The World Lacks Nothing

It’s Rosh Chodesh Nissan!

According to Jewish tradition, Nissan is the true beginning of spring.  This is reflected in a lesser known blessing that is appropriate to recite during this month: birkat ha-ilanot – the blessing over blossoming trees.

If one is outside during the month of Nissan (maintaining appropriate social distancing, of course) and sees fruit trees that are blossoming, one recites this special blessing.  With this blessing, we praise God’s ongoing renewal of creation during the season of redemption in which we renew our commitment to serving Him on the Pesach holiday.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא חִסַּר בְּעוֹלָמוֹ כְּלוּם וּבָרָא בוֹ בְּרִיּוֹת טוֹבוֹת וְאִילָנוֹת טוֹבוֹת לֵהָנוֹת בָּהֶם בְּנֵי אָדָם.

Lord our God, King of the universe, You are the source of all blessing, Who has withheld nothing from His world, rather has created in it beautiful creatures and trees for human beings to enjoy.

Expressing our appreciation for the wonders of creation is always appropriate – especially as springtime brings with it the renewal of nature.  At this time, can we really understand the words of the blessing of “Who has withheld NOTHING from His world?”  We are, of course, grateful for our many blessings, but these words don’t match the tenuous and challenging times in which we find ourselves.  How can we make sense of this blessing during these times?

Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm explains that this blessing of the spring gives us permission to create a “holy fiction.”  For just a moment, as we behold the wonder of the renewal of nature, we shut out the outside world, try to transcend our difficulties and sadness, and create the “holy fiction” that everything really can be perfect.  Stopping to appreciate spring also reminds us that, even with all of the uncertainty that surrounds us and the terrible illness afflicting so many people that we know, we have the permission – and even the obligation – to remember that a perfect world is possible and to count our blessings.

We should each try to carve out time each day to create this “holy fiction.”

There is plenty of uncertainty.  When will things reopen?  How to manage with being furloughed or out of work?  How will the Seder be joyous without the family?  At the same time, there is tremendous good all around us.  There are the first responders and medical professionals heroically caring for those who are sick.  There are people staffing supermarkets and restocking the shelves.  There are small acts of kindness being performed, phone calls being made, and ideas being shared to maintain sanity and bring a sense of security and joy to those who need it.  We can create meaningful mini-moments with a phone call, an email, or joining a Zoom meeting.

The world today is far from perfect, yet the world is beautiful and lacks nothing.  The arrival of Nissan and the blessing over the trees comes just in time to reinforce for us this “holy fiction.”

Today, I will recite the birkat ha-ilanot on our terrace.  (Naama has been caring for her pear tree all winter!)  I hope you have the chance to recite the blessing.  (It can be recited all month long)  May it bring each of us some comfort and inspiration and be a harbinger for a full blossoming of spring and a season of healing and renewal for all.

Chodesh tov!

(H/t to Rabbi Mark Dratch for sharing this idea)