The Real Blessing

By Rabbi Joshua (unreasonably known as The Hoffer) Hoffman

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With thanks to the Almighty for sustaining me, and a prayer that he continue to do so, this week’s message marks the completion of nineteen years of Netvort. Thanks to the readers for their comments, questions, and criticisms, and thanks to the entire staff for their help. As always, a special tip of the Hoffer hat to my gabbai/editor.

Many years ago, when I was a student in Mercaz HoRav, I got a chance to attend an informal learning session presented by Rav Chaim Zimmerman, a few days after he moved to Eretz Yisroel. At that session, he reflected that while he had said the beracha of bringing in the new month many times before, now was the first time that he felt that there was a halachic impact to his words. He explained this perception on the basis of the Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvos, where the Rambam says that there is a divine assurance that there will always be at least ten Jews in Eretz Yisroel who will be able to sanctify the new moon. He understood this to mean that Hillel, in his setting of the calendar, did not sanctify the months himself, but rather left it up to each generation to sanctify each month.

Rav Zimmerman noted, that according to the Rambam, the whole order of the calendar is dependent on this divine promise, that there will always be ten Jews in Eretz Yisroel. While some might think of the Rambam as an extreme rationalist, this illustrates the Rambam’s deep faith – that an entire area of Jewish law is dependent on a divine promise.

We may add, that it is fitting for this aspect of the Rambam’s faith to be expressed in connection with the new moon. The renewal of the moon represents the renewal of the Jewish people, that no matter how much other nations attempt to destroy us, we will always experience a rebirth, and continue. In this sense, the Jewish people, with their great faith, defy the usual laws of history.