Day of the First Month, Day One

Vayakhel-Fekudei

Parshat HaChodesh

by Rabbi Avi Billet

With this week doubling as a (double) parsha plus Parshat HaChodesh, we find the coincidence of the date of "HaChodesh" making an appearance in the parsha - "On the day of the first new moon, on the first of the month, you will erect the Mishkan." (40:2)

Commentaries are struck by the seeming redundancy – why does the Torah say "on the first of the month" when that date is obvious based on the previous phrase in the verse?

The repetition lends itself to suggest that the 1^st of Nissan is not randomly significant. Even though we don't call the 1^st of Nissan "New Years Day" (as we do for Rosh Hashana), there is much more Biblical importance attached to this day than meets the eye.

The Midrash Aggadah lists a number of events attached to this time period. The first Mitzvah was given (Shmot 12), Avraham was told Yitzchak would be born, the nation of Israel left Egypt, the Mothers of Israel were remembered (and then conceived), and it is the month of the future redemption.

            

The specific date was the first of creation, of the months, of the Priesthood, of Service (in the Mishkan); the first time fire appeared from the heaven, God's presence had a resting place, Israel was blessed; first for when Kodshim were eaten, first for the princes, and first for when the Bamot (makeshift altars) were forbidden. It was considered a day of great and extra special joy because it was the first day of Creation." (Obviously this midrash follows the line of thinking that the creation of the world took place in Nissan – not in the month of Tishrei).

            

The Midrash Tanchuma says the special nature of the date in question includes three instructions (and assemblages) of the Mishkan, all done by Moshe, on the first day the Mishkan was ever erected.

            

Rabbenu Bachaye explains why the multiple attempts at putting together the Mishkan were necessary. What are the chances that all the materials assigned for the making of the Mishkan would be perfect, fit together perfectly, and not be missing anything? Very slim. It seems, after all, that the instructions had always been, "Make what you've been told to make – without bothering to see if anything fits together – and we'll work out the details somehow."

            

Perhaps Betzalel and company, the architects, did try to put everything together and were unsuccessful. This is why in 39:33 "They brought the Mishkan to Moshe." They tried and tried but putting it together eluded them.

            

The Medrash Tanchuma explains that God told Moshe to dabble with it and He would cause it to stand properly by itself. Moshe's taking it apart and putting it together three times was to show everyone how it could be done, that it could be done, and that it worked.

            

It is clear that the month of Nissan is a midrashically special time for the Israelite nation. But how does it spell out that the first of the month needs to be the date the Mishkan is erected, and that the notion of the 1^st of Nissan even needs to repeated in the same sentence to get the point across?

            

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch points to the idea of the New Moon (Rosh Chodesh) as being one which the Jewish people have accepted as a time of renewal. Just as the moon waxes and wanes and then renews itself at the beginning of the month, so do the Jews have ups and downs and the occasional need for renewals in human society, and in our own lives.

            

Since this message of the significance of Rosh Chodesh was first given to this nation in Egypt, in Nissan, at the moment of their original transformation from slaves to free people, it comes around again on the day of that first new moon.

           

"The new moon of the arising nation was also the new moon, of the dwelling of the Shechinah, the fulfillment of the promise 'V'Shachanti B'tocham' (I will dwell in them) (25:8) by which alone the national redemption reached its completion."

            

The repetition of the date, as it were, stands to distance this day, the most momentous among all firsts of Nissan, from any tinge of a pagan nature festival. Because as a result of this particular Rosh Chodesh (Nissan) causing Israel to reckon its first day of the month, it was chosen for the establishment of the Mishkan.

            

This notion is most understandable when we remember the Gemara (Rosh Hashana 11) that claims, "They were first redeemed in Nissan, and they will be redeemed in Nissan in the future."

            

A specific time of year may be better for the Jewish people in the cosmos, and the emphasis on Rosh Chodesh Nissan indicates it is one of those very special days.

            

As we bless the new month and read the origins of the first Rosh Chodesh, let us look forward to the Rosh Chodesh which is "coming our way for good," and do our best to appreciate its significance in the history and future of our people.