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Ramban
AND MOSES TOLD THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL [ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THE ETERNAL COMMANDED MOSES]. “‘This is [stated] in order to separate the subject [of the offerings from that of the following chapter, dealing with vows and oaths].’ These are the words of Rabbi Yishmael. [The meaning thereof is as follows:] Since up till this point [we have] the words of G-d [to Moses],219See above, 28:1: And the Eternal spoke unto Moses, saying … and the [following] section of vows begins with the statement of Moses,220Further, Verse 2: And Moses spoke unto the heads of the tribes … it was necessary to separate the subject [of the offerings] by stating that Moses repeated it and told this section to Israel; for if this were not stated, one might have thought that he did not tell them this [section dealing with the offerings], but began his words with the section of vows.” These are the words of Rashi. But I do not understand them, for [we find] similarly that it says — at the end of the section [dealing with] blemishes [in priests], And Moses spoke unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel;221Leviticus 21:24. and it says at the end of the section of the festivals, And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Eternal222Ibid., 23:44. [and in both these cases the subsequent chapters also begin with G-d’s utterance to Moses; so why was it necessary, according to Rashi, to separate here the sections by saying that Moses declared those laws to the children of Israel]!
But according to its plain meaning, the verse here comes to say that although this section deals with the laws of the offerings, G-d did not single out Aaron and his sons in connection with it, as in the sections of [the book] “the Law of the Priests” [i.e. the Book of Leviticus]. Instead Moses said it to all the children of Israel together, according to all that the Eternal commanded Moses, including the laws of refraining from work on the festivals,223Above, 28:18, 26. etc. and [the laws of] the Daily Whole-offerings, the Additional Offerings, the vow-offerings and the freewill offerings, for thus it was told to Moses, Command the children of Israel.224Ibid., Verse 2. And the reason [for this] is because this commandment applies after they enter the Land, and it is a commandment to all Israel to observe [the laws of] the Daily Whole-offerings and the Additional Offerings [of the Sabbath and festivals] in their appointed times, and to bring their vow-offerings and freewill offerings. Furthermore, the main intention of the commandment [to offer up offerings] is that these days should be remembered and kept,225Esther 9:28. and to refrain on them from all servile work [and therefore it was told to all the children of Israel]. Now this section is like the section of the festivals in “the Law of the Priests” [i.e. the Book of Leviticus]. For it says there at the beginning, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them,226Leviticus 23:2. and at the end it says, And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Eternal,222Ibid., 23:44. and here likewise at the beginning [of the section it says], Command the children of Israel, and say unto them224Ibid., Verse 2. and at the end [in the verse before us] it says, And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the Eternal commanded. It did not mention [here in this verse that Moses told] “the appointed seasons of the Eternal,” because in this section here other matters are mentioned [as well] which do not apply to “the appointed seasons of the Eternal,” such as the Daily Whole-offerings of weekdays, and the Additional Offerings of the Sabbath and the New Moons.
The interpretation given by Rabbi Yishmael [quoted above by Rashi] is because Scripture never has to say of Moses that he told the children of Israel all that G-d commanded him, [because it is self-understood that he always did so], and it is not usual for the Torah to say so at each and every section. Therefore the Rabbis [similarly] explained227Torath Kohanim, Emor 3:12. the verse, “And Moses spoke unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel221Leviticus 21:24. — [as implying that] he warned Aaron about his sons [i.e., that Aaron as High Priest should preserve the sanctity of the Sanctuary, and prevent priests with a bodily blemish from performing the Divine Service], and [he warned] the sons concerning the Israelites [that they should prevent the Israelites from entering those parts of the Sanctuary which are forbidden to them], and [he warned] the Israelites about each other” [that they should each prevent the other from violating the sanctity of the Sanctuary]. And in the section of the festivals they explained [the verse, And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Eternal]222Ibid., 23:44. in many ways. [Thus they said]:228Ibid., 17:12-13. “This teaches us that Moses used to tell Israel the laws of the Passover on Passover, the laws of Shavuoth [the Festival of Weeks] on Shavuoth, and the laws of Tabernacles on Tabernacles. [It further teaches us that] in the very language that he heard it [from G-d], he told it to Israel. And all the sections [mentioned here] are subject to the same law.229This means, as explained further, that just as fixing the days of the festivals [through the sanctification of the New Moon] can only be performed by a qualified court (see Vol. II, p. 116) so the adjudication of vows [mentioned in the following section] requires a court of qualified experts. Hence the statement: “All sections [mentioned here — namely the preceding one dealing with the festivals, and the following one treating of vows], are subject to the same law.” Rabbi Yosei the Galilean says: It states [and Moses declared unto the children of Israel] the appointed seasons of the Eternal,222Ibid., 23:44. but the Sabbath of Creation [i.e., the weekly Sabbath] was not said together with them.230This means that the Sabbath, unlike the festivals, does not require “sanctification” by the court, since its sanctity is permanent and endures forever, being based on its original sanctification by G-d at the creation of the world (Genesis 2:3). Ben Azai says: It is said, [And Moses declared unto the children of Israel] the appointed seasons of the Eternal,222Ibid., 23:44. but the section of vows was not said together with them [as will be explained further on]. Rabbi231This is Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, the redactor of the Mishnah. Because of his great status, he is known simply as “Rabbi.” See also Vol. II, p. 349, Note 64. says: What does this verse — And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Eternal222Ibid., 23:44. — come to tell us? Since [hitherto] we have only learnt that the Paschal-lamb and the Daily Whole-offering override the Sabbath [i.e., are brought on the Sabbath although they entail doing work which is normally forbidden], because it says about them in its appointed season232Above, 9:2 (Paschal-lamb). Ibid., 28:2 (Daily Whole-offering). [which includes even the Sabbath]; but we have not [yet] been taught that [the same applies to] the other public offerings. Therefore Scripture says: These ye shall offer unto the Eternal ‘in your appointed seasons’233Above, 29:39. thus indicating that all public offerings mentioned in this section of the Additional Offerings of the festivals, override the Sabbath. But we still do not know that the sheaf [of new barley brought on the second day of Passover], and the offerings brought with it,234Leviticus 23:12-13. and the two loaves [brought on the Festival of Shavuoth] and the offerings that come with them235Ibid., Verses 17-18. override the Sabbath, since they are not mentioned in this section of the offerings, and hence are not included in the phrase in your appointed seasons.233Above, 29:39. But when Scripture says [there], And Moses declared unto the children of Israel ‘the appointed seasons of the Eternal,’222Ibid., 23:44. it established ‘an appointed season’ for all [public offerings, so that they all override the Sabbath].” Thus far is the text of the Torath Kohanim.228Ibid., 17:12-13.
Now it is possible to say that the interpretation of Rabbi Yishmael who said that [the verse before us: And Moses told the children of Israel … is said] in order to separate the subject [of the offerings from that of the vows, as Rashi mentioned], is identical with that of Ben Azai, who said: “It says the appointed seasons of the Eternal,222Ibid., 23:44. but the section of vows was not said together with them,” meaning that the law of the festivals is not like the law of the section of vows, which was told to the heads of the tribes236Further, 30:2. in order to say that a single person who is expert [in the laws] can release a vow, and so can three ordinary people, for the festivals require the sanctification [of the New Moon] by a court of [at least] three experts, as is explained in [Tractate] Baba Bathra.237Baba Bathra 121a. Ben Azai thus derived this distinction between them [the festivals and vows] from the limiting phrase: [And Moses declared] the appointed seasons of the Eternal, and Rabbi Yishmael derived this [same] principle from the [apparent] redundancy of this verse [before us], and [hence he explained] that it only comes to separate the subject of the festivals from that of the vows. Thus both of them [Ben Azai and Rabbi Yishmael] are saying the same thing, differing only as to the text from which this law is derived.
