By the Grace of G-d
Rosh Chodesh Nissan, 5737
Brooklyn, N. Y.
To the Sons and Daughters of Our People Israel, Everywhere,
G-d bless you all!
Greeting and Blessing:
Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the first day of the Month of Geulo (Liberation), which invariably coincides with the same day of the week on which occurs the first day of Pesach, the Festival of Our Liberation, two weeks later, is the day when the Jews in Egypt were informed of the imminent departure and liberation from Egypt (on the 15th of the same month), and thereupon received the Mitzvos of Korban Pesach (the Passover sacrifice), Matza and Moror, and all other directives and details pertaining to the Geulo from Egypt.
Torah designated the day of Rosh Chodesh Nissan as "Rosh Hashanah for Kings and Festivals." This designation suggests also a connection with the fact that in this month the Jews were reborn as a nation and were ordained and promised by G-d to be a "Kingdom of Kohanim and a holy nation" — royalty and holiness linked together: that every Jew be both a "kohen" and a "royal servant" in the service of the Supreme King, by carrying out His commandments, (and "a royal servant is also royalty"), and infusing holiness into a secular world — which is also a point of our Festivals.
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The Prophet Yechezkel (Ezekiel) compares the liberation of the Jewish people from Egypt to the birth of a child, in that the bodily and spiritual liberation from Egypt, and their development thereafter, parallels the birth of a child, whereupon immediately begins its physical and spiritual development, which lays the foundation for its entire life.
The birth of the Jewish nation was accompanied by extraordinary difficulties, inasmuch as Egypt was at that time the mightiest and most advanced country in terms of power, science, etc., yet, with it also the most depraved in terms of morality and religion. In its moral conduct and attitude to mankind, Egypt of those days was on the lowest scale of depravity, as its religion was of the lowest form of idolatry.
After centuries of physical and spiritual enslavement in Egypt, the Jews had to undergo a complete transformation — and in quite a short period of time — and to move to the other extreme (l'havdil), in order to be ready and worthy to receive the Torah at Sinai and attain the highest level both in the realm of religion — the true belief in One G-d (pure Monotheism) — as well as in relation to man, as expressed in the Ten Commandments, beginning with ”I am the L-rd your G-d,” etc., and down to "You shall not covet.. anything that is your neighbor’s” — and all this to be implemented in the actual everyday life and conduct.
Yet, despite the extraordinary difficulties, the Jewish people succeeded to make the radical transition from abject slavery to sublime freedom. This they achieved by virtue of the fact that, while still in Egypt, prior to their departure, they took a stance of ”an upraised arm” in their resolute determination to carry out all the Divine imperatives pertaining to the Korban Pesach, which called for public renunciation — at grave peril to their lives — of the idolatry of Egypt, as our Sages of blessed memory explain the words, ”(With)draw (—’from idolatry’—) and take unto yourselves lambs” for the Korban Pesach to G-d, which they did, after renewing their Eternal Covenant with G-d through Bris-Milah (circumcision), sealed in the flesh, thus sanctifying also the body to the service of G-d.
In other words: The birth of the Jewish nation was coupled with the highest degree of liberation and independence — while still in Egypt — both spiritually and physically.
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One of the basic teachings and instructions that follow from the above is this:
What is true of the birth of the Jewish nation as a whole is also true of the birth of every Jewish child.
Jewish parents should realize that the upbringing of a Jewish child begins from the moment the child is born and opens its eyes. They must immediately begin preparing the child to be a rightful member of the “Kingdom of Kohanim and holy nation.” Notwithstanding the fact that life in this world is replete with difficulties — though many of them are only imaginary — it is certain that when parents take the stance of “an upraised arm” in providing a Torah-true education for their children, they are bound to succeed, just as our ancestors in Egypt succeeded; all the more so since the road has already been paved.
Moreover: It is stated, “Each and every day a Jew should see himself as if he was liberated from Egypt.” Every Jew, man or woman, including parents and adults in general, must devote themselves also to their own education in Torah and Mitzvos, in accordance with the principle that ”all things of Holiness should be on the ascendancy” — and here, too, there is the assurance, ”Make the effort, and you will succeed.”
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May G-d grant that every Jew, man or woman, in the midst of all our people Israel, should exert himself (or herself) in all above, in a manner of "an upraised arm," and this should bring closer and sooner the fulfillment of the promise, "Exalted will be the glory of the righteous (Tzaddik)," which refers to all Jews, of whom it is written, "And Your people are all Tzaddikim."
And also the fulfillment of the promise, "As in the days of your going out of Egypt, I will show you wonders" — with the true and complete Geulo through our righteous Moshiach.
With esteem and blessing for Hatzlocho in all above, And with blessing for a Kosher and joyous Pesach,
/Signed: Menachem Schneerson/
