Derasha on Bo 12:2 — Torah Temimah note 2

Parashas Bo · Shemos 12:2 · TT note 2

The Complete Passuk

הַחֹ֧דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם רֹ֣אשׁ חֳדָשִׁ֑ים רִאשׁ֥וֹן הוּא֙ לָכֶ֔ם לְחׇדְשֵׁ֖י הַשָּׁנָֽה׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah on Shemos 12:2, note 2 (on הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה) points to Berachos 10b.

Sefaria — Exodus 12:2
Sefaria — Torah Temimah on Exodus 12:2
Sefaria — Berachos 10b
E-Daf — Berachos 10b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Berachos 10b
וּמִי לֵית לֵיהּ לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ, ״הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים״: זֶה נִיסָן וְאֵין אַחֵר נִיסָן?!

English: And did Chizkiyahu not know the verse “This month shall be for you the beginning of the months”: this is Nisan, and no other is Nisan? (Teaching that one may not intercalate Nisan once it has been designated as Nisan.)

Type of Learning

Derash on הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה fixing the identity of Nisan so that it cannot be turned into another month by intercalation after the fact.

What Is Learned

“This month” means this is Nisan and no other month may be treated as Nisan. Once the month is sanctified as Nisan, it is not intercalated as a second Adar.