The correct interpretation [of the words of Rabbi Yishmael who said that our verse comes only to separate the subjects] appears to me to be that he only intended to say [as follows]: Had He finished the section [here] of the festivals with [the verse]: These ye shall offer unto the Eternal in your appointed seasons,233Above, 29:39. and begun [immediately with the verse] And Moses spoke unto the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, saying: This is the thing which the Eternal hath commanded,236Further, 30:2. it would have been possible [to explain] that the verse refers to the previous [subject], meaning that Moses spoke unto the heads of the tribes: “This is the thing which G-d commanded concerning the Daily Whole-offerings and the Additional Offerings” mentioned [previously], and the phrase unto the heads of the tribes would not be interpreted as referring to the following section of the vows. Therefore He divided [the subjects] and finished the section of the festivals [with the verse before us], And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the Eternal commanded Moses, and then began the section of vows [with the statement] that Moses spoke unto the heads of the tribes, This is the thing that the Eternal hath commanded.236Further, 30:2. This is the truth, for such is the explanation of [the expression] “to separate the subject” in many places in the Sifra and Sifre. And Rashi himself has already mentioned238Further, 31:17. what the Rabbis have said in the Sifre:239Sifre, Matoth 157. “[Now therefore kill every male among the little ones,] ‘and kill’ [every woman that hath known man by lying with him].238Further, 31:17. Why is [the expression]and kill used [since it has already been said once at the beginning of the verse]? It is to separate the subject. These are the words of Rabbi Yishmael. For if I were to read [the verse without the repetition of the expression ‘and kill,’ namely]: ‘Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and every woman that hath known man by lying with him. And all the women-children … [keep alive], I would not know what the verse is saying [about the women who have known man by lying with him — whether they are to be killed together with every male mentioned in the beginning of the verse, or to be kept alive together with all the women-children mentioned in the following verse]. Therefore it says [again], and kill, in order to separate the subject [from the following verse].’ These are the words of Rabbi Yishmael.” Similarly we find [such a usage of the expression “to separate the subject”] in other places in the Torath Kohanim [i.e., the Sifra].
Matoth
But according to its plain meaning, the verse here comes to say that although this section deals with the laws of the offerings, G-d did not single out Aaron and his sons in connection with it, as in the sections of [the book] “the Law of the Priests” [i.e. the Book of Leviticus]. Instead Moses said it to all the children of Israel together, according to all that the Eternal commanded Moses, including the laws of refraining from work on the festivals,223Above, 28:18, 26. etc. and [the laws of] the Daily Whole-offerings, the Additional Offerings, the vow-offerings and the freewill offerings, for thus it was told to Moses, Command the children of Israel.224Ibid., Verse 2. And the reason [for this] is because this commandment applies after they enter the Land, and it is a commandment to all Israel to observe [the laws of] the Daily Whole-offerings and the Additional Offerings [of the Sabbath and festivals] in their appointed times, and to bring their vow-offerings and freewill offerings. Furthermore, the main intention of the commandment [to offer up offerings] is that these days should be remembered and kept,225Esther 9:28. and to refrain on them from all servile work [and therefore it was told to all the children of Israel]. Now this section is like the section of the festivals in “the Law of the Priests” [i.e. the Book of Leviticus]. For it says there at the beginning, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them,226Leviticus 23:2. and at the end it says, And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Eternal,222Ibid., 23:44. and here likewise at the beginning [of the section it says], Command the children of Israel, and say unto them224Ibid., Verse 2. and at the end [in the verse before us] it says, And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the Eternal commanded. It did not mention [here in this verse that Moses told] “the appointed seasons of the Eternal,” because in this section here other matters are mentioned [as well] which do not apply to “the appointed seasons of the Eternal,” such as the Daily Whole-offerings of weekdays, and the Additional Offerings of the Sabbath and the New Moons.
