Israel as the Beloved in the Month of Redemption

Thus did Rabbi Tanchuma expound: "And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 'This month shall be for you the beginning of months'" (Exodus 12:1-2). This is what Scripture says: "My beloved answered and said to me, 'Arise, my darling, my fair one, and come away. For behold, the winter is past'" (Song of Songs 2:10-11); "the blossoms have appeared in the land" (Song of Songs 2:12). "My beloved answered" — by the hand of Moses; "and said to me" — by the hand of Aaron. "Arise, my darling (ra'yati)" — daughter of Abraham, who befriended (ri'ah) Me in My world. "My fair one (yafati)" — daughter of Isaac, who beautified (yipah) Me in My world at the hour when his father bound him upon the altar. "And come away" — daughter of Jacob, who heeded his father and his mother [and went to Paddan-Aram] (Genesis 28:5). Rabbi Akiva says: "Arise" [and] "come away" are written [with the letter] yod, [whose numerical value is] ten — [in the merit of] the Ten Commandments that you are destined to receive at Sinai. "Arise, my darling, my fair one." Rabbi Yochanan said: "my darling (ra'yati)" — as it is written, "the one lamb you shall offer in the morning" (Exodus 29:39).