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Shalom friends,
Today is the first day of the Hebrew month of Nissan (נִיסָן). This month is referred to in the Torah as the First month of the year – רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים (rosh xodashim). From this month on, the Torah counts the months as the second month, third month, etc.
Why does the Torah refer to Nissan as the first month? To remember the grand Miracle of the Exodus, of leaving Egypt and becoming a free nation.
The name of the month in the Hebrew Language is derived from the word the "נִיצָּן" (Nitsan) which means “a flower bud.” The flower buds appear in the spring as noted in the Song of Songs:
הַנִּצָּנִים נִרְאוּ בָאָרֶץ (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים ב, י"ב)
The flower buds appear on the earth (Song of Songs, 2:12)
Picture by Chedva Shenderovits
Nissan is a month of change and growth: Winter turns into spring; cocoons transforms into butterflies, buds become flowers. This is a month of cleansing, not only on the physical level of cleaning the house, but also on the emotional level of cleaning the heart. This is a month of freedom, of making your own choices, of leaving (rather than escaping) negative situations. This is a month of great belief in God’s help and support.
On the evening of the 15th of Nissan (ט"ו בְּנִיסָן), which falls this year on April 18th, we will begin to celebrate Passover (פֶּסַח). This holiday commemorates the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt after a long period of slavery, as described in the book of Exodus in the Torah.
The Torah commands us to tell the story of the Jewish liberation from slavery in Egypt, so that each generation will learn and appreciate the strength and kindness of God, and will know how our nation evolved. To fulfill this obligation, Jewish people all around the world hold a ritual feast called Leyl Haseder (לֵיל הַסֵּדֶר) in which we read the Haggadah (הַגָּדָה) – the story of the Jewish liberation from slavery in Egypt.
Children act the Exodus from Egypt
Credit: Amikam Regev, Nir Eliyahu Archive
We wish you a wonderful month, a month of liberation and hope, a month that will allow you and our world to heal and transform to a better place.
פֶּסַח שָׂמֵחַ!
Pesax Same’ax!
Happy Passover!
שירה כהן-רגב
Shira Cohen-Regev
Hebrew Teacher @ eTeacherHebrew
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