Our story today comes from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. Specifically, we're diving into section 15, which grapples with the meaning of the verse, "This month shall be for you the first of months" (Exodus 12:2). What's so special about this month – the month of Nissan, when Passover occurs – that it gets to be the head honcho of all months?
The midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), or interpretive story, answers with a truly epic creation myth. Imagine God trying to build the world, but every time He lays the foundation, the waters rise up and destroy it. What’s a Creator to do? It's like a cosmic game of whack-a-mole, but with oceans.
The text paints a vivid picture: "The Omnipresent initially sought to establish the world, but was unsuccessful until the patriarchs arose." It’s analogous to a king trying to build a city, as the midrash says. He searches for a place, lays the foundation, but water keeps rising from the depths. He tries again and again, but the water overturns everything.
Why this watery resistance? The midrash tells us that the wickedness of early generations prevented the world from taking root. Think about the generation of Enosh. (Genesis 4:26) tells us, "Then invoking the name of the Lord began," but Bereshit Rabbah sees this not as a positive development, but as the beginning of human disrespect for the Divine. As a result, water rose and inundated them, as (Job 9:9) describes: "Who made Ash, Kesil and Kima…" These are constellations, sometimes linked to legends about God flooding the earth.
Then there's the generation of the Flood, who said to God, "Leave us" (Job 22:17). And what happened? "Their foundation poured like a river" (Job 22:16), and "all the fountains of the great depths were breached" (Genesis 7:11). Sound familiar?
So, what changed? Enter the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. According to this midrash, their righteousness finally provided a solid foundation. God says, "Upon these I will establish the world," as it is stated in I (Samuel 2:8): "For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He set the world upon them." It was their merit that allowed creation to finally take hold. That's why (Numbers 23:9) says, "For from the top of the rocks I see him" - these rocks are the patriarchs.
But the midrash doesn't stop there. It goes on to interpret the phrase "Behold, a people that will dwell alone" (Numbers 23:9). The Hebrew word for "behold" is hen (הן). The text cleverly analyzes the numerical values of the Hebrew letters. Each letter of the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical value. Alef is 1, Bet is 2, and so on. The midrash points out that, with a bit of rearranging, almost all the letters in the Hebrew alphabet can be paired up to make the number 10 – except for heh and nun, the letters that make up the word hen.
"Just as these letters cannot be paired with other letters, but are by themselves, so too, Israel cannot cleave to all the ancient worshippers of stars and constellations; rather, they are by themselves." Even when faced with persecution and decrees against their most sacred practices, they remain distinct. They are killed rather than assimilate. This steadfastness, this refusal to compromise their identity, is what makes them special.
And what about those who seek to harm them? "I will kill him," God declares, as it is stated: "Behold, a people that will rise like a lion" (Numbers 23:24). The midrash then provides examples of enemies like Amalek and Sisera, who were ultimately defeated.
This brings us back to the original question: Why is this month the first of months? Because during this month, God performed miracles for the Israelites, protecting them as they remained separate from the Egyptians. As (Exodus 12:22-23) says, "And you shall not emerge [each from the entrance of his house until morning]... the Lord will pass to smite Egypt."
So, what can we take away from this? It's a powerful reminder that true foundations are built not on shifting sands, but on the solid ground of principle and unwavering faith. Even when the world seems determined to wash us away, it is our commitment to our values that allows us to stand firm. And maybe, just maybe, even help build a more stable world for generations to come.
Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you [the first [rosh] of months]” – what is written in this passage: “You shall take a bunch of hyssop…the Lord will pass to smite Egypt” (Exodus 12:22–23)? That is what is written: “For from the top [rosh] of the rocks I see him” (Numbers 23:9) – these are the patriarchs, as it is stated: “Hear, O heights, the Lord’s grievance” (Micah 6:2). We find that the Omnipresent initially sought to establish the world, but was unsuccessful until the patriarchs arose. This is analogous to a king who was seeking to build a city. He issued a decree, and they searched for a place to build the city. He came to lay the foundation, and water was rising from the depths and did not allow him to lay the foundation. He sought to lay the foundation again in a different place, and the water would overturn it. [He kept looking] until he came to a certain place and found there an enormous rock. He said: Here, I will establish the city, upon these rocks. So was the world originally only water mixed with water. God sought to establish worlds, but the [presence of the] wicked did not allow it. What is written regarding the generation of Enosh? “Then invoking the name of the Lord began” (Genesis 4:26).24This is an unconventional reading of the verse. The verse is usually understood as a positive assertion of the beginning of religious life. The midrash, following Bereshit Rabba 23:7, reads it as negative, as the beginning of human disrespect for the Divine. Water rose and inundated them, as it is stated: “Who made Ash, Kesil and Kima…” (Job 9:9).25These are usually identified as the constellations Ursa Major, Orion, and the Pleiades. This is perhaps based on the legend that God caused the Flood by removing two stars from the constellation of Pleiades and stopped the rain by taking two stars from Ursa to replace them (Berakhot 59a). Alternatively, the text should be emended to say just Kima and Kesil, and the reference is to Amos 5:8 where the verse refers to flooding: “He made Kima and Kesil…calls the waters of the sea and pours them upon the face of the earth; the Lord is His name.” Likewise, the generation of the Flood was wicked; what is written about them? “Who say to God: Leave us” (Job 22:17). The water rose and did not enable them to lay a foundation upon it, as it is stated: “Their foundation poured like a river” (Job 22:16). And it is written: “On that day, all the fountains of the great depths were breached” (Genesis 7:11). When the patriarchs came and exhibited merit, the Holy One blessed be He said: Upon these I will establish the world, as it is stated: “For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He set the world upon them” (I Samuel 2:8). That is why it is written: “For from the top of the rocks I see him.” “Behold [hen], a people that will dwell alone” (Numbers 23:9) – what is hen [heh nun]? All the letters can be paired other than these two. How so? Alef tet are ten; bet ḥet are ten; gimmel zayin are ten; dalet vav are ten; heh remains by itself.26Each letter has a numerical value, in order: alef = 1, bet = 2, etc. From yod, they are multiples of ten: yod = 10, kaf = 20, etc. The last four letters of the alphabet are multiples of one hundred: kof = 100, resh = 200, etc. Likewise, the letter nun does not have a pairing; yod tzadi are one hundred; kaf peh are one hundred; lamed ayin are one hundred; mem samekh are one hundred; nun remains by itself. The Holy One blessed be He said: Just as these letters cannot be paired with other letters, but are by themselves, so too, Israel cannot cleave to all the ancient worshippers of stars and constellations; rather, they are by themselves. Even when an enemy decrees against them to desecrate Shabbat, to abolish circumcision, or to worship idols, they are killed and do not assimilate among them, as it is stated: “Behold, a people that will dwell alone and will not be reckoned among the nations” (Numbers 23:9). And what do I do to every foe or enemy that will makes a decree against them? I will kill him, as it is stated: “Behold, a people that will rise like a lion” (Numbers 23:24). From here you learn: You find that Amalek came upon them and they killed them, as it is stated: “Joshua weakened Amalek and his people by sword” (Exodus 17:13). Sisera came and they killed him, as it is stated: “The Lord confounded Sisera” (Judges 4:15), and likewise all their enemies. Likewise, when Israel emerged from Egypt, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: “And you shall not emerge [each from the entrance of his house until morning]” (Exodus 12:22). They were in their houses, and He was killing their enemies, as it is stated: “And the Lord will pass to smite Egypt” (Exodus 12:23) – that is what is written: “Behold, a people that will rise like a lion.” That is why the Holy One blessed be He said: Since I performed miracles for you during this month, you too shall render it the first month, as it is stated: “This month shall be for you the first of months.”
