Architecture of Creation
According to the Sefer Yetzira, God created each month using a specific Hebrew letter, a specific sense (sense of the soul), and a specific limb of the body.
The Letter ה: Nisan was created with the letter ה. In Kabbalistic thought, the ה represents breath—the most basic element of speech. Every word spoken begins with a "puff" of breath, the sound of the letter ה.
The Sense of Speech (Sichah): The spiritual power or "sense" associated with Nisan is speech or conversation.
The Limb: Nisan is associated with the Right Leg.
The Theology of Speech (Malchut)
The letter ה is the final letter of the Tetragrammaton (God’s four-letter name). In the Sefirotic system, this corresponds to Malchut (Kingship). Malchut is famously described in the Zohar as "the mouth" or the "Oral Torah."
A leader's power is rooted in their ability to speak and galvanize people. Great leaders—from Moses to modern presidents—rely on the power of speech. In Nisan, the month of the Exodus, the power of speech is "crowned" and redeemed.
The Exile of Speech: Moses and Egypt
A central theme of the teaching is why Moses claimed to have a "heavy mouth" or a speech impediment. The mystical explanation provided is that Moses’ impediment was not a physical deformity but a spiritual reflection of the state of the Jewish people.
Speech in Exile: In Egypt, the power of speech (Dibbur) was in exile. Because the hearts of the people were "sealed" or "uncircumcised" (Orlah), God's word could not be properly expressed or received.
Jacob vs. Esau: The "voice" is the hallmark of Jacob ("The voice is the voice of Jacob"), while the "hands" belong to Esau. In exile, the voice of Torah and prayer is suppressed by the physical power of the hands.
Redemption and the Oral Torah
Nisan represents the beginning of the redemption of speech. This is why the holiday is called Pesach, which can be read as Pe-Sach ("The Mouth Speaks").
Oral vs. Written Torah: While the Written Torah is fixed, the Oral Torah (Torah She-be'al Peh) is a living, breathing dialogue between God and the Jewish people.
The Role of Sages: The sanctification of the New Moon (Kiddush HaChodesh) is given to the Sages. God waits for the earthly court to declare the month holy, demonstrating that human speech (legal declaration) has the power to change the spiritual reality of time.
The "Walking" of Torah
The speaker connects the Right Leg to Nisan by explaining that speech "walks" through the world. The Torah is often described in terms of "walking" (Halakhah). When speech is redeemed, it becomes mobile and active, spreading God's presence throughout the world. This is contrasted with later months like Sivan (the month of the giving of the Torah), which is associated with the left leg and the struggle to overcome the evil inclination.
Modern Reflections: The "Exile" of Contemporary Speech
The Podcast Phenomenon: There are currently a staggering number of over 175 million podcast episodes available containing trillions of empty words.
Empty Speech: While speech is a "redeemed" power, much of modern speech remains in a state of "impurity"—gossip, endless political rehashing, and negativity.
Tikun (Rectification): The goal of Chodesh Nisan is to perform a Tikun (rectification) of our own speech. We should use our mouths for kindness, prayer, and Torah rather than for Devarim Betelim.
Summary Conclusion
Nisan is the month where the breath of God (ה) enters the world to liberate human speech. By aligning ourselves with the "voice of Jacob," we move from the silence of exile to the "singing" of redemption. The month serves as a reminder that our words have the power to sanctify time and reality itself.