The interpretation given by Rabbi Yishmael [quoted above by Rashi] is because Scripture never has to say of Moses that he told the children of Israel all that G-d commanded him, [because it is self-understood that he always did so], and it is not usual for the Torah to say so at each and every section. Therefore the Rabbis [similarly] explained227Torath Kohanim, Emor 3:12. the verse, “And Moses spoke unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel221Leviticus 21:24. — [as implying that] he warned Aaron about his sons [i.e., that Aaron as High Priest should preserve the sanctity of the Sanctuary, and prevent priests with a bodily blemish from performing the Divine Service], and [he warned] the sons concerning the Israelites [that they should prevent the Israelites from entering those parts of the Sanctuary which are forbidden to them], and [he warned] the Israelites about each other” [that they should each prevent the other from violating the sanctity of the Sanctuary]. And in the section of the festivals they explained [the verse, And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Eternal]222Ibid., 23:44. in many ways. [Thus they said]:228Ibid., 17:12-13. “This teaches us that Moses used to tell Israel the laws of the Passover on Passover, the laws of Shavuoth [the Festival of Weeks] on Shavuoth, and the laws of Tabernacles on Tabernacles. [It further teaches us that] in the very language that he heard it [from G-d], he told it to Israel. And all the sections [mentioned here] are subject to the same law.229This means, as explained further, that just as fixing the days of the festivals [through the sanctification of the New Moon] can only be performed by a qualified court (see Vol. II, p. 116) so the adjudication of vows [mentioned in the following section] requires a court of qualified experts. Hence the statement: “All sections [mentioned here — namely the preceding one dealing with the festivals, and the following one treating of vows], are subject to the same law.” Rabbi Yosei the Galilean says: It states [and Moses declared unto the children of Israel] the appointed seasons of the Eternal,222Ibid., 23:44. but the Sabbath of Creation [i.e., the weekly Sabbath] was not said together with them.230This means that the Sabbath, unlike the festivals, does not require “sanctification” by the court, since its sanctity is permanent and endures forever, being based on its original sanctification by G-d at the creation of the world (Genesis 2:3). Ben Azai says: It is said, [And Moses declared unto the children of Israel] the appointed seasons of the Eternal,222Ibid., 23:44. but the section of vows was not said together with them [as will be explained further on]. Rabbi231This is Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, the redactor of the Mishnah. Because of his great status, he is known simply as “Rabbi.” See also Vol. II, p. 349, Note 64. says: What does this verse — And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Eternal222Ibid., 23:44. — come to tell us? Since [hitherto] we have only learnt that the Paschal-lamb and the Daily Whole-offering override the Sabbath [i.e., are brought on the Sabbath although they entail doing work which is normally forbidden], because it says about them in its appointed season232Above, 9:2 (Paschal-lamb). Ibid., 28:2 (Daily Whole-offering). [which includes even the Sabbath]; but we have not [yet] been taught that [the same applies to] the other public offerings. Therefore Scripture says: These ye shall offer unto the Eternal ‘in your appointed seasons’233Above, 29:39. thus indicating that all public offerings mentioned in this section of the Additional Offerings of the festivals, override the Sabbath. But we still do not know that the sheaf [of new barley brought on the second day of Passover], and the offerings brought with it,234Leviticus 23:12-13. and the two loaves [brought on the Festival of Shavuoth] and the offerings that come with them235Ibid., Verses 17-18. override the Sabbath, since they are not mentioned in this section of the offerings, and hence are not included in the phrase in your appointed seasons.233Above, 29:39. But when Scripture says [there], And Moses declared unto the children of Israel ‘the appointed seasons of the Eternal,’222Ibid., 23:44. it established ‘an appointed season’ for all [public offerings, so that they all override the Sabbath].” Thus far is the text of the Torath Kohanim.228Ibid., 17:12-13.
Now it is possible to say that the interpretation of Rabbi Yishmael who said that [the verse before us: And Moses told the children of Israel … is said] in order to separate the subject [of the offerings from that of the vows, as Rashi mentioned], is identical with that of Ben Azai, who said: “It says the appointed seasons of the Eternal,222Ibid., 23:44. but the section of vows was not said together with them,” meaning that the law of the festivals is not like the law of the section of vows, which was told to the heads of the tribes236Further, 30:2. in order to say that a single person who is expert [in the laws] can release a vow, and so can three ordinary people, for the festivals require the sanctification [of the New Moon] by a court of [at least] three experts, as is explained in [Tractate] Baba Bathra.237Baba Bathra 121a. Ben Azai thus derived this distinction between them [the festivals and vows] from the limiting phrase: [And Moses declared] the appointed seasons of the Eternal, and Rabbi Yishmael derived this [same] principle from the [apparent] redundancy of this verse [before us], and [hence he explained] that it only comes to separate the subject of the festivals from that of the vows. Thus both of them [Ben Azai and Rabbi Yishmael] are saying the same thing, differing only as to the text from which this law is derived.
