Pesah

“In Nisan they were redeemed,

and in Nisan they are to be redeemed”

Rav M. Elon

In Masekhet Shabbat the Gemara discusses various reasons surrounding the day on which we left Egypt. The Gemara proves that this day was Thursday, the fifth day of the week. As an aside, the Gemara explains that almost one year later (minus two weeks) on the first of Nisan, the Mishkan (Tabernacle) is erected. The Gemara then proves that the first of Nisan, then, was a Sunday, as it was this year.

We will see that understanding when the exact day of the erection of the Mishkan was – Sunday – is in fact of great importance, and holds within it matters of faith of great import.

In general terms we will examine the nature of Rosh Hodesh Nisan, and we will see how on this day the great international upheaval takes place which then results in the Exodus from the Land of Egypt on the fifteenth of Nisan.

We will open our study with the words of the Haggadah regarding the four sons in relation to whom the Torah spoke. The Ba’al ha-Haggadah (Composer of the Haggadah) quotes the words of Hazal (Our Sages) about the son who does not know how to ask, which seem quite peculiar at first glance.

“And (regarding) the son who does not know how to ask – you open (a conversation) with him as it states:

‘And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, “It is owing to this that God did for me when I came out of Egypt,”’ (Shemot 3:8).”

(The Haggadah)

In other words we initiate the dialogue with the son who does not know how to ask, and this is the meaning of “And you shall tell your son” in the verse in Shemot.

Now we may consider the explanation offered by our Sages:

“‘And you shall tell your son’ – One might have thought that this is from Rosh Hodesh, but the verse states ‘on that day.’”

(ibid.)

We may have thought that the verse conveys an obligation to recount the exodus from Egypt from the very first day of Nisan – “One might have thought that this (obligation) is from Rosh Hodesh.” The Ba’al ha-Haggadah answers “on that day” – on that specific day of the exodus from Egypt is when one is to inform his son of the historical event.

The Haggadah then continues:

“If it had only stated: ‘on that day’ … thus the verse states: ‘It is owing to this.’ …when mazah and maror are placed before you.”

(ibid.)

This text raises a number of questions.

Firstly, Hazal have a large number of expositions and explanations of every single verse – what is the singular significance of the above exposition that it is recorded in the Haggadah of Pesah? Secondly, if we are dealing with a child who does not know how to ask, why was such an intricate discussion of the verse and its repercussions chosen? Furthermore, the very meaning of the text is unclear. What does “…from Rosh Hodesh” mean? Why would we choose this date as the day on which we are to fulfill the commandment of “And you shall tell your son?” This date seems to have no particular importance.

Over and above these questions, we must question the literal meaning of these verses in the Torah.

“And God spoke to Mosheh and Aharon in the land of Egypt, saying: ‘This month shall be to you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, “In the tenth day of this month they shall take every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for a house.”’”

(Shemot 12:1-3)

In fact, on Rosh Hodesh Nisan the entire calendar changes. What was the seventh month when counting from Tishrei, now becomes the first month, as the pasuk states: “This month shall be to you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.”

If the creation of the world had taken place some two-thousand five-hundred years prior to Benei Yisra’el’s exodus from Egypt, certainly the day of our exodus is of lesser import than the creation of the entire universe? What is it in the exodus from Egypt, and particularly in the first day of Nisan that is of such significance that the calendar is adjusted from that which we had begun counting from the creation to begin anew from the first of Nisan?

Let me emphasize that this questions relates directly to Rosh Hodesh Nisan, for the calendar is aligned with the first of Nisan, and not the fifteenth – the day when Benei Yisra’el leave Egypt. Thus it is the first day of Nisan that becomes the first and ‘head’ of all the months.

[The Ramban’s commentary to these verses amplifies the contrast between the first of Tishrei and the first of Nisan. The Ramban explains that the words “it shall be the first month for you” means that Nisan will be first in place of Tishrei, which will no longer be the first.]

Thus from the context of the Haggadah, as well as from our discussion above, we see that the particular day of the first of Nisan has great importance, to the extent that entire calendar is now to be adjusted in accordance with this day, as opposed to the previous reference point – the day of the creation of the world.

