Today is Rosh Chodesh the start of the new month and I’m thinking about starting a new program: “Daven Rosh Chodesh Mussaf Like a Mensch”. All that it entails is giving an extra 30 seconds so we can take off our tefillin and all start Shomeneh Esrai together, a little less rushed. The Yetzer Hara wants us to rush, expecially while stepping into Shomeneh Esrai, so why not try to fight him every now and then.
Rosh Chodesh is about novelty and our opportunity for a fresh beginning every month. For some deep thoughts on the relationship between Rosh Chodesh and spiritual renewal, check out this article by Rabbi Noson Weisz titled, Spiritual Quality Time.
This quest for novelty (chiddush) is also what makes blogging so popular. People have the need for something new, which according to Rabbi Akiva Tatz is also why newspapers are so popular. Our challenge is to look for new thoughts and insights everywhere and incorporate them to make ourselves, new and improved Jews.
SA – Thanks for the encouraging news.
“Daven Rosh Chodesh Mussaf Like a Menschâ€
For what it’s worth — the minhag in Kasho is to have an official 10-minute break before mussaf on Rosh Chodesh. That way, the mispallelim have a chance to remove their Rashi tefillin, use the facilities, and lain krias shma wearing their Rabbeinu Tam tefillin before mussaf.
So, there is a precedent to what you are suggesting.