This Month: The Sforno on Freedom

שמות יב ,ב: הַחֹדֶש הַזֶה לָכֶם רֹאש חֳדָשִים רִ אשוֹן הוּא לָכֶם לְחָדְשֵי הַשָנָה

The Sforno translates that henceforth the months (of the year) shall be yours, to with them as you will. During the servitude in Egypt your days did not belong to you but to others for whom you worked.

The Sforno notes that the verse contains the word לכם (for you) twice. Freedom means that the “month” is to you, so you can utilize it how you wish. This represents the first month of a new era for the Jewish nation which is categorized as “to you.”