This Shabbas we will be ushering in the month of Nissan with the special segment that is read from Parshas Bo beginning with the words החדש הזה לכם.
The Gemara in Maseches Shabbas 147 relates a story about the great Rav Elazar ben Arach, who traveled to some special resort area, and after indulging in all the different hot springs and baths, he forgot his Torah. In fact, when he came back and was called up to the Torah they were reading the above pasuk (maybe it was Parshas Hachodesh) and instead of reading the words החדש הזה לכם, he read them החרש היה לבם, which implies that his heart became dumb and numb from too much self-indulgence.
[As an aside, there is a fascinating explanation from Rav Shimshon from Ostropoli z”l regarding the letters that Rav Elazar got mixed up. The angel that is in charge of forgetting is called תריב and the angel that is in charge of remembering is called זד״ך meaning the angel of forgetting replaced the angel of remembering, and hence these letters got switched.]
This story about R. Elazar ben Arach needs explanation. What is message that Chazal are teaching us in this story? And how did these words about the month of Nissan reflect Rav Elazar’s forgetfulness of the Torah?
To explain, I would like to share what Rav Ovadya Yosef z”l writes regarding this month. Rav Ovadya discusses why we don’t recite tachanun the entire month of Nissan. The Mishna Berura discusses this too, except regarding the last days of Nissan, the reason for not saying tachanun is different in these two sources. Both explain that the first days of Nissan were days when the princes of the Tribes in the desert, starting with Nachshon ben Aminadav, brought an inauguration korban and therefore they became days of Yom Tov. The 14th of Nissan is Erev Pesach which is also considered Yom Tov. And then you have the seven days of Pesach. Regarding after Pesach, the Mishna Berura says since the majority of the month is Yom Tov, so the whole month is Yom Tov. Chacham Ovadya writes that the third Bais Hamikdash will be built in the month of Nissan, and the last days of the month will be celebrated and become a Yom Tov.
I would like to suggest a simple idea. A Jew’s purpose in the world is to reach closeness with Hashem and “graduate” from this world to merit the enteral pleasure in the world to come. Using the physical world as a conduit for spiritually will elevate a person and facilitate this goal. However, if the person loses focus and lies to himself that he is doing things for Hashem, but in reality he is motivated by self-indulgence. then his actions will have the opposite effect. The month of Nissan is the prime example of this principle; it’s a month filled with days that look like they are focused on physicality, but in truth, the month is permeated with spirituality.
May we be zoche to seeing Mashiach bimhera biyameinu.
by Rabbi Daniel Coren
