Parashat Bo

In this weeks Torah portion, we read about the final 3 of the 10 plagues, the laws of Passover, and the commandments to wear Teffilin, consecrate the first-born animal and redeem one's first born son (Pidyon-HA’Ben).

There are so many interesting issues in this parasha, it was hard for me to decide which one to talk about. What I decided, was to talk about the Jewish calendar.

Rosh Ha’Shana, is the Jewish New year, it occurs in the month of Tishrei. However, in this parasha, it says “This month shall be to you the head of the months; to you it shall be the first of the months of the year” [Exodus 12:2]. This exchange takes place during the Exodus, which happens in the month of Nissan.

So which is the first month, Tishrei or Nissan?

Rosh Ha’Shana marks the creation of the humanity, so Tishrei was made the first month. Often people accept G-d as a creator who then sat back and let nature take it course. But the exodus, with all its open miracles, teaches us that G-d’s role as director of history is even greater than his role as creator. And that’s why at the Exodus, the order of the months were changed to mar this new relationship between G-d and man.

This notion helps explain another question. If Shabbat commemorates the six days of creation, why is it only the Jews who are commanded to observe it? The answer is found in the text of the Friday night Kiddish, where we declare that Shabbat is to remember creation and the exodus fro Egypt. Because, while G-d created the entire world, it was through the Jewish exodus that mankind came to appreciate G-d as the guiding hand of history.

Shabbat Shalom.