- The Talmud debates whether the world was created in the state of Spring or the Fall.
- Everyone agrees that the world was created in a way that the descriptions of Genesis are fulfilled.
- Everyone agrees that the Mothers conceived in teh Fall (Tishrei)
- In Halacha, we follow the S'tam Mishnah that we make the blessing on the sun in the Spring Equinox, when it falls in the first hour of Tuesday night. (Through, we make the blessing in the morning)
- A synthesis can be found in light of the following:
- Some things are viewed as being created before the world. What does that mean?
- Spring & Fall have opposite significance.
תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: בְּתִשְׁרִי נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, בְּתִשְׁרִי נוֹלְדוּ אָבוֹת, בְּתִשְׁרִי מֵתוּ אָבוֹת, בַּפֶּסַח נוֹלַד יִצְחָק, בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה נִפְקְדָה שָׂרָה רָחֵל וְחַנָּה, בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה יָצָא יוֹסֵף מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִין.
It is taught in a baraita that the tanna’im disagreed about this point: Rabbi Eliezer says: In Tishrei the world was created; in Tishrei the Patriarchs were born; in Tishrei the Patriarchs died; on Passover Isaac was born; on Rosh HaShana Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah were remembered by God and conceived; on Rosh HaShana Joseph came out from prison;
בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה בָּטְלָה עֲבוֹדָה מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם, בְּנִיסָן נִגְאֲלוּ, בְּתִשְׁרִי עֲתִידִין לִיגָּאֵל.
on Rosh HaShana our forefathers’ slavery in Egypt ceased; in Nisan the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt; and in Tishrei in the future the Jewish people will be redeemed in the final redemption with the coming of the Messiah.
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: בְּנִיסָן נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, בְּנִיסָן נוֹלְדוּ אָבוֹת, בְּנִיסָן מֵתוּ אָבוֹת, בְּפֶסַח נוֹלַד יִצְחָק, בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה נִפְקְדָה שָׂרָה רָחֵל וְחַנָּה, בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה יָצָא יוֹסֵף מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִין, בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה בָּטְלָה עֲבוֹדָה מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם, בְּנִיסָן נִגְאֲלוּ בְּנִיסָן עֲתִידִין לִיגָּאֵל.
Rabbi Yehoshua disagrees and says: In Nisan the world was created; in Nisan the Patriarchs were born; in Nisan the Patriarchs died; on Passover Isaac was born; on Rosh HaShana Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah were remembered by God and conceived sons; on Rosh HaShana Joseph came out from prison; on Rosh HaShana our forefathers’ slavery in Egypt ceased; in Nisan the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt; and in Nisan in the future the Jewish people will be redeemed in the final redemption.
תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: מִנַּיִן שֶׁבְּתִשְׁרִי נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע עֵץ פְּרִי״. אֵיזֶהוּ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁהָאָרֶץ מוֹצִיאָה דְּשָׁאִים וְאִילָן מָלֵא פֵּירוֹת — הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר זֶה תִּשְׁרִי. וְאוֹתוֹ הַפֶּרֶק זְמַן רְבִיעָה הָיְתָה, וְיָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים וְצִימֵּחוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ״.
The Gemara explains these matters in detail: It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer says: From where is it derived that the world was created in the month of Tishrei? As it is stated: “And God said: Let the earth bring forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind” (Genesis 1:11). Which is the month in which the earth brings forth grass and the trees are full of ripe fruit? You must say that this is Tishrei. And a further proof that the world was created in Tishrei is that when the world was first created, it needed rain so that the plants would grow, and the period beginning with Tishrei is a time of rain, and rain fell and the plants grew, as it is stated: “But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground” (Genesis 2:6).
