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Two Tanaiyim from the second century had a machloket about the months of the year. R’ Eliezer of Beit Shammai held that Tishrei is the pivotal month in the history of the world, while R’ Yehoshua of Beit Hillel believes Nissan is the more dominant month. Both R’ Eliezer and R’ Yehoshua agree that, in one of these two months, the world was created, the flood happened, and Avraham and Yakov were born. Yonatan ben Uziel agrees with R’ Yehoshua, even citing 6 more events that took place in Nissan to further reinforce R’ Yehoshua’s argument:

Looking at the “Nirtzah” section at the seder’s conclusion, we recite “vayihi bechatzi layla“-it happened at midnight. If you are in chutz la’aretz, that means that you state this list of events on the first night. The piyyut itself was written by a mystic in the middle ages. We learn in kabbalah that time is a real and heterogenous concept-different qualities are given to different times, and the moment of midnight on the 15th of Nissan had incredible powers of redemption through the ages. The Torah even refers to Pesach as “leyl shmorim“-the night Hashem has promised to watch over and protect us, as it says in Shmot: “Hu halayla hazeh l’Hashem, shomrim lchol b’nei Yisrael l’dorotam- This was the night or Hashem, a protection for all the Children of Israel for their generations”*(12:42)

Some of these events couldn’t possibly have occurred on the 15th of Nissan, though. R. Shlomo Kuger suggests that perhaps we attest each of these events to midnight is to emphasize that Hashem works through hester (covertness) in order to save us. Other interpretations are of the opinion that, when there are two connected events that obviously occurred over a larger span of time than just midnight (for example, Haman’s letters with the decree to exterminate us is mentioned, along with his hanging-we know this happened over a span of three days, yet the events are related), we can assume it means that the first event was conceived and enacted in a discreet manner-’in the dark of night’ and the redemption itself came to pass on the 15th of Nissan at midnight.

So, returning to R’ Yehoshua and R’ Eliezer’s machloket-what are they really fighting about? The essence of the argument is truly which mida is dominant in Hashem’s governance of the world: rachamim or midat hadin? Tishrei is known for the rule of law (midat hadin), the ultimate justice. Preparing for Tishrei, we do teshuva merah (in awe and fear). Nissan, conversely is synonymous with mercy, which Hashem displayed by redeeming us. The Sfat Emet elaborates on this difference in the months in Lekutim by elucidating on the concept from Mesechet Sota stating that 40 days before a child is born, Hashem proclaims its future traits. So too, in preparation for Tishrei we do teshuva, and in preperation for the month in which Hashem reinforced His unique relationship with us(Nissan), we add ahavah the month before (think about our crazy Adar!), and increase our observance of mitzvot and Torah study (Shkalim 5631).

R. Eliezer is stating, therefore, that although we were redeemed in Nissan from Egypt, the ultimate geula will occur in Tishrei. If midat hadin is the dominant charecteristic Hashem uses to govern the world, then we can only be worthy of geula if we do teshuva. Yitziat Mitzrayim doesn’t follow along this train of thought, however- we were redeemed because we cried out to Hashem and he finally answered our pleas. He saw that, unless He saved us, we would assimilate into the ways of the mitzrim, and therefore chose to redeem us in Nissan-the month of mercy. In a similar vein, R’ Yehuda, interpreting the words “Midleg al heharim-He springs above the mountains” (2:8) from Shir haShirim, states that Hashem only redeemed us by merit of our avot.

At this point, you’re probably all wondering how any of this is even remotely relevant, but it’s like a conversation with me: sure, it may take a while but I promise to (eventually) get to the point! Here’s the bottom line: maintaining the opinion that mercy is the dominant trait, R’ Yehoshua is saying that, in the same manner that we were redeemed from mitzrayim in Nissan, so too will the ultimate geula occur! Even if b’nei yisrael aren’t worthy of redemption, Hashem will, nonetheless, free us (not that that’s a “get out of doing teshuva free” card:P). Therefore, Pesach is not just a time to celebrate our redemption in the past-it is a time to anticipating our redemption in the future and, according to R’ Yehoshua, the night of our final geula. May we be zoche to see it, bimhera biyamenu-THIS YEAR!!

~~~~~~~~LESHANA HABA, BIYERUSHALAYIM~~~~~~~~

*translation from the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash