Mevarchim Hachodesh - Blessing the New Month (Part 7)
“The greatest darkness comes just before dawn –
but most people give up one minute before the light.”
Ba’al Shem Tov
After the “yehi ratzon…” prayer, we announce the name of the forthcoming month, and the day (or days) upon which it will occur.
In Israel, Mevarchim HaChodesh continues as follows: May the Holy One, blessed be He, renew it for us and for all His people, the House of Israel, for good and for blessing; for gladness and for joy; for deliverance and for consolation; for livelihood and economy; for life and for peace; for good news and for good tidings; (in the winterwe add: and for the rains at the correct times;)and for a complete [medical] recovery; and for the imminent redemption, and let us say “amen”.
Outside of Israel, according to the Ashkenazic custom, a slightly shorter version is recited: May the Holy One, blessed be He, renew it for us and for all His people, the House of Israel, for life and peace; for gladness and for joy; for deliverance and for consolation, and let us say “amen”.
One of the infinite beauties of Judaism is the way it relates to material wealth. There are belief systems that look at an abundance of riches in a negative light; when a person is blessed with “too much” material wealth (how, exactly, is that calculated? And by whom…?) it will, by definition, detach them from their spiritual connections and obligations. And, granted, there is a certain logic to this argument. Judaism, however, teaches that material wealth used properly is a method – just like any other – that can be employed to further a person’s connection to Hashem.
The tefillot of Mevarchim HaChodesh, therefore, repeatedly request that the upcoming month be one of blessed material success, so that we can use our wealth to enhance Hashem’s Majesty in this world.
And whilst each individual detail on our inventory for the new month is absolutely essential, it is the final request that encapsulates our hearts’ genuine desire: We desperately seek a month bursting with goodness and blessing, yes; but what we truly pine for is the Final Redemption.
Rabbi Moshe Aaron Rabinowitz Paller from Kobrin (1784–1858), known simply as Rebbe Moshe of Kobrin, points out that the Hebrew words for exile and redemption – “Golah” and “Geulah” – are almost identical. The difference is that “Geulah” (גאולה) is spelled with the letter ‘aleph’ and “Golah” (גולה) is not.
Rebbe Moshe explains: When we remember “The Aleph” – Hashem who is Number One (‘aleph’ is the first letter and represents the number one) – and we incorporate Hashem into every detail of our lives, then the exile and the suffering transform into redemption, “Golah” becomes “Geulah”!
As the Ba’al Shem Tov so expressively describes, “Remembrance is the secret of redemption.” Only by wholeheartedly embracing – and living – that lesson we will be able to experience the Geulah.
But Mevarchim HaChodesh also teaches us one of the most fundamental lessons of all. If we want our tefillot to be answered, we have to turn to Hashem and truly ask Him, not simply recite the words. We must genuinely believe that only Hashem can grant us a month replete with everything good. Otherwise we are no better than the person in the classic joke who beseeches Hashem every day to win the national lottery; after twenty-five years of this, the angels come to Hashem and complain: “We have no more patience for this person asking the same exact prayer over and over again; please, Hashem please let him win the lottery!”
“Willingly,” Hashem replies, “but first he has to buy a ticket…”
Mevarchim HaChodesh teaches us that, not only can we ask and ask again, but we should ask and ask again. If, however, we do not invest our request with the prerequisite intent, if we don’t show Hashem how inspired we are to be completely dependent upon Him, we will be left, just like our “hero” in the joke, with nothing to show for our efforts.
To be continued…
