English translation — בא א

1.

The mitzvah "to sanctify the months and to calculate years and months in the court only"¹

is learned from the verse²

"This month is for you the beginning of months; it is the first for you of the months of the year."

Rashi says in his commentary there

(before this)³

— regarding the mitzvah — that "the Torah did not need to begin except from 'This month is for you,' which is the <b>first</b> <b>mitzvah</b>⁴

that Israel was commanded"⁵

(and he explains "what reason did He begin with Bereishis").

But the count of the commandments,

the Rambam and the like,

counting the count of the commandments in their order,

the commandment of sanctifying the month is for them not the "first commandment"⁶

For example,

the Rambam⁷

says:

"The <b>first⁸</b> commandment

of the positive commandments is to know⁹

that there is a God, as it is said¹⁰

I am the Lord your God."

And the reason for this is understandable simply,

because the knowledge and fulfillment of all the commandments is only after*¹⁰

that there is the knowledge¹¹

"that there is a God"¹²,

And in his language at the beginning of the Halachot¹³

that this is "the foundation of foundations and the pillar of wisdoms".

And in Rashi's commentary he means <b>simply</b> first — to be <b>written</b> in the Torah¹⁴,

However, since

that all matters in the Torah are precise,

one could say,

that although in relation to man

(the person)

"the first commandment is ..

to know that there is a God" — and in the language of our Sages¹⁵

that first there must be "he accepts upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of heaven"¹⁶

and only then "he accepts upon himself the yoke of commandments" —

But as the matter is from the perspective of Torah

(and from the perspective — of the object),

is the "first commandment"

(with which ostensibly there should have been "to begin the Torah"¹⁷

"This month is for you",

because this commandment contains within itself an essential and fundamental content of the entirety of Torah and commandments.

And one could say that this is in several matters: a)

This commandment shows the manner of the giving of the Torah; b)

It brings out the power of Torah and commandments: c)

In it is expressed the purpose and goal of the commandments of the Torah,

as follows.

2.

The Ibn Ezra in our parshah¹⁸

stands on that "Moshe did not explain to us in the Torah how the years and months are fixed, and if there is no aviv what shall we do, and one must wonder at this a great wonder, how he explained the laws of all the plagues of the metzora which is in one person and does not stand at all times, and left aside the matter of the festivals which all of Israel are obligated to observe at all times, and there is kares on eating chametz on Pesach and on eating on Yom Kippur",

and the Ibn Ezra explains,

that "and this is a sign that he relied on the reading of the Beis Din in every generation"¹⁹.

That is,

that from the mitzvah of Kiddush HaChodesh there is a <b>sign</b>,

a clear and obvious proof,

that the Torah was given with its explanation²⁰,

that the Oral Torah,

which the sages in all generations have revealed,

is one thing with the Written Torah.

And in particular, since the existence of very many mitzvos of the Torah which are connected

with the seasons of the year — is connected specifically with the fixing of the months etc. as the Sages established in the Oral Torah²¹.

3.

This brings out the mitzvah of sanctifying the month, that Torah is a master over the world — and as the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory²²

known on the verse²³

"I will call to God Most High, to God who completes for me" — "A three-year-old girl and one day, and the court deliberates to intercalate it, her virginity returns; if not, her virginity does not return."

And therefore the mitzvah of sanctifying the month is the "first mitzvah with which Israel was commanded"

(Until then "it was not necessary to begin ..

<b>but</b> etc.'",

as above)

— because from it "one takes" the foundation in the giving of the Torah — the faith in the truth of the Oral Torah.

And also — in the strength of Torah and mitzvos in general,

the power to change the nature and reality of the world.

Based on this, another matter can be sweetened: Although it is explicitly stated that the reason that "He began with Bereishis" is because "the strength of His works He declared to His people, etc."

(as Rashi explains there)

— but since the beginning of "Bereishis bara" is <b>in place of</b> the beginning

(which it <b>should</b> have been)

— "Hachodesh hazeh lachem"

("He should not have begun the Torah except from 'Hachodesh hazeh lachem'"),

it is reasonable to say,

that also according to the conclusion, they have a connection to each other.

