Le Lévitique 23:24 Midrash : Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition) & Sifra

Whence do we know that Sarah, Rachel and Hannah were visited on New Year's Day? R. Elazar said: We infer by comparing the expression, Zechiro, Zechiro (remember) and Pekidah Pekidah (visit) that appear in both places. Concerning the expression Zechira Zechira (remember), it is written of Rachel (Gen. 30, 32) And God remembered (Voyizkor) Rachel; and of Hannah, it is written (I Sam. 1, 19) And God remembered her (Voyizkor); this institutes an analogy between the word remember (Zechira) used in these passages and Zechiro, used in connection with New Year's Day, which is written (Lev. 23, 24) A remembrance (Zichrow) of blowing of cornets. Again, we make an inference from the analogy of Pekido Pekido (visit); it is written concerning Sarah (Gen. 21, 1) And the Lord visited (Pakad) Sarah as He said. Again, it is written concerning Hannah (I Sam. 2, 21) And truly the Lord visited (Pokad) Hannah. By the rule of analogy, all these events took place on the same [New Year's] day. Whence do we know that Joseph was released from prison on New Year's Day? It is written (Ps. 81, 4-5) Blow on the new moon the cornet at the appointed time on the day of our feast; for this is a statute for Israel. And again (Ib.) As a testimony in Joseph did he ordain it, when he went out over the land of Egypt. (Ib. b) On New Year's Day the bondage of our fathers in Egypt ceased. Whence do we know this? We infer it by rule of analogy of the word Sebila mentioned in two places. It is written (Ex. 6, 6) I will bring you out from under the burdens (Sibloth) of the Egyptians; and it is written (Ps. 81, 6) I removed his shoulder from the burden (Seibel); i.e., from the burden of Egypt on the day spoken of in the Psalm. In Nissan they were redeemed, as previously proven. In Tisari we shall again be redeemed. This he deduces by analogy from the word Shofor (cornet), found in the following passages. It is written (Ib.) Blow the cornet on the new moon (i.e., on New Year's Day); and it is written there (Isa. 27, 13) And on that day the great cornet (B'shofor), shall be blown [just as in the former case it means New Year's Day, so does it also in the latter]. R. Joshua says: "In Nissan they [our ancestors] were redeemed, and in Nissan we shall be redeemed in the future." Whence do we infer this? From the following passage (Ex. 12, 42), … this same night is a night of watching unto the Lord; i.e., a night specially designated from the first days of creation for the final redemption of Israel. (Ib.) … For all the children of Israel throughout their generations; i.e., a night looked forward to for the future redemption.

1) (Vayikra 23:24) ("Speak to the children of Israel, saying: On the seventh month, on the first day of the month, there shall be for you a Sabbath, a remembrance of teruah, a holy calling.") "the children of Israel … a holy calling," and not gentiles, (even though they, too, are judged on Rosh Hashanah.) If "the children of Israel," I would know only "the children of Israel" per se. Whence would I derive (for inclusion) proselytes and bondsmen? From (the superfluous) "for you." "a Sabbath (Shabbathon) a remembrance of teruah, a holy calling": "a Sabbath": R. Eliezer says: "a Sabbath": This is (the blessing over) the holiness of the day. "a remembrance": This is (the section of) zichronoth. "teruah": This is shofaroth. "a holy calling": Sanctify (the day) by abstaining from labor. R. Akiva (to R. Eliezer): Why should we not say that "Shabbathon" refers to abstention from labor, for this is the prime thrust of the verse? "Remembrance" is zichronoth." teruah": This is shofaroth. "a holy calling": This is the holiness of the day. And whence do we derive that (the section of) malchuyoth (Kingship) is included with them? From (Vayikra 23:22) "I am the L–rd your G d" (i.e., your King) … (Vayikra 23:24) "on the seventh month, etc." (i.e., on Rosh Hashanah).

2) R. Yossi b. R. Yehudah says: This (the above derivation) is not necessary. It is written (Bamidbar 10:10) "Let this be a remembrance before your G d. (I am the L–rd your G d.") Let this (the seemingly) superfluous "I am the L–rd your G d") not be written. It must serve, then, as a prototype (binyan av) to teach that whenever "remembrances" are mentioned, "Kingships" are to be juxtaposed with it.