Experiencing the Exodus

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas Hatorah (www.bircas.org)

On the first Shabbos of the month of Nissan, we read Parshas HaChodesh. The verses in question discuss the mitzvos that will soon be approaching—those of Pesach. These mitzvos were the first ones the nation was given.

Parshas HaChodesh begins with the words, “This month (Nissan) is to be the first of the months of the year for you (Shemos 12:2).” What is the significance of Nissan’s being the first of the year’s months? Moreover, even if this fact was relevant that first year (when the Exodus took place) why is this verse included every year as part of Parshas HaChodesh?

The Slonimer Rebbe explains that the word month, chodesh, shares the root of the word chiddush, new or fresh. Every Rosh Chodesh is intended to bring a renewal in our service of Hashem. Particularly, Rosh Chodesh Nissan – the head of all of the year’s months – should now cause a greater rejuvenation in our service.

The verse states that this is a month “for you.” The Sages infer, “for you, but not for the gentiles (Mechilta, ibid.).” The Jewish nation’s calendar goes according to the moon. In contrast, the gentile calendar is based on the sun. We are likened to the moon, which (as viewed from the earth) is in an ever-changing state. It can be waning or waxing, and no two nights are ever identical. There are times when the moon appears in its entirety; at other times, it is hidden. In contrast, the sun is never hidden from our view (except for a rare solar eclipse), nor does it wax or wane.

We are likened to the moon because, as we have said, a Jew should renew his service of Hashem every month – and certainly in the month of Nissan, the head of all months. This idea is expressed in Kiddush HaLevana, the blessing we recite when the moon reappears at the beginning of each month: in the future (when the Redemption from Exile occurs), the Jewish nation will become rejuvenated like the moon.

That first Rosh Chodesh Nissan, on the eve of the Exodus, the nation became Hashem’s. This was achieved by the two mitzvos that we accepted upon ourselves – the blood of the korban Pesach and the blood of circumcision (see Rashi, verse 12:6).

What was special about these two mitzvos, so that they were sufficient to give us the merit we needed for redemption? The korban Pesach required the nation to take a sheep, which was the Egyptian deity, and bring it up as an offering to Hashem, at risk of their lives (Rashi, 12:21). This great act of sacrifice removed the Jew entirely from idolatry. The opposite side of the coin was circumcision, which is referred to as a bris (covenant). It bound us to Hashem forever, and obligated us to do His mitzvos always (see Sefer Chareidim 9:44). These two mitzvos gave the Jews the right to become Hashem’s nation.

Every Rosh Chodesh Nissan, we must also renew our service. How do we do this? After all, we already have Hashem’s mitzvos, and are already doing them!

Rav Leib Mintzberg answers that we achieve this renewal by clarifying the basic beliefs to ourselves. We must acquire clarity regarding the fact that Hashem took us out of Egypt, and that He did so in miraculous ways that demonstrated His love. Egypt was a land from which not one slave had ever escaped. Yet, Hashem took us out as an entire nation. Moreover, the plagues He sent affected only the Egyptians; the Jews who lived among them were unharmed. Hashem split the waters of the Red Sea, enabling us to pass through it as if we were walking on dry land. This same sea then drowned our pursuers, down to the last man.

Once we understand how much Hashem did for us and how much we owe Him, our service of Hashem will be different, more elevated. We will do mitzvos with greater zeal. In short, our service to Hashem will be rejuvenated.

The child in the Haggadah asks, “What is this service to you?” We, too, must ask ourselves this question – before we can provide an answer to our children at the Seder table. We should go over the Haggadah before the Seder, and try to use our imagination to make the events it describes come alive. We must comb through the crucial ideas within until they are vivid before us. Lastly, we should continue speaking these ideas out and honing their message throughout Pesach.

In some circles, Rosh Chodesh Nissan is the beginning of “spring vacation.” Rav Yerucham Brodiansky decries this distortion of reality. This is the time to work on two fronts: getting our homes ready for Pesach, and no less important, working on making the Exodus real to ourselves. This is not as easy as it may seem. In order to achieve this vivid reality of the Exodus, we must review it and speak it out many times.

Chazal (Shabbos 147b, and see Maharsha there) relate that even the great Tanna, Rav Elazar ben Arach, slackened somewhat in this. He chose to live in a resort area known for its natural springs and wine. However, when it came to Parshas HaChodesh, Hashem revealed his error to him in an interesting way. During the Torah reading, Rav Elazar ben Arach was given an aliya, which he read himself (as was done in ancient times). When he came to the words, “This month is for you,” he became confused and read them as “Deafened became their hearts.” (In Hebrew, these two sentences differ by only three letters, which are similar in form.) This was a hint to him directly from heaven: Where is your heart? Nissan is a time of extra work in Hashem’s service! It is not the time to be bathing in natural springs or drinking wine.

Rav Yechezkel Levenstein was legendary for his powerful mussar talks. Nevertheless, he stopped delivering those talks toward the end of his life, explaining that preparing them demanded too much time and energy. “I need that time and energy for myself, so that I can work on internalizing these ideas more deeply into my own heart and way of thinking.”

While the yeshiva reluctantly accepted his decision, several of his close students made another attempt to persuade him on chol hamo’ed Pesach. However, Rav Levenstein merely reiterated that instead of talking about mussar, he needed to work on internalizing those teachings.

“I’ll give you an example,” he said. “On Pesach, most Jews are concerned about eating matzos and trying to digest them. However, I am busy chewing over the Exodus and trying to digest it!”

May we be zocheh to renew our service of Hashem!

NEW! HOT OFF THE PRESS! Rabbi Krieger’s “Gedolei Yisroel on the Parashah & Yamim Tovim” is now available from the Yeshiva office, Jewish bookstores worldwide and can be ordered online at https://www.feldheim.com/gedolei-yisroel-on-Parashah-yamim-tovim-2.