The correct interpretation [of the words of Rabbi Yishmael who said that our verse comes only to separate the subjects] appears to me to be that he only intended to say [as follows]: Had He finished the section [here] of the festivals with [the verse]: These ye shall offer unto the Eternal in your appointed seasons,233Above, 29:39. and begun [immediately with the verse] And Moses spoke unto the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, saying: This is the thing which the Eternal hath commanded,236Further, 30:2. it would have been possible [to explain] that the verse refers to the previous [subject], meaning that Moses spoke unto the heads of the tribes: “This is the thing which G-d commanded concerning the Daily Whole-offerings and the Additional Offerings” mentioned [previously], and the phrase unto the heads of the tribes would not be interpreted as referring to the following section of the vows. Therefore He divided [the subjects] and finished the section of the festivals [with the verse before us], And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the Eternal commanded Moses, and then began the section of vows [with the statement] that Moses spoke unto the heads of the tribes, This is the thing that the Eternal hath commanded.236Further, 30:2. This is the truth, for such is the explanation of [the expression] “to separate the subject” in many places in the Sifra and Sifre. And Rashi himself has already mentioned238Further, 31:17. what the Rabbis have said in the Sifre:239Sifre, Matoth 157. “[Now therefore kill every male among the little ones,] ‘and kill’ [every woman that hath known man by lying with him].238Further, 31:17. Why is [the expression]and kill used [since it has already been said once at the beginning of the verse]? It is to separate the subject. These are the words of Rabbi Yishmael. For if I were to read [the verse without the repetition of the expression ‘and kill,’ namely]: ‘Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and every woman that hath known man by lying with him. And all the women-children … [keep alive], I would not know what the verse is saying [about the women who have known man by lying with him — whether they are to be killed together with every male mentioned in the beginning of the verse, or to be kept alive together with all the women-children mentioned in the following verse]. Therefore it says [again], and kill, in order to separate the subject [from the following verse].’ These are the words of Rabbi Yishmael.” Similarly we find [such a usage of the expression “to separate the subject”] in other places in the Torath Kohanim [i.e., the Sifra].
Matoth
Ramban
SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. The priests have no greater duties with regard to the festivals than the Israelites, therefore He did not admonish Aaron and his sons in this section, but the children of Israel, a term which includes all of them together, since He did not explain the Additional Offerings [for the festivals] in this section.166These are found in Numbers beginning with 28:9 up to the end of Chapter 29. However, He mentioned the festivals here in Torath Kohanim (i.e. Book of Leviticus) because they are days of offerings, and He alludes to them, just as He said, And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal,167Further, Verse 8, etc. and at the end of this section He states, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal, a burnt-offering, and a meal-offering, a peace-offering, and drink-offerings.168Ibid., Verse 37. He did not, however, prolong the subject by explaining the Additional Offerings, since He did not want them to be binding upon the children of Israel when in the desert, and after He had counted [at the end of the desert period] those who were to come into the Land, as narrated in the Book of Numbers,169Numbers 1:1-47. Literally: “the fifth of the census,” meaning that one [of the Five Books of Moses] which begins with the census [taken in the second year after the exodus]. and He commanded, Unto these the Land shall be divided,170Numbers 26:53. He then explained all the Additional Offerings in the section of Pinchas, which they were to offer in the Land immediately and throughout the generations. Therefore He said [here in this Book of Leviticus] with reference to [the Service on] the Day of Atonement, And he [i.e., Aaron] did as the Eternal commanded Moses,171Above, 16:34. meaning that he did so in the desert [but the Additional Offerings for the other festivals were not binding in the desert].
Now He mentioned in this section the “he-lamb of the sheaf”172Further, Verse 12. and the two lambs of the Festival of Shevuoth,173Ibid., Verse 19. because it is well-known that they were binding only in the Land, since they are brought on account of the bread [of the first-fruits]174Ibid., Verse 20. So also the he-lamb of the sheaf came on account of the meal-offering of the omer (Verse 12) which was binding only in the Land of Israel. concerning which He said, When ye are come into the Land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof,175Ibid., Verse 10. but the observance of the days themselves [as festivals] was binding immediately.
