remember the days of old; consider the years of generation after generation.” Jewish memory is not nostalgia. It is a responsibility. We look backward so that we can recognize patterns, learn from mistakes and carry the faith of earlier generations into present decisions.
Why this is called Shabbat Shuvah
The special name comes from the Haftarah’s opening appeal in Hosea: “Shuvah Yisrael”—“Return, O Israel, to Hashem your G-d.” This Shabbat falls during the Ten Days of Repentance, when teshuvah, prayer and tzedakah take on special urgency.
Teshuvah does not mean becoming someone entirely different overnight. It means returning to what is already true and holy within us. The Haftarah reminds us that sincere words matter. We acknowledge where we missed the mark, ask forgiveness, repair what we can and choose a better direction.
A practical Torah lesson for the Shabbat table
Ha’azinu offers a simple three-part family practice: listen, remember and return.
- Listen: Give each person uninterrupted time to share one hope or concern before Yom Kippur.
- Remember: Tell a short family story about a grandparent, teacher or tradition that still guides you.
- Return: Choose one specific repair to complete before the fast—an apology, a debt, a promise or an act of kindness.
For children, keep the commitment concrete: speak gently to a sibling, help prepare without being asked, place money in a tzedakah box or say one blessing more carefully. A small act completed is more powerful than a grand intention postponed.
Creating a calm and meaningful Shabbat
Shabbat Shuvah is a beautiful time to simplify the table and make room for conversation. Welcome the evening with pieces from Ella Judaica’s Shabbat candle collection. Set Kiddush apart with an elegant crystal Kiddush cup, and place the challah on a wood-and-marble challah board.
For quiet reflection, the Orot Tehillim Book of Psalms offers words of prayer to keep close. Families preparing for Yom Kippur can also explore a Sepharadi High Holiday machzor set and review unfamiliar prayers before services begin.
One step before Yom Kippur
This week, let Moses’ song be more than something we hear in synagogue. Let its words fall like rain and dew: strongly where strength is needed, gently where gentleness will heal. Listen to one another, remember what matters and return with honesty.
From the Ella Judaica family to yours, may Shabbat Shuvah bring peace to your home and may you be sealed for a year of health, blessing and goodness. Shabbat shalom and g’mar chatimah tovah.
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Shabbat times provided by Chabad.org/ShabbatTimes; verified for Beverly Hills 90211 on September 17, 2026.