And based on the above, this is understood: "Bereishis bara Elokim" Rashi explains²⁴

: "Because of the Torah which is called 'the beginning of His way' and because of Israel which is called 'the beginning of His produce'"; and since the entire creation is for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of Israel,

it is understand- able,

that when the court rules according to the Torah that the month is intercalated,

it effects this in the reality of the world.

Because the entire creation was created for the sake of Torah and Israel.

4.

This is, however, not sufficient.

Because the matter that at the time the court intercalates the month "the virginity returns" is not in the commandment itself,

even not in the moon,

but a result that occurs in a side matter entirely!

From the language <b>commandment</b> first with which Israel were commanded it implies,

that the matter of <b>first</b> is connected with the <b>commandment</b>.

And from this — that the content and purpose of <b>the commandment</b> comes in it with emphasis.

5.

And one must say the explanation in this²⁵

The essential matter of the mitzvos of the Torah is to bring holiness into the world.

And this is the point of all the mitzvos of the Torah: one takes an object from the world and makes from it an object of a mitzvah,

until that it becomes a matter of holiness²⁶.

And this is also the content of Sanctification of the Month — the action that the court sanctifies²⁷

a

(object)

specific day as the head

of the month not a weekday*²⁷

etc.)

— until that "And it shall be from month to month

(as)

and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall come all flesh etc."²⁹.

And in the language of the Rambam

"that the court sanctify it and fix that day as Rosh Chodesh, that day shall be Rosh Chodesh",

"that the sighting does not determine, but rather the court that said 'sanctified' — they determine"

(And this is also connected with the sanctity of the festivals,

because "the foundation of the mitzvah of sanctifying the month is so that Israel will perform the festivals of the year at their appointed time",

and therefore one says on Yom Tov ,

"Who sanctifies Israel and the seasons" because "Israel sanctified the seasons"

And one can say that therefore this is the first commandment — in addition to this that the general point of all commandments of the Torah is to

effect in an object that it should become an object of commandment,

and this point is revealed in the commandment of sanctification of the month as mentioned above,

Only

(In the inwardness of the matters, this is)

"first" also in its content and level: Although the definition of the world is <b>both</b> things,

both time and space³⁴,

and time is connected with space³⁵,

however, in the order of precedence, time comes <b>before</b> space³⁶.

Because every coming-into-being,

including also the coming-into-being of space,

is a change

(in the present)

relative to

(the past)

<b>before</b> the coming-into-being³⁷,

it follows that before every coming-into-being

(also before the coming-into-being of space)

there already was the existence of a thing that afterward becomes changed — which is

(the content of the concept of)

time.

That

is

the first existence of the world

(from which existence all existents begin)

is time.

And as it is also understandable simply regarding man,

that first comes in him the time,

the specific day,

and afterwards his actions are applicable in the day and in the objects of the world on this day.

And therefore sanctification of the month is the first commandment,

because first the court effects the holiness in time,

which this is the <b>beginning</b> of the reality,

and afterwards comes the action of man,

which he effects in the objects of the world,

which are a matter of place.

6.

This, however, is seemingly not sufficient:

a)

The sanctity of the day of Rosh Chodesh which the court declares sanctified is

(even at a time when they would sanctify based on sighting)

not always,

because "they only sanctify a month that appears at its proper time"³⁸

— when Rosh Chodesh is on the thirtieth day,

and "they only sanctify based on sighting"³⁹.

b)

In the mitzvah of ,

"This month is for you" is included

(according to the Rambam&lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;)

also "to calculate years and months in the court",

and also regarding this one says the term &lt;b&gt;ibur&lt;/b&gt; of years,

not "kiddush of years".

c)

that "It is a halacha to Moses from Sinai that when there is a Sanhedrin they determine based on sighting and when there is no Sanhedrin they determine based on this calculation that we calculate with today and they do not rely on sighting",

then accordingly it seems also the determination based on the calculation is included in the mitzvah of sanctification of the month&lt;sup&gt;42&lt;/sup&gt;,

and then one does not sanctify,

because ,

"one only sanctifies based on sighting".

7.

