28 Adar 5772The Book of Our Heritage by Eliyahu Kitov:
...Because of [Nisan's] significance, our obligation to sanctify it is greater than it is for other months. Hence, we announce its commencement through special readings from the Torah and haftarah in the synagogue on Shabbos when people are gathered there.
The additional Torah reading, by reminding the people that Nisan is about to begin, also served in ancient times to remind them of the approach of Pesach and of the necessity to prepare themeslves for the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The requirement to ascend to Jerusalem on Pesach was more stringent than the similar requirement on the other Festivals, for the obligation to offer the Pesach sacrifice was fulfilled during this pilgrimage. The individual offerings brought on the other Festivals could be brought at any time within the week of the Festival, but the Pesach sacrifice could only be brought on the fourteenth of Nisan.
The esteem shown for the Beis Ha-Mikdash was greater during the Festival of Pesach than at any other time of the year, for the majority of the people---both great men and ordinary citizens---would enter its gates with song and praise. Hence, during the Festival, the people and leaders were taught their responsibilities toward each other, and toward the Beis Ha-Mikdash, with its holy objects, its services, and its sacrifices. These concepts form the subject of the haftarah portion from the book of Yechezkel which is read on this Shabbos.
The elevation after the descent starts at Rosh Chodesh. Am Yisrael is compared to the moon which constantly renews itself. And it's on Rosh Chodesh that the moon begins its renewal. Each Rosh Chodesh is a new start, but Rosh Chodesh Nisan is the beginning of a whole new reality. "This will be the beginning of months for you."
Please prepare now to observe tommorrow, 29 Adar 5772, as Yom Kippur Katan. Imagine youselves, wherever you may be, as preparing to leave Mitzrayim. Imagine yourselves, wherever you may be, as preparing to be olei regel to Holy Yerushalayim and to appear before Hashem's tangible Presence at the Beit HaMikdash.
According to Rabbi Sitorsky, we only need a week to be able to prepare to bring Korban Pesach. May we all see the beginning of the Final Redemption this Rosh Chodesh Nissan 5772 and may we all merit together to bring Korban Pesach this Pesach!! Amen! Ken, yehi ratzon!!
Amen, Amen!!!
ReplyDeleteMOSHIACH NOW! In Parshas Vayikra that we will be reading on this Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Nisson, we see that the word HaMoshiach is mentioned three times in Leviticus Chapter 4 (which is about the Sin Offering). Shortly after this in the same chapter, there is a word B'Asota ("by performing") - verse 27, which when spelled backwards, spells this Hebrew year 5772 - the ONLY such occurance of these letters spelled consecutively - forwards or backwards - in the entire Tanach! Stay tuned for this and much more in my upcoming post (#138) on www.gematriot.blogspot.com (though I won't mind if Moshiach comes first!)
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