This Shabbat is Shabbat Mevarchim ("the Shabbat that blesses" the new month): a special prayer is recited blessing the Rosh Chodesh ("Head of the Month") of the upcoming month of Elul, which falls on Thursday and Friday of next week.
Prior to the blessing, we announce the precise time of the molad, the "birth" of the new moon. See molad times.
Please click here to view the Yeshivah Shule Tzetel for Shabbos Parshas Re'eh.
Please click here to view the PDFs of the Weekly Publications previously distributed in Shule each Shabbos.
See, I give you today a blessing and a curse (Deuteronomy 11:26)
Freedom of choice has been granted to every man: if he desires to turn toward a good path and be righteous, the ability to do so is in his hands; and if he desires to turn toward an evil path and be wicked, the ability to do so is in his hands . . .
This concept is a fundamental principle and a pillar of the Torah and its commandments. As it is written [Deuteronomy 30:15]: "See, I have set before you life [and good, and death and evil]" and "See, I set before you today [a blessing and a curse]." . . . For were G‑d to decree that a person be righteous or wicked, or if there were to exist something in the very essence of a person's nature which would compel him toward a specific path, a specific conviction, a specific character trait or a specific deed . . . how could G‑d command us through the prophets, "Do this" and "do not do this" . . . ? What place would the entire Torah have? And by what measure of justice would G‑d punish the wicked and reward the righteous?
(Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 5:1–3)
https://w2.chabad.org/media/pdf/127018.pdf