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The Beginning Of Months
"This month shall be unto you the beginning of months." Exodus 12:1
Calculating the months and years became a major task for the children of Israel, ultimately taken up by
the Sanhedrin. The awesome responsibility of accounting for Yahveh's creation and calibrating its seasons compelled the
sages of each generation to apply the strictest requirements for accepting the testimony of witnesses to the new moon. Determining
the new moon was much more than a function to be performed. It was a sacred partnership with Yahveh - a shared
responsibility in the maintenance of His universe.
The Start Of The Day
"And it was evening, and it was morning, day one." Genesis 1:5
Why do Jewish holidays begin at nightfall? For example, the Sabbath starts Friday night, and
is over Saturday night, and that's considered one day.
According to the Jewish calendar, not only Jewish holidays begin
at nightfall, but also every day does. This system does not only effect the calendar, it effects our whole attitude to life.
In
the Biblical story of creation, at the end of each day it says, "And it was evening, and it was morning; one day" - "And
it was evening, and it was morning; the second day" etc. By mentioning evening before morning, the Torah defines a day as
beginning with the nighttime, followed by the morning. Behind this definition of the passage of time is a profound lesson
in how to approach the days of our lives.
Everyone agrees that life is full of ups and downs. We go through periods
when the sun is shining upon us and we feel on top of the world, only to turn a corner and be faced with difficulties and
obstacles that drag us down. Then the bad times pass, and it isn't long before something pleasant comes our way to pick us
up again.
The question is: who wins the day - the ups or the downs? Is life essentially a dark series of disappointments
dotted by the occasional ray of hope, which is soon to be crushed by another surge of gloominess? Or is life an exhilarating
journey upwards towards the light, and the challenges along the way are just temporary obstacles, to make us even stronger
in our quest for holiness? Does darkness extinguish light, or does light conquer darkness? Does night follow day or day follow
night?
The Biblical view is clear. "And it was evening, and it was morning." First the night, then the day. Darkness
is nothing but a pathway to the sunrise hiding behind it. A challenge comes our way only to help us tap in to and reveal our
inner strength, which have until now remained dormant.
So, if you are going through one of those inevitable dark
times in your life, know that no matter how dark it may seem, at the end of the day, it is light that will have the last word.
The Month of Redemption
The Exodus from Egypt reached its climax with the plague of the firstborn. However, the Torah interrupts
the narration and presents a number of commandments. The first is the commandment to sanctify the new moon, which means to
declare Rosh Hodesh, the first day of the month. Since this is the first commandment for the new nation, it is a clear indication
of its great importance. The Jewish calendar is based on the moon, and regulated by the sun. The first of the month is declared
by two witnesses who testify that they observed the re-appearance of the moon. Since the lunar month is only 29 and a half
days, the lunar year is eleven days shorter than the solar year. In order to keep the Passover in the spring season, the Rabbis
added an extra month (leap year), seven times every nineteen years.
Free To Choose
"I have hardened his (Pharaoh's) heart in order to execute My miracles within him."
Exodus 10:1
Many people raise the question: If Yahveh rendered Pharaoh unable to learn from experience, why did
He then punish him for refusing to release the Israelites?
The answer lies in an understanding of free will. Many believe that circumstances can so affect people
that they have no freedom of choice. People therefore act in certain ways because they must do so. Such concepts have been
introduced in trials of those who have committed heinous crimes.
The Torah rejects this idea. While circumstances may impact upon a person, no one is ever deprived of freedom
of choice. We are always responsible for our actions.
The about-to-be-liberated Israelites were thus told: "I will indeed harden Pharaoh's heart and put great
pressure upon him, but that will not deprive him of freedom of choice. Pharaoh will remain free and therefore will be held
responsible for his behavior. In preparation for your liberation and ultimate acceptance of the Torah, you must retain this
principle: people are always responsible for their actions."
You have free will. Whatever your circumstances may be, you will always retain freedom of choice to
do good or evil.
Dear Christian
All Jewish holidays are tied to specific historical events, foretelling of things
to come. Each event has a spiritual meaning and power, which can be accessed. If you are not Jewish, you may be
asking, why should I care about Passover?
Yahveh says: "This annual festival will be a visible reminder to you, like a mark branded on your hands or your
forehead. Let it remind you always to keep Yahveh's instructions in your minds and on your lips. After all, it
was Yahveh who rescued you from Egypt with great power." Exodus 13:9
Guarding The Matzah
"And you shall safeguard the matzot." Exodus 12:17
The Israelites in Egypt were commanded to bake matzahs (unleavened bread) and eat it in
a hurry and with readiness. To "safeguard the matzot" meant to be careful to do it correctly, lest any delay or moisture
would cause the dough to become leavened. When it is prepared quickly it is matzah, (unleavened) but if it is
delayed it becomes regular bread - Leavened.
