“The blossoms have appeared in the land, the time of the nightingale has arrived, and the sound of the turtledove is heard in our land” (Song of Songs 2:12). “The blossoms [hanitzanim] have appeared in the land,” the administrators [hanatzoḥot] have appeared in the land; these are Moses and Aaron, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying” (Exodus 12:1).110This is the month of redemption and they would be the leaders who facilitate that redemption.
“The time of the nightingale [hazamir] has arrived,” the time for Israel to be redeemed has arrived, the time for the foreskin to be cut off [shetizamer] has arrived, the time for Egypt to be cut off has arrived, the time for their idol worship to be uprooted has arrived, as it is stated: “And I will administer punishments against all the gods of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12). The time for the sea to have its water split has arrived, as it is stated: “The water split” (Exodus 14:21).
The time for song has arrived, as it is stated: “Then Moses…sang” (Exodus 15:1). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: The time to compose paeans to the Holy One blessed be He has arrived, as it is stated: “The Lord is my strength and my song [vezimrat ya]” (Exodus 15:2); paeans to the Lord [zemirot ya]. Rabbi Beivai said: “Your statutes were paeans to me” (Psalms 119:54). ”The sound of the turtledove [hator] is heard in our land,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The voice of a good explorer [tayar] was heard in our land; this is Moses, at the time that he said: “Moses said: So said the Lord: At about midnight” (Exodus 11:4).