He mentioned the Sabbath176Verse 3. among the appointed seasons which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations,177In Verse 2 before us. [although the Sabbath is not proclaimed by the children of Israel, since its sanctity has been affirmed by G-d and is fixed throughout the generations], because it is also “an appointed day” [invariably fixed by G-d as the holy day] and we may thus refer to it as “a holy convocation.” Afterwards, He separated the rest of the festivals from the Sabbath, saying of them which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season,178Verse 4. meaning on whatever day of the week they happen to fall, but the Sabbath is fixed and occurs [always] on the same day, hence it is not necessary that we proclaim it in its season.179Hence in Verse 2 before us which includes the Sabbath among “the appointed seasons,” it says only which shall ye proclaim to be holy convocations, but does not add the expression “in their season,” for this means on whatever day they may happen to fall, whereas the Sabbath is always on a fixed day of the week. And in the opinion of our Rabbis,180Torath Kohanim, Emor 9:5. which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season alludes to the intercalations [of an extra month in a leap year] so that you proclaim them as festivals.181That is to say, if for any reason the Great Court decided that the year be intercalated with an extra month, it admits of no doubt, and the appointed seasons of the Eternal are shifted accordingly.
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the meaning of the verse The appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed seasons,177In Verse 2 before us. is that it refers [only] to the festivals mentioned further on in the sections: In the first month etc.182Verse 5. [but it does not refer to the Sabbath]. It is for this reason that He states there once again, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal,178Verse 4. because He had interrupted with the subject of the Sabbath. Thus He states, The appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed seasons,177In Verse 2 before us. meaning that no manner of servile work [be done on them], but the Sabbath you are to keep, making it a Sabbath of solemn rest176Verse 3. from all manner of work183See Ramban further in Verse 7 for the difference between “no manner of ‘m’lecheth avodah’ (servile work)” found in connection with the festivals, and “no manner of ‘m’lachah’ (work)” stated in connection with the Sabbath. whatsoever, for He admonishes concerning the Sabbath many times. He further alludes here [to the law that even] when the Sabbath falls on one of [the days of] the festivals, we must not suspend [the law of the Sabbath] so that the preparation of food be permitted on it [as it is on a festival day when it falls on a weekday, but instead it is prohibited]. A similar case [where the phrase these are refers to the continuation of a subject which had previously been mentioned, because in the middle Scripture interrupts with another subject], is the verse, These are the words which the Eternal hath commanded, that ye should do them,184Exodus 35:1. which refers to the Tabernacle and its vessels which he [Moses] will mention in the second section, and [in the next verses] he interrupts with the Sabbath: Six days shall work be done, and on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day etc.;185Ibid., Verse 2. and then he again says, This is the thing which the Eternal commanded … Take ye from among you an offering,186Ibid., Verses 4-5. this being the [same] command that Scripture had mentioned at the beginning, but because it was interrupted with another subject, Scripture had to start from the beginning again.
Proof for this interpretation is that He does not mention [here] in the case of the Sabbath, and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal as He mentions at each and every festival,167Further, Verse 8, etc. and at the end of the section He states, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal … beside the Sabbaths of the Eternal.187Further, Verses 37-38. [This shows] that the Sabbaths are not included within the terms of the appointed seasons of the Eternal. A further proof is that in the second section [i.e., in Verse 4 where He reverts to the festivals after having mentioned the Sabbath], He does not say, And the Eternal spoke unto Moses, saying, as He says in the case of each and every festival;188Ibid., Verse 9, etc. for the first communication [to Moses] was indeed concerning the commandments of the festivals, but He mentioned the Sabbath in order to exclude from it the law of the festivals [i.e., that when the Sabbath coincides with a festival, the preparation of food which is permitted on a festival day, is forbidden since it is also a Sabbath, as explained above], but not in order to explain its commandments and laws [and therefore there was no need to repeat the verse, And the Eternal spoke unto Moses, saying]. This is the reason why He does not state [here] about the Sabbath And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal, as He states concerning the festivals,189This is because His intention in mentioning the Sabbath was not to explain all its commandments and laws, but only to exclude etc. (as explained in the text). and He mentions it at the end together with the vow-offerings and the freewill-offerings190Further, Verse 38: beside the Sabbaths of the Eternal … and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill-offerings. which are not mentioned here, as I have explained [above]. And this is the intention of the interpretation of the Sages,191Torath Kohanim, Emor 9:7. who said: “What has the matter of the Sabbath to do with the festivals? etc.,” since the Sabbath is not included at all in the terms of the appointed seasons of the Eternal, but Scripture only put them in juxtaposition [for the reason mentioned above].