What, then, is the secret of this day, the first of Nisan?

Indeed, on the first of Nisan a number of great events transpired which serve as milestones in our history. Let us consider a few of them:

“And God spoke to Mosheh, saying, ‘On the first day of the first month you shall erect the Mishkan (Tabernacle) of the Ohel Mo’ed (Tent of Communion).’”

(Shemot 40:1,2)

On the First of Nisan the Mishkan was erected. This day was also the completion of the days of dedication of the kohanim and the Mishkan, culminating in the resting of God’s Presence on the Ohel Mo’ed, and then the Birkat Kohanim, (Priestly Blessing).

“And it came to pass on the eighth day, [of the consecration process] that Mosheh called Aharon and his sons, and the elders of Israel…

And Aharon lifted up his hand and he blessed them, and he descended from offering the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.

And Mosheh and Aharon went into the Ohel Mo’ed, and they came out and blessed the people; and the God’s glory appeared to all the nation.

And fire came out from before God, and it consumed the burnt offering and the fats upon the altar; and all the nation saw (this,) and they cheered, and fell on their faces.”

(Vayikra 9:1,22-24)

It is on this eighth day that a terrible tragedy takes place, a tragedy which was in fact the first public Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of God’s name.)

“And Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon, took each of them his censer, and put fire in them, and put incense on it, and offered strange fire before God, which he did not command them.

And fire went out from God, and it consumed them, and they died before God.

Then Mosheh said to Aharon, ‘This is what God spoke, saying, “I will be sanctified in those who are close to Me, and I will be glorified before all the people.”’ And Aharon remained silent.”

(ibid. 10:1-3)

It was also on this day that the Princes of the tribes began to bring their sacrifices for the dedication of the altar.

“And the God said to Mosheh: ‘One prince each day, each on his day, (in this manner) shall they offer their offering for the dedicating of the altar.’ And on the first day, the person to offer his offering was Nahshon the son of Aminadav, of the tribe of Yehudah.”

(Bemidbar 7:11,12)

Rashi immediately comments as to the nature of that “first day” of the sacrifice of Nahshon the son of Aminadav, quoting a Midrash:

“‘On the first day’ – the very day that took ten crowns: ‘the first’ of the creation, ‘the first’ of the Princes etc. as it states in Seder Olam.”

(Rashi, ibid. v. 12)

The Gemara lists a number of events that closely relate to the verse recording the erection of the Mishkan on the first of Nisan.

[The notes in square brackets are a succinct summary of Rashi’s commentary on the Gemara.]

“‘And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the Mishkan was erected,’ (Shemot 40:17). It was taught: That day took ten crowns: the first of the princes, [this was the first day of the sacrifices of the Princes in dedication of the altar]; the first of the priesthood, [this was the eighth day of the consecration of Aharon and his sons, preparing them for the service in the Mishkan which had previously been the duty of the firstborn until the sin of the Golden Calf]; the first for the service (in the Mishkan), [the first for all the communal sacrifices, for it was on this day that the communal offerings were first brought]; the first for the descent of the fire, [as the verses state: ‘And fire went out from God,’ etc.]; the first for the consumption of offerings, [solely within the bounds of the Mishkan, for until now they were permitted to be eaten anywhere]; the first for the resting of God’s Presence, [Rashi notes that until now God’s presence had never come to rest on Yisra’el, since the verse states ‘And they shall make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them,’ (Shemot 25:8,) indicating that God had not had His presence rest on the Jews prior to this]; the first to bless Yisra’el, [as the verse records the blessing of the kohanim, ‘And Aharon lifted up his hand and he blessed them’]; the first of the prohibition of altars, [now that the Mishkan existed, all private sacrificial acts were to cease, and no other altars were to be utilized for offering save the altar of the Mishkan, and then of the Temple]; the first of the months, [as the verse states: ‘This month shall be to you the beginning of months.’]”

(Shabbat 87b)

These words of Hazal appear even prior to this Gemara in the Midrash Rabbah, where we observe a unique method of study which completely illuminates the issue:

“Rabi Shemu’el bar Ami said: ‘From the beginning of the creation of the world God yearned to make a partnership in the lower (realms).’”

