Bibilical Personalities-Yehudah
The 15th of Nisan is the Yahrtzeit of Yehuda ben Yaakov Avinu: “After Joseph was sold into slavery, Reuben donned sackcloth, and fasted, but Judah separated himself from his brethren and married. God, Who has insight into our minds, labored to create the Messiah (Bereishit Rabbah; vaYeishev).” This passage can be explained as follows, “Judah blamed himself exceedingly for not using his authority with his brothers to bring Joseph back to his father. Through this grave sin, he felt that he had lost all the mitzvot and spiritual assets he had previously acquired. He was convinced it was necessary for him to start afresh in order to accumulate a store of mitzvot. Hence he commenced with the 1st Biblical commandment, “be fruitful and multiply.” God was pleased with this indication of Judah’s sincere repentance, and brought it to pass that Judah fathered Peretz, the forefather of the Messiah. (Reb Bunim)
iPray-iAttach-Amidah-Messiah-One Mitzvah: We commit ourselves to begin afresh, one step at a time to merit the Messiah for which we pray.
Haggadah; Fifteen Steps-One At A Time: each one step in our effort to merit Redemption.