Sirius and Makkas Bechoros

First let us ask, why is it that this last plague of Makkas Bechoros (the killing of the firstborns) is split in the Torah? All of the others are described, without a break, from the point Moshe Rabbeinu was told about them, until they were carried out. Makkas Bechoros is different, after Moshe Rabbeinu was told about this plague, we find the portion discussing how Nisan will be the first month for us. The plague was carried out halfway through the month of Nisan, and the commandment of making Nisan the first month was told to Moshe Rabbeinu on the first day of the month. Why was it necessary to split this plague with a commandment that preceded it by more than two weeks? Also, let us take a look at the ending of the pasuk regarding the fact that no dogs barked at Bnai Yisrael.

“In order that you will know that Hashem separated between Mitzrayim and Yisrael.”

Many assume that this reference is to the entire plague. We see how Hashem differentiated between the firstborn Mitzrim and the firstborn of Yisrael. However, the pasuk makes it seem that the differentiation was that no dogs barked at Yisrael. It seems that the differentiation is specifically noticeable by the dogs not having barked and not by which firstborn were killed.

To answer these questions, let us first analyze a little bit of Mitzri civilization at that time. The Mitzrim’s economy was based on the flooding of the Nile. This annual event was what watered their crops. It was a monumental time of the year for the entire country. It was such an important event that they would start their new year from this point in time. They associated this point in time with the star, Sirius. Sirius is the brightest star in the sky and is in Canis Major. Sirius, itself, was depicted as a dog and is referred to sometimes as the Dog Star. Every year, Sirius is not visible for approximately seventy days because it is too close to the Sun at this time and the Sun’s bright light outshines even this brightest star. Its reappearance, called its heliacal rising, would occur, annually, just before the flooding of the Nile and, therefore, it was given special status by the Mitzrim. This reoccurrence happened just before the summer solstice. On the night that Hashem killed all the firstborns of Mitzrayim, the night referenced in the pasuk, this star began its disappearance. This was the beginning of the seventy day period that the Mitzrim associated with their gods going into the underworld. Perhaps, this pasuk is alluding to this fact. The Mitzrim associated this star with new growth, just like their firstborns were the beginnings of the fruits of their labor. This pasuk could be stating that this star’s perceived essence was disappearing, Klal Yisrael are not affected by the silly gods of the Mitzrim. This civilization would be destroyed and never rise again. They would never have another new year and would not have any new growth. Klal Yisrael, on the other hand, was given a different lot in history. At midnight, the firstborns and their perceived gods would descend never to rise again. It is astounding to see that, at midnight that night, the Moon was full and at its peak for the evening. Chazal often use the Moon as a reference to Klal Yisrael.

Perhaps, this is why the next segment of the Torah discusses the concept that Klal Yisrael was to take Nisan as its first month. We were not to be subjected to anything Egyptian anymore, we were to have our own beginning. The beginnings that are associated with Nisan. We were no longer slaves to the Mitzrim, we had the tremendous privilege to be taken by Hashem to be His. The Dog Star was never to bark at us again.

In light of this explanation we can, perhaps, understand another interesting idea expressed in Rashi (Shemos 13:13). When the Torah introduces the concept that we are to redeem any firstborn donkey by giving a sheep in its place to a kohain, Rashi tells us that this is only applicable to donkeys because the Mitzrim were compared to donkeys. This mitzvah seems to be a representation of Hashem’s rejection of the Mitzri civilization and a show of His taking Klal Yisrael to be His premier nation.

While the Mitzrim are definitely compared to donkeys in the Torah itself, it is of note that there is one area of Mitzrayim that seems to be compared to the celestial representation of a donkey. Although, it may sound strange, many times Chazal seem to switch the reference to the mazal Shor with a donkey instead of an ox. Shor is the only one of the zodiacal constellations that is a work animal and it appears that Shor is metaphorically referred to as a donkey in several places. It is also of note that we find that oxen and donkeys are often times referenced together as two parts of a greater whole (see Yeshaya 32:20, Midrash Tanchuma Bereishis 1 and Bava Kama 17a). In his sefer, Reishis Chachmah, the Ibn Ezra explains that each mazal has influence over different regions of our planet. One of the places that Shor’s perceived influence reigns is the area of Aswan in Mitzrayim (unlike the rest of Mitzrayim which is considered to be under the influence of Teomim).

