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Exodus 12:2 - Time begins with redemption.

Exodus 12:2 - שמות 12:2

Hebrew Text

הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים רִאשׁוֹן הוּא לָכֶם לְחָדְשֵׁי הַשָּׁנָה׃

English Translation

This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Transliteration

Hachodesh hazeh lakhem rosh chodashim rishon hu lakhem lechodshei hashanah.

Hebrew Leining Text

הַחֹ֧דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם רֹ֣אשׁ חֳדָשִׁ֑ים רִאשׁ֥וֹן הוּא֙ לָכֶ֔ם לְחׇדְשֵׁ֖י הַשָּׁנָֽה׃
הַחֹ֧דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם רֹ֣אשׁ חֳדָשִׁ֑ים רִאשׁ֥וֹן הוּא֙ לָכֶ֔ם לְחׇדְשֵׁ֖י הַשָּׁנָֽה׃

🎵 Listen to leining

Parasha Commentary

The Significance of the First Month

The verse "הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים" (This month shall be to you the beginning of months) marks the establishment of Nissan as the first month of the Jewish calendar. Rashi explains that this commandment was given to Moshe and Aharon in Egypt, signifying a new era for Bnei Yisrael as they prepared for the Exodus. The counting of months from Nissan emphasizes the centrality of Yetzias Mitzrayim (the Exodus) in Jewish consciousness, as it is the foundational event of our national identity.

The Torah's Calendar Revolution

Rambam (Hilchos Kiddush HaChodesh 1:1-2) elaborates that this mitzvah represents a departure from the natural solar calendar, instituting a lunar-based system sanctified by human witnesses and Beis Din. The Sforno adds that this shift underscores the Jewish people's transcendence of nature, as our months are determined by divine commandment rather than celestial cycles alone.

Nissan as the Head of Months

The Mechilta derives from "רִאשׁוֹן הוּא לָכֶם" (it shall be the first to you) that:

  • Nissan is first for counting months, though Tishrei remains the new year for other purposes (Rosh Hashanah 2a)
  • All subsequent months are numbered relative to Nissan (second month = Iyar, etc.)
  • This system memorializes the Exodus in our daily calendar consciousness

Spiritual Dimensions

The Ohr HaChaim highlights that "לָכֶם" (to you) indicates this calendar belongs specifically to the Jewish people. The Kli Yakar connects this to the renewal process - just as the moon renews itself monthly, so too must we constantly renew our spiritual commitment. The lunar cycle thus becomes a metaphor for Jewish history's pattern of exile and redemption.

Practical Halachic Implications

The Rambam (Hilchos Kiddush HaChodesh 5:1) rules that even after the fixed calendar was established, we still reference months by their Exodus-based numbering (e.g., "first month" for Nissan) to fulfill this eternal commandment. The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 4) counts this as one of the 613 mitzvos - to establish Nissan as ראש חדשים and count months accordingly.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is quoted in the Talmud.

📖 Rosh Hashanah 2b
The verse is discussed in the context of establishing the new moon and the beginning of months, particularly focusing on the commandment to sanctify the new moon.
📖 Megillah 5a
Referenced in a discussion about the significance of the month of Nisan as the first month and its implications for the calendar and festivals.
📖 Sanhedrin 42a
Mentioned in a broader discussion about the authority of the Sanhedrin in declaring the new month and the biblical basis for such authority.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does 'This month shall be to you the beginning of months' mean?
A: This verse (Exodus 12:2) establishes the month of Nissan as the first month of the Jewish calendar. According to Rashi, this was the first commandment given to the Jewish people as a nation, marking their transition to a new spiritual beginning. It emphasizes the importance of time and cycles in Jewish life.
Q: Why is Nissan called the first month if Rosh Hashanah is in Tishrei?
A: Nissan is called the 'first month' because it commemorates the Exodus from Egypt, the birth of the Jewish nation (Ramban on Exodus 12:2). Tishrei, the month of Rosh Hashanah, is considered the new year for counting years and the anniversary of Creation. The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 7a) explains there are actually four different 'new years' in the Jewish calendar for different purposes.
Q: What practical lesson can we learn from this verse today?
A: This verse teaches us that redemption and new beginnings are central to Jewish identity. Just as Nissan marks our national rebirth, every individual can experience personal renewal. The Sfat Emet explains that each month (Rosh Chodesh) carries this potential for spiritual rejuvenation, following the model established in this verse.
Q: How does this verse connect to Passover?
A: This commandment was given just before the Exodus (Rashi on Exodus 12:2), establishing that the month of Nissan - when Passover occurs - would always be the first month. The Midrash (Mechilta) explains that just as the moon renews itself each month, the Jewish people were renewed through their redemption from Egypt, forever linking the lunar calendar with our national history.
Q: Why does the Torah emphasize 'to you' in this verse?
A: The repetition of 'to you' (לָכֶם) teaches that this calendar is uniquely significant for the Jewish people. Ramban explains that while other nations might follow solar calendars, our lunar calendar reflects Jewish destiny - just as the moon waxes and wanes but always returns, so too the Jewish people experience cycles but ultimately endure and shine brightly.