
Matanya Abermanis a Torah Mitzion Shaliach in Washingtom D.C, 2024-Current
Parashat Bo contains the first commandment in the Torah – "This month shall be for you" (Shemot 12:2). This mitzvah reveals to us aspects of the sanctity of time.
The Gemara expounds on this verse: "Whoever blesses the month at its appointed time – it is as if they have received the Divine Presence." This raises two questions: first, what is the significance of determining times, particularly months? Second, what is the connection to receiving the Divine Presence?
The Beginning of the Journey from Slavery to Redemption
The month of Nissan in the year of the Exodus marks the zero hour in the history of the Jewish people. Until that point, the Israelites were a family tribe, and Pharaoh viewed them as a potential threat to Egypt. The Exodus begins the process of liberation from the chains of slavery and the realization that we are a nation with a clear purpose: "Let My people go, so that they may serve Me" (Shemot 7:16).
The first step in breaking free is determining time. A slave's schedule is dictated by their master, while a free person sets their own time. However, we are commanded to sanctify a specific time. This act of sanctifying time is not merely an agreement but a national sanctification—of the Jewish people, of time itself, and of the world. In essence, we are no longer slaves to Egypt but servants of God, engaged in holiness.
Renewing Creation
Another layer of significance in identifying the months lies in the meaning of the word chodesh (month) – derived from the root ch.d.sh. (new). The sages see Rosh Chodesh (the beginning of each month) as an opportunity for renewal and a restoration of creation.
Interestingly, in Breslov Chassidut, there is a melody sung during two occasions – the blessing of the month and a wedding. According to the tradition of Rabbi Natan of Breslov, this melody is intended to guide the souls of the bride and groom’s families in the World to Come to the wedding canopy. Both these acts, blessing the month and a wedding, share the essence of renewing the existing and creating anew.
Recognizing the months conveys a complex message: the month – renewal of the existing – is "for you." That is, this world and all its resources are entrusted to us. This consciousness carries an inherent danger – the thought of "My strength and the might of my hand have produced this wealth" (Devarim 8:17). However, when we choose to renew the world through acts of holiness—Shabbat and holiday meals, sukkah decorations, tefillin, and more—there is no greater acknowledgment of the greatness of creation.
Where We Came From and Where We Are Going
A third layer relates to the frame of reference for counting time. The Jerusalem Talmud notes that the names of the months are based on Persian deities and that this was not always the case. Initially, the names of the months were tied to events in Jewish history. This has led many commentators to understand that we use the timeline as a way to remember where we came from and where we are headed.
The Torah commands us to begin counting time from the moment of the Exodus. In our sins, we were exiled from our land, and the month names became influenced by foreign cultures. Nevertheless, each month, during the Mussaf prayer, we say: "Prepare a new altar in Zion… bring them everlasting love, and remember the covenant of the forefathers for their descendants." In other words, we anticipate and yearn for redemption and the rebuilding of the Temple, when we will once again establish the names of the months. As the verse states: "They shall no longer say: 'As the Lord lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt,' but 'As the Lord lives, who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel from the north country’" (Yirmiyahu 16:14-15).
For You, and Not for the Nations of the World
The Rashbam offers a unique interpretation of the word lachem ("for you"). Contrary to the common understanding, which emphasizes human determination of time rather than divine, the Rashbam understands the distinction here as being between Israel and the nations of the world.
The Rashbam reads this as a challenge to universalist perceptions. The Torah demands that we stand tall as a people, even when those around us act differently. The fact that the Torah bothers to specify a distinct calendar highlights an important point. It is not necessarily a call for isolation or total separation, but rather significant guidance on how to navigate this challenge. We count the months starting from the Exodus from Egypt.
While our daily lives may appear to follow the schedule of the surrounding nations, they are fundamentally based on the revelation of the Divine Presence during the Exodus.
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