The meaning of ‘mikra’ei kodesh’ (holy convocations), is that all people should come together on that day and be assembled to sanctify it, for it is a commandment upon Israel to be gathered together in G-d’s House on the festival day to hallow it publicly with prayer and praise to G-d, and with clean garments, and to make it a day of feasting, as it is said in the tradition,192The Hebrew word is kabalah, and is here understood as referring to a Scriptural passage outside the Five Books of Moses. This usage of the word is found already in a Mishnah in Taanith 15 a. Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy unto our Lord; neither be ye grieved, for the joy of the Eternal is your strength.193Nehemiah 8:10. Thus the expression mikra kodesh (a holy convocation) is similar to: ‘kru’ei’ (those called) of the congregation;194Numbers 1:16. afterwards they eat ‘ha’kru’im’ (they that are called).195I Samuel 9:13. Similarly, over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over ‘mikra’eha’,196Isaiah 4:5. meaning the places where they are called to, and where those called of the congregation assemble. Onkelos, however, [in rendering the Hebrew mikra’ei kodesh as m’arei kadish — ”holy events”], understood [the word mikra’ei] as similar to the expression that which ‘yikra’ (shall befall) you in the end of days,197Genesis 49:1. an expression of “event,” meaning that whenever the festivals occur, you should make them holy. And our Rabbis of blessed memory have said:198Sifre, Pinchas 147. “Proclaim them with [special] food and drink and clean garments;” that is to say, the nature of these [festival] days should not be to you like that of other days, but instead you should make them occasions of holiness, changing them by food and dress from the common to the holy. This is also the opinion of Onkelos [who translated mikra’ei kodesh as “holy events”].
Now He mentioned in this section the “he-lamb of the sheaf”172Further, Verse 12. and the two lambs of the Festival of Shevuoth,173Ibid., Verse 19. because it is well-known that they were binding only in the Land, since they are brought on account of the bread [of the first-fruits]174Ibid., Verse 20. So also the he-lamb of the sheaf came on account of the meal-offering of the omer (Verse 12) which was binding only in the Land of Israel. concerning which He said, When ye are come into the Land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof,175Ibid., Verse 10. but the observance of the days themselves [as festivals] was binding immediately.
He mentioned the Sabbath176Verse 3. among the appointed seasons which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations,177In Verse 2 before us. [although the Sabbath is not proclaimed by the children of Israel, since its sanctity has been affirmed by G-d and is fixed throughout the generations], because it is also “an appointed day” [invariably fixed by G-d as the holy day] and we may thus refer to it as “a holy convocation.” Afterwards, He separated the rest of the festivals from the Sabbath, saying of them which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season,178Verse 4. meaning on whatever day of the week they happen to fall, but the Sabbath is fixed and occurs [always] on the same day, hence it is not necessary that we proclaim it in its season.179Hence in Verse 2 before us which includes the Sabbath among “the appointed seasons,” it says only which shall ye proclaim to be holy convocations, but does not add the expression “in their season,” for this means on whatever day they may happen to fall, whereas the Sabbath is always on a fixed day of the week. And in the opinion of our Rabbis,180Torath Kohanim, Emor 9:5. which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season alludes to the intercalations [of an extra month in a leap year] so that you proclaim them as festivals.181That is to say, if for any reason the Great Court decided that the year be intercalated with an extra month, it admits of no doubt, and the appointed seasons of the Eternal are shifted accordingly.
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the meaning of the verse The appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed seasons,177In Verse 2 before us. is that it refers [only] to the festivals mentioned further on in the sections: In the first month etc.182Verse 5. [but it does not refer to the Sabbath]. It is for this reason that He states there once again, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal,178Verse 4. because He had interrupted with the subject of the Sabbath. Thus He states, The appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed seasons,177In Verse 2 before us. meaning that no manner of servile work [be done on them], but the Sabbath you are to keep, making it a Sabbath of solemn rest176Verse 3. from all manner of work183See Ramban further in Verse 7 for the difference between “no manner of ‘m’lecheth avodah’ (servile work)” found in connection with the festivals, and “no manner of ‘m’lachah’ (work)” stated in connection with the Sabbath. whatsoever, for He admonishes concerning the Sabbath many times. He further alludes here [to the law that even] when the Sabbath falls on one of [the days of] the festivals, we must not suspend [the law of the Sabbath] so that the preparation of food be permitted on it [as it is on a festival day when it falls on a weekday, but instead it is prohibited]. A similar case [where the phrase these are refers to the continuation of a subject which had previously been mentioned, because in the middle Scripture interrupts with another subject], is the verse, These are the words which the Eternal hath commanded, that ye should do them,184Exodus 35:1. which refers to the Tabernacle and its vessels which he [Moses] will mention in the second section, and [in the next verses] he interrupts with the Sabbath: Six days shall work be done, and on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day etc.;185Ibid., Verse 2. and then he again says, This is the thing which the Eternal commanded … Take ye from among you an offering,186Ibid., Verses 4-5. this being the [same] command that Scripture had mentioned at the beginning, but because it was interrupted with another subject, Scripture had to start from the beginning again.
