As is well known, the Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar. On the most basic level, the lunar calendar is far easier, and far more democratic, than the solar calendar. It is obviously easier to count 12 moon cycles than to estimate the position of the earth relative to the sun over 365 days. Anyone can do the former. Doing the later requires some kind of solar observation, with levels of sophistication going anywhere from Stonehenge to European cathedrals with meridian lines on the floor.
Following the cycles of the moon, though, is about a lot more than a simple matter of convenience. The waxing and waning of the moon are a reflection of our personal and our national experience. On the national level, the rabbis pointed out that the fortunes of Israel are like the cycles of moon. We have experienced the darkest of nights, only to see our fortunes rise once again. (This is, for example, literally true during Chanukah).
The same is true on the personal level. Paraphrasing Psalm 30, our funerals can be turned into celebrations, and vice versa, in the blink of an eye.
Waxing and waning, waxing and waning.
The text of the blessing reflects our awareness of the changing vicissitudes of life. We ask G-d to make the upcoming month one of goodness and blessing marked by: length of days, peace, employment, dignity, vitality; but also character, wonder, morality; freedom from shame and reproach; wealth and honor; love of torah and, once again, wonder; and, finally, a life where our deepest aspirations are fulfilled for the good.
This is an incredibly rich prayer, with so much to unpack (and G-d willing, I’ll have the opportunity to do so in coming weeks). But let us focus on the purpose of the prayer. On the most basic level, it’s a wish list: G-d give me this, G-d give me that. A monthly visit to a divine Santa Claus.
No one could blame us for simply being human, but G-d really isn’t the big Santa Claus, or even Rabbi Claus, in the sky. On a more sophisticated level, the prayer allows us to grapple with the deepest concerns of our lives on a monthly basis. The prayer for the new month is recited when the moon is at its darkest. The first glimmer of the moon’s waxing crescent is literally a glimmer of hope. We grapple with our fears by giving expression to them (parenthetically: where do you think Freud got his “talking cure” from?).
Deeper still: what does it mean when we ask G-d to give us awe (literally “fear of heaven”)? It means that awareness of G-d is, on the one hand, a grace that G-d bestows; but also it means that our spiritual development is actually a part of G-d’s spiritual development. G-d wills that there be more actualization of G-d’s will.
Put another way: our prayers are an essential part of G-d’s own “talking cure.”