If you follow American politics at all, you’ll know that this week the 112 Congress convened. As the shift of power had changed hands, Mr. John Boehner, the new speaker of the house started out his tenure by having the United States Constitution read in the house. The purpose? To remind our elected officials that we are land built on a set of morals, not on the merit of self.
When the Jewish people are nearing Exodus from Egypt, G-d says “wait, I have something important to say! Moshe, G-d’s ‘speaker of the house’ would be delivering the message. The Hebrews awaited a sort of constitution, a set of rules and laws to live life by. Something up the alley of the Ten Commandments I’d imagine.
The message Moshe delivers is far from it. A commandement yes, but a rather confusing one, considering the time and place. Its the Mitzvah of setting up a Calendar. A special calendar that this new nation would live by.
What? A calendar? Shouldn't we first hear some important rules and daily requirements before setting up a calendar. G-d says, “yes, a calendar. A calendar based on the lunar cycle.”
Henceforth begins the Jewish relationship with the moon. The moon is very much like the Jewish nation with high moments (full moon) and low moments (right before the new moon). But its a fact that when the moon disappears, it will come back. Not only will it come back, but its even called a NEW moon.
New. And better than ever. A fresh start.
Jewish history is very much the same. Many low moments (Egypt, Ancient Greek Empire, Persian Empire, Holocaust and more) but they always have a fresh new start and a high moment to follow.
When the Jews were leaving Egypt they had already become comfortable. They had food and housing, and they didn’t have to worry about it. That's precisely why the moment was so low and they didn't really know it. They had become comfortable with a foreign culture and land.
G-d figured they needed to have a little Chutzpah to knock them into shape before they headed for the highest moment to date, the recption of the Torah. G-d commands them to take the sheep, a worshiped entity in Egypt, and slaughter it! What Chutzpah! They slaughtered Egypt’s holiness AND made it out alive!
The same continues to apply today. We must have a little chutzpah to society, not be a slave to it. We need to remember that Chutzpah everyday! When we have Chutzpah to our unholy surroundings, we are moving forward.
This week my brother Shmulie is celebrating his pre-wedding “ufruf” this Shabbat in Brooklyn. As the Rabbi of the Chabad House @ McGill had to leave town due to the passing of his grandmother, I was called into duty. The popular thing would’ve been to travel to NY to participate. Yet, I felt I needed to have some Chutzpah and stand up to the occasion.
I’m glad I did. So, Shabbat Shalom from the Chabad Center @ McGill University in snowy and icy (and freezing) Downtown Montreal, Canada!
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