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: מִנַּיִן שֶׁבְּנִיסָן נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע וְעֵץ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי״. אֵיזֶהוּ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁהָאָרֶץ מְלֵיאָה דְּשָׁאִים וְאִילָן מוֹצִיא פֵּירוֹת — הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר, זֶה נִיסָן. וְאוֹתוֹ הַפֶּרֶק, זְמַן בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה וָעוֹף שֶׁמִּזְדַּוְּוגִין זֶה אֵצֶל זֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לָבְשׁוּ כָרִים הַצֹּאן וְגוֹ׳״.
Rabbi Yehoshua says: From where is it derived that the world was created in the month of Nisan? As it is stated: “And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind, and tree yielding fruit” (Genesis 1:12). Which is the month in which the earth is full of grass and the trees begin to bring forth fruit? You must say that this is Nisan. And further proof that the world was created in Nisan is that when the world was first created, the animals had to breed in order to fill the world, and the period beginning with Nisan is a time when cattle, and beasts, and birds mate with one another, as it is stated: “The flocks are clothed in the meadows, and the valleys are wrapped in grain; they shout for joy, they also sing” (Psalms 65:14).
וְאִידַּךְ נָמֵי, הָא כְּתִיב: ״עֵץ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי״! הָהוּא לִבְרָכָה לְדוֹרוֹת הוּא דִּכְתִיב.
The Gemara asks: And according to the opinion of the other tanna, Rabbi Eliezer, isn’t it written: “And tree yielding fruit,” indicating that the world was created at a time when the trees were just beginning to form their fruit? The Gemara answers: That verse is written as a blessing for future generations, that then too they will form their fruit.
וְאִידַּךְ נָמֵי, הָא כְּתִיב: ״עֵץ פְּרִי״? הָהוּא כִּדְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: כׇּל מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית לְקוֹמָתָן נִבְרְאוּ, לְדַעְתָּן נִבְרְאוּ, לְצִבְיוֹנָן נִבְרְאוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְכׇל צְבָאָם״, אַל תִּקְרֵי ״צְבָאָם״, אֶלָּא ״צִבְיוֹנָם״.
The Gemara continues to ask: And according to the opinion of the other tanna, Rabbi Yehoshua, isn’t it written: “Fruit tree,” indicating that the world was created in a season when the trees were already filled with their fruit? The Gemara answers: That verse may be understood in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: All the acts of Creation were created with their full stature, immediately fit to bear fruit; they were created with their full mental capacities; they were created with their full form. As it is stated: “And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their host” (Genesis 2:1). Do not read it as “their host [tzeva’am]”; rather, read it as their form [tzivyonam], which implies that the trees were created filled with ripe fruit.
בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה נִפְקְדָה שָׂרָה רָחֵל וְחַנָּה. מְנָלַן? אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אָתְיָא ״פְּקִידָה״ ״פְּקִידָה״, אָתְיָא ״זְכִירָה״ ״זְכִירָה״. כְּתִיב בְּרָחֵל: ״וַיִּזְכּוֹר אֱלֹקִים אֶת רָחֵל״, וּכְתִיב בְּחַנָּה: ״וַיִּזְכְּרֶהָ ה׳״, וְאָתְיָא ״זְכִירָה״ ״זְכִירָה״ מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״שַׁבָּתוֹן זִכְרוֹן תְּרוּעָה״.
It was taught in the baraita: On Rosh HaShana, Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah were revisited by God and conceived children. The Gemara asks: From where do we derive this? Rabbi Elazar said: This is derived by means of a verbal analogy between one instance of the term revisiting [pekida] and another instance of the term revisiting, and by means of a verbal analogy between one instance of the term remembering [zekhira] and another instance of the word remembering. It is written about Rachel: “And God remembered Rachel” (Genesis 30:22), and it is written about Hannah: “And the Lord remembered her” (I Samuel 1:19). And the meaning of these instances of the term remembering is derived from another instance of the term remembering, with regard to Rosh HaShana, as it is written: “A solemn rest, memorial proclaimed with the blast of a shofar” (Leviticus 23:24). From here it is derived that Rachel and Hannah were remembered by God on Rosh HaShana.
