Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan Hallel Paragraph One
“Hallelukah!
The Appelation “Kah” – Y’H’ – represents this world, ‘H,’ and the World to Come, ‘Y.’ The month of Cheshvan is one of transition from the “Y”
of the taste of the World to Come of Tishrei and its festivals, and, “H,” this world as we return to ‘normal’ life. All the Hallelukahs of this Hallel are intended to call on the Name, Y”H, to request, acknowledge, and praise God for helping us connect the two worlds.
Praise, you who serve God!
This verse continues from the Coronation on Rosh Hashanah, when we openly and willingly declared ourselves as God’s servants.
Praise the Name of God.
This verse takes our heightened awareness of God from Yom Kippur and declares our intention to integrate that awareness into all we do throughout the coming year.
Let the Name of God be blessed from now and forever.
The climax of Yom Kippur is when we recite, “God is the Lord,” seven times. Ironically, the phrase comes from the story of Elijah and Israel at Mt Carmel, an experience that lasted only one day. We recite this verse on Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan as a commitment to maintaining the inspiration of “God is the Lord,” far beyond Yom Kippur into the coming months.
From sunrise to sundown, the Name of God is praised.
We recite this verse as a description of Rosh Hashanah as the “sunrise,” and the end of Tishrei as “sundown.” We declare our awareness of God whether we are living in a time of intense light, or, darkness.
God is above all the nations. His Glory is beyond the sky.
This verse describes our gains from Succot, when we brought sacrifices for the 70 Nations, “Above all the Nations,” and celebrated our ability to always see His Light, symbolized by the light that pierces the S’chach, “His Glory is beyond the sky.” We accepted responsibility to serve God’s entire creation, and to be “Seeds of Light” planters, as in “A Light Among the Nations.”
Who is like God, our Lord,
Who lives up high, but drops down to see what happens (to us) in the (lower) heaven and earth?
Just as He “dropped down” to judge us on Rosh Hashanah as a declaration of His care for us…
Who lifts up the lowly from the dust, raises the destitute from the garbage dumps to be seated with leaders, the leaders of their people.
And, Who raised us through Teshuva and Kaparah (Atonement) on Yom Kippur,
Who makes a home for the childless woman and joy for the mother of children.
And, Who made a home for us in our Succot…
Hallelukah!”
He will continue to do the same throughout the year, empowering us to sing to “Y”H.”