שמות רבה ט״וShemot Rabbah 15

Section 1א׳

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ב, ח): קוֹל דּוֹדִי הִנֵּה זֶה בָּא [וכל הענין בפרשיות עד עמכם], שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ב, י): עָנָה דוֹדִי וְאָמַר לִי, מָה אַתְּ עוֹשָׂה כָּאן בִּמְקוֹם טְמֵאִים (יחזקאל כג, כ): אֲשֶׁר בְּשַׂר חֲמוֹרִים בְּשָׂרָם וְזִרְמַת סוּסִים זִרְמָתָם. (שיר השירים ב, י): קוּמִי לָךְ רַעֲיָתִי יָפָתִי וּלְכִי לָךְ, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה אָמַרְתָּ לָנוּ לְהִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד וַעֲדַיִן לֹא שָׁלְמוּ, אָמַר לֵיהּ כְּבָר שָׁלְמוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ב, יא): כִּי הִנֵּה הַסְּתָיו עָבָר, מִיָּד גִּלּוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים אֶת רָאשֵׁיהֶם שֶׁהָיָה מְכֻסֶּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ב, יב): הַנִּצָּנִים נִרְאוּ בָאָרֶץ, אֵלּוּ הֵן שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל לֵוִי שֶׁהָיוּ צַדִּיקִים כֻּלָּן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, הַנִּצָּנִים, אֵלּוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים. (דברי הימים א ו, לה): בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ פִּינְחָס בְּנוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, הַנִּצָּנִים, אֵלּוּ הַמְּלָכִים דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה רְחַבְעָם אָסָא אֲבִיָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלּוּ הַלְוִיִּם (דברי הימים א טז, ה): אָסָף הָרֹאשׁ וּמִשְׁנֵהוּ זְכַרְיָה. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּךְ, אָמַר (שיר השירים ב, יב): עֵת הַזָּמִיר הִגִּיעַ, הִגִּיעַ זְמַן שֶׁל לְוִיִם לוֹמַר לְפָנַי שִׁירִים וּמִזְמוֹרִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, עֵת הַזָּמִיר הִגִּיעַ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאָמְרוּ אֶת הַשִּׁירָה, אָמַר (שיר השירים ב, יב): וְקוֹל הַתּוֹר נִשְׁמַע בְּאַרְצֵנוּ, שֶׁשָּׁמַע קוֹלָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְכוּת אַבְרָהָם שֶׁהִקְרִיב תּוֹר וְגוֹזָל, מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו (שיר השירים ב, יג): הַתְּאֵנָה חָנְטָה פַגֶיהָ, אֵלּוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים וְהַיְשָׁרִים. (שיר השירים ב, יג): וְהַגְּפָנִים סְמָדָר נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ, אֵלּוּ הַבֵּינוֹנִים שֶׁעָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה. מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ (שיר השירים ב, יג): קוּמִי לָךְ רַעְיָתִי יָפָתִי וּלְכִי לָךְ, כְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵין לָכֶם חֹדֶשׁ אַחֵר גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה, לְפִיכָךְ נִקְרָא רִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רִאשׁוֹן הוּא לָכֶם, כִּבְיָכוֹל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁנִּקְרָא רִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מד, ו): אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן. וְצִיּוֹן נִקְרָא רִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה יז, יב): כִּסֵּא כָבוֹד מָרוֹם מֵרִאשׁוֹן מְקוֹם מִקְדָשֵׁנוּ. וְעֵשָׂו נִקְרָא רִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כה, כה): וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן וגו'. וּמָשִׁיחַ נִקְרָא רִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מא, כז): רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן הִנֵּה הִנָּם. יָבוֹא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁנִּקְרָא רִאשׁוֹן, וְיִבְנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁנִּקְרָא רִאשׁוֹן, וְיִפְרַע מִן עֵשָׂו שֶׁנִּקְרָא רִאשׁוֹן, וְיָבֹא מָשִׁיחַ שֶׁנִּקְרָא רִאשׁוֹן, בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים וגו'.

