Parsha Bo (2024)

What is the very first Mitzvah that we were given as a nation?

Shabbat? Yom Kippur? Mezuzah? You may be surprised…

The Jewish people are just about to leave Egypt and become a free people. The ten plagues have just concluded, with the final plague of Death of the first born Egyptian, being the final blow to Pharoah’s stubbornness.

The Jewish people are about to go into freedom. But wait, G-d has a message for all the Jewish People, before their big moment of exodus.

The Mitzvah of Kiddush Hachodesh – counting the Jewish months, according to the cycle of the moon.

This Mitzvah is an important reminder while we go about our lives as a free people.

We must always remember to look to the moon, when we count our months.

What is so special about this, that this becomes the message before we go out into freedom?

The moon waxes and wanes, representing life’s ups and downs. G-d is pointing out to the Jewish people that, there will be moments of challenges when the light seems to dim and goes out. However just like the moon, when it seems to completely disappear, the moon then has a rebirth. That rebirth is called Rosh Chodesh.

Just like the moon doesn’t give up, when it loses its shine, but it rather renews its brightness each month. So too, we as well can always find the opportunity to get back up and shine bright again. Even if these moments of setbacks happen often, the moon teaches us about bouncing back again and again.

If we fall, we can always get back up.

A recurring theme in Jewish history is that as soon as things seems very bleak, there is a new huge moment of redemption just around the corner.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Zalman and Esty