״פְּקִידָה״ ״פְּקִידָה״, כְּתִיב בְּחַנָּה: ״כִּי פָקַד ה׳ אֶת חַנָּה״, וּכְתִיב בְּשָׂרָה: ״וַה׳ פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה״.
And the meaning of one instance of the term revisiting is derived from another instance of the term revisiting. It is written about Hannah: “And the Lord revisited Hannah” (I Samuel 2:21), and it is written about Sarah: “And the Lord revisited Sarah” (Genesis 21:1). From here it is derived that just as Hannah was revisited on Rosh HaShana, so too, Sarah was revisited on Rosh HaShana.
עֵדוּת בִּיהוֹסֵף שָׂמוֹ בְּצֵאתוֹ וְגוֹ׳״.
And immediately afterward it is written: “This He ordained in Joseph for testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt” (Psalms 81:6), implying that Joseph’s release from prison took place on Rosh HaShana.
בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה בָּטְלָה עֲבוֹדָה מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם — כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מִתַּחַת סִבְלוֹת מִצְרַיִם״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״הֲסִירוֹתִי מִסֵּבֶל שִׁכְמוֹ״.
It was also taught in the baraita: On Rosh HaShana our forefathers’ slavery in Egypt ceased. From where is this known? It is written here: “And I will bring you out from under the burdens of Egypt” (Exodus 6:6); and it is written there, with regard to Joseph: “I removed his shoulder from the burden” (Psalms 81:7). From here it is derived by verbal analogy between the two instances of the word “burden” that just as Joseph was released from prison in Tishrei, so too, the slavery of our forefathers in Egypt ended in Tishrei.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הָרוֹאֶה חַמָּה בִּתְקוּפָתָהּ, לְבָנָה בִּגְבוּרָתָהּ, וְכוֹכָבִים בִּמְסִילּוֹתָם, וּמַזָּלוֹת כְּסִדְרָן, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … עוֹשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית״. וְאֵימַת הָוֵי? אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: כׇּל עֶשְׂרִין וּתְמָנְיָא שְׁנִין, וְהָדַר מַחְזוֹר וְנָפְלָה תְּקוּפַת נִיסָן, בְּשַׁבְּתַאי בְּאוּרְתָּא דִּתְלָת נַגְהֵי אַרְבַּע.
The Sages taught: One who sees the sun in the beginning of its cycle, the moon in its might, the planets in their orbit, or the signs of the zodiac aligned in their order recites: Blessed…Author of creation. The Gemara asks: And when is it that the sun is at the beginning of its cycle? Abaye said: Every twenty-eight years when the cycle is complete and returns to its genesis, and the Nisan, vernal, equinox, when the spring days and nights are of equal length, falls within the constellation of Saturn on the night of the third and eve of the fourth day of the week, as then their arrangement returns to be as it was when the constellations were first placed in the heavens.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הָרוֹאֶה חַמָּה בִּתְקוּפָתָהּ, לְבָנָה בִּגְבוּרָתָהּ, וְכוֹכָבִים בִּמְסִילּוֹתָם, וּמַזָּלוֹת כְּסִדְרָן, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … עוֹשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית״. וְאֵימַת הָוֵי? אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: כׇּל עֶשְׂרִין וּתְמָנְיָא שְׁנִין, וְהָדַר מַחְזוֹר וְנָפְלָה תְּקוּפַת נִיסָן, בְּשַׁבְּתַאי בְּאוּרְתָּא דִּתְלָת נַגְהֵי אַרְבַּע.
The Sages taught: One who sees the sun in the beginning of its cycle, the moon in its might, the planets in their orbit, or the signs of the zodiac aligned in their order recites: Blessed…Author of creation. The Gemara asks: And when is it that the sun is at the beginning of its cycle? Abaye said: Every twenty-eight years when the cycle is complete and returns to its genesis, and the Nisan, vernal, equinox, when the spring days and nights are of equal length, falls within the constellation of Saturn on the night of the third and eve of the fourth day of the week, as then their arrangement returns to be as it was when the constellations were first placed in the heavens.
