Q:
Why do we say “shalom aleichem” to each other by kiddush levanah?
A:
One of things we do at kiddush levanah is we say to three people ‘shalom aleichem’ and they answer ‘aleichem shalom’. Now it seems queer, this part of the ceremony. These people are not newcomers after all. They’re not strangers. You were with them together the whole Shabbos. Now it’s after Shabbos and you say ‘shalom aleichem’ as if they were wayfarers who came from a distant journey?
The answer is you want three Jews – a beis din – to bless you. Three Jews should give you a blessing for the new month. That’s what it is. Rosh Chodesh, you pray for a new month, don’t you? You say ya’aleh veyavo and you’re asking, ‘Hashem, please give us a good upcoming month’. We pray for the coming month. And therefore at kiddush levanah we say shalom aleichem to three people and they reply aleichem shalom; that’s a significant beginning for the new month, if three Jews give you a blessing.
In Mesichta Megillah it says אמר רבי אלעזר אל תהי ברכת הדיוט קלה בעיניך – a blessing given to you by an unimportant person should not be light in your eyes. You should be happy when somebody gives you a blessing. And even though you’re a very great man and the blesser is a very unimportant person, nevertheless be happy that it happened. Don’t disdain it. Don’t look down on it. You don’t know the effect of such a great achievement as a blessing. It could save your life.
A human being is so great that we have no idea of the measure of the profundity and the sublimity of a human being’s words. Hakadosh Baruch Hu has given mankind such a gift of greatness that his words are powerful. His words resound forever and ever. And therefore the blessing of a plain man should be important in your eyes. Hakadosh Baruch Hu takes into consideration the words of human beings, especially the words of Jews.
Of course if these three Jews understand the purpose of it and they’ll put a little kavanah in it it’s even better. So do that; you should put some kavanah into your words and not merely fulfill the custom by rote. And then they’ll reply with kavanah and they’ll put some heart into the blessing.
Isn’t that a wonderful idea? When you say shalom aleichem you mean ‘Peace should be upon you for this month’. It means ‘this month you should make a lot of money’. ‘This month your wife should be successful in cooking good meals’. ‘This month your neighbors should all be nice to you.’ ‘This month the weather should be good’. Think of all those things when you say ‘shalom aleichem’ and ‘aleichem shalom’.
Q:
If a person didn’t have three people to say shalom aleichem to and to get answered can he say it to himself? Is there an idea, a concept, of blessing yourself?
A:
If you don’t have three people to say shalom aleichem is there an alternative in your own prayers that you could say?
Certainly prayers help. But in addition – because you are praying for yourself all the time for Rosh Chodesh, ya’aleh veyavo and other times. Even in birkas hamazon, harachaman hu yechadesh aleinu es hachodesh hazeh letovah ulevrachah. You’re praying all the time for a good month on Rosh Chodesh. But in addition you shouldn’t discount the effect of three people saying shalom aleichem. Seek that too in addition.
TAPE # 250 (December 1978)
