The last three of the ten plagues that were inflicted upon the Egyptians were locusts, darkness and the Plague of the Firstborn.
The locusts destroyed any vegetation in Egypt that had survived the previous plague of hail.
The plague of darkness came in two stages. The first three days of the plague brought pitch-black darkness to the Egyptians, where they could not see anything at all. During the following three days, the darkness intensified so much that the Egyptians were actually frozen into position, unable to move. The Jews, however, had light and were able to move about freely.
The last plague was the Plague of the Firstborn, where every Egyptian firstborn child and animal died at midnight. This was the first time that Pharaoh felt his own life in danger, as he was also a firstborn, and he finally let the Jews go free.
The Jews were instructed to sacrifice a lamb, the god of the Egyptian nation, for the Paschal sacrifice. Slaughtering their taskmasters’ god in front of their eyes without fear of repercussion instilled a sense of fearlessness and pride in the Jews. Each family had their own sacrifice to be eaten together.
The people were ordered to take some of the blood from the sacrifice, and smear it on their doorposts. With this show of solidarity and trust, the Jews would be protected from the Plague of the Firstborn.
The people were also given the mitzvah of sanctifying the new moon. The court would sanctify the beginning of each month after witnessing the new moon. Time itself would thus be elevated into something holy. The first month to be sanctified was Nissan, the month of the exodus from Egypt. This represents the birth of the Jewish nation, and marks the beginning of the Jewish year. (Although Rosh Hashana marks the anniversary of Creation, the months are counted from Nissan, the month of the Exodus.)
Because of the salvation of the firstborn Jews in Egypt, there is a special holiness associated with the firstborn. Thus, the firstborn of the flocks was given to the kohain, and the firstborn of the humans is redeemed to the kohain.
This month shall be for you the beginning of months…. (Exod. 12:2)
The Midrash explains that G-d showed Moshe the new moon and said, “Like this you should sanctify the month”. The Brisker Rav asks why G-d had to show Moshe the moon. What was so difficult about it that Moshe couldn’t understand by himself?
He answers that the Torah is teaching us an important principle. Modern technology allows us to see and study things that could never be seen before, through the medium of tools such as the microscope and telescope. A person might be able to see the new moon with these tools before they are actually visible to the naked eye. But the Torah was not meant to be in the exclusive domain of scientists and great scholars. It must be accessible to anyone. Thus G-d informed Moshe that only when the moon is visible to the naked eye can it be sanctified. The mitzvos must be observed in all situations and times, even without the aid of science.
Did You Know…
Rosh Chodesh is considered a minor holiday, and one should try to eat something special, and dress a little nicer than usual. It is considered a special holiday for women, as reward for their not taking part in the Golden Calf. It is customary for women not to sew or do laundry and ironing on Rosh Chodesh. Even using a washing machine or dryer should be avoided.
On a two-day Rosh Chodesh, some women only have the custom to refrain from these activities on the second day, which is really the first day of the new month. If a woman sews or does laundry for a living, she need not refrain from doing them, as the rabbis never intended for her to suffer a loss.
