🌙 Rosh Chodesh Reflections: Davening, Health, and Our Hishtadlus

Friends,

This past Shabbos, during Birkat HaChodesh, we davened for chadash atzmot — generally understood as a prayer for physical health.

But does that mean that once we’ve asked Hashem for good health, we’re exempt from doing our hishtadlus?Of course not. That would be like saying, “I said Birchos HaTorah, so now I don’t have to work hard at learning.”

When we recite Birchos HaTorah, we acknowledge our obligation to immerse ourselves in Torah, to work hard at it, and we ask Hashem that our learning be sweet and successful.

See where I’m going with this?

Our Bodies: A Loan from Above

Our bodies are on loan from the One Above.May we all be blessed to live till 120, using these bodies to elevate our neshamos through mitzvos and avodas Hashem.

Just because we asked Hashem for a month of physical health doesn’t mean we can sit back.To the contrary — if we fail to do our part for our health, we’re showing a lack of zerizus in protecting the precious gift Hashem gave us.

The Ramchal writes about this in Mesilas Yesharim: when a person passes by the field of a lazy man and sees it overgrown with thorns and nettles, it’s a sign that the owner was inactive — and the field went to waste.

To extend the Ramchal’s metaphor — though I know nothing about farming! — it seems clear that the longer a field is neglected, the harder it is to get (or jump) it back into shape.

Health Requires Consistency

Friends, it’s not enough to daven for our physical health.We can’t just say, “I’ll get to it tomorrow.”

We need to make it kavuah — set and consistent, like learning.It doesn’t have to be every single day, but it should be a schedule — a regular commitment to movement, energy, and strength.

Because if we’re not working to improve our health, we’re actually working to deteriorate it.And that means less time, less energy for mitzvos, and ultimately — chas v’shalom — a smaller share in our eternal reward at 120.

Choose Your Path

Each of us has to choose our path.Let’s make this month not only one of prayer for health — but one of action toward it.

Chodesh Tov,

Moshe