Aswan was considered to be a very crucial area to the Mitzrim of ancient times. It is located in the southern portion of Mitzrayim and was considered to be the “opening” of Mitzrayim. This is where the new growth was perceived to be coming from, primarily, because the Nile flowed to the rest of Mitzrayim from this area. Since the Nile was the backbone of the Mitzri economy and its culture, this was considered to be where their civilization started from. In addition to this fact, we have mentioned that the Mitzri calendar began around the time of the summer solstice because of the annual flooding of the Nile. In Aswan, the ancients recorded that the Sun, which is symbolic of the other nations, can be seen directly overhead on the day of the summer solstice and, therefore, if one were to stick a rod in the ground it would not produce a shadow at this time. The truth is that Aswan is just barely north of the true location where this phenomenon would occur (Aswan is approximately a half of a degree north of this location), but the difference is so slight that it is not easily perceptible to the human eye. Nevertheless, the ancients did, in fact, perceive Aswan to be in this special position and that would strengthen the Mitzri beliefs that their beginnings, which were associated with the Nile, could be discussed as happening around the time of the summer solstice. If we were to refer to Mitzrayim in human terms, Aswan would be compared to the beginnings of growth and production, or, perhaps, the firstborn of Mitzrayim. Perhaps, what Rashi is alluding to is that we can learn from this mitzvah that Hashem took us to be the new growth in the world. The Mitzri civilization was annihilated and would never have any growth from then on. Their firstborns were killed and that which represents their location of new growth, the donkey of Aswan, would also be considered to no longer be able to produce. Any firstborn donkey would either be killed, or exchanged for a sheep. Aswan could no longer be viewed as the place of new growth because the civilization that grew from there was decimated. That sheep that we take to be the donkey’s exchange can clearly be seen as symbolic of the nation that Hashem took to be His. We took a sheep to be our Paschal Lamb, during the month of T’leh and dedicated that month to be the month of our new beginning. The month of Nisan was now considered to be our beginnings of growth. It would now be Klal Yisrael that would be the medium through which all growth would come into this world. At the moment that Hashem killed all the firstborns of Mitzrayim, the Dog Star had set and Mitzri growth had been stunted; Klal Yisrael, on the other hand, were using sheep to do the mitzvah of Pesach and the Moon was at its highest point in the sky. The symbolic donkey had been exchanged for a sheep.

ברכת החמה and ערב פסח

One would have been hard pressed to escape all the "media hype" over the upcoming recitation of Birkas HaChamah. It's everywhere your turn. It's on various informational internet sites with explanatory videos and pictures. It is the subject of a number of worthy new publications as well as shiurim around the globe. And of course, let's not forget all of those tzedakah mailings. And it is with good reason. After all, this only happens once every 28 years. Of course, this year's recitation is yet more rare. We are required to recite the berachah amidst all of the hustle and bustle of Erev Pesach preparations. The last times this occurred were 1309 and 1925 and it won't happen again before the year 6000.So what is the significance of it all?

There are 13 individual beliefs that are delineated as the tenets of faith. However, there are two individual assertions of our belief in HaShem that are repeated in our daily and weekly routines at a much greater frequency. We are commanded to remember HaShem's deliverance of our forefathers from Mitzrayim every day of the year, at least twice a day. Additionally, the kiddush and tefillah for each Yom Tov incorporate a reference to the holiday as "zecher litziyas Mitzrayim."

The recalling of Yetzias Mitzrayim is so prevalent that many are troubled by the specific commandment to tell over the story on Pesach night. After all, how is this night different from all other nights? One thing is for certain, the mitzvah on Seder night takes on a different flavour from that which we find the rest of the year. Instead of a brief mention of Yetzias Mitzrayim, we are required to delve deeply into the story, to realize all of the wondrous miracles HaShem performed for us and to express our gratitude in many ways.

Another fundamental belief which appears nearly as frequently in our liturgy is the belief in HaShem as the Creator of the world. It is indeed the very essence of Shabbos which, although it only comes once a week, it is meant to be the focal point of our week. Our entire week is essentially a "zikaron le'maasei Bereishis." Interestingly, though, we find ourselves commemorating HaShem's day of rest without nearly as much attention given to the actual creation. Although Rosh HaShanah is meant to commemorate the creation of Man, it is so saturated with other various themes, it can easily get lost in the mix. Birkas HaChamah, recited when the sun begins a new cycle and the vernal equinox occurs at the same time in the week as it did during creation, demands of us to reflect on the creation itself and to give us renewed appreciation of the creator.

The timing of this year's Birkas HaChamah allows us to, in a matter of mere hours, take two of our most fundamental and basic assertions of faith in HaShem and elevate them and express them in new and special ways.

It is also worthy of note that in a year such as this, not only does the equinox occur at the same time of the week as it did when the sun was created, but the days of Pesach also fall out on the same days of the week as they did the year of Yetzias Mitzrayim.