This will be understood with an introduction to what the Rambam, when he counts the mitzvah in the count of the commandments, says the expression,

as above,

as above,

&lt;b&gt;to sanctify&lt;/b&gt; the months and to calculate years and months."

But in the laws themselves, at the beginning of Hilchos Kiddush HaChodesh, he says:

One positive commandment, and it is to calculate and to know and to determine on which&lt;sup&gt;43&lt;/sup&gt;

day the beginning of each month of the months of the year" and likewise in the body of the laws&lt;sup&gt;44&lt;/sup&gt;

"A positive commandment from the Torah upon the court that they calculate and know whether the moon will be seen or will not be seen,"

and does not say that the content of the mitzvah is "&lt;b&gt;to sanctify&lt;/b&gt; the month."

The simple reason for this is,

because also that which one determines months and intercalates years according to the calculation is included

According to the Rambam&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;

(according to the Rambam)

in the mitzvah of Kiddush HaChodesh

(not only the fixing and sanctification according to the sighting at the time when there is a Sanhedrin),

and as above.

One needs however explanation: why does he say only <b>the</b> <b>matter</b> in the positive commandment

(to calculate and to know and to determine on which day the beginning of each month),

and is <b>not</b> including in the commandment also the matter of <b>sanctification</b> of the month,

that one

(determines and)

sanctifies based on the sighting?

8.

And one may say the explanation in this:

The entire creation is indeed for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of Israel.

What this means — <b>in all</b> matters of creation,

heaven and earth and all their hosts,

and not only their <b>coming into being</b> in general — rather this is a <b>constant</b> thing.

And the service of a Jew consists in this, that he needs to bring into actuality

And reveals the "for the Torah..

and for Israel" in the creation.

And when a Jew fulfills a commandment with an object of the world,

thereby is <b>carried out</b> the "for the sake of",

the purpose of creation of the specific thing⁴⁵

and consequently it becomes an object of commandment etc.

For example: When a Jew makes from the hide of an animal parchment for Torah scrolls, tefillin and mezuzot,

thereby is carried out the purpose

(creation)

of the hide of the animal,

it becomes from this parchment an object of Torah and revealed.

Since also &lt;b&gt;time&lt;/b&gt; is a created being&lt;sup&gt;46&lt;/sup&gt;,

it is understood,

that so it is also regarding the reality of time,

that it is "for the sake of the Torah ..

and for the sake of Israel".

And this is the content of the commandment of sanctification of the month: through the fact that Jews &lt;b&gt;sanctify&lt;/b&gt; the months — Rosh Chodesh and festivals — they reveal how the true reality of time is for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of Israel.

And as King David explains&lt;sup&gt;47&lt;/sup&gt;

He made the moon

(that is)

for festivals".

And just as this is regarding all matters of creation,

that the intention is not only in a specific object that in it the purpose of its creation should be carried out,

rather the intention is that it should bring about

(or — adds

his)

in the <b>entire</b> creation⁴⁸

<b>and in every</b> detail — which comes about through this that each thing in the creation "helps out" and adds to a Jew in his service⁴⁹,

and this divides into several levels⁵⁰

: accessories of a commandment,

accessory to an accessory and the like,

and so on

(and more⁵¹)

is regarding time,

that the completion of the purpose of creation of the months of the year is not only in that which one fixes and sanctifies the new moon or the appointed times of the year⁵²,

i.

e.

specific days

In the month,

Only when it is heard in the entire <b>continuation</b> of the time

(Also after Rosh Chodesh etc.)

The "for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of Israel."

And this is through that which the court fulfills the "positive commandment ..

to calculate and to know and to determine on which day the beginning of each month of the months of the year",

That because of this the court must calculate and know the details of the calculations of the course of the moon etc.

(And "they know the places of the stars and their course etc."⁵³).

That is: the formula for the action in the time of the months of the year through the fixing and sanctification⁵⁴

Rosh Chodesh also because of the festivals⁵⁵,

That in this manner the interim time is only like a preparation for the sanctity of the time of the festivals

(Because in order that there should be Rosh Chodesh and the festivals of the year one must have

(And know)

the entire continuation of the time of the month etc.)

