Commento su Levitico 23:2

'דבר אל בני ישראל, מועדי ה‎‎ SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL [AND DECLARE UNTO THEM] THE APPOINTED FESTIVALS OF THE LORD — This means, Regulate the festive seasons in such a manner that all Israel should become practised in them (their observance). Hence we derive the law that they (the Sanhedrin) proclaim a leap-year (i. e. intercalate a second Adar) for the sake of those living in the diaspora who have already left their homes in