The Pashtus of Rosh Chodesh: Hallel
- Q: -
What’s the simcha, the great happiness of Rosh Chodesh?
- A: -
Today is Rosh Chodesh Iyar. It means that one month ago, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan you were asking Hakadosh Baruch Hu, “Oh, Hashem give me chayim and chayim and chayim. Please give me another month of life.”
So suppose somebody would have told you then, “My friend, I have a secret for you. I was listening in to the Beis Din shel Maaleh and they said you’re going to get a whole month of life for the coming month.”
Oh what a happiness! To know that you are guaranteed another month of life!
We’re worried every Rosh Chodesh. Who knows? The people that passed away in the past month weren’t all expecting to go away. If somebody would know for sure he’s going to live the next month, it’s a happiness. A month of life is a gift.
Especially if you’re going to make use of it. That’s what we say, לְמָנוֹת יָמֵינוּ – To count our days, כֵּן – properly, הוֹדַע – teach us. We’re asking Hashem, “Teach us the importance of counting our days.”
A month? A month of life?! That’s diamonds! Are we happy? Sure! That’s why we say Hallel. We’re wild with happiness. We lived another month already. We look back on the month that passed, the month of Nissan, the hachanos of Pesach and during Pesach; we were busy all month and now Baruch Hashem the month came to an end. Baruch Hashem, no big troubles came during the month, maybe no little troubles either. Whatever it is, we survived. We’re so happy we lived a whole month.
So what’s the question? Certainly Rosh Chodesh is a happiness. It’s the happiness of being alive! It’s fun to be alive!
And that’s why besides for thanking, besides for Hallel, we also ask Hashem for the next month: “Yaaleh v’yavoh, please, Hashem, give us another month.”
I want to tell you something however. Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, “You’re asking Me for another month? It depends on how your attitude was to the past month. Did you appreciate the past month? Were you thanking Me for the past month? And now you’re coming to Me ungrateful, not thanking Me, saying, ‘I want another month.’”
First you have to say to Hashem, הוֹדוּ לַה' כִּי טוֹב כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ in Hallel. That’s what Hallel is for on Rosh Chodesh. “We thank You Hashem, how good You were to us in the past month. And now Hashem, give us another month.”
“Oh,” Hashem says, “That’s what I want to hear. If that’s the case, I’ll give you another month.”
And so Rosh Chodesh in itself is the biggest happiness because it’s a celebration of being alive. There’s nothing like life. Chayim, life is the biggest gift and therefore whatever else is included in Rosh Chodesh. the pashtus of the day is the happiness of being alive. And that’s enough of a reason for us to spend today and all our days in gratitude to Hashem!
May 8, 1997
