Showing posts with label nissan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nissan. Show all posts
3/11/13
chodesh tov!
The first commandment given by G-d to the Jewish People was to establish the beginning of the Month of Nisan (which wasn't yet called "Nisan," but, rather, the First Month). Until now, the Calendar was, so to speak, in G-d's hands. From this point on, the Hebrew Calendar was placed in the hands of the Jewish People.
Inauguration of the Mishkan
This day was chosen by Hashem as the day of the Inauguration of the Mishkan, the temporary Temple which was used in the desert and in the Land of Israel, before the building by Shlomo HaMelech, King Solomon, of the first Bais HaMikdash.
The Midrash discusses the Inauguration of the Mishkan in BaMidbar Rabba, Chapter 13, as follows:
"Rabbi Yossi used to say, 'When did the Inauguration of the Mishkan occur? It began on the twenty third of Adar, and concluded on the first of Nisan. And on all of the first seven days, Moshe used to set up the Mishkan and take it apart at the end of the day. On the eighth day, he set it up, and did not take it apart. And that eighth day was Shabbat, and it was the Rosh Chodesh of Nisan.
On that day, Aharon and his sons arose and washed their hands and feet from the sacred fountain, they worshipped the Divine Service in proper order. On that very day, the People of Israel made vows and donations, sin-offerings and guilt-offerings, brought the first-born of their flocks, and their tithes.
Regarding that day it is said (in "Shir HaShirim," the Song of Songs) " 'Awake, O North Wind, and Come, O South Wind, Perfume my Garden, let its Spices Flow, May my Beloved come to His Garden, and eat of its Delightful Fruit - I have come to My Garden, My Sister, My Bride' - this was the Eighth Day."
3/10/13
Mission: Rosh Chodesh Nissan
What if you want to prepare for Pesach properly through Torah
study and prayer, but instead find that you need to be busy with
cleaning and shopping?
Of course, you should try to grab time for Torah study in middle of
everything you’re busy with, and to be firm to daven at set times with a
minyan.
But don’t become overwhelmed by all the obstacles that you have to
endure. They are there for a purpose, and they are actually the only
reason why you’re here in this world.
This can be understood with the analogy of a watch. In a watch, there
is a spring which is bent backwards and naturally tries breaking free
to jump forward, but is held back by the gears. The gears only allow the
spring to be released forward bit by bit at the pace of seconds and
minutes. If we would allow the spring the freedom to bounce forward
straight away, the watch wouldn’t be able to keep time. Many machines
are made in this fashion, by taking two opposing forces and creating a
harmony between them.
This is the purpose of man in this world. Naturally, a person’s soul
burns for Hashem. But Hashem wants us to declare His Kingship inside
this world together with all of its problems and difficulties. Therefore
He created an opposing force which separates a person and forcefully
severs him from Torah and Tefilah and keeping his mind focused on a
connection with Hashem. It’s all in order that a person should live in a
reality which prevents him from serving Hashem and hides Hashem from
him, and from within this reality to free oneself forward little by
little. He thereby pulls the “gears”, the opposing force, with him to
come closer to Hashem. Only in this way can we make wonderful Tikkunim
above with our Avodas Hashem.
What should if you don’t see yourself becoming free at all? Sometimes
the force which is keeping us away from holiness is so strong that a
person can become overwhelmed. It seems to him as if it’s impossible to
serve Hashem in the place where he is. But this is a mistake.
4/1/12
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