Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in Hebrew and English: Parshas Tzav (Shabbos HaGadol) – 10 Nissan 5786
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Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Tzav (Shabbos HaGadol) – 10 Nissan 5786
Bostoner Rebbe shlit’a – Yerushalayim
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This year, the tenth of Nissan falls on Shabbos, just as it did in Mitzrayim. At that time, all of Yisroel tied a lamb to their bedposts four days before the 14th of Nissan, when the Pesach was brought as a sacrifice (Shemos 12:3-6). Today, we feel the trial of Emunah in Hashem required with the daily threats faced in Eretz Yisroel. We hope to receive strength from the words of Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen, ztz"l, the Pri Tzaddik, who questions why this Torah portion that was read last week before Rosh Chodesh Nissan is called Parshas HaChodesh rather than Parshas HaPesach.
The Pri Tzaddik notes the first Rashi in Chumash (Bereishis 1:1), which quotes Rabbi Yitzchak saying the Torah should have begun with Parshas HaChodesh "This month shall be for you" (Shemos 12:2) because it is the first mitzvah. He asks why Rabbi Yitzchak did not suggest the Torah begin with the mitzvah of Pesach itself, which was the first Mitzvah performed by the entire people. The answer lies in the phrase "for you" לכם. Hashem told Moshe that representatives of Klal Yisroel must see the moon and sanctify it on behalf of the entire nation. Klal Yisroel was given the unique power to bring holiness into time by sanctifying the new moon.
Holiness in Klal Yisroel comes directly from Hashem. The Midrash Tanchuma (Kedoshim 2) explains that Hashem sanctified Klal Yisroel for His Name even before the world was created. This is compared to a king who betroths an ordinary woman. By virtue of her connection to the king is why she becomes a queen. Similarly, Hashem told Moshe to sanctify the people so they would become a "kingdom of Kohanim and a holy nation" (Shemos 19:6). Because Hashem is holy, Klal Yisroel possesses an inherent holiness.
Parshat HaChodesh serves as the necessary introduction to Pesach. Descendants of Noach do not have the power to eat in holiness, as the Torah states regarding the sacrifice, "No foreigner shall eat of it" (Shemos 12:43). Only after receiving the mitzvah of the month did they become Klal Yisroel —born anew as the ‘portion of Hashem’. The holiness of the Creator is only recognizable through the holiness of Klal Yisroel. Therefore, lachem ‘you’ לכם is said twice in the Pasuk (12:2) to show that the Creator, who is ‘First’ is now intimately connected to ‘you’.
This sanctification was a prerequisite for the Pesach offering. To eat a holy meal, the people first had to be granted the power to sanctify the month. The Mishnah (Rosh Hashanah 24a) describes the head of the Beit Din declaring "Sanctified!" while the people respond, "It is sanctified, it is sanctified!" Through this process, holiness is extended to all of Klal Yisroel. Once they possess this internal holiness, they gain the agency to bring holiness into the dimensions of time and physical feasts.
The Pri Tzaddik cites Sefer Yetzirah (Chapter 5), noting that Hashem designated the letter Heh (ה) and created the T’leh (the lamb) in regards to Olam; the month of Nissan in regards to Shana; and in regards to Nefesh it is the right foot. While the full acceptance of Hashem’s kingdom occurred at the Yam Suf and Sinai, it began as soon as they left Mitzrayim in Nissan. Hashem says, "I remember the kindness of your youth... your following Me into the wilderness" (Yirmiyahu 2:2). The right foot hints at this walking in His ways and following Him with total faith.
In Parshat HaChodesh, we see a progression of holiness. It began at the start of Nissan through speech they were empowered to say "Sanctified." It entered their thoughts on the tenth when they took the lamb and ‘withdrew their hands from idolatry’. Finally, at the Giving of the Torah, they reached the level of action by saying Naashe V’Nishma, "we will do and we will hear" (Shemos 24:7). May we merit the holiness of the Beis HaMikdash with the coming of Moshiach soon in our days, Amen.--