One of the most profound realizations that I came face-to-face with in Israel is the amazing resilience of the Jewish people. Against all odds, we are still here. Against all odds, our people are thriving in a very hostile neighborhood. Against all odds the desert is blooming. Against all odds, Yiddishkeit is flourishing.
Having just returned from Israel, I am convinced it isn’t just historical. Every day in Israel is another resilient experience. The ability to adapt, to recreate, to relive and revive is something one senses daily in our holy land.
While others have come and gone, we are still here. Many argue that it is our constant devotion to our faith that keeps us going. It is our unwavering dedication to the principles of Torah.
This, of course, is indeed the foundation.
But, as we learn in the special Torah reading for this week, Parshat HaChodesh, there is more to it.
The first mitzvah the Jews were given – while still slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt – was sanctifying the new moon. What is the meaning of this being the very first mitzvah?
Other cultures – from the ancient Egyptians to the modern Americans – utilize the sun as the basis for counting time. The Gregorian calendar is solar. The Jewish calendar, by contrast, is lunar.
The sun is constant. It shines with a fierce message of power and presence.
The moon, on the other hand, waxes and wanes. It tells a very different story. A story of coming and going. A story of big and small. A story of strong and weak, bright and dark.
And yet, whatever it possesses, is simply a reflection of the sun.
We Jews are compared to the moon, not the sun. We use the moon as our calendar basis. Why?
In Chassidic teachings the sun represents the stability and consistency in service of G-d, while the Moon represents the ever-evolving service to G-d – one with challenges and advances. The sun may represent strength and a solid commitment. But a sun-like mentality alone cannot survive in the long-haul. If one cannot adapt to different situations, one’s chances for success and longevity are slim.
The unique quality of the Jewish people is the ability to constantly adapt – to transform the challenges that face us into opportunities for growth and deeper inspiration.
With a moon-like mentality we have been able to persevere. However, if we simply adapt endlessly, we will be a far cry from what we once were. How can we continuously adapt without becoming a human silly-putty and losing our identity?
To this end, we must recall that the moon possesses no light of its own. It is simply a reflection of the sun’s light. A moon-mentality is only successful if it is completely committed to the nonnegotiable principles of the sun. When we retain a firm and immutable bond with our foundation, we will have the strength to adapt and survive.
In Israel, one sees and senses it. We, too can make it a reality in our own lives.