The rallying call

Parshiot Matos and Maasei

When we conclude reading this weeks parshat hashavua, we will be concluding the chumash of Bamidbar and we will call out Chazak Chazak V’Nitchazek.

In the final book of Collected Writings of Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch he concludes the book with a brief essay on the call Chazak. I will simply quote here a piece from the initial paragraph of that essay, as nothing more really needs to be said here.

“It is in keeping with the spirit of Judaism that we mark the successful completion of any good endeavor with the rallying call Chazak V’Nitchazek, thereby exhorting ourselves and our companions to muster continued strength and courage so that the work may go on. It is not the Jewish way to look backward and to bask in the glory of past achievements, to rest on our laurels, as popular parlance has it. Whatever a Jew has accomplished should vanish from his view; the memory of past attainments should serve only to give him confidence and courage so he may go on to new and, if possible, even greater achievements…