The same applies to the commandments - delayed obedience is the
same as leaven. The Bible equates leaven with sin. The Israelites in Egypt were in such a state of spiritual decline
that even a slight delay might have rendered their redemption impossible. Hence the call to "Guard yourself" and not
become leavened, but rather, to allow Yahveh to do the work of taking you out of bondage.
The Hidden Message Of The Afikoman
Afikoman means the "Hidden Thing." It is a reference to the half-matzah that we hide
at the very beginning of the Seder. Why do we leave half of the matzah on the table and hide the other
half?
Besides symbolizing poverty, the half-matzah - over which we say, "This is the bread of affliction that
our forefathers ate in Egypt..." - also suggests that we have only heard "half" the story; the other "half" will be revealed
later, when we eat the afikoman.
What is the other half of the story? The redemption. We hide the afikoman in order
to convey that the exact date when the final redemption will transpire remains hidden from us. When it comes we have no way
of knowing - Messiah's second coming remains concealed from us.
However, because we know it is coming, we wait
for it, and at the very end of the Passover meal we "find it". By eating the second half of the matzah, the events of
the Exodus come full circle - the "bread of poverty" has now become the "Bread of Redemption." By receiving it ~ eating
it ~ we testify to the soon coming of Messiah.
The Four Cups Of Passover
What do the four cups of Passover symbolize?
The four cups refer to the four stages in the redemption
process:
"I will take you out from the burdens of the yoke of Egypt." Ending bondage.
"I will rescue you from their slavery." Coming out of Egypt.
"I will redeem you with an outstretched arm: This refers to the wondrous miracles which Yahveh wrought
against the Egyptians, confusing and crushing the Egyptian oppressors.
"I will take you to Me for a nation." The greatest aspect of Redemption is when Yahveh brings us near
Him, thereby granting us spiritual redemption as well.
The Rabbis make a connection between the four cups and
the four times Pharaoh's cup is mentioned in the book of Exodus, (when Joseph and Pharaoh's chief wine steward were imprisoned
together in Egypt.) Pharaoh's cups, they tell us, are an allusion to Israel's slavery. It is as if Yahveh was
saying to Joseph, "Your people's slavery begins as the 'cup' is put into Pharaoh's hand. In the end, the cup will be taken
from him, your people will be redeemed, and they will subsequently thank YHVH by drinking four times from
the Cup representing their Salvation."
The four cups of wine are also likened to the four kingdoms that followed
Egypt in enslaving Israel. Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome were synonymous with treachery against the people of Israel.
Consequently, Hashem will exact retribution from them with four different measures of punishment.
The Rabbi Vilna
Ga'on says that the four cups symbolize four worlds: the world we live in, the days of Messiah, the period of revival (resurection) of
the dead, and the World to Come (eternity in Heaven).
The Plagues
What was the true purpose of the Plagues?
"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and My
wonders in the land of Egypt... that I may lay My hand upon Egypt... and the Egyptians shall know that
I am YHVH, when I stretch forth My hand upon Egypt." Exodus 7:3-5
The true purpose of the Plagues was not only to put increasing pressure on Pharaoh to release the Israelites, but to establish
in Egypt that Yahveh is the Almighty and above all men and idols.
"So that you should know that I am Yahveh in the midst of the earth." Exodus 8:18
Divine Intervention
Moses spoke before Yahveh:
"Behold the Israelites have not listened to me so how will Pharaoh listen to me?
I have sealed lips." Exodus 6:12
Was Moses afraid of failing? Why was he so sure that Pharaoh would not listen
to him?
Moses was reluctant to speak to Pharaoh because YHVH had already told him earlier that Israel's Redemption
from Egypt would not take place through him directly, but through Divine intervention:
"For I know the King of Egypt will not let you go. I shall
set forth My Hand and smite the Egyptians and afterwards he will let you go." Exodus 3:19-20
The Blood
"And the blood shall serve as a sign on the houses in which you are, and when
I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you
when I strike Egypt." Exodus 12:13
This verse refers to the sprinkling of the blood
from the Passover Sacrifice on the doorway of every Israelite home. An important lesson may be learned here. We are
called to establish a sign in our homes to remind us of our relationship and responsibilities to Yahveh and
to each other.
Pharaoh's Heart
"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land
of Egypt." Exodus 7:3
Did God harden Pharaoh's heart as He declared he would before the Plagues commenced?