— Is even more: the essence of the calculation — that the court "will calculate and know if the moon will be seen"⁵⁶,

That

This is indeed regarding the entire continuation of the course of the moon of the entire month — is a part of the <b>positive</b> <b>commandment</b> <b>itself</b>.

The positive commandment is not only the sanctifying of the day of Rosh Chodesh,

but the "they shall <b>count</b> and know"*⁵⁶,

That in this entire continuation of the time itself stands revealed the "for the sake of the Torah ..

and for the sake of Israel"⁵⁷.

9.

And it can be said that

(also)

For this reason the mitzvah of sanctifying the new moon is "the <b>first</b> mitzvah that Israel was commanded":

The "for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of Israel" [principle] in the matters of creation in general is not in a direct and revealed manner in all of creation entirely: there are objects that become holiness or a mitzvah by themselves,

or vessels of holiness and vessels of a mitzvah,

or below that,

which a Jew does for the sake of Heaven⁵⁸

or "in all your ways know Him"⁵⁹

; and there are things that are merely an accessory or an accessory of an accessory,

or even further until that in a direct and revealed manner there is no connection between them with a Jew and with Torah,

and only that through an action with one detail of this species an elevation is brought about in the entire species

As the Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya⁶⁰

regarding sacrifices,

that through the offering of one animal "all the animal life ascended to G‑d ...

and all the plant life through one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil etc.",

and likewise

(and even more so)

with charity,

that "the fifth part elevates with it all four parts to G‑d to be a dwelling place for His presence"].

In the aforementioned time, however,

the mitzvah of sanctifying the month consists of that which the court must "calculate and know and determine on which day the beginning of each month of the months of the year falls" — the commandment and the action of the Jewish people

(the court)

is throughout the entire time⁶¹

the month in a direct manner.

10.

Based on this, we can explain the precise wording of the Rambam at the beginning of the Laws of Sanctification of the New Moon: "And the years that we calculate are the years of the sun, as it is said⁶²

Guard the month of spring."

The simple explanation of this is⁶³

: In continuation of the beginning of the law "The months of the year are the lunar months,"

That

is

A month is not a twelfth part of a <b>solar</b> year,

but

(lunar)

<b>months</b>,

which consist of

twenty-nine and a half days.

And on this the Rambam continues,

that nevertheless,

since Passover must be in the month of spring,

and the seasons of the year are determined by

(the course of the)

sun,

for a solar year is

(approximately)

(approximately)

eleven days longer than a lunar year,

we count the years according to the course of the sun,

and therefore every two or three years

makes the court a leap year

(as the Rambam continues in the law after this⁶⁴).

and as the Rambam explains in the later chapters that "the things that are the main reason for which they intercalate so that the years should be solar years"⁶⁵.

From the simple language of the Rambam, however, it is implied that this is not only because of the festivals,

that Passover should be in the spring season

(and especially since he does not mention this at all in that law; he only brings the

(part 5)

verse ,

Guard the month of spring"),

but this is a law in the <b>year</b> in general,

that there should be solar years⁶⁶,

only they derive this from "Guard the month of spring"⁶⁷.

One must understand: although the cycle,

the <b>totality</b> of the continuation of 19 years corresponds to solar years,

due to the month of intercalation that is added

(19 years)

the lunar years and the solar years even out until "there will not remain from the count of solar days in every nineteen years except one hour and four hundred and eighty-five parts"⁶⁸],

But in practice each individual year — <b>all</b> <b>years</b> — is not a solar year,

365 days,

but rather

(twelve months of the <b>moon</b> —)

354 days⁶⁹,

or

(thirteen months of the <b>moon</b> —)

383 days⁶⁹.

11.

Based on the above, it can be said: Since the mitzvah of sanctifying the month is to reveal the purpose of the creation of time for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of Israel,

as above,

that it becomes a Torah reality — it is understood why the Rambam emphasizes "&lt;b&gt;And the years&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;that we&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;calculate&lt;/b&gt; are the years of the &lt;b&gt;sun&lt;/b&gt;",

because the intention is to effect through the mitzvah in &lt;b&gt;every&lt;/b&gt; detail of time; not only in the part of time of ,

"month"

(which is connected with the revolution of the &lt;b&gt;moon&lt;/b&gt;),

but also in the time of "year"

(which is connected with the revolution of the &lt;b&gt;sun&lt;/b&gt; — because the moon has no year at all&lt;sup&gt;70&lt;/sup&gt;).

