Nissan
Seemingly in middle of the redemption, just before the climax of the ten makkos, the Parshah of Rosh Chodesh was told to Klal Yisroel. Hashem gave them this first mitzvahwhile they were yet in Mitzrayim, at the time when they were primed to become His nation. The Rosh Yeshiva ztvk”l would bring out an integral message from this mitzvahto recognize and proclaim the new moon. We are commanded not only to observe the day of the new moon as Rosh Chodesh, but to calculate the precise moment of the new moon’s arrival. Now, this seems puzzling; for this split second is a celestial event, and cannot be viewed from earth! What reason is there for us to mention and recognize something that seems to be of no relevance to us? The reason to recognize and celebrate this moment of rebirth is to remember that we too can always be reborn. Hashem sent us this message at the time of leaving Mitzrayim so that we could build on this fundamental concept. No matter how far one has strayed, even to the point where his holiness cannot be seen with the eye, still he is never lost. His pintele yid remains always and contains the potential to grow into a full moon once more. And this is why the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh was given together with the mitzvah of korban pesach. In the Haggadah we explain the reason for the pesach offering to be in commemoration of the fact that Hashem skipped over our houses on the night of makkas bechoros. And this was, in truth, an act of Divine mercy. For Chazal teach us that at the splitting of the sea the angels cried out, “These are idolaters, and these are idolaters”! Klal Yisroel in Mitzrayim, even those who merited to go out, were steeped in Egyptian culture, down to the forty-ninth level of impurity, and they did indeed have many faults. The very fact that they followed Hashem out into the Wilderness stands for them as a merit for all time. But, at that time they did have many similarities to the Egyptians, and were only beginning their path to holiness. Hashem saw in them the potential borne of being the descendants of Avraham, Yitzchok, and Yaakov, and spared them from death. And indeed, from them a new nation was born. The korban pesach drives the point of Rosh Chodesh home; one must believe in himself the way that Hashem believed in us. When we read Parshas HaChodesh, and prepare to enter the Chodesh of Geulah, we must come forth with a refreshed attitude and a reborn motivation. There is no such thing as being too far away, and no such thing as giving up. As Nissan comes upon us, we must allow ourselves to be enlightened by its message of perseverance and determination. Hashem is behind us and values our potential, and we must do the same. We were chosen in Mitzrayim because we had that spark, that ability to shine forth. Each Rosh Chodesh we can relive this message and create within ourselves a new momentum forward. Let us take advantage of this special time, and perhaps we will yet merit to offer the korban pesach in its proper time. A gut Shabbos! A Project of the YSI Alumni Association Written by R’ Moshe Weiss
https://files.constantcontact.com/c9410498701/574e7a97-ee20-4a51-9c0d-0dd30fec2773.pdf
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