For many, the vivid memories of where we were and with whom we stood the last time we recited the Birchas Hachama, challenge us to create a meaningful recollection for our children as well. Even the giant Chasam Sofer in his landmark response on the topic (#56) recalls the towering figure of his life, Rav Noson Adler, leaning heavily on the young student's shoulders waiting for the sun to clear the clouds. From this experience and a powerful argument from the language of the Rambam, Rabbi Moshe Shreiber would, many years later, insist that one must actually see some semblance of the sun before reciting the berocho. He was refuting the argument that was proposed, though never acted upon, by an earlier decisor, the renowned Panim Meiros. The latter had argued that the berocho could be recited once we simply became aware that the sunrise had occurred. Different than other berachos, the refuted argument ran, this berocho was not responding to a visible event but rather to the recognition of the completion of twenty eight year cycle of the Earth's orbit.
In fact some would argue that given that we view Rosh Hashana as the world's birthday and given that the twenty eight year cycle was not used by the Rabbis in their calculations, we are in fact not marking any significant event at all. Nevertheless, the Chasam Sofer established that long standing custom and the precise language of the Rambam argues that we remind ourselves of our Creator and His act of creation only after sighting the sun. If no sun would appear from behind a cloudy sky, one would delete Hashem's name from the berocho thus reciting the form of the berocho but not its essence.
What in fact are we to "see" when we view the sun on Wednesday morning? What is going to merit a blessing? Though we are hoping for a brilliant cloud free horizon, we nevertheless wish for a sunrise, more or less, like any other. Of course there are different kinds of berachos. Yet, other than berachos that prepare us for procuring pleasure or performing mitzvos, berachos are usually a part of our response to an impressive if not overwhelming event or a discovery that at least catches our attention. The text of the Birchas Hachama, "oseh maaseh bereishis" is first introduced to us as the response to being amazed by the sights of untouched mountains and canyons or by the expanse of an impenetrable desert. Every sunrise, to be sure, is fascinating for the introspective and "unjaded" soul, but routine events do not earn the blessing, "oseh maaseh bereishis". No doubt, the knowledge of the completion of the twenty year cycle is remarkable, but why must we wait to see the sun as the Chasam Sofer concluded?
It seems to me that the twenty eight year cycle, inaccuracy aside and the Nissan/Tishrei inconsistency notwithstanding, should bring to mind the constancy of the orbits and the seasons, and indeed the predictability, for the most part, of Hashem's world. It does not take great imagination to conjure a world whose days, seasons and climates vary wildly from year to year and whose unpredictability stymies productivity for starters, and generates great anxiety as well. The moments of Birchas Hachama will allow us to dwell on the blessings and values of "laws" in and of nature. Moreover the sun will represent for us the many parts of creation given to us, from which we can learn those laws.
Still sounds like much ado about nothing? Not according to a comment of the second Rebbe of Ger, the celebrated Sfas Emes, that is recorded in his Pesach discourses. He establishes that the laws of nature are the "penimius" of Hashem - the "inner" or deeper revelation of Hashem. I imagine that this means that the ongoing laws of nature reveal to us, to the best of our abilities to absorb, some insights into Hashem's governance. Thus while the miraculous reveals the omnipresence, omniscience, and providence of Hashem, the laws of nature reveal to us some ideas that are dear to our Creator. The ideas of discipline, constancy and loyalty are revealed through the very existence of laws of nature; the concept of spontaneity is relayed through random mutations; the notion of carefully prepared gradual growth is the stuff of evolving forms of nature; and the natural interdependence of so much of the natural world creates, when appreciated, a "culture" that prizes working interaction amongst humans.
Is it not profoundly remarkable that as we complete the last minute preparations of the 5769 holiday set to mark the miraculous aberrations of nature, we take time to mark the laws of nature as well? It was the Ramban in his final comments on parshas Bo, who explained that for us, the routine and the fantastic are inextricably bound. He teaches us how the miraculous plagues in Mitzrayim form the basis of our beliefs, proving the existence of Hashem, His involvement in our world and the veracity of prophecy. However, opines Ramban, Hashem continues to relate to all of us throughout time via the less discernible. According to Ramban, a heart and mind trained to celebrate the miraculous will format life through them and continue to be sensitive to Hashem thru the laws of nature as well.
If not for these insights of the Ramban and Sefas Emes we should all be taken aback that the seder night does not culminate with the Hallel Hamitzri. After all, Hallel Hamitzri seems to be Dovid Hamelech's song for the generation that was redeemed from Egypt. Rather, the evening continues with great force to include the Hallel Hagadol and the weekly Nishmas. The Hallel Hagadol does include the redemption from Egypt, but it must share company with the stability of dry land and the expanse of the sky and the presence of the sun and the moon. Rather surprisingly this chapter of Tehilim which includes that which we have grown accustomed to, is called nothing less than the "Great Hallel". Towards the end of Pesachim (118a) the Rabbis explain that the reason why this list of twenty six events is referred to as the "Great Hallel" is because it includes the daily bread that Hashem provides for all.
Apparently Chazal saw that the personal ongoing appreciation of the "little miracles", the ones so much within our grasp, even the miracle of being able to feed our families, may give us great insight when they stand on the shoulders of the miracles of redemption and Har Sinai. Through this miracle we stand to learn at the very least, Hashem's compassion, concern and commitment to all of His creations. To us, a nation of believers, gaining greater insight into Hashem's "conduct" is of immeasurable value in and of itself, even without underscoring the impact it will have on those instructed to emulate His conduct.
Thus the seder night becomes complete in similar fashion to the character of this year's erev yom tov, shaped by the two hundred and sixth blessing of the sun. We pray that we will be blessed with a renewed sense of wonder over the ongoing routine laws of nature and that in turn will generate greater depth in our relationship with Hashem and a greater understanding of His expectations of all of us.
Chag Kasher Vesameach