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Rosh Hashana-Tishrei or Nisan?

April 6, 2008 · Filed Under Nisan, Pesach, Tishrei ·

BS’D
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:

Kayin and Hevel brought their korbanot on the 14th of Nissan
Avraham defeated the four kings (on Pesach night!)
Avraham passed away
Esav sold his right as the bechor to Yakov
Yitzchak planned to give Esav his brocha on Pesach night
Yakov fought Esav’s angel..also Pesach night!

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

"The Redemption of Israel from Egypt will forever stay the spring of the whole world"

April 1, 2008 · Filed Under Nisan, Pesach, Torat Eretz Israel ·

Written by: Dan Illouz

“יציאת ישראל ממצרים תישאר לעד האביב של העולם כולו”

“The Redemption of Israel from Egypt will forever stay the spring of the whole world” Rav Kook in his Monthly Calendar for the Month of Nissan

In order to properly understand this saying from Rav Kook, we need to look at his words in another place. In his commentary on the siddur, Rav Kook explains that if God had not intervened in Egypt, and he had not brought us from slavery to redemption, then the whole world would be static, without change, and we would have stayed forever slave to Pharo.

What does Rav Kook mean when he says “the whole world would remain static”? Why does his intervention create a “spring for the whole world”?

By creating the world, God showed, in this world, his existence. However, this faith in the creator is not enough in Judaism! In the Kuzari, we are introduced with a philosopher who belives God created the world and then stopped caring about it, stopped participating in this creation. This perspective is swiftly rejected in the Kuzari.

Rather, we believe that God continuously participates in this world in order to ensure it’s direction towards the ultimate redemption. Where was the first time we saw this participation of God in this world? This was in the redemption from Egypt. At that point, God intervened in the already existing world and proved once and for all that he did not limit his participation in this world to the mere role of creator. Rather, he is a constant active participant.

This message of God’s constant participation in the world is the greatest message of Hope in this world! Our God is a good God and therefore his participation leads this world towards good. In the redemption of the Jews from Egypt, God took an oppressed nation and freed it from slavery thus giving hope to all the oppressed nations of the world! This day became “the spring of the entire world”, the hope for all oppressed nations, the hope for every individual knowing that God guides this world justly.

This is why the exile of the Jewish people is considered, by Yehezkel HaNavi, the greatest possible desecration of God’s name. Through this exile, God’s participation in this world is questioned. It is exile which prompted the Christian “Replacement Theory” according to which the Jewish People have been since replaced because of their inadequacy. Exile puts into question our vision of God’s participation in this world. It thus becomes a great blow to the hope of all nations and all individuals which yearn for a world guided by a just and loving God. It removes the message of hope for all oppressed nations created by the redemption from Egypt.

In 1948, we were blessed with the end of the physical exile of the Jewish People. Hope in a good world was once again re-instated. Oppressed nations could once again hope that salvation would come from a just and loving God. The constant participation of God in our world was re-affirmed.

I find it quite funny (at the risk of sounding political) that some people who claim to defend human rights are specifically fighting this reality of hope created by Zionism and the establishment of the State of Israel. When they fight the state of Israel, they are, in reality, fighting the very basis of the theological hope of all nations. They are, in some sense, fighting against human rights. They are fighting against the greatest ever testimony to justice.

As we approach the holiday of pessah, let us not just be thankful for past miracles but let us truly get inspired from the miracles our generation is going through which attest to the fact that God is still an active participant in our world and is slowly leading Klal Israel, and the world world, towards our final redemption, step by step, through our return to Torah, Eretz Israel, and one another.

Between Purim And Pessah

March 26, 2008 · Filed Under Adar, Guest, Nisan, Pesach, Purim ·

Written by: admin

Written by Aliza of Torah Topics
http://torahtopics.blogspot.com

Purim is a holiday all about the hidden miracles in life – Hashem was hidden in the story of Purim, and His name is not mentioned once throughout Megillat Esther.

As the name alludes to, megilla comes from the Hebrew word “L’galot,” to reveal or uncover, and Esther comes from the word “Hester,” hidden or covered. Thus, Purim is viewed as a Holiday where Hashem’s guiding hand was hidden, but we look through to see that now and commemorate His presence in our lives, though seemingly hidden.

Pesach, on the other hand, was a time when Hashem’s miracles were ever-present, and so obvious to all. They were great in quantity and in quality, even more so than any other time in Jewish history. Pesach is thus a time for looking at the miracles which are obvious.

The time in between Purim and Pesach should then be a time where we go from not being able to see Hashem or His miracles to being able to see Him everywhere in everything. This time should a growth period where we work on seeing His hand in everything; such as the fact that we breathe and walk, that the snow melts and that the sun shines, that a baby is born and that an old man dies…

As Pesach then approaches we have prepared ourselves to commemorate His hand in the Pesach story more so than we would have been able to otherwise, and that is really what this time should be used for. We can’t just jump straight into Pesach and the remembering of the redemption from Egypt.

Remembrance days are often used as just that; days for remembrance. However there’s no internalizing these things we remember or growth from what we have learned. This is where Pesach differs from any American or Canadian remembrance holidays. This Yom Tov is for remembering the story through the reading of the Haggadah and constant reminders throughout the year during our prayers and such, but we don’t just remember. We also learn lessons and open our eyes to the miracles Hashem has given us.

My bracha to you all is that you be able to recognize the hand of Hashem in everything in your lives, in the good times and the ‘bad,’ and in the mundane and extraordinary. Hashem is always there to guide us, but it is up to us whether we open our eyes to His presence or not.