(Bereshit Rabbah 3:9)

The expression “God desired to make a partnership in the lower (realms)” holds within it a number of Kabbalistic concepts. Firstly we see the divine desire to make a partnership. A partnership, as we all know, is a relationship whereby each party needs his fellow – thus God needs, so to speak, someone in the lower world, our world, to be His partner. Furthermore God ‘yearns’ for such a partnership.

The Midrash then moves on to explain and to expand on this concept, utilizing the unique term from the first day of creation: “And it was evening and it was morning, one day,” (Bereshit 1:5). [The Torah does not record that it was “the first day,” but rather “yom ehad” – “one day.”] This unique term is out of place with the chronological sequencing of the verses which list and number each successive day of the first week of creation: “the second day… the third day… the fourth day…” and so on.

Therefore the Midrash notes:

“In eaither case (something is incorrect)! If it is a matter of listing, it need only state ‘one, two, three;’ or ‘first, second, third.’ But why ‘one, second, third?’”

(ibid.)

The Midrash then explains:

“When did God make payment to them? Further on with the erection of the Mishkan it states: ‘And on the first day, the person to offer his offering’ – the ‘first (day)’ since the creation of the world, God said: ‘It is as if on this day I created My world.’”

(ibid.)

The significance of the Midrash is as follows: Regarding the creation of the world the verse states: “And it was evening and it was morning, one day.” “One” indicates singularity, [as Rashi comments, Bereshit ad. loc.] Indeed the heavens and the earth were created on this day, yet they could not be God’s ‘partners’ in the manner of “God yearned to make a partnership in the lower (realms).” In fact the first narrative of the intimacy between a couple is not the story of Adam and Eve, but rather of the Lover and his Beloved, of God and Am Yisra’el. Thus until this intimacy is achieved, the emphasis is placed on “one day” only one, alone, an expression which conveys a note of sadness and sorrow.

The creation of the world – in its deeper sense – will occur thousands of years later, when “On the first day, the person to offer his offering was Nahshon the son of Aminadav, of the tribe of Yehudah.” Then the original intention of the creation is attained, for then the partnership of God with the lower realms begins.

Let us elaborate further by understanding this concept of God’s ‘partnership with the lower realms.’ On Rosh ha-Shanah we anoint God as king over the entire world, yet in contrast, on the first of Nisan God anoints us as His partners over the entire world. Or we may even say that on Rosh ha-Shanah we demonstrate that we believe in God, and on the first of Nisan God demonstrates that He believes in us.

Therefore the fifteenth of Nisan – the day on which we exited Egypt – is a secondary aspect of the recounting of the Exodus from Egypt. The primary Exodus from Egypt transpired two weeks previously when Benei Yisrael took a lamb for each household, when we declared that we have faith that we are capable of leaving Egypt.

Let us consider the reality then. The Jews were enslaved in Egypt for two-hundred and ten years, were great believers in God, and had not changed there names nor their dress code [as Hazal comment], yet they did not believe that they themselves were worthy of that great salvation. As Mosheh said to God prior to being dispatched to Benei Yisrael

“But, they will not believe me, nor will they heed my voice; for they will say, ‘God has not appeared to you.’”

(Shemot 4:1)

It is not that Benei Yisrael do not believe in God, rather they do not have faith in Mosheh’s mission to redeem them from Egypt, for they are enveloped in the forty-nine levels of impurity. They feel that it is simply ‘not realistic’ that they should experience the salvation. Therefore the Exodus from Egypt is not defined as the precise moment when Am Yisra’el leaves Egypt, but prior to then, when they believed that the reality which seems unalterable is in fact modifiable – the moment they took the Pascal lamb and tied it to their beds.

That is when Benei Yisrael began to believe in themselves, for they represent the One and Only; they can defeat the cruel despot who rules Egypt, and also the great Egyptian Empire which seems infallible – seeming to lack even the slightest weakness. Then Am Yisra’el reveals that he is not a slave, but rather a prince, and at that moment the day becomes the new year of kings. [The first of Nisan is the new year of kings – all Jewish kings’ reigns were counted from the month of Nisan.]

We must note that the expression: “Yisra’el are sons of kings, (princes)” is not merely a homiletic metaphor, but has clear Halakhic ramifications. We will take one example which applies to the Laws of Shabbat. On Shabbat one may anoint oneself with the oil that is generally used for anointing by most people. Without going into the specifics of the discussion, the Gemara discusses a type of oil, rose oil, which is the most expensive and lavish oil. The Gemara follows the ruling of Rabi Shim’on bar Yohai that since royalty regularly uses this oil, it is thus permissible to anoint with this oil on Shabbat, for “Yisra’el are sons of kings.” This concept is applied in the empirical world of Halakhah, leading to conclusions and rulings appropriate for royalty!

We will further our investigation of this topic by considering the Haftarah of this week’s parashah that we are to read on Shabbat. The Haftarah discusses the heavy famine that hit Shomron. The king of Shomron travails the wall of his city, and a woman approaches him. She tells him that she and a friend made an agreement which her friend then violated. The agreement was that they would eat their own children, while each would allow her friend to eat of the other’s children. This women had fulfilled her part of the agreement, allowing her friend to eat of her child, but now her friend had reneged on her part of the ‘agreement’ and had fled together with her son. The king is greatly shocked, and he sends for Elisha the prophet, who prophesies a completely ‘unrealistic’ prophecy:

“Then Elisha said, ‘Hear the word of God, Thus said God, “Tomorrow about this time, a se’ah measure of fine flour (shall be sold) for a shekel, and two se’ah measures of barley (shall be sold) for a shekel at the gate of Shomron.”’”

(Melakhim II, 7:1)

Elisha prophesizes that within twenty-four hours there will be such a surplus of provisions that one se’ah measure of fine flour and two se’ah measures of barley will be sold at the low price of one shekel.

The minister [“shalish” – according to some he was the third in line to the throne], who is standing close by exclaims with a fair measure of astonishment:

“Then a minister… answered the man of God, and said, ‘Behold, if God would make chimney chutes in heaven, might such a thing be?’”

(ibid. v. 2)

This minister exclaims that even if God were to create chimney chutes from the heavens in order to drop flour and barley from above – still there would never be such a surplus! Elisha answers him concisely and succinctly:

“And he said: ‘Behold, you will see it with your eyes, yet you will not eat from there.’”

(ibid.)

The verses then describe the incident of the four lepers (which is where the Haftarah begins) who were outside the city walls. They then decide to go to the enemy, to Aram, who had placed Shomron under siege, in order to plead for their lives. They arrive at the enemy camp, and they find the entire camp of Aram desolate. A rumor had spread in the enemy camp that caused everyone to flea for their lives. It is important to note that we also experienced such miracles at the onset of our redemption when the Arabs of Katamon and Bak’a fled, leaving everything for Israel, and so too in Zefat and other locations. Our eyes are not always open to perceive the miracles and wonders that God perpetrates for us in our very age…

In any event, after the four lepers nourish themselves, they decide to return and inform the besieged city as to what they have seen. Thus the prophet describes:

“And the people went out, and they plundered the camp of the Aram. And a se’ah measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two se’ah measures of barley for a shekel, in accordance with God’s word. And the king appointed the minister… to be in charge of the gate; and the people trampled him at the gate and he died, as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king had come down to him.”

(ibid. v. 16,17)

Thus the minister’s fate was as Elisha had predicted. Yet what was this minister’s sin that he was to meet such a destiny? The Sefer ha-Haredim offers an explanation based on a Midrash ‘from Erez Yisra’el’ – the sin of the minister was not that he did not have enough faith in God, but rather that he believed that his generation was not worthy of a miracle. By believing this the minister demonstrated that God had no relevance to that generation, and therefore his sin was so severe.

It was through those four lepers – who were far from symbols of honesty and faith – that the salvation precipitated. Yet that minister was trampled at the gate of the city for he had no faith in Am Yisra’el.

This is the revelation of Rosh Hodesh Nisan, the faith that God has faith in us which testifies to that eternity that we hold within us, even if it lies dormant in the deepest recesses of our souls.

