Hallel: Rosh Chodesh Nisan: Paragraph Two
“When Israel left Egypt,” “For you shall go out with joy (Isaiah 55:12),” the Community of Israel will be filled with joy when they go out of exile. As long as She is in exile and lies in the dust there will be nor real gladness. But only when the Holy One, Blessed is He, will raise Her from the dust, saying, “Shake yourself from the dust (52:2),” “Arise, shine (60:1),” and the people will assemble together, then there will be gladness indeed; gladness for all. Then indeed, “You shall go out with joy,” then indeed numerous hosts will go forth to meet the Queen, sharing in the joy of her espousals with the King. The verse thus says, “The mountains (Higher Angels) and the hills (Lower Angels) shall break forth with joy (60:10),” also, “For God will go before you, and the Lord of Israel will be your rear guard (52:12).” [Zohar, Volume III:118a]
The “leaving,” “Shaking from the dust,” and “Arise,” provides a new “Shine,” of joy, Hallel, as in Halo, expressing the Light of Joy (Remak).
There are three stages:
- Leaving Egypt; the end of slavery.
- “Shaking off the dust;” circumcision and bringing the Pesach Offering which removed the dust of Egypt from our hearts and souls.
- “Rising,” as in the beginning our journey on the Wings of Eagles, in God’s Hands, into a new life.
- Leaving Egypt, on Rosh Chodesh Nisan, as we rise and Sanctify nature; above nature so that, “Who turned the rock into a pool of water. Pebbles into a source of water.”
- Shaking off the dust of exile as we clean for Pesach and search for Chametz, there will be gladness for all, as in, “The Sea saw it and ran away. The Jordan River reversed course. The mountains danced like deer, the hills like lambs.”
- Rising to a new level, as described in the Introduction, Hallel as a Future Song; Rising from the Sea, the Higher and Lower Angels will join our song, as in, “What’s with you, Sea, that you flee? With the Jordan, that you turn around? With the Mountains, that you dance like deer? With the hills, like lambs?
Quake, you Land, before your Master, before the Lord of Jacob!”
We include all three stages in this paragraph of the Hallel:
“When Israel left Egypt, Jacob’s family from among a people who spoke a strange language, Judah became God’s Holy Place, Israel, His realm.
The Sea saw it and ran away. The Jordan River reversed course. The mountains danced like deer, the hills like lambs.
What’s with you, Sea, that you flee? With the Jordan, that you turn around? With the Mountains, that you dance like deer? With the hills, like lambs?
Quake, you Land, before your Master, before the Lord of Jacob!
Who turned the rock into a pool of water. Pebbles into a source of water.”