* Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
When Shabbat comes to a close on Saturday night, the month of Nissan arrives as we welcome Rosh Chodesh.
As enervating pre-Pesach cleaning is now in full swing, here are a few words to bolster us from Rabbi Menachem Brod:
The word Pesach comes from pesicha, which means skipping, jumping, or passing over. Among all the technical preparations for this holiday, let’s not forget the secret message of Pesach, that we have the power to leap over every obstacle, to save ourselves and be redeemed. So it was at the time of redemption from Egypt. A moment before our deliverance, we were slaves with no idea how our situation could ever change, and a moment later we had left slavery for freedom.
Sometimes history moves forward gradually, ever so slowly, and sometimes — as happened on Pesach — there is a sudden thrust that leaves the old reality behind as we leap ahead. Everything surprises us in the best possible way. We break through and move forward into a completely new reality.
The month of Nissan and the holiday of Pesach give us the strength to make this leap. God helps every individual, both on the personal and national level, to rise to the loftiest spiritual heights, to truly change, to merit an abundance of good news.
To paraphrase words from the Gemara: Just as we were redeemed in the past, so may we be redeemed in the days immediately ahead.
