HaChodesh: As Youths

“Who satisfies your mouth with goodness, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.” (Psalm 103:5) “Young men and also maidens, old men together with youths.” (Psalms148:12) What is the difference between “young men” and “youths”? The Holy One, Blessed is He, said, “The old men who are as youths, as in ‘your youth is renewed like the eagle,’ will ‘grow wings as eagles,’ (Isaiah 40:31),” therefore it says “old men who are as youths.” (Midrash Tehillim 149:1)

The idea of new is incorporated in the Techiat Hameitim, The Resurrection of the Dead. We do not have to wait for death to experience resurrection. The gift of HaChodesh is that we can be renewed during our lifetimes, even when we are “old men,” disillusioned and weary. HaChodesh is our taste of Techiat Hameitim, our opportunity to renew ourselves as we prepare for Redemption. (For those who have the Spiritual Exercises for Hachodesh: use this as a Kavanah for Seuda Shelishit)