This Month is Yours

OK, a bit late. But it was cooking last week...

The blue is background; If you lack patience, skip it.

This Shabbos, Parshas Hachodesh was read in shul. Parshas Hachodesh is the portion in the Torah in which G-d tells Moshe Rabbeinu that the month of the Exodus is to be counted as the first month of the Jewish year. From the wording of the verse, Rashi derives that G-d showed Moshe Rabbeinu an image of the moon as it appears when the new month is to be sanctified.

Notice that the calendar months are defined by when the Jewish court of law proclaims them. (Note: today we follow a set calendar because the court of Hillel sanctified all future months until the year 6000 or so) Accordingly, during kiddush on holydays, we say, "Mekadesh Yisrael Vehazmanim-- G-d sanctified Israel and the times" --

The holiness of the Jewish people is above time.

Thus far, I have been speaking in stricly technical terms about the Jewish law.

Now I'm looking outward, onward, inward:

Essentially, what this means is that we are in control of our time. Time doesn't dictate what I have to do. As King David said in Psalms, "A-eerah shochar-- I shall wake the dawn." Not "in the dawn" or "at dawn." A David Hamelech doesn't say, "Oh, it's morning, that means I have to get up." A David Hamelech decides it's time to start his day of serving HaShem, and starts it. A David Hamelech is an initiator, not a reactor.

When you start with a goal, you are in control. You're not letting the "times," or circumstances, decide what you'll do. A Jew cannot afford to let time control him -- he has his own agenda, namely avodas HaShem.

So, bli neder, tomorrow I will have a plan. Nothing will be able to distract me because I know exactly where I am heading. Of course, I will also have to plan for obstacles, but since I have anticipated them first, I am already ahead of the game.

Tomorrow I take the first step. A'eerah shochar -- Awake, dawn! I am ready!