This upcoming week we will be celebrating Rosh Chodesh Nissan. While for most of us this means raising the intensity level on our Pesach preparations, there is something else important for all of us to bear in mind.
The Gemara in Rosh Hashana (10b) discusses a dispute between Rebbi Eliezer and Rebbi Yehoshua regarding when the world was created. Rebbi Eliezer states that the world was created in the month of Tishrei (which means that man was first created in Tishrei); Rebbi Yehoshua states the world was created in Nissan (meaning that man was created in Nissan). Tosafos concludes that both opinions are correct. Tosafos explains that while Hashem decided to create the world in Tishrei, He brought the world into fruition in Nissan. Even though the world was only thought about in the month of Tishrei, and actually created in the month of Nissan, it seems to be clear in the Gemara that the time for judging mankind, which is done on the anniversary of creation, is the first day of Tishrei. The Ariz”l, though, reveals that there is also a day of judgement on the first day of Nissan because it is also the anniversary of the creation of the world. What is there to judge if the world has already been judged on the first of Tishrei?
To answer this question, Rav Chanoch Karlenstein quotes the Mishna in Rosh Hashana which states that the first of Nissan is the Rosh Hashana for kings. While the Gemara tells us that this refers to determining the anniversary of the king’s reign, and, therefore, the date on which to change the year on documents, Rabbi Karlenstein explains another idea that can be seen from this Mishna. He explains that often the Jewish people are referred to as kings. This concept of the kingship of the Jewish people has Halachik ramifications. The Mishna in Berachos discusses the time parameters for saying Shema every morning. In the Mishna, everyone agrees it is when people wake up in the morning, and, therefore, the first opinion is that one must finish saying the Shema by sunrise when people are usually all awake. Rebbi Yehoshua, though, is of the opinion that one has until the third hour of the day to say Shema because kings awaken at that time. At first glance, one might ask what this has to do with us as we are not kings, just simple people, and, therefore, people in our class normally awaken by sunrise. Why does it matter when kings awaken? Rabbi Karlenstein explains that Rebbi Yehoshua is telling us that each of us is considered to be a king and, because of this, we can say Shema until the time when kings usually awaken.
He explains that there is a special judgement for the Jewish people on the first day of Nissan not just because we are kings, but even more so when we are doing our job as kings. The Pasuk refers to Shlomo as the king over his walking stick. What kind of king is only the ruler over his walking stick? The answer is that the Pasuk is telling us that Shlomo was the king over himself- meaning he had complete control of his emotions and desires. Rabbi Karlenstein explains this is the judgement that takes place on the first day of Nissan: a special judgement on the Jewish people assessing each one of us to determine whether our desires are in control of us or if we are in control of our desires.
May we each merit to pass this judgement to strengthen ourselves to be in control of our desires, and with this we will be able to truly say that we are בני חורין, free people, at our seder on Pesach night.
