Bnei Yisrael as masters over time

במד' החודש הזה לכם קול דודי הנה זה בא כו'.

In the Midrash on "This month shall be for you (the head of months)" (Shemos 12:2): "The voice of my Beloved, behold, it comes" (Shir HaShirim 2:8), etc.

The Midrash links the first mitzvah of the month to the verse describing the Beloved (Hashem) coming swiftly to redeem — connecting Nissan with the voice of redemption.

כי הוא מצוה ראשונה לישראל וזו הפרשה היתה מפתח של הגאולה וגאולתן של ישראל תליא בתורה ומצותי'.

For it is the first mitzvah given to Yisrael, and this passage was the key to the geulah (redemption), and the redemption of Yisrael depends upon the Torah and its mitzvos.

The mitzvah of sanctifying the new moon, the first commandment to Bnei Yisrael, opened the door to redemption — for the geulah itself hinges on Torah and mitzvos.

ולכן בהתגלות קול התורה נתקו כל המוסרות וכל השעבודים שהי' להם כמ"ש מדלג כו' מקפץ על הגבעות זה עומד אחר כתלנו קאי נמי על הקול.

Therefore, when the voice of the Torah was revealed, all the bonds and all the enslavements they had were torn away, as it is written: "skipping... leaping over the hills" (Shir HaShirim 2:8); "this one stands behind our wall" (Shir HaShirim 2:9) — which also refers to the voice.

The revealed "voice" of Torah snapped every chain of servitude. The verses of the Beloved leaping over mountains and standing behind the wall describe this penetrating voice that no barrier can hold back.

שהתורה יש בה תמיד התחדשות ואפילו מחיצה של ברזל אינה מפסקת.

For the Torah always contains renewal, and even a partition of iron does not interrupt it.

The Torah is perpetually renewing itself, and its power of hischadshus (renewal) breaks through any barrier — even an iron wall cannot block it.

והתורה היתה מוכנת מעולם בעבורינו.

And the Torah was prepared from the very beginning of the world for our sake.

From before creation, the Torah was readied and destined for Bnei Yisrael.

רק שהי' צריך מקודם להיות תיקון כל המעשים עפ"י הטבע כמ"ש במ"א וזה עומד אחר כתלנו

It is only that first there had to be a rectification of all deeds according to nature, as written elsewhere — and this is "standing behind our wall."

The geulah and Torah were always ready, waiting "behind the wall," but their revelation had to await the proper rectification of the natural order below.

וכן בכל גלות שבנ"י נכנסין בתוכה מ"מ התורה והגאולה מוכנת להם.

And so too in every galus (exile) that Bnei Yisrael enter, nevertheless the Torah and the geulah remain prepared for them.

In every exile, the redemption is already poised and waiting — Torah and geulah stand ready just behind the wall, however thick the concealment.

ובמדרש משבחר הקב"ה בעולם קבע בו ר"ח ושנים ומשבחר בישראל קבע להם ר"ח של גאולה.

And in the Midrash: from when HaKadosh Baruch Hu chose the world, He established within it new moons and years; and from when He chose Yisrael, He fixed for them the new moon of redemption.

Hashem set the natural cycles of months and years into the world at large, but for Bnei Yisrael He designated a special "new moon" — Nissan, the month of geulah.

פי' דהקב"ה מחדש בטובו מעשה בראשית.

This means that HaKadosh Baruch Hu, in His goodness, renews the work of Creation (continually).

Hashem constantly renews creation, infusing fresh divine vitality into the world at every moment.

ויש זמנים שמתגלה זאת ההתחדשות אבל בנ"י יכולין להשיג בעצמם זאת ההתחדשות.

And there are times when this renewal becomes revealed, but Bnei Yisrael are able to attain this renewal by their own power.

While certain set times naturally reveal Hashem's renewal of creation, Bnei Yisrael have the power to draw forth and grasp that renewal themselves, on their own initiative.

וזה החילוק בין ר"ה בתשרי שהוא ראש השנה לכל העולם.

And this is the difference between Rosh Hashanah in Tishrei, which is the new year for the entire world.

Tishrei's Rosh Hashanah belongs to all of creation — it reflects the renewal that comes to the world from Above.

וניסן הוא ראש השנה רק לישראל.

