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Self-Renewal

ירח
צילום: פלאש90

Today is Rosh Chodesh Shvat. The Mitzvah to sanctify the month is the first Mitzvah in the Torah, and it appears in this week's Portion. So, the first instruction which the People of Israel receives is in fact: lift your eyes up to the skies, notice the change. Look upwards, to the moon that is hiding and revealing itself, and see every time anew when a new Rosh Chodesh begins - because it is not only the month that starts anew, in a circular motion, but so do we. This is what is written in the book "Netivot Shalom" (Pathways of Peace) about this first commandment which we received: "The first Mitzvah that Israel received, that is, the first thing that the Holy One Blessed Be He said to Israel, was that first of all, every Jew must renew himself."

And indeed, we pray for this renewal every time anew in the Blessing of the New Month: "May the L-rd renew it upon us and upon all of His people, Israel, everywhere they are, for good and for blessing, for joy and for happiness, for salvation and consolation, for livelihood and good sustenance, for good hear says, for good news, for complete health and for redemption that is soon-to-come, and we shall say: Amen."

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