שבתאי – שם שעה ראשונה של ליל ד' שבאותה שעה נתלו מאורות ושבע שעות הן וחוזרות חלילה שצ"ם חנכ"ל תמצא בהקף סדרן של עולם סימני שעות תחלת הלילות כצנ"ש חל"ם מוצאי שבת כוכב. תחלת ליל ב' צדק. תחלת ליל ג' נוגה. תחלת ליל רביעי שבתאי. תחלת ליל יקוק חמה. תחלת ליל ששי לבנה. תחלת ליל שבת מאדים. וסדר תחלת הימים כעלות השחר חל"ם כצנ"ש ותקופה מושכת מחברתה ז' שעות ומחצה כלומר מתאחרת אחר היום והשעה שנפלה בה חברתה ז' שעות ומחצה הרי שלשים שעות לארבע תקופות הרי יום ורביע לשנה. לד' שנים חמשה ימים למדת שאין תקופה נופלת בתחלת הלילה אלא לסוף ד' שנים שהוא מחזור קטן וז' מחזורים קטנים למחזור גדול וסימניך דב"ז הגא"ו הרי שאינה באה לתחלת ליל ד' אלא מכ"ח שנים לכ"ח שנים בראש כל מחזור קטן באה לתחלת הלילה ובראש מחזור הגדול באה לתקופה הראשונה שהוא תחלת ליל ד':
הרואה חמה בתקופתה והוא מכ"ח לכ"ח שנה והתקופה בתחלת ליל ד' כשרואה אותה ביום ד' בבקר אומר ברוך עושה בראשית וכן מברך גם כן כשרואה לבנה בטהרתה וככבים במשמרותם ומזלות בעתם דהיינו כשתחזור הלבנה בתחלת מזל טלה בתחלת החדש ולא תהיה נוטה לא לצפון ולא לדרום וכן כשיחזרו כל כוכב מחמשה הנשארים לתחלת מזל טלה ולא יהא נוטה לא לצפון ולא לדרום וכן בכל עת שיראה מזל טלה עולה מקצות המזרח:
לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא בְּאוּר דִּידַן, הָא בְּאוּר דְּגֵיהִנָּם. אוּר דִּידַן — בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת, אוּר דְּגֵיהִנָּם — בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת. וְאוּר דְּגֵיהִנָּם בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת אִיבְּרִי? וְהָא תַּנְיָא: שִׁבְעָה דְּבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: תּוֹרָה, וּתְשׁוּבָה, וְגַן עֵדֶן, וְגֵיהִנָּם, וְכִסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד, וּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ.
The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. This baraita is referring to our fire, and that baraita is referring to the fire of Gehenna. The Gemara explains: Our fire was created at the conclusion of Shabbat, but the fire of Gehenna was created on Shabbat eve. The Gemara proceeds to ask: Was the fire of Gehenna created on Shabbat eve? Wasn’t it taught in a baraita: Seven phenomena were created before the world was created, and they are: Torah, and repentance, and the Garden of Eden, and Gehenna, and the Throne of Glory, and the Temple, and the name of Messiah.
תּוֹרָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״ה׳ קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ״. תְּשׁוּבָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּטֶרֶם הָרִים יֻלָּדוּ״, וּכְתִיב: ״תָּשֵׁב אֱנוֹשׁ עַד דַּכָּא וַתֹּאמֶר שׁוּבוּ בְנֵי אָדָם״.
The Gemara provides sources for the notion that each of these phenomena was created before the world was. Torah was created before the world was created, as it is written: “The Lord made me as the beginning of His way, the first of His works of old” (Proverbs 8:22), which, based on the subsequent verses, is referring to the Torah. Repentance was created before the world was created, as it is written: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God,” and it is written immediately afterward: “You return man to contrition; and You say: Repent, children of man” (Psalms 90:2–3).
גַּן עֵדֶן, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּטַּע ה׳ אֱלֹקִים גַּן בְּעֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם״. גֵּיהִנָּם, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי עָרוּךְ מֵאֶתְמוּל תׇּפְתֶּה״.
The Garden of Eden was created before the world was created, as it is written: “And God planted the Garden of Eden in the east [mikedem]” (Genesis 2:8). The term: In the east [mikedem] is interpreted in the sense of: Before [mikodem], i.e., before the world was created. Gehenna was created before the world was created, as it is written: “For its hearth is ordained of old” (Isaiah 30:33). The hearth, i.e., Gehenna, was created before the world was created.
כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד וּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּסֵּא כָבוֹד מָרוֹם מֵרִאשׁוֹן מְקוֹם מִקְדָּשֵׁנוּ״. שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ, דִּכְתִיב: ״יְהִי שְׁמוֹ לְעוֹלָם לִפְנֵי שֶׁמֶשׁ יִנּוֹן שְׁמוֹ״!
The Throne of Glory and the Temple were created before the world was created, as it is written: “Your Throne of Glory on high from the beginning, in the place of our Sanctuary” (Jeremiah 17:12). The name of Messiah was created before the world was created, as it is written in the chapter discussing the Messiah: “May his name endure forever; his name existed before the sun” (Psalms 72:17). The name of Messiah already existed before the creation of the sun and the rest of the world. This baraita states that Gehenna was created before the world was created and not during twilight before the first Shabbat.
אָמְרִי, חֲלָלָהּ הוּא דְּנִבְרָא קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, וְאוּר דִּידֵיהּ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת.
They say in answer: The void of Gehenna was created before the world, but its fire was created on Shabbat eve.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא, סָלִיק בִּרְעוּתָא קַמֵּיהּ, וּבָרָא לֵיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. (ס"א כד סליק ברעותא קמיה קודשא בריך הוא למברי עלמא אסתכל באורייתא וברא ליה) וּבָה אִשְׁתַּכְלַל. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (משלי ח׳:כ״ז) בַּהֲכִינוֹ שָׁמַיִם שָׁם אָנִי. וּכְתִיב (משלי ח׳:ל׳) וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, אַל תִּקְרֵי אָמוֹן, אֶלָּא אוּמָן.
35. "But the Levites (lit. 'Levite, he') shall do the service of the Tent of Meeting..." (Bemidbar 18:23). Rabbi Aba opened the discussion with the verse: "it is he that sits upon the circle of the earth" (Yeshayah 40:22). Come and behold: when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to create the world, it rose in His wish and He created it with the Torah, and through it, it became perfected. This is what is written: "when He established the heavens, I was there" (Mishlei 8:27), and it is written, "then I was by Him, as a nursling (Heb. amon)" (Ibid. 30). It was explained that we should not pronounce it 'amon,' but rather, 'oman (lit. 'craftsman');''
דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ שְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים שָׁנָה קָדְמָה הַתּוֹרָה לִבְרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי ח, ל): וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן וגו', וְיוֹמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶלֶף שָׁנִים, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים צ, ד): כִּי אֶלֶף שָׁנִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּיוֹם אֶתְמוֹל, הֱוֵי הֲזֹאת יָדַעְתָּ מִנִּי עַד וגו', הַתּוֹרָה יוֹדַעַת מַה קֹּדֶם לִבְרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲבָל אַתָּה אֵין לְךָ עֵסֶק לִדְרשׁ אֶלָּא (איוב כ, ד): מִנִּי שִׂים אָדָם עֲלֵי אָרֶץ.
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּשֵׁם בֶּן סִירָא אָמַר בְּגָדוֹל מִמְךָ אַל תִּדְרשׁ, בְּחָזָק מִמְךָ בַּל תַּחְקֹר, בְּמֻפְלָא מִמְּךָ בַּל תֵּדָע, בִּמְכֻסֶּה מִמְךָ אַל תִּשְׁאַל, בַּמֶּה שֶׁהֻרְשֵׁיתָ הִתְבּוֹנֵן, וְאֵין לְךָ עֵסֶק בְּנִסְתָּרוֹת.
As Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, 'The Torah preceded the world by two thousand years.'" "And I was with him an artisan, etc., and the day of the Holy One, blessed be He, is one thousand years, as it is written (Psalms 90:4): 'For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past.' You knew this from me until [the end]. The Torah knows what came before the creation of the world, but you have no business to inquire except (Job 20:4): 'Do you not know this of old, since man was placed on earth?'
Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Ben Sira: 'Do not inquire into things that are too great for you, do not search out things that are hidden from you, do not try to unravel things that are too difficult for you, keep your mind on what has been ordained for you, and do not worry about mysteries.'"
ומה היא בי"ת דכתיב בסופה (משלי כ"ד ג) בחכמה יבנה בית, נבנה לא נאמר אלא יבנה, עתיד הקב"ה לבנותה ולקשטה אלפים באחד על אשר היתה, כדאמרינן מה הוה דתחילת התורה בבי"ת דכתיב (משלי ח' ל') ואהיה אצלו אמון ואהיה שעשועים יום יום תרי אלפין שנין, שהיא ראשית, תרי והכתוב אומר שבע דכתיב (ישעי' ל' כו) והיה אור הלבנה כאור החמה ואור החמה יהיה שבעתים, דאמרינן מה חמה לשבעה אף לבנה לשבעה, אנא אלפים אמרו:
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (שמות י״ב:ב׳) הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים וְגוֹ', וְכִי כֻּלְּהוּ זִמְנִין וְחֳדָשִׁין לָאו אִינּוּן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא!? אֶלָּא הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם, דִּילִי אִיהוּ, אֲבָל אֲנָא מָסְרִית לֵיהּ לְכוֹן, דִּלְכוֹן אִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא. אֲבָל שְׁבִיעָאָה דִּילִי אִיהוּ, וְעַל דָּא אִיהוּ בַּכֶּסֶה, וְלָא בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא.
יַרְחָא דִּלְכוֹן, אִיהוּ בְּסִדּוּרָא, כְּסֵדֶר דְּאַתְוָון אָבִיב, דְּאִיהוּ אב"ג. י"ב אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּג'. אֲבָל יַרְחָא שְׁבִיעָאָה דִּילִי אִיהוּ מִסּוֹפָא דְּאַתְוָון. (ס"א תשרי)
מַאי טַעֲמָא. אָתּוּן מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, וַאֲנָא מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא.
122. He opened the discussion, saying: "This month shall be to you the beginning of months..." (Shemot 12:2). Do not all the holidays and months belong to the Holy One, blessed be He?!?!
"This month shall be to you," it is Mine, but I gave it over to you. "To you," that it is revealed.
But the seventh month is Mine. Therefore, it is covered and not revealed.
Your month is according to the sequence, in the order of Aviv. This is Aleph-Bet-Gimel, because 12 is the secret of Gimel.
But the seventh month is Mine; therefore with the last letters. What is the reason? You are from below up. But I am from above down.
- Nisan is associated with our dominion, and Tishrei is devoted to the Dominion of God.
- The Mishnah records that Human Kings are corrinated in Nisan, while God is coronated in Tishrei.
- Rain comes from above, but Dew comes from below.
- Paradoxically, the winter is a dark time, and summer is light. Thus, the significance is nuanced:
- When God reigns supreme, we are dependant on God saving us, and this is a dark time of faith.
- When Man reigns supreme, this is along with God, and this is a light time.
- We can associate Winter with the "preperation for creation" when the Torah was created. Spring is the actual act of creation. Winter is conception, and Spring is birth.
- In the Spring we emphasize God's role being aligned with Man. In the Fall, we emphasize Man's dependance on conforming to God's will.