The Beis Avraham zt'l related that he once traveled to Italy with his uncle, Reb Zelig Lieder, an esrog merchant. They stopped at a hotel in Trieste, and they found a small sefer there, which discusses the words we say each morning in Shacharis, המחדש בטובו בכל יום תמיד מעשה בראשית, that Hashem creates the world anew each day. Why did Hashem create the world in a manner that it needs to be recreated every day? Hashem could have made the world in a manner that the world endure for centuries.
The sefer explains that after a person committed aveiros, he thinks there is no hope for him anymore. The daily re-creation of the world is his reminder that he can become new each day, just as the world is new.
Reb Shimshon Pinkus zt'l's Mashal
Reb Shimshon Pinkus zt'l told the following mashal: There was a small town at the foot of a mountain, and the supermarket was built on the mountaintop. Every time the townsfolk needed something, they had to trek up and down the mountain, which was very difficult and inconvenient.
A baal chesed who lived in the town bought a van, and he advertised that he would be making the trip three times daily. Whoever wants can join him, free of charge. The van filled up to capacity at each trip to the store. He drove them to the store and then back home again.
After some years, the van began showing signs of wear. The seats were ripped in several places, the air-conditioner didn't work anymore, and the engine was weak. People had to push the car from the outside to get it moving.
The city leaders approached the baal chesed and told him, "You did a great chesed for our city, but it is time that we buy you a new van. The city resident will chip in to buy it for you..." The man refused. He performed so many mitzvos with the van, how could he stop using it?
The city leaders convened and decided that if he didn't want to change the van, they would refurbish it. They will replace the van's interior, install a new motor, a new air conditioner, etc. They made up an excuse for why they needed to borrow his van for the night, and in the middle of the night, they redid his van.
In the morning, as his steady passengers were getting in, the baal chesed said, "Someone will have to go outside to push the van" because that's what they would do every morning. They told him, "No, we don't. Put the key into the ignition and try." He tried, and he saw that the van was working. He exclaimed, "How did this happen? Yesterday, it was so different!" He turned on the air-conditioner, and it was working too, and they told him what had happened during the night.
The nimshal is that we go to sleep every night, and in the morning, we wake up a new person. It is like we were refurbished and fixed and wake up clean. We become new, and we can renew our ways.
Seeking Freshness in Avodas Hashem
When the Pnei Menachem of Gur zt’l was niftar, approximately 200 siddurim were found in his possession. He changed siddurim often, apparently to bring freshness into his tefillos. The depths of the Pnei Menachem's ways are beyond us, but it reminds us to constantly seek newness in avodas Hashem. This is the lesson of החדש הזה לכם. It is our reminder that we have the ability to begin anew.
Hashem Loves Change and Growth
It states (Devarim 16:22), ולא תקים לך מצבה אשר שנא ה' אלקיך. A מצבה is something that is fixed and does not change. אשר שנא ה', Hashem hates that. Hashem loves those who are ready to improve their ways.
The Story of Nosson and Rabbi Akiva
Rabbeinu Nisim Gaon (quoted in Seder HaDoros, Tana'im and Amaro'im, letter 'נ) tells the following story: Nosson, a sinful man, once had the opportunity to commit a terrible sin, but he controlled himself. A few days later, Rabbi Akiva saw him riding on a donkey, and Rabbi Akiva perceived that Nosson's face was shining like the midday sun, and above his head was a halo of holiness. Rabbi Akiva asked his students, "Who is that man?" "It is Nosson, the lowly sinner." "Do you see anything above his head?" "No. We don't see anything."
"Bring him to me, quickly." Rabbi Akiva told Nosson, "My son, an aura of light is glowing on your head, so I know you will merit Olam HaBa. Tell me, what good deed did you do?" Nosson told him that he did not give in to his temptations and held back from transgressing a grave sin. He had committed many sins before, but this time, he controlled himself.
Reb Akiva was stunned that Nosson had such strong willpower. "Indeed, you did a great deed, and Hashem placed an aura of light above your head. This reward is in this world. In the next world, you will certainly become much holier and greater because of this good deed. Now, my son, listen to me. Sit before me, and I will teach you Torah." Nosson became Rabbi Akiva's student. His heart opened for Torah, and within a short time, he became a scholar, the holy tana, Reb Nosson Tzutzisa, mentioned in Chazal.
This story teaches us many lessons. One lesson is that it is never too late to begin. Despite his late and unfortunate start, Noson Tzutzisa made a turnaround and became a great tzaddik and scholar. This is the lesson of Shabbos HaChodesh: A person can change.
