"Nisan" the month of Redemption
In Nisan we were redeemed and in Nisan we will be redeemed!
(Rabbi Yeoshúa, T. Rosh Hashana)
We have reached the new month of Nisan, also called "The Month of Miracles ", Month of Redemption and Liberation, but why is this month so special and important?
Almost everyone knows that in this month, on the fourteenth day we celebrate the Passover holiday also known as "Chag HaMatzot" But not everyone knows the meaning of its month name, and they also do not know that it has other names, let's see: < / p>
It is also known as: "Chodesh HaRishon" the first month, "Chodesh HaAviv" the month of spring, however, it literally connotes a stage in the ripening of wheat, therefore Chodesh HaAviv can also be translated as "the month of unripe wheat" and is also known as "Nisan".
In the Torah it is referred to as "the first month" because since the departure from Egypt it has always been counted as the first of all the months of the year. It is also called "the month of Aviv" (of spring), since at that time the flora and vegetation sprout and are renewed, life and abundance are given to the world.
The name Nisan, although it is of Babylonian origin and was the one that the Jews continued to use upon their return from exile in Babel, also hints at the concept of spring, as it is similar to the Hebrew word "Nitzan" (cocoon) as It is mentioned in the verse: "The cocoons have appeared on the Earth" (Song of Songs 2, 12)
Later sages interpreted the word Aviv as an acronym for: "Ab" which means father or head, and the last two letters Yod and Bet that have a numerical value of 12 correspond to the 12 months, that is, Nisan is the head of all 12 months of the year.
The symbol of the stars that corresponds to this month is the lamb (Aries), in memory of the lamb that each family had to bring for the Pesach offering, as ordered by the Torah in Exodus 12, 3 however, Even before Israel was ordered to bring a lamb for sacrifice in the month of Nisan, the nations of the world and the Egyptians in particular already represented the great strength of this month through the symbol of the lamb, according to the arrangement of the constellations. celestial this month.
The Hebrew word "Astaroth" that connotes the multiplication of sheep farming and the increase of the flock, is similar to the word "ósher" (wealth) because it brings great profit and benefit to its owner. Likewise, the month of Nisan symbolizes the sources of blessings, riches and abundance for the whole year.
For this reason, the Egyptians whose hearts only ran after wealth and power, transformed the ram, (which in this month was multiplied greatly) into an idol that they worshiped. However, the children of Israel whose main concern is to serve the Creator, were ordered to take this deity from the Egyptians their masters and slaughter him in this same month, at the climax of his ascendancy, offering it as a sacrifice to the Creator. For the true wealth and strength is only that granted by the Creator and no one else.
For both Egyptians and Israel, the astrological symbol for this month is the ram. However, Israel regards it as a symbol of submission to the Creator, while the Egyptians value and venerate it as an idol.
They were referred to by the wise men in their explanation of the verse:
"Set aside and take lambs for yourselves according to your families and sacrifice the Passover offering" (Exodus 12, 21) This should be interpreted as follows: "Separated From the idolatrous practices of the Egyptians, take a lamb and thus sacrifice to its god, making it a Pesach offering (Shemot Raba 16).
(Excerpts from Sefer Hatoda)
The Garden of Breslev.