General Introduction

1. This month shall be the first month for you, it is the first of the months of the year. (Exodus 12:1) Nisan is the first of the months because it is when the world was created and when the people of Israel were liberated from Egypt.
2. The entire month is one of happiness and freedom.
3. There is no fasting and no eulogising the dead in the month of liberation, and some of the laws of mourning do not apply.
4. Great miracles occurred for Israel in this month, and great miracles are intended for the future in this month.
5. On account of the importance of this month, it has also been set as the New Year for:
   • Kings – the date for civil purposes was calculated according to the year and month of the king' reign;
   • Pilgrim festivals – Pesach is counted as the first;
   • Leap years – once Nisan has arrived, it is too late to insert an extra month for the year that has just passed;
   • The half-shekel levy (the Temple tax with which, among other things, the animals for public offerings were bought). From that day, all public offerings were purchased only with money collected as tax for the current year, and not with money from tax collected for previous years. (Collection of tax starts before Nisan.)

Key Words and Phrases