Nahshon the son of Aminadav merited to be that person to establish the great partnership between God and the lower realms. Why did he receive this tremendous merit?

The answer is to be found in an event that occurred months previously, when Benei Yisrael left Egypt as they approached the Sea of Reeds. Then, after the great tragedy of Egypt, with only one-fifth of our nation surviving to witness the salvation, when it seemed that they had succeeded to overcome every obstacle, the Egyptians regroup and charge after the fleeing slaves. Am Yisra’el finds itself in an impossible reality, and it seems that the salvation and redemption is as distant as ever from their grasp. There were some who considered committing suicide in the ocean, while others considered surrendering to the Egyptians. Mosheh turned to God in prayer, and God answered him:

“Why do you cry to me? Speak to the people of Israel and have them travel.”

(Shemot 14:15)

In other words, now is not a time for prayer, it is now that you must reveal your faith in yourselves. Then Nahshon the son of Aminadav leaps into the ocean, and as a direct result of his bold leap, the exalted Partner intervenes, and the sea is split!

This is the great transformation that we underwent on Rosh Hodesh, when we revealed that we were capable of breaking the strong chains of Egypt – both then and now. Then Yisra’el reveals that they sanctify the months and the years - and time itself - and as a result of their sanctification the Lover and His Beloved will be able to commune.

We learn of this while Am Yisra’el is in Egypt, amidst the crushing Empire of the monstrous tyrant who rules the known world. As the verse emphasizes:

“And God spoke to Mosheh and Aharon in the land of Egypt, saying: ‘This month shall be to you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.’”

(Shemot 12:1,2)

The verse notes that the context – “in the land of Egypt” – is crucial, for the secret of our freedom becomes manifest in the great Egyptian prison, where the divine content of each Jewish soul is revealed.

“The world was created with ten utterances,” (Avot 5:1) – and then Pharaoh the tyrannical dictator desired to destroy this world, and thus he suffered the Ten Plagues. Then, when we were freed of his yoke we were able to receive the Ten Commandments, which are the renewed Ten Utterances through which the world is able to exist.

On the first of Nisan, aside from our great demonstration of faith in ourselves, there is a great revelation of faith in all the Children of God. On this day all altars aside from the altar in the Mishkan are forbidden – for it is now impossible for the private service of God to take place without including the entire collective of Am Yisra’el in that service. I am deficient without the participation of my fellow Jews, and the true completion and perfection can only be attained through the joining of everyone together as one collective unit, something which surpasses the mere sum-total of all the individual units. On Rosh Hodesh Nisan it becomes apparent that there are communal offerings, sacrifices of the whole nation, which in fact precede those of the individual.

The korban Pesah (Pesah sacrifice) is a unique sacrifice. It is a communal sacrifice, for when the fourteenth of Nisan, erev Pesah, falls out on Shabbat, the korban Pesah is still slaughtered – for the communal sacrifice sets aside the Shabbat prohibition on slaughtering. If it were not a communal sacrifice – it would not set aside this prohibition. On Pesah we learn that when Jews come together in a group, and they understand that this is how they attain their true worth, they elevate their group’s sacrifice to the level of a communal sacrifice.

On Rosh Hodesh Nisan, the first of the months, it was established that God believes in us, and we believe in Him. Tishrei remains the cosmic month – Shemittah (the seventh year sabbatical), and Yovel (the Jubilee year) are dependant on Tishrei. Yet the human realm, the years for kings, the resting of God’s Presence on the nation – are affected by the first of Nisan.

This, then, is the assumption of the Haggadah when it asks “One might have thought that this is from Rosh Hodesh” – yet the son who does not know how to ask must wait for the fifteenth of the month, when mazah and maror are before him in order to reveal that illumination which was born on the very first day of the month.

This, then, is the concept of Rosh Hodesh Nisan, which gives expression to our unique soul content, the infinite that we hold within us which makes us partners with the Eternal One. It is owing to this that we may merit another complete redemption, speedily in our days, Amen.

Translated by Sholem Hurwitz.

Copyright Keren Yishai/Rav M. Elon