Q:
What should I think about on Rosh Chodesh Iyar?
A:
You know, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan you were asking Hakodosh Boruch Hu, “Oy Hashem, please give us life.” We’re worried every Rosh Chodesh; who knows what’s going to be. The people who passed away last month weren’t expecting it. Now, suppose someone would tell you, “My friend, I have a secret to tell you. I was listening in to the Beis Din Shel Ma’alah and they said that you’re going to get a whole month of life for the coming month.” Oh, what a happiness it would be! If someone would know for sure he’s going to live the whole month, it’s a happiness. A month of life is a gift. A month of life?! It’s diamonds.
Are we happy? Sure; that’s why we say Hallel. We’re wild with happiness! We lived a month already! We look back at the past month, the month of Nissan – all the hachonos for Pesach, and then the whole Yom Tov, and then after Yom Tov – we were busy all month and now the month came to an end. Boruch Hashem, no big troubles came during the month. So what’s the question?! It’s a happiness; certainly it’s a happiness. It’s the happiness of being alive.
And now we ask Hashem for the next month in ya’aleh v’yavo. I want to tell you something. Hakodosh Boruch Hu says, “You’re asking for another month? It depends on how your attitude was to the past month. Did you appreciate the month of Nissan?”
First you have to say to Hashem: “Hodu lashem ki tov ki l’olam chasdo,” in Hallel. “We thank You Hashem, how good You were to us this past month. Now please give us another month.”
“Oh,” Hashem says. “That’s what I want to hear.” And if that’s the case so He’ll give us another month. So therefore Rosh Chodesh in itself is the biggest gift. Life is the biggest gift. The pashtus of what Rosh Chodesh means is enough for us to spend the day in gratitude to Hashem for having lived another month.
TAPE # E-106
