וַיַּ֣עַשׂ יָרָבְעָ֣ם ׀ חָ֡ג בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁמִינִ֣י בַּחֲמִשָּֽׁה־עָשָׂר֩ י֨וֹם ׀ לַחֹ֜דֶשׁ כֶּחָ֣ג ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּיהוּדָ֗ה וַיַּ֙עַל֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ כֵּ֤ן עָשָׂה֙ בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֔ל לְזַבֵּ֖חַ לָעֲגָלִ֣ים אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֑ה וְהֶעֱמִיד֙ בְּבֵ֣ית אֵ֔ל אֶת־כֹּהֲנֵ֥י הַבָּמ֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃
Yerobeam juga mengadakan hari raya pada bulan kedelapan, pada hari kelima belas bulan itu, seperti hari raya yang dirayakan di Yehuda, dan ia mempersembahkan korban di atas mezbah. Demikianlah dilakukannya di Betel, dengan mempersembahkan korban sembelihan kepada anak-anak lembu yang telah dijadikannya. Di Betel ia juga menempatkan imam-imam tempat pengorbanan yang telah dijadikannya.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
(Numb. 29:35:) ON THE EIGHTH DAY YOU SHALL HAVE (literally: THERE SHALL BE FOR YOU) A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY. What is the meaning of FOR YOU? The Holy One said to Israel: The festive occasion52Simhah. The allusion is to the solemn assembly on the eighth day of the festival, which is called Simhat Torah. is fitting FOR YOU; New Moons are fitting FOR YOU; festival times are fitting FOR YOU; holidays are fitting FOR YOU. It is therefore stated (ibid.): FOR YOU. A certain star worshiper questioned R. Aqiva. He said to him: Why do you keep festival times? Did not he say the following to you (in Is. 1:14): YOUR NEW MOONS AND YOUR FESTIVAL TIMES MY SOUL HATES? R. Aqiva said to him: If <the Holy One> had said: "My New Moons and my festival times my soul hates," I should have said so. He only said: YOUR NEW MOONS AND YOUR FESTIVAL TIMES, because these are the festival times which Jeroboam instituted, as stated (in I Kings 12:32): JEROBOAM ALSO INSTITUTED A FESTIVAL…. These festival times, however, (the ones ordained by the Holy One) shall never be abolished. Neither shall the New Moons. Why? Because they belong to the Holy One, as stated (in Lev. 23:2): THE FESTIVAL TIMES OF THE LORD. It also says (ibid.): THESE ARE MY FESTIVAL TIMES. [(Also in vs. 4:) THESE ARE THE FESTIVAL TIMES OF THE LORD.] They shall, therefore, never be abolished; for it is concerning them that it is stated (in Ps. 111:8): THEY ARE ESTABLISHED FOREVER TO BE PERFORMED WITH FAITHFULNESS AND UPRIGHTNESS.
Midrash Tanchuma
(Numb. 29:35:) “On the eighth day.” What was the reason for [the number of sacrificial animals] being reduced on each day?43Numb. R. 21:25. The Torah is simply teaching you etiquette from the sacrifices. Thus if someone goes for lodging,44Gk.: Xenia. and his host receives him; on the first day he receives him properly and feeds him fowl. Then on the second he feeds him fish; on the third he feeds him cheese; on the fourth he feeds him greens. So does he continue to reduce, until he is feeding him pulse. (Numb. 29:35:) “On the eighth day you shall have (literally, there shall be for you) a solemn assembly.” What is the meaning of “for you?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Joy is fitting for you; new moons are fitting for you; festival times are fitting for you; holidays are fitting for you.” It is therefore stated (ibid.), “for you.” A certain gentile questioned R. Aqiva. He said to him, “Why do you keep festival times? Did not the Holy One, blessed be He, say the following to you (in Is. 1:14), ‘Your new moons and your festival times My soul hates?’” R. Aqiva said to him, “If He had said, ‘My new moons and My festival times My soul hates,’ I should have said so. But He said, ‘Your new moons and your festival times’; because of those festival times which Jeroboam instituted, as stated (in I Kings 12:32-33), ‘Jeroboam also instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival in Judah, at Bethel to sacrifice to the calves, and he ascended the altar…. and he made a festival for the Children of Israel.’ These festival times, however, (the ones ordained by the Holy One, blessed be He,) shall never be abolished. Neither shall the new moons. Why? Because they belong to the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Lev. 23:4), ‘These are My festivals times’” And it is also written (ibid. verse 44), “And Moses told the festival times of the Lord.” They shall, therefore, never be abolished; for it is concerning them that it is stated (in Ps. 111:8), “They are established forever to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.”
Bamidbar Rabbah
“On the eighth day” – what did He see that led Him to diminish37The number of bulls. each day? The Torah taught you etiquette from the offerings. If one goes to an inn and his friend38The innkeeper. received him, on the first day he receives him nicely and feeds him fowl; on the second, meat; on the third, fish; on the fourth, he feeds him vegetables. In that way he gradually diminishes until he feeds him legumes.
“It shall be…for you” (Numbers 29:35) – what is “it shall be…for you”? He said to them: The festivals are seemly for you.
A certain idolater asked Rabbi Akiva, he said to him: ‘Why do you observe festivals? Did the Holy One blessed be He not say to you: “My soul loathes your New Moons and your festivals” (Isaiah 1:14)?’ Rabbi Akiva said to him: ‘Had He said: “My soul loathes My New Moons and My festivals,” I would say so. He said only, “your New Moons and your festivals.” It is due to those festivals which Yerovam instituted, as it is stated: “Yerovam instituted a festival in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival that is in Judah” (I Kings 12:32).” “He ascended onto the altar that he had crafted in Beit El [on the fifteenth day in the eighth month], in the month that he fabricated from his own heart; and he made a festival for the children of Israel, and he went up onto the altar to burn offerings” (I Kings 12:33). But these festivals will never be annulled, nor will the New Moons. Why? It is because they are for the Holy One blessed be He, as it says “These are the festivals of the Lord” (Leviticus 23:37); “These are My festivals” (Leviticus 23:2); and likewise, “And Moses spoke the festivals of the Lord [to the children of Israel]” (Leviticus 23:44). That is why they will never be annulled, and in their regard it is stated: “They are set firmly for all eternity, fashioned in truth and uprightness”’ (Psalms 111:8).
“It shall be…for you” (Numbers 29:35) – what is “it shall be…for you”? He said to them: The festivals are seemly for you.
A certain idolater asked Rabbi Akiva, he said to him: ‘Why do you observe festivals? Did the Holy One blessed be He not say to you: “My soul loathes your New Moons and your festivals” (Isaiah 1:14)?’ Rabbi Akiva said to him: ‘Had He said: “My soul loathes My New Moons and My festivals,” I would say so. He said only, “your New Moons and your festivals.” It is due to those festivals which Yerovam instituted, as it is stated: “Yerovam instituted a festival in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival that is in Judah” (I Kings 12:32).” “He ascended onto the altar that he had crafted in Beit El [on the fifteenth day in the eighth month], in the month that he fabricated from his own heart; and he made a festival for the children of Israel, and he went up onto the altar to burn offerings” (I Kings 12:33). But these festivals will never be annulled, nor will the New Moons. Why? It is because they are for the Holy One blessed be He, as it says “These are the festivals of the Lord” (Leviticus 23:37); “These are My festivals” (Leviticus 23:2); and likewise, “And Moses spoke the festivals of the Lord [to the children of Israel]” (Leviticus 23:44). That is why they will never be annulled, and in their regard it is stated: “They are set firmly for all eternity, fashioned in truth and uprightness”’ (Psalms 111:8).