And consequently, it is not enough to calculate the seasons etc. according to the course of the sun alone

(in order to know when to add an intercalary month)

so that Passover and the month of Nissan should be in the spring season&lt;sup&gt;71&lt;/sup&gt;

rather the time of the &lt;b&gt;year&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;itself&lt;/b&gt; and all of it must become a Torah reality &lt;b&gt;in its own right&lt;/b&gt;

(through which "it comes" — the time of the sun — to the purpose of its creation).

And this is through that which &lt;b&gt;the court&lt;/b&gt; calculates the years of the &lt;b&gt;sun&lt;/b&gt; itself.

Therefore one finds several laws and commandments of the Torah that are connected with the solar year&lt;sup&gt;72&lt;/sup&gt;

(365

days)&lt;sup&gt;73&lt;/sup&gt;

— For example: the incense which "was made

365 maneh ..

corresponding to the &lt;b&gt;days&lt;/b&gt; of the &lt;b&gt;solar [year]&lt;sup&gt;74&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/b&gt;

— And although through this one &lt;b&gt;had&lt;/b&gt; to &lt;b&gt;redeem&lt;/b&gt; afterwards the remnants and bring them down from holy to profane&lt;sup&gt;75&lt;/sup&gt;

— Because of this it must be "they calculate..

two &lt;b&gt;solar [years]&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;literally&lt;sup&gt;76&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/b&gt;

12.

According to all the above, it is thus understood the connection between "He began with Bereishis..

He declared the power of His works to His people, to give them the inheritance of the nations" with "This month is for you, which is the first commandment that Israel was commanded"

(And as above section 3 — that these two matters have a connection between themselves)

The matter of "He declared the power of His works to His people, to give them the inheritance of the nations" — conquest of the Land of Israel — is a hint,

shows

(also)

On⁷⁷

the "and subdue it"⁷⁸,

subjugation of

(the physical)

world,

Jews "take it over" and make from it holiness

(like the land of Israel,

the holy land).

D.

H.

The drawing down of holiness into <b>place</b>.

And this is the connection to the content of the matter of "this month is for you" — whose subject is the drawing down of holiness into <b>time</b>,

that even though "time" is a part of creation and in a manner — that one cannot make it longer or shorter,

and it pertains to <b>its categories</b> — past present future — equally for all,

Jews make from it a thing

(an object)

of Torah and commandments; and not only "months of the moon" that "Israel counts by the moon"⁷⁹

and that is connected directly with the festivals,

but also "years of the sun" that are seemingly connected with the nations of the world who count by the sun⁷⁹

— also that Jews transform,

that "the years <b>that we</b> calculate are years of the sun"; also that becomes a Jewish time,

a Jewish year and a detail in the commandments of the Torah,

"it is the first for you among the months of the <b>year</b>".

And through the service of conquering the land spiritually,

and also "conquest" of time,

one hastens in actuality that the conquest of Eretz Yisrael should also be physically,

with the coming of Mashiach Tzidkeinu,

who "gathers the dispersed of &lt;b&gt;Israel"&lt;sup&gt;80&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/b&gt;

and then will be "and I will restore your judges

(as

their content — Torah)

as at first"&lt;sup&gt;81&lt;/sup&gt;,

and it will again be "they calculate and fix months and intercalate years ..

in the land of Israel"&lt;sup&gt;82&lt;/sup&gt;

based on the sighting through the Sanhedrin&lt;sup&gt;83&lt;/sup&gt;

whose place and authority" is — in the Chamber of Hewn Stone adjacent to the altar" in the Holy Temple in the land of Israel,

speedily in our days, literally.

(From sichos of Shabbos Parshas Tazria 5717,

Shabbos Bereishis

(Hisvaaduyos 2)

5744)