Daf Yomi: Chulin 8
Guest Author:
Rabbi Zev Shandalov
Associate Member, Young
Israel Council of Rabbis
The Rambam in
Hilchot Kiddush Hachodesh tells us that the Sanhedrin used to sit and
figure out when it would be possible for the new moon to first appear. At
that point, they would convene and await the arrival of witnesses to the
new moon. If witnesses arrived, they would be interrogated and if found to
be truthful, the new month would be declared. If no one came or the
witnesses were not reliable, then the next day would be the last day of
the month and automatically the new month would begin the following day.
This raises an interesting question. The Sanhedrin knew very well the
movements of the heavenly bodies and especially that of the moon. If that
is the case then why would we need witnesses to testify to seeing the new
moon? The Sanhedrin already KNOWS what information they will be given as
far as the position of the moon and secondly, the witnesses would be less
reliable than the calculations made by the Sanhedrin itself!?
A little review of the plague of "tzefardea" (frogs) from last week in
Parashat Vae'ra is in order to help us understand the answers to these
questions.
Last week, we saw how at first one single frog came out of the water and
that every time an Egyptian hit the frog it split and multiplied. The more
they hit the frogs, the more they multiplied. After seeing this pattern
emerge, one would think that all the Egyptians needed to do to stop the
spread of the plague would be to stop hitting the frogs!
We look at this and think how foolish they must have been! Yet, how often
do we do things in a similar vein? We have a problem, an issue, a
deadline, stress, etc., and instead of dealing with the problem, we
compound the problem! Often, we have the "capability" of making the
problem worse. At first, something was a small, manageable problem. Before
we turn around, the problem has gotten out of hand�and due to our own
actions!
Change, any kind of change, is not just recognizing that a problem exists
and knowing what to do. Change requires a conscious decision to make a
change and then to actively take action. Things can be stopped from
spiraling out of control with thought followed by rational action.
What is the ultimate change a Jew can go through? The change is known as "teshuva"
(repentance). We tend to relegate the topic of teshuva to the month of
Elul and during the days of the Yamim Noraim. However, the mitzvah of
teshuva applies 365 days a year. It is this topic of teshuva that will
help us answer the original questions.
There is NOTHING that can hold a person back from doing teshuva. A
person's childhood, a person's social status, a person's financial
situation, a person's family�NONE of these can stop a someone from doing
proper teshuva.
The Mefarshim tell us that the mitzvah of Kiddush Hachodesh each month is
an illusion to the mitzva of teshuva. Every month we rejoice at the sight
of the slightest amount of light given off by the moon. This light appears
after a period of brief darkness as the moon waned to the point it "dis-appeared"
from the night sky. It then continues to grow from that little glimmer of
light into a radiant light in the middle of the night sky!
This metaphor, say Chazal, is what we can look to as our reminder every
month that no matter how bleak things may have gotten in our lives, we can
always do teshuva and return to the light of Torah.
Perhaps this is why the Sanhedrin needed to have witnesses come forward.
Yes, of course, the Bet Din knew when the new moon would actually appear.
Yet, just the KNOWLEDGE of the presence of this new moon was not
sufficient. When it comes to change, when it comes to teshuva, knowledge
alone is insufficient. There must be conscious decision followed by
action.
The Egyptians did not have this realization and kept hitting the frogs,
furthering their problems and making the situation worse. The Sanhedrin
sat and awaited the arrival of witnesses. They did this as an indication
to all of us that we who do wish to make POSITIVE change must do so
rationally and with action.
One final note - next Shabbat will be the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shvat.
This day is known as the "Rosh Hashana La'ilanot" or the New Year for the
Trees. In the dead of winter, when all things growing seem to be dead
(even though they are merely dormant), suddenly a new beginning is on the
horizon! The trees being to produce sap; they begin to rejuvenate once
again; they come alive; they "take action" and start the season anew and
refreshed! This too ties in to the same idea mentioned above. We can take
a lesson from the moon HaShem has placed in the heavens and the trees He
has placed here on earth. Things may SEEM bleak; things may SEEM to have
gone "cold"; things may SEEM to have turned completely dark. Yet, HaShem
in His wisdom has given us the signs in the middle of the night and in the
middle of the winter�you can change and you can improve!
May we all be zoche to recognize this idea and take the appropriate
action.