“The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying: This month shall be for you the first of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you” (Exodus 12:1–2). “The Lord spoke to Moses.… This month shall be for you the first of months” – that is what is written: “The voice of my beloved, behold, he is coming” (Song of Songs 2:8), as it is stated: “My beloved spoke and said to me” (Song of Songs 2:10): ‘What are you doing here in the place of the impure, “whose flesh is the flesh of donkeys, and whose issue is like the issue of horses”’ (Ezekiel 23:20)? “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and go” (Song of Songs 2:10). He [Moses] said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, You said that we would be enslaved four hundred years, but they have not yet been completed.’ He said to him: ‘They have already been completed, as it is stated: “For behold, the winter has passed”’ (Song of Songs 2:11); immediately, the righteous uncovered their heads, which had been covered, as it is stated: “The blossoms have appeared in the land” (Song of Songs 2:12) – these are the [members of the] tribe of Levi, all of whom were righteous. Alternatively, “the blossoms [hanitzanim]” – these are the priests, “the sons of Aaron, Elazar his son, Pinḥas his son” (I Chronicles 6:35). Alternatively, “the blossoms” – these are the kings: David, Solomon, Reḥavam, Asa, Aviya. Alternatively, these are the Levites: “Asaf the leader and his deputy Zekharia” (I Chronicles 16:5). Once the Holy One blessed be He saw that it was so, He said: “The time of the songbird has come” (Song of Songs 2:12) – the time has arrived for the Levites to recite songs and psalms before Me. Another matter: “The time of the songbird has come” – when the Holy One blessed be He heard Israel reciting the song, He said: “The sound of the turtledove is heard in our land” (Song of Songs 2:12) – that He heard the voice of Israel due to the merit of Abraham, who sacrificed a turtledove and a young pigeon. What is written thereafter? “The fig tree has formed its unripe figs” (Song of Songs 2:13) – these are the righteous and the upright. “The vines in blossom give scent” (Song of Songs 2:13) – these are the middling who repented. From that point on: “Arise my love, my fair one, and go” (Song of Songs 2:13). When the children of Israel left Egypt, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘You have no other month that is greater than this one; it is therefore called first, as it is stated: “The first of months.”’ Another interpretation: “It shall be the first [month of the year] for you” – as it were, the Holy One blessed be He is called first, as it is stated: “I am first and I am last” (Isaiah 44:6). Zion is called first, as it is stated: “Throne of glory, exalted from the first, the place of our Temple” (Jeremiah 17:12). Esau is called first, as it is stated: “The first emerged…” (Genesis 25:25). The messiah is called first, as it is stated: “The first to Zion, behold they are here” (Isaiah 41:27). May the Holy One blessed be He, who is called first, come and build the Temple that is called first, and exact retribution from Esau, who is called first; and let the messiah, who is called first, come during the first month, as it is stated: “This month shall be for you the first of months…”

Section 2ב׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם, אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם אֵימָתַי אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה אֶת הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב (דניאל ד, יד): בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין פִּתְגָּמָא, אָמַר לָהֶם אֲנִי וְאַתֶּם מַסְכִּים עַל מַה שֶּׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹמְרִין וּמְעַבְּרִין אֶת הַשָּׁנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים נז, ג): אֶקְרָא לֵאלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן לָאֵל גֹּמֵר עָלָי. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ויקרא כג, לז): אֵלֶּה מוֹעֲדֵי ה' מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ וגו', אַתֶּם בֵּין בִּזְמַנָּן בֵּין שֶׁלֹא בִּזְמַנָּן, אֵין לִי מוֹעֲדוֹת אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ. אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיָה בְּיָדִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קד, יט): עָשָׂה יָרֵחַ לְמוֹעֲדִים, אֲבָל מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ הֲרֵי מְסוּרָה בְּיֶדְכֶם בִּרְשׁוּתְכֶם, אִם אֲמַרְתֶּם הֵן, הֵן. אִם אֲמַרְתֶּם לָאו, לָאו. מִכָּל מָקוֹם יְהֵא הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא אִם בִּקַּשְׁתֶּם לְעַבֵּר אֶת הַשָּׁנָה, הֲרֵינִי מַשְׁלִים עִמָּכֶם, לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם.

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, when are You going to set the festivals, as it is written: “The matter came about by the decree of the messengers, [the question by the word of the holy ones]?”’ (Daniel 4:14). He said to them: ‘I and you will ratify what Israel decides and [how they] intercalate the year, as it is stated: “I call to God Most High, to God who completes for me” (Psalms 57:3), and so it says: “These are the festivals of the Lord [that you shall proclaim them] holy convocations…”’ (Leviticus 23:37). You [shall proclaim them], whether at the proper time or not at the proper time; I have no festivals other than these. The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘In the past, it was in My hands, as it is stated: “He made the moon for the festivals…” (Psalms 104:19), but from here onward, it is given into your hands and is your prerogative; if you say yes, yes, if you say no, no. In any case, “this month shall be for you.” Moreover, if you seek to intercalate the year I will confirm it for you.’ That is why it is written: “This month shall be for you.”

Section 3ג׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (זכריה ד, יד): אֵלֶּה שְׁנֵי בְנֵי הַיִּצְהָר הָעֹמְדִים עַל אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חוֹזֵר וּמְבַקֵּשׁ בְּאֵיזֶה דָּבָר לִגְאֹל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא הָיָה מוֹצֵא, עַד שֶׁמָּצָא זְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה וְשֶׁל אַהֲרֹן וְהִיא עָמְדָה לָהֶם, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: אֵלֶּה שְׁנֵי בְנֵי הַיִּצְהָר, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לִשָֹּׂא אִשָּׁה וּבָאוּ וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ עֲנִיָּה הִיא, אֵין לָהּ בָּעוֹלָם אֶלָּא שְׁנֵי נְזָמִים בִּלְבָד. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דַּיָּן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיִּגָּאֲלוּ בִּזְכוּת משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה וְאֶל אַהֲרֹן.

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” – that is what is written: “These are the two anointed ones, who stand by the Lord of all the land” (Zechariah 4:14). Rabbi Levi said: This teaches that the Holy One blessed be He was continuously seeking something to redeem Israel. He was unable to find anything until He found the merit of Moses and Aaron, which stood for them; that is what is written: “These are the two anointed ones [benei yitzhar].” To what is this matter comparable? To a king who sought to marry a woman, and they came to him and said: She is poor and has nothing in the world other than two nose rings. So, the Holy One blessed be He said: It is sufficient for Israel to be redeemed due to the merit of Moses and Aaron. That is why it is stated: “The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron.”