A THE SAGES ORDAINED THAT ON THE shabbos that precedes Rosh Chodesh Nisan - or on Rosh Chodesh itself, if it falls on Shabbos - the Torah portion that begins with the words: This month shall be the first of months for you (Shemos 112:2) should be read. This portion is read in addition to the regular weekly sidrah.
Our Sages ordained that this additional parashah be read on this Shabbos because of the importance of the month of Nisan, which is referred to as the head-or king-of all the months. [This is alluded to in the verse: This month shall be the first of months for you, for the Hebrew word lachem -"for you" contains the same letters as melech-"king."] Because of the month's significance, our obligation to sanctify it [i.e., establish it] is greater than it is for other months. Hence, we announce its commencement through special readings from the Torah and haftarah in the synagogue on Shabbos when people are gathered there.
THE FIRST OF MONTHS - WHOEVER COUNTS months for that time, shall count them beginning from Nisan. Why is this so? Because the day of redemption is greater than the day of birth, and the redemption itself is greater than any other incident or event. Before Israel came out of Egypt, they calculated the months starting from Creation, or from the time the world was renewed after the deluge, as the verse (Bereshis 15:13), to which the verse (Shemos 12:41) alludes: And it was when four hundred and thirty years had passed. However, as soon as the redeemed nation came out of Egypt, they abandoned all these reckonings and counted only from redemption - the first months for you.
The Torah refers to Nisan as the first month [since the redemption from Egypt it is always counted that way.] It is also referred to as the month of spring, for it is then that new life and vegetation flourish and are renewed,. It is in this month that life and bounty are given to the world.
The name Nisan is of Babylonian origin, and it came into use after the Babylonian exile. The word Nisan also connotes spring, for it is similar to the Hebrew word nitzan - bud - as in the verse (Shir ha-Shirim 2:12): The buds have appeared in the land. The later Sages interpreted the word avis as an acronym: aviv can be separated into av, meaning father or head, and the letters yud and beis have a numerical value of twelve, corresponding to the twelve months, that is to say, the head of all the months of the year.
THE RAMBAN WRITES: IF ONE GOES out into the fields or gardens during the month of Nisan and sees fruit trees in blossom and buds appearing, he should recite the following blessing: Blessed are You, God our Lord, King of the universe, in Whose world nothing is lacking, and Who has created in it good creations, and good and beautiful trees for man to benefit therefrom (Rambam, Hilchos Berachos 10:13). The text recited today differs very slightly from the Rambam's wording and there are also small variations between the Sephardic and the Ashkenazic texts.
Our Sages said: The first of Nisan was crowned with ten crowns. It was the first day of Creation. It was the day when the first of the princes of the tribes - Nachshon ben Aminadav - offered his sacrifice. It was the day when Aharon began his duties as a kohen, for until then the Divine service had been the task of the firstborn. It was the first day of the communal Divine service. It was the first day that Divine fire descended from Heaven. It was the first day that the sanctified portions of the sacrifices were eaten only within certain sanctified limits, for when sacrifices could be offered on private alters, the sanctified portions of the offerings could be eaten anywhere. It was the first day on which God's presence dwelt among the people - as the verse says: I will dwell in your midst (Shemos 25:8). It was the first day on which the Kohanim blessed the people with the special priestly blessing, as it says: And Aharon lifted up his hands and blessed them (Vayikra 9:22). It was the first day on which the use of private altars became prohibited, and finally it was the first day of the beginning of the months (Shabbos 87b).
Just as the tribes of God can be compared to the months of the year, so too can the first twelve days of Nisan be compared to the coming twelve months. The princes of each tribe brought their sacrifices on successive days, and by so doing, each prince opened the Heavenly gates of purity and bounty for one month. Thus, by reading of their offering from a Torah scroll we recall that original blessing and we cause abudnace and goodness to be brought to the world for all the following months.
IT IS A WIDESPEARD TRADITION AMONG JEWISH communities that during the first few days of Nisan, kimcha d'Pischa [ Aramaic for "flour for Presach"] funds are solicited from every member of the community - each person giving according to his ability. This month is used to purchase matzos, which are distributed to the poor according to their needs for Pesach. It is also customary to supply the poor with other provisions-wine, meat, and fish-or with funds so that they will be able to purchase these things on their own.
[The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: If a person has
in the flesh of his skin a sore ... " (Lev-13:1-2)].
... The verse makes these afflictions depend upon the skin
('or). This is based on the verse that says: "... the Lord God
fashioned garments of skin for the man and his wife and He
dressed them" (Gen. 3:21). The Midrash refers to a distinction
between these "garments of skin" and "garments of light"
('or). It was because of sin that they came to be garbed in this
coarse clothing, the skin of the snake. All of corporeality de-
rives from there. Previously, they were in a spiritual state, as is
said of the future. At the giving of the Torah, too, Israel were
ready for this state. That is why it says of Moses that the skin
of his face shone. He so redeemed "skin" that he was lit up
through the shining speculum.
But we did not remain at that rung. Therefore, the afflic-
tions reappeared; the Midrash teaches that it was sin that
made us again impaired.
It is also known, however, that the skin is porous, contain-
ing many tiny holes. These allow the light to shine through
its "shells." Only sin clogs up those pores, so that "darkness
covers the earth" (Is. 60:2). That is why "the leprous afflic-
tion" is translated [into Aramaic) as segiru or "closing."
Now we also understand why the purification rites are as-
signed to Aaron and his sons the priests: it was they who set
right the sin of the Golden Calf.
3:130
From The Language of Truth
Translated and Interpreted by Arthur Green
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