Thank G-d, we usually get the required ten men (and more) in the mornings, especially on special days like Rosh Chodesh. But, today we didn't crack it. Ok, admittedly we had good reason: One fellow's wife just gave birth (mazal tov!), two were out of town (one business, one pleasure) and one of regulars got to bed too late to manage our unearthly reveille. Still, having only half the team show up on a gloomy, wet morning left the other half wondering why they had been suckered into getting out of bed for Shul.
In mid-musaf it struck me that our minyan-less minyan spoke to the essence of the date today: Rosh Chodesh Iyar. Yesterday was the last day of the month of Nissan, renowned for the Exodus miracle and Pesach celebration and themed with the idea that "G-d steps in and makes it all happen for you".
Nissan/nissim/miracles/Divine intervention- it's all great stuff. It's bottled inspiration, available for consumption whether you're ready for it or not.
Today was the launch of Iyar- month of no major festivals, just the daily business of making sure you remember to count the Omer. Nissan's inspiration is uplifting, but Iyar's personal investment is the stuff that real personal growth is made of.
If you had expected the wave of Divinely-driven euphoria to launch you out of bed this morning, you would have been a day behind the times. He's handed the wheel to us from this month, so whatever spiritual experiences we have now will be thanks to our own efforts.
I hope another nine guys can motivate themselves into Shul tomorrow morning.
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