Torah Sparks: Shabbat haChodesh—Time is relevant

The spiritual cycle of the Jewish year depends on an interaction among the flow of holidays, the marking of Rosh Chodesh (the new month) and the weekly Shabbat (Sabbath) observance. The holidays and fast days sometimes permeate the surrounding Shabbatot (plural of Shabbat) with holiday themes. These special Shabbatot may create the mood for an upcoming festival, reflect or enhance festival themes, or ease the transition from a festival back into the weekly flow of Shabbatot.

This Shabbat we celebrate Shabbat HaHodesh. Shabbat HaHodesh occurs either on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nisan (this year on Tuesday) or on Rosh Chodesh itself. The traditional maftir reading is Exodus 12:1-20, which details eating the  Passover sacrifice, with “your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand”; eating bitter herbs and unleavened bread; and putting blood on the doorposts; and it lists the Passover laws.” The haftarah for our Shabbat, Ezekiel 45:16-46:18, describes the sacrifices that the Israelites are to bring on the first of Nisan, on Passover, and on other festivals in the future Temple.

The first day of Nisan is also important as the occasion for God’s commandment, sanctifying the new moon, which begins the additional Torah reading, “This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you.” This commandment moved the determination of months from God’s agenda into the hands of the Jewish people–giving them control over time and the theological/liturgical cycle.  (Source: http://www.myjewishlearning.com/)

It is deeply significant that the first national mitzvah that God gave us, while still in Egypt on the very threshold of redemption, was to take control of our time. A slave has scant need for a calendar: he sleeps and wakes, eats and works, lives his entire existence, according to his master’s timetable. Only a free person can determine his own schedule, and only a free nation can determine its own calendar.

Anything that can be done at anytime by anybody will be done at no time by nobody.”

All major ideas of Judaism, even though they are intangible, are made accessible by being embedded in time. Therefore, it is of great importance that we mark our time, that we continue to be aware of our “Jewish time”, and not to get lost in the secular calendar. As Jews we give great space to the world around us, and we are even willing to embrace different traditions into our own.  This is good, and important. But we need to be careful not to become slaves again, slaves again of someone or somewhat who determines time for us. On our way to Pesach, it is not only of importance to clean out our cupboards, but also our calendars. Let’s make space for some more Judaism, for Shabbat, festivals and time with our (extended) Jewish family.

Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Adrian M Schell