Although
YHVH said that He would harden Pharaoh's heart he did not actually do so until after the sixth plague.
"And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this." Exodus 7:23
"And when Pharaoh saw that the hail ceased, he sinned yet more,
and hardened his heart, he and his servants."
Exodus 9:34
"And Yahveh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he harkened not unto
them, as YHVH had spoken unto Moses." Exodus 9:12
In the first five plagues, Pharaoh hardened his heart and in the
final plagues Yahveh hardened Pharaoh's heart. The latter implies that Pharaoh had no free choice in
the later plagues. He could not have released the Israelites even if he wanted to. How does this justify the further
plagues and suffering for not releasing the Israelites?
Yahveh actually deprived Pharaoh of free choice after the
sixth plague by hardening his heart. That was because his level of corruption was of such a degree that Yahveh's only
purpose in keeping him alive was to use him as a means of demonstrating His Power and His Might (Exodus 7:5) and the folly
of relying on sorcery and idolatry. YHVH's hardening Pharaoh's heart meant that He gave Pharaoh more strength to absorb
the suffering of the plagues. Were he to repent, it would not be because of the pain, but out of sincere and true repentance
and in the spirit of acknowledging that YHVH Elohim is the righteous and that he and his people were the wicked. (Exodus
9:27)
Promises
A
recurring theme throughout the plagues was Pharaoh's consent during each plague to let Israel go, and his change of heart
as soon as the plague ended. Whenever he felt like he was in danger, he asked Moses to pray to YHVH to remove the plague.
However, when his suffering was alleviated, he reverted to his wicked ways and refused to let Israel go.
This reaction
is not uncommon. Very often, when we need Divine assistance, we resolves to improve ourselves in some way. Unfortunately,
we often neglect to follow through on our promises when the danger passes. Let us remember that the reason we needed
assistance in the first place was because Yahveh wanted us to pray to him and improve our ways. Failure to make good
on our commitments may cause us to be put in danger once again.
What promises and commitments have you made when you
were in a time of need? Did you fulfill them or were they forgotten as the pain subsided?
Frogs And Anger
The second plague to befall Egypt was the plague of frogs. The Rabbis tell us that at the outset, Yahveh brought
upon the Egyptians only one frog, (According to the Hebrew text, Exodus 8:6 should read "and The Frog, singular, came
out") but when the Egyptians tried to kill it they began hitting it in anger and frustration, causing it to multiply
again and again, until they had frogs everywhere. The obvious question is: Why didn't they stop hitting the frog when they
saw the results of their actions?
When a person is angry and does something in anger, although he sees that no good will come out of it, he can't
help himself. His anger carries him further to do what he intellectually knows he will regret later on. How often do we get
into an argument and begin saying things we know we will have to take back. At the time, we feel that we just "have to" do
this regardless of the consequences. Later on we realize how foolish we have been and wish it never happened.
In most cases, getting angry does more harm than good. True, there are times when we get angry and still
stay calm inside, but it is difficult to do. Next time you think about losing your temper, remember the big Egyptian
Frog, and think about the consequences. This will help you find alternatives to solve your problems without losing
your temper.
Today
"He who... hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that
without remedy." Proverbs 29:1
Pharaoh's heart became harder and harder, each times he refusal to heed the voice
of Yahveh. This sin is not unique to Pharaoh, or to the children of Israel in Bible time.
The Positive Side
"Yahveh said to Moses, Now you will see what I shall do to Pharaoh." Exodus
6:1
Moses was sent to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelite slaves leave Egypt, but Pharaoh responded by refusing to let
the people go and increasing their work load. Moses returned to God (Yahveh) and complained that the situation became worse
than before. God’s responce was: "now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh."
The Rabbis tell us that originally, Israel’s slavery was to last 400 years. However, Yahveh decided to move up
the time of redemption and take them out 190 years earlier. In order to do this without contradicting the original plan, Yahveh
caused Pharaoh to increase the work. This way 400 years of labor will be done in 210 years. Therefore, Yahveh told Moses,
don't complain about the work, for now the redemption process is accelerated. If the redemption had to wait another 190 years
you would not be able to witness the great redemption. Here Yahveh was comforting Moses by saying "now you will see the great
redemption."
The lesson - Events that may seem to be tragic and destructive are ultimately seen and appreciated as being positive.
As we recall Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage, we
must ask ourselves: to what are we still enslaved? Our own responses to this question may become quite revealing.
You can walk in greater victory and receive new freedom in your life by asking Yahveh to deliver you from your personal
bondage and the things that still enslave you.
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