Passover BY RABBI ELAZAR MEISELS Another name for the month of Nissan is “Chodesh Aviv” — the The Month of Nissan month of Spring. The word Aviv his month should be to you the beginning of the months; it should be can be separated into two words, T first to you for the months of the year. Av-Yud Beit: The father of all twelve [months]. – Exodus 12:2 The month of Nissan is the • Nissan is the Month that the Jewish people were redeemed first month because of its great from Egypt. significance. It reminds us about our miraculous departure from • On the fifteenth of Nissan the angels visited Abraham and informed Egypt which was a clear demon- him of the impending birth of Isaac stration of the oneness of G-d and • On the fifteenth of Nissan the Patriarch, Isaac, was born His dominion. Pharaoh worshipped the kid and relied on it for his suc- • On the fifteenth of Nissan the Persian ruler Achashverosh suffered cess, counting on the protection of insomnia which led to the beginning of the salvation of Purim the month of Nissan, which has the • The Patriarch Jacob obtained the coveted blessings, instead of Esau, astrological sign of the kid. Instead, he was defeated during this month from Isaac, during this month. by the Jewish people who offered • Nissan is the month that the Messiah is destined to come. the Paschal Lamb, using a kid, illustrating that it is Hashem who is • The Month of Nissan is considered the first month of the Jewish the Master of heaven and earth. It calendar in the sense that it marks the first month that the Jewish is He who controls all, and Whose people became a nation. In contrast, Elul, the month that Rosh divine providence shapes our lives. Hashanah occurs, marks the moment of the creation of the universe. No other entity possesses such all-encompassing power. Month of Redemption Aruch HaShulchan (Orach Chayim 429:1-2 ) “רבי יהושע אומר בניסן נברא העולם בניסן נולדו אבות בניסן מתו אבות בפסח נולד יצחק... בניסן נגאלו בניסן עתידין ליגאל.” מסכת ראש השנה דף יא/א “Rabbi Yehoshua said, ‘In Nissan the world was created. In Nissan the Patriarchs were born, in Nissan the Patriarchs passed on. On Passover Isaac was born… In Nissan they [i.e. the Jewish people] were redeemed, in Nissan they will be redeemed again in the future.” Tractate Rosh Hashanah 11a “אמרו ישראל לפני הקב“ה רבש“ע אימתי אתה גואלנו, אמר הקב“ה לכשתרדו במדרגה התחתונה אותה שעה אני גואל אתכם” ילקוט שמעוני.” הושע פרק יד-רמז תקלג Although the original covenant called Our sages taught, for Abraham’s descendants to spend 400 years in Egypt, in reality they only “The Jewish people said to the Almighty, ‘Master of the Universe, spent 210 years there, eighty of which when will You redeem us?’ The Almighty responded to them: ‘When consisted of hardship and enslavement. you descend to the lowest level — at that moment, I will redeem you.’“ Our sages explain that the Egyptians overstepped their mandate and treated Yalkut Shimoni Hoshea, 14:533 us far more cruelly than the Almighty had intended. Thus, in the “We find that when Isaac [the Patriarch] was born, everyone remarked, 210 years we spent in Egypt, we ‘A child has been born into servitude, for the Almighty told Abraham endured the equivalent of 400 years that his children will be slaves in a foreign land.’ In reality, Isaac became of suffering. the father of a nation of liberated and free people. Similarly, when Isaac lay on the Altar prepared to offer his life, it appeared as if all offspring of Abraham were about to be eradicated from the earth. Instead, this FROM THE CHASSIDIC MASTERS event was soon transformed into a moment from the merit of which Although we were supposed to be Isaac’s children would extract profound benefits for all generations. The enslaved in Egypt for 400 years, we Almighty used this merit to grant them life and eternity. Similarly, when were released after only 210 years. Jacob donned the garments of Esau and entered Isaac’s room in an This is because Pharaoh, in an effort attempt to deceive him into giving him the coveted blessings, Jacob feared to increase our suffering, decreed that that Isaac would discover his ruse and curse him instead of blessing him. we must work days and nights. This He departed instead with blessings for himself and all his generations. effectively doubled our workload and This is the case with all misfortune and hardships that Jacob’s children we fulfilled our quota undergo throughout the generations. What initially appeared grim and in 210 years. insurmountable later evolved into salvation and illumination; the light R’ Heshel revealed was as intense as the darkness it replaced.” “This too, is a model for the future redemption which will burst forth and emerge from the darkest of circumstances, during a period in which Moses’ upbringing in the palace was every heart will tremble, saying, ‘All hope has been lost.’ Behold, at that more than just a delicious bit of irony. It very moment, the glory of Hashem will shine upon you. When will this served him well later on when he was forced to negotiate with the powers happen? In the month of Nissan which G-d has designated for redemp- of Egypt, and his knowledge of the tion for all generations. All darkness and suffering which occurs to the inner workings of the palace aided him Jewish people during this month, it is definitely nothing more than the greatly in this regard. beginning of the sprouting of our redemption… ” Sefer HaTodaah, Chapter 18 Passover Personalities Abraham – The first person to promote ethical monotheism to the masses, he entered into a covenant with G-d at the age of 75, in which he was promised the Land of Israel, and children who would inherit it and be as numerous as the stars. However, this would not occur until his children were enslaved in Egypt for 400 years, after which time they would leave with great wealth, and the Egyptians would be soundly judged. Moses — The youngest child of Amram and Yocheved, the leaders of the Jewish community in Egypt. He was discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter, Basya, who rescued him and raised him in the palace as Pharaoh’s grand- child. He advocated on behalf of the Jews and was forced to flee for his life. He encountered the Divine Presence in a burning bush and was instructed to lead the people out of Egypt through a combination of advocacy and devastating plagues. He suffered from a speech impediment which ham- pered his ability to converse effectively but this was overcome through the use of his brother Aharon as his spokesman. Aharon — The older brother of Moses, he led the people prior to Moses’ arrival, and he became Moses’ spokesman and enthusiastic collaborator. He accompanied Moses on his visits to Pharaoh and oversaw the execution of a 2 | PA rtner S I N T O R A H H O L I D A Y E nc OU nter Yocheved’s son Aharon became the first High Priest and Miriam married number of the Plagues. He had a knack for earning the respect and trust of Caleb, a descendant of Judah. Among the Jewish people and utilized that to unify them and promote peace and her descendants were Betzalel, who harmony. He eventually became the first High Priest and his descendants constructed the Tabernacle, and are the family of Kohanim for all generations. King David. Pharaoh — This was a generic term used to denote the ruler in Egypt. His real name may have been Seti, Ramses or Ramses II. He greatly feared Basya was stricken with Tzaraas [a the Jewish ascent to power in Egypt and afflicted them for 210 years. He form of skin affliction.] Upon mak- portrayed himself as an all — powerful deity before his people and strove to ing contact with Moses’ basket the deny the existence of a monotheistic G-d, never quite learning his lesson in affliction was miraculously healed. spite of all the plagues sent against him and his nation. For this, she was grateful to Moses Yocheved and Miriam — The mother and sister of Moses, respectively. and decided to take pity upon him. They were the leading midwives for the Jewish people in Egypt, and they Medrash Shmos Rabbah 1:23 were instructed by Pharaoh to commit infanticide upon all Jewish male babies. At great risk to their own lives, they disobeyed his orders and were greatly rewarded for their heroism by the Almighty. Pharaoh consulted three advisors to Basya — Daughter of Pharaoh and the foster mother of Moses, whom she determine whether to enslave the rescued from the Nile. He received the name Moses from her, and it is the Jewish people; Bilaam, Job, and Yisro. only name utilized to refer to him throughout the Torah. Our sages tell us Bilaam who voted in favor of the plan was eventually killed. Job who that her reason for visiting the Nile that morning was to immerse herself remained silent, neither agreeing nor as part of the conversion process, for she disdained the idolatrous culture protesting, was punished with severe of Egypt. tribulations. Yisro who fled in protest Yisro — Father-in-law of Moses who married his daughter Tzippora. He merited offspring who served on the had served as an advisor to Pharaoh but was forced out of power because he High Court. protested the enslavement of the Jews.