Reflection on a Year of COVID and the Sanctification of Time (Aurelius – Meditations 4:47)

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Synopsis: In today’s episode I reflect on my own chipazon-ridden journey from Pesach 5780 to Pesach 5781 in light of a memento mori passage from Aurelius and a beautiful commentary of Sforno on the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh. I hope the ideas and personal reflections I share prompt similar thoughts in you. If you’d like to share them with me, I would be happy to listen. ----------Aurelius – Meditations 4:47Just as if God told you, “tomorrow you will be dead, or in any case, the day after tomorrow,” you would no longer be making that day after important any more than tomorrow, unless you are a utter coward (for the difference is a mere trifle) – in the same way count it no great matter to live to a year that is an infinite distance off rather than till tomorrow. שמות יב:בהַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים רִאשׁוֹן הוּא לָכֶם לְחׇדְשֵׁי הַשָּׁנָה:Shemos 12:2This month is for you the first of the months – the first for you of the months of the year. ספורנו – שמות יב:בהחדש הזה לכם ראש חדשים – מכאן ואילך יהיו החדשים שלכם, לעשות בהם כרצונכם, אבל בימי השעבוד לא היו ימיכם שלכם, אבל היו לעבודת אחרים ורצונם. לפיכך ראשון הוא לכם לחדשי השנה – כי בו התחיל מציאותכם הבחיריי.Sforno – Shemos 12:2This month is for you the first of the months – from here and onwards, the months will be yours, to do with them as you will, but during the days of slavery your days were not your own: they were for the servitude of others, and their will. Therefore, it is the first for you of the months of the year – for on it your free existence will commence.----------If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.----------Stoic texts:The Meditations of Marcus AureliusLetters from a Stoic Master (Seneca)The Discourses of EpictetusThe Enchiridion (Handbook) of Epictetus----------Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweissBlog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": https://tefilah.buzzsprout.comSupport the show