From the Rabbi's Study

The first thing that Hashem gave to the freed Jewish slaves when they escaped from Egypt was a system of time management. The nascent Jewish nation was instructed to set its calendar according to our observation of the New Moon. Before the modern Jewish calendar was calculated and fixed, the Beit Din in the Beit Mikdash in Jerusalem announced the new month according to testimony that a new moon had been seen. We decide on which days all the festivals will fall, and Hashem agrees to judge us on the Yom Kippur that we designate.

This ability to sanctify periods of time as holy should allow us to take control of our lives. As it says in this week’s Parasha, “HaChodesh Hazeh Lachem” – this system of months is for you. By designating Shabbat as ‘family time’, we should be able to switch off from the working week. Each Yom Tov should provide a refreshing break from the ‘rat race’ – a chance to reflect and refocus.

Hashem has given us the ability to manage our time, to prioritise our lives, and to use our hours for holy purposes. Instead of being slaves to time, let’s retake control of our most precious commodity.