And Nissan is the new year only for Yisrael.

Nissan, by contrast, is uniquely Yisrael's — a new year that they themselves bring about.

והוא התחדשות שבא בכחן של בנ"י כדאיתא חדש והבא קרבן מתרומה חדשה.

And it is a renewal that comes through the power of Bnei Yisrael, as it is taught: "renew (the month) and bring an offering from the new terumah."

The renewal of Nissan flows from Bnei Yisrael's own avodah — they actively "renew" the time, as expressed in the call to bring offerings from the new harvest.

וכיון שמסר הקב"ה קידוש החודש וקביעות המועדות לבני ישראל ע"כ שבני ישראל המה למעלה מן הזמן ושליטים על הזמן.

And since HaKadosh Baruch Hu handed over the sanctification of the month and the fixing of the festivals to Bnei Yisrael, it must be that Bnei Yisrael are above time and rulers over time.

By entrusting the calendar to Bnei Yisrael — letting them sanctify the months and set the Yamim Tovim — Hashem revealed that they transcend time itself and hold mastery over it.

ובמדרש הן עם לבדד ישכון ובגוים לא יתחשב ע"ש בפ' בא.

And in the Midrash on "Behold, a people that dwells alone, and is not reckoned among the nations" (Bamidbar 23:9) — see there in Parshas Bo.

The Sefas Emes brings the verse describing Bnei Yisrael as set apart and "not reckoned" among the nations, which he will now interpret through wordplay.

דכתיב רבות עשית כו' נפלאותיך ומחשבותיך אלינו.

As it is written: "Many things You have done... Your wonders and Your thoughts are toward us" (Tehillim 40:6).

Hashem's wondrous deeds and His "thoughts" — the inner design of creation — are directed toward Bnei Yisrael.

ע"ש בפסיקתא דורש חשבונותיך אלינו החודש הזה לכם.

See there in the Pesikta, which expounds: "Your reckonings (cheshbonosecha) are toward us" — "This month shall be for you."

Reading "lo yischashav" as related to "cheshbon" (reckoning), the Midrash teaches that Hashem's very calculations — the calendar of months — were entrusted "to us," as in "this month shall be for you."

דכתיב מה רבו מעשיך כו' כולם בחכמה עשית.

As it is written: "How manifold are Your works... You have made them all with wisdom" (Tehillim 104:24).

All of Hashem's works are fashioned with chochmah — a hidden inner wisdom underlies the entire creation.

וזה חכמת התורה שהיא הפנימיות של כל המעשים נמסר לבנ"י.

And this is the wisdom of the Torah — which is the penimiyus (inner dimension) of all deeds — that was handed over to Bnei Yisrael.

The chochmah of Torah is the inner essence concealed within all of creation, and this innermost wisdom was given over to Bnei Yisrael.

והמחשבה והרצון שהוא הרוחניות של הבריאה מסר הקב"ה לנו.

And the thought and the will, which are the spirituality of creation, HaKadosh Baruch Hu handed over to us.

The "thought" and "will" of Hashem — the spiritual core of the universe — were entrusted to Bnei Yisrael, placing them above the merely physical order.

כמ"ש ובגוים לא יתחשב.

As it is written: "and is not reckoned among the nations."

Because Bnei Yisrael belong to the realm of Hashem's inner "reckoning" and thought, they are not bound to the external, natural reckoning of the nations.

וע"ז כתיב מה רב טובך אשר צפנת ליראיך:

And concerning this it is written: "How great is Your goodness, which You have hidden away for those who fear You" (Tehillim 31:20).

This hidden inner wisdom and goodness — the penimiyus of creation — is the treasure Hashem has stored up specifically for those who possess yiras Shomayim.

Summary: The mitzvah of sanctifying the new moon, Yisrael's first commandment, was the key to redemption, since geulah depends on Torah — whose ever-renewing voice breaks through every barrier and stands ready behind the wall in every exile. By entrusting the calendar to Bnei Yisrael, Hashem revealed that they transcend and rule over time: Tishrei's renewal belongs to the whole world, but Nissan's comes through their own power. To Bnei Yisrael was given the inner wisdom of Torah — the penimiyus, thought, and will at the heart of creation — the hidden goodness that Hashem treasures up for those who fear Him.