At last, we begin Devarim (Deuteronomy), the final book of the Torah. The portion opens with a painful reminder of the sin of the spies. The sages teach that the day that the spies returned with a bad report was on the 9th of Av, also called Tisha B’Av. Throughout history, many terrible things have befallen the Jewish people on this date, and it is now the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. Such sad events are not easy to understand, but God is the ultimate decision-maker, and His plan is good. May we live to see these days of mourning turn into days of joy, just as the prophet Zechariah foretold. Shabbat Shalom!

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