Proof for this interpretation is that He does not mention [here] in the case of the Sabbath, and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal as He mentions at each and every festival,167Further, Verse 8, etc. and at the end of the section He states, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal … beside the Sabbaths of the Eternal.187Further, Verses 37-38. [This shows] that the Sabbaths are not included within the terms of the appointed seasons of the Eternal. A further proof is that in the second section [i.e., in Verse 4 where He reverts to the festivals after having mentioned the Sabbath], He does not say, And the Eternal spoke unto Moses, saying, as He says in the case of each and every festival;188Ibid., Verse 9, etc. for the first communication [to Moses] was indeed concerning the commandments of the festivals, but He mentioned the Sabbath in order to exclude from it the law of the festivals [i.e., that when the Sabbath coincides with a festival, the preparation of food which is permitted on a festival day, is forbidden since it is also a Sabbath, as explained above], but not in order to explain its commandments and laws [and therefore there was no need to repeat the verse, And the Eternal spoke unto Moses, saying]. This is the reason why He does not state [here] about the Sabbath And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal, as He states concerning the festivals,189This is because His intention in mentioning the Sabbath was not to explain all its commandments and laws, but only to exclude etc. (as explained in the text). and He mentions it at the end together with the vow-offerings and the freewill-offerings190Further, Verse 38: beside the Sabbaths of the Eternal … and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill-offerings. which are not mentioned here, as I have explained [above]. And this is the intention of the interpretation of the Sages,191Torath Kohanim, Emor 9:7. who said: “What has the matter of the Sabbath to do with the festivals? etc.,” since the Sabbath is not included at all in the terms of the appointed seasons of the Eternal, but Scripture only put them in juxtaposition [for the reason mentioned above].
The meaning of ‘mikra’ei kodesh’ (holy convocations), is that all people should come together on that day and be assembled to sanctify it, for it is a commandment upon Israel to be gathered together in G-d’s House on the festival day to hallow it publicly with prayer and praise to G-d, and with clean garments, and to make it a day of feasting, as it is said in the tradition,192The Hebrew word is kabalah, and is here understood as referring to a Scriptural passage outside the Five Books of Moses. This usage of the word is found already in a Mishnah in Taanith 15 a. Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy unto our Lord; neither be ye grieved, for the joy of the Eternal is your strength.193Nehemiah 8:10. Thus the expression mikra kodesh (a holy convocation) is similar to: ‘kru’ei’ (those called) of the congregation;194Numbers 1:16. afterwards they eat ‘ha’kru’im’ (they that are called).195I Samuel 9:13. Similarly, over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over ‘mikra’eha’,196Isaiah 4:5. meaning the places where they are called to, and where those called of the congregation assemble. Onkelos, however, [in rendering the Hebrew mikra’ei kodesh as m’arei kadish — ”holy events”], understood [the word mikra’ei] as similar to the expression that which ‘yikra’ (shall befall) you in the end of days,197Genesis 49:1. an expression of “event,” meaning that whenever the festivals occur, you should make them holy. And our Rabbis of blessed memory have said:198Sifre, Pinchas 147. “Proclaim them with [special] food and drink and clean garments;” that is to say, the nature of these [festival] days should not be to you like that of other days, but instead you should make them occasions of holiness, changing them by food and dress from the common to the holy. This is also the opinion of Onkelos [who translated mikra’ei kodesh as “holy events”].
German Commentary
dass es noch während des ganzen Tages der Schwingung. הנף Inf. wie ביום הניפכם את העמר (Lev. 23, 12).