What's the difference between 'new' and 'renew'?
Something 'new', in the strict sense of the word, has never existed;
it's appearing for the first time.
To 'renew' means to restore, refresh, revive; to make like new.
'New' has an attractive ring to it. It sounds interesting.
Most of life isn’t ‘new’. This Thursday will probably be very much
like last Thursday. And next Thursday. You may have a new
responsibility, supervisor or dining room lamp, but much stays the
same.
New has pizzazz.
At the same time, pursuing 'new' isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Actually, when it comes to the truly important things in life, we
usually strive for durability and permanence. Finding new loved ones
is great, but keeping the old ones is even better. A stream of new
relationships, jobs and homes creates a life of impermanence; most of us prefer the depth and safety of a steady anchor.
So it’s actually ‘REnew’ that is the spice of life.
This season, the Passover season, is a time to Renew. When you look at your spouse, job, home etc with renewed appreciation and excitement, when you feel so blessed by the constants of your life that you thank G-d for your good fortune, you infuse an exhilarating burst of beauty into your day.
The Hebrew word for month is ‘Chodesh’, which comes from the word for new. That’s because every month in our lunar calendar is launched by the birth of the ‘new’ moon.
But we know that the moon isn’t actually ‘new’; it’s obviously existed
for a very long time. The moon is ‘new’ in the sense that it
disappears from view every month, going off our mental radar for an
evening or two, and then returns. And every month, we celebrate our restored appreciation and consciousness. We go outside, look up at the moon and recite a blessing in which we thank G-d for this celestial boon to the universe.
This isn’t just an interesting tidbit. It’s central to Jewish
thinking; the moon’s monthly renewal is the basis of our calendar, and recognizing it is the Torah’s first Mitzvah. The lessons of renewal
are the stuff of life.
This Passover free yourself from the burden of a mundane perspective on life.
You’re living G-d’s gift.
Appreciate it.
ב"ה