The first mitzvah of the Torah is the commandment to establish the months and intercalate the years, as we find “This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you.” In truth, there are three commandments that were taught in Sefer Bereishit (the mitzvot of having children, of circumcision and refraining from eating the gid ha-nashe – the sciatic nerve), but this is the first time that the Israelites are receiving a commandment as a people. Rashi, in his commentary on the first verse in the Torah, asks why it begins with the stories of Creation and the Patriarchs, which have no practical application, and he suggests that the Torah could have started here, since “it is the first commandment given to Israel.” This famous question is based on the understanding that the Torah is mainly a law book, which should, therefore, begin with the first commandment rather than offering a collection of stories. This relates to Rashi's world-view on how books should be written; he believes that it is essential that a book begin with a presentation of a precise example of the contents of the entire book.
It is possible to accept Rashi’s position, but to draw conclusions from the beginning of a book about its contents rather than asking about the beginning based on the contents. If the Torah opens with the creation story, by setting out at the very beginning a theological belief system, we can conclude that this is what the Torah is about. The mythical style of the opening stories may attest to the Torah's intention to stir and awaken in the reader ideas of holiness and perfection.
In contrast to this, let us examine the Mishnah, whose opening line is “From when may one recite Shema in the evening?” This very practical opening is filled with assumptions about the reader's starting position (that he knows what the Shema is, and is aware of the obligation to recite it in the evening. All that remains is the “side issue” of locating the source for this obligation). Perhaps the Mishnah is trying to tell us that its sole purpose it to elucidate the written Torah, upon which it is based. The Torah started “In the beginning,” but the Mishnah deliberately starts in the middle. It is possible that the main purpose of the mishnah is to ask questions. While the Torah “declares,” the Mishnah “asks.”
In contrast with these other works, the Gemara opens with the question “On what basis does the tanna of our mishnah ask: From when?” What knowledge did the tanna have when he raised this question? The Gemara is pointing out that the Mishnah is starting from the middle, and is thereby stating that its purpose is to examine the basic assumptions of the tanna’im. It promises the reader that no stone will be left unturned in trying to understand the relationship between the mishnah and the Torah, the mishnah and the traditions, the mishnah and the halakhah.
Rashi began his Torah commentary with an assumption and a question: “Rabbi Isaac said: The Torah which is the Law book of Israel should have commenced with the verse (Exodus 12:2) ‘This month shall be unto you the first of the months’ which is the first commandment given to Israel. What is the reason, then, that it commences with the account of the Creation?” With this opening, Rashi offers us the opportunity to get a glimpse of his perspective on how to understand what the Torah is and how he reads it – as a book whose purpose is to establish a legal constitution for the Jewish people.
It would be possible, of course, to examine these introductory statements more closely and to suggest different meanings for them and for others.
My interest in this essay is to examine the second assumption that appears in Rashi, where he suggests that the alternative to beginning the Torah with Creation would have been to begin with our parasha. According to Rashi, we are now at the place where the Torah should have begun, and if that is true, we must try to understand why this would have been an appropriate place for the Torah to begin. The usual explanation is that since this is the first mitzvah that is given to the nation and the Torah is a book of commandments, this would have been a good place to start. But the midrash suggests another possibility, which also offers a general explanation of the essence of the first mitzvah.
The midrash teaches:
“The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month…”
Regarding this is written “You, O LORD my God, have done many things; Your wonders and Your thoughts toward us (Tehillim 40:6).
Rabbi Simon said: Your thoughts toward us; Your reckoning toward us.
For all of those 2448 years prior to the exodus from Egypt, the Holy One Blessed be He would count and tally, He would intercalate the years, He would establish the months. After the Israelites were redeemed from Egypt, He entrusted these to them, as is written “The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying.” What is meant by “saying”? He said to them: From now on they are put in your hands.
“This month shall be unto you the first of the months.”
(Yalkut Shimoni)
According to this midrash, the first commandment is not a random mitzvah from among the 613 commandments; it is a unique mitzvah that is different in its essence from all of the others. This mitzvah points to the fact that God has transferred the keys to the Jewish calendar into the hands of the Jewish people. We generally assume that until the Torah was given, there was no need to intercalate the calendar and establish months and years, since, in any case, no one was going to keep the commandments of Passover or bring sacrifices in their proper time. This midrash suggests that establishing proper months and years was something that God did Himself throughout time. Even if no one recognized that it was taking place, it was Godly work and remined in His hands until the Jewish nation was mature enough to take responsibility for it.
The midrash brings other parables that express a similar idea:
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It is like a king who had a timepiece. When his son was old enough, he passed his timepiece on to his son.
Rabbi Yosi bar Hanina said: Its is like a king who has a signet ring. When his son was old enough, he passed his ring on to his son.
Rabbi Yitzhak said: It is like a king who had many treasure houses, and every one had a key. When his son was old enough, he passed his ring of keys on to his son.
Rabbi Hiyya bar Va said: It is like a carpenter who owned the tools of his trade. When he son was old enough, he passed the tools on to him.
And the Rabbis said: It is like a doctor who had a bag of medicines. When his son was old enough, he passed the medical bag on to him.
Each of these parables expresses a rite of passage. The baton has been passed to the Jewish people. The question is, what is being passed from father to son, and to what can it be compared. Is it a timepiece? If so, the child is probably about six or seven years old. Time certainly existed before the child came of age, but he was not aware of the possibility of keeping time or of giving names to each hour and minute.
Or, perhaps, we are talking about the signet ring, as Rabbi Yosi suggested. According to this parable, the Jewish nation is more mature and can take on much greater responsibility. The ring, which signifies this level of responsibility, is the mitzvah to establish the months. The midrash clarifies for us that by means of this commandment we can recognize the unique seal of the King of all kings, who commands and controls time, and, indeed, is above time as we understand it.
Maybe, like Rabbi Yitzhak suggests, we are talking about the keys to other treasure houses. From this perspective, we must view this mitzvah as a foundational commandment, upon which so many other mitzvot are based. Without the mitzvah of establishing the months we could have no holidays or sacrifices.
Finally, we come to the parable taught by Rabbi Hiyya, who likens the mitzvah to the toolbox of the carpenter. Rabbi Hiyya is hinting to the fact that we are not discussing a simple matter of entrusting something for safeguarding. The transfer here grants the recipient room for creativity and independence. The Holy One Blessed be He entrusts the Jewish people with His tools, but in doing so He gives up the pattern that He established, leaving only the limitations of the tools themselves. The message that He give the people is that they now serve in His place in the world.
Parashat Bereishit dealt with establishing God’s place in the world; Parashat Bo establishes the status of the Jewish people. This foundational story is no less moving and mythic than the story of Creation. The implication of this story is not only the greatness of the Jewish people, but also how the Creator is stepping back and entrusting His children with some of His responsibilities.
The midrash is clear. God is not playing games, nor is He pretending. With regard to the calendar, He relies on us implicitly. He accepts our decisions whether they are made on purpose or by mistake.
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Written in memory of my father-in-law, Gedalyahu Hillel ben Pinhas, who was called to Heaven on 6 Shvat 5777.
