Dear NILI Community,
Over the past week, we have transitioned from Tishrei—a month filled with holidays, from Rosh Hashanah through Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah—to Cheshvan, a month without holidays. For some of us, this transition may bring emotional whiplash as we move away from the spiritual closeness to Hashem we experienced during the holidays. For others, returning to routines may feel like a welcome transition back into everyday life.
Wherever you find yourself in this transition—craving more holidays or relishing the return to routines—the Haftorah we read on Simchat Torah, from the opening perek of Sefer Yehoshua, offers poignant insight into how to navigate periods of transition in our lives. As the Jewish people faced a profound transition from the leadership of Moshe Rabbenu and the familiar experience of living in the desert to the leadership of Yehoshua and the uncertainty of entering into Eretz Yisrael, Yehoshua is instructed three times to be strong and courageous: חזק ואמץ.
Among the various explanations offered by the commentaries, one particularly relevant to our transition into Cheshvan comes from the Malbim, Rabbi Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Weisser (1809-1879). He explains that the first part of the command, חזק, “be strong,” refers to an initial awakening or burst of effort, while אמץ, “be courageous,” implies a steadfastness of heart. We can apply this lesson to our spiritual lives as well.
For many of us, the period from Rosh Hashanah through the end of Simchat Torah leaves us feeling inspired, strengthened in our resolve to live as our best selves in the year ahead. But what happens when that initial inspiration fades, and we settle back into old routines and habits?
The message of חזק ואמץ teaches us that we need both: the strength to translate inspiration into action and the steadfastness to sustain those actions and commitments, even after the initial burst of inspiration has dissipated.
As we transition into the month of Cheshvan, let’s carry forward the spiritual energy from the Chaggim into our daily lives. By setting practical goals and remaining steadfast in our commitments, we can transform the inspiration from Tishrei into lasting personal growth throughout Cheshvan.
Wishing you all a Chodesh Cheshvan Tov!
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