Experiencing Geula in Our Lives

The Ramban in his introduction to Sefer Shemos points out that although the second book of the Torah is known by Chazal as Sefer HaGeula-the book of redemption, the account of the true redemption is not recorded in the Sefer. When we think of the true redemption our understanding is the gathering of all Jews into the land of Israel, the building of the Bais HaMikdash and HaShem’s presence dwelling permanently in our midst. Rather, Sefer Shemos concludes with the erection of the Mishkan on Rosh Chodesh Nissan and HaShem’s presence dwelling in their midst. The Ramban concludes that the true Geula is HaShem’s presence in midst of His Holy Nation. The land of Israel is the preferred place but it can occur anywhere. However, the generation of the Midbar was worthy to achieve this lofty level without the kedusha of our holy land.

Rosh Chodesh Nissan ranks as one of the most significant days in the Jewish year.  Chazal tell us that this day was crowned with ten crowns. It means that ten significant events happened on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. The crown Jewel of this day was the setting up and functioning of the Mishkan that included the permanent presence of HaShem. In fact, Chazal say that the day the Mishkan began to function as HaShem’s dwelling place was compared in simcha for the Al-Mighty to His creation of heaven and earth. Both events expressed the will of HaShem and its fulfillment. From this description we are better able to appreciate the concept of our Geula, a day that brings HaShem the greatest simcha.

From another statement by Chazal we come to understand what response the nation of Israel has to HaShem’s great simcha and why. It’s brought down in the Gemmara Taanis that there were no greater yom tovim for Israel than Tu B’Av and Yom Kippur. With regard to Yom Kippur the simcha was generated by Moshe Rabeinu bringing down from Har Sinai the Second Luchos and from Shlomo HaMelech completing the building of the Bais HaMikdash. For each of these events Chazal provide a label that describes HaShem’s feelings towards them. For the Luchos, Yom Kippur is called the “Day of His Chasunah”, and for the completion of the Bais HaMikdash, Yom Kippur is referred to as “the Day of His Joyous Heart”. It means, that Yom Kippur was a day of great simcha for HaShem and His Holy Nation.  Both events reflect a relationship between HaShem and His Nation of intense love and devekus. The “Day of His Chasunah” was His marriage to his Holy Nation and “the Day of His Joyous Heart”, was the day HaShem’s presence rested permanently in their midst.

Now we can appreciate the concept of Geula. Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the day that the events of Sefer Shemos conclude, was a day of great joy for HaShem and for the people because it signified the intense love and devekus between them.

We can draw from the insight of the Ramban that whenever we speak of Geula there is an association to HaShem’s great simcha and ours because of the intense love between us. For example, Chazal teach that from the beginning of Adar, a month that Israel experienced geula, there is an increase in simcha. Purim is a yomtov that celebrates the redemption from Haman and the powers of evil. In this season of Geula that extends throughout the month and into the month of the future redemption, our Holy Neshamos sense the simcha of HaShem and our love and devkus for Him is intensified.

As is the practice in this column, we provide an action plan from the weekly parsha message in the chinuch of our children. Another statement by Chazal gives us direction.  “The only true Ben Chorin-free person is someone who is consistently at work in Torah learning.” In other words, a true Ben Chorin is a Ben Torah.  Chazal is connecting the simcha of geula to the life of each Jew through his Torah learning and his love of Torah. To achieve the awesome chinuch imperative of preparing our children to experience their own geula, we must insist that their chinuch experience is Al Pi Darko.