The themes of this week's double Torah reading of the portions of Nitzavim and Vayelech set the stage for our passage into the coming new year - just as the portion of Nitzavim opens with the awesome scene of the entire nation of Israel preparing to 'pass into' the covenant with G-d and into the Land.

Our portions feature so many foundational ideas that directly relate to the coming days of Rosh Hashanah, time of judgment for all humanity, including repentance, warnings against the lure of idolatry, and the call to choose life and cling to the commandments.

This week's episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast finds Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman connecting the dots between these concepts and the shofar blasts that signal the universal reset of Rosh Hashanah, birthday of Adam and time of momentous judgement - and awakening - for all his descendants.