Healthy regeneration or illusion

Parsha and its fulfillment - Parshat Tazria – Parashat HaChodesh - Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald - 5769

Parashat Tazria opens with the laws of a parturient woman and the renewal of life that comes into the world. The creation of a new world. This year's Shabbat Tazria is also Sabbath HaChodesh, which falls on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, in which we read about the commandment of Kiddush HaChodesh:

"הַחֹ֧דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם רֹ֣אשׁ חֳדָשִׁ֑ים רִאשׁ֥וֹן הוּא֙ לָכֶ֔ם לְחָדְשֵׁ֖י הַשָּׁנָֽה׃

This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you. (Shmot 12:2)

Because of its importance, it was fitting to be the first of the commandments of the Torah: "Rabbi Isaac said: The Torah which is the Law book of Israel should have commenced with the verse “This month shall be unto you the first of the months” which is the first commandment given to Israel. (Midrash Tanchuma Bereshit, Siman11).

The mitzvah of Kiddush HaChodesh and renewal of times is related to the cycle of lunar regeneration. Which became the symbol of the eternal renewal and progress of the Jewish people, as we mention in the blessing of the sanctification of the moon: " And to the moon He said that it should renew itself as a crown of beauty " (Sanhedrin 42a). This is a constant move, a constant, continuous and gradual renewal that takes place every month.

These two dimensions complement one another and create a continuum of progress and development over time.

In both personal and national life, both elements, innovation and stability are needed. On the one hand, stability, routine and permanence are necessary to institutionalize the existing and produce its finest fruits. But sometimes it becomes an aging fixation that causes fatigue and weariness and threatens to stop the progress of life.

Healthy regeneration makes it possible to continue to progress and develop. It energizes and gives vitality and freshness. And stimulates enthusiasm. People and society need to be rejuvenated in a timely fashion. First and foremost in their states of mind. And in the belief in the ability to renew, and "open a new page."

But innovation and change must be done in a calculated and controlled manner. Healthy regeneration is examined in that it constitutes an additional floor above what already exists. In the sense that "the old will be renewed and the new will be sanctified" (Igrot HaReiyah Part 1).

So that the desire for renewal will not lead to "being bald from here and from here" (Rabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa said to them: I will relate a parable. To what can this be compared? It can be compared to a man who has two wives, one young and one old. The young wife pulls out his white hairs, so that her husband will appear younger. The old wife pulls out his black hairs so that he will appear older. And it turns out that he is bald from here and from there, i.e., completely bald, due to the actions of both of his wives). (Bava Kamma 60b).

To change what exists and transform it into something new that is worse. Regeneration should be carried out while maintaining stability and permanence anchors. Without them, the renewal will cause anarchic undermining of the foundations and frameworks. In which case the renewed thing will be shaky and will not last for long.

Sometimes the longing for change and renewal of the individual and the public comes out of frustration with the existing situation. Whether justified frustration or not. Whether the current situation is bad in reality or whether it just seems to be, or that there is an illusion that it could have been better than what is possible. In such a situation, the yearning for something new may reach the point of asking for change at almost any price. This is a problematic situation because the hope of changing the existing situation is likely to disrupt the mechanisms of criticism. A kind of temporary blindness that may lead to choose novelty over, although it does not really solve the previous situation, and is nothing but illusion and false magic. A bad substitute that would be even worse than the current situation. And may even undermine the foundations of the existing situation.

Usually, there will be people in the immediate vicinity who will warn that this is a delusion. But the yearning for change intoxicates the senses and will not admit it. Those who yearn for change convince themselves and refuse to recognize reality. A kind of self-disobedience.

Unfortunately, disillusionment comes only in a later stage. After the illusion is shattered to the bottom of reality and caused frustration and disappointment. Not only did the desired change not happen, but the situation worsened.

In recent decades we have experienced such phenomena in the national arena vis-à-vis the complex security situation. The yearning for quiet and routine brought large parts of the public to gamble on an illusion and a vain charm of solutions that shattered into reality at a heavy price.

Such phenomena are repeated in almost every election campaign. Parties based on situations or protest are formed, and ride on the waves of frustration from the complex situation of our lives. Some give them their votes out of frustration and a real longing for change. However, in this situation, it is difficult to be critical and to examine whether the change proposed by these parties will indeed bring about the desired change. Is the solution realistic, or just a conglomeration of theoretical ideas that cannot be applied to the complex reality that exists and will not stand the test of reality? The collapse of the illusion comes sooner or later, and the party disappears. But the lesson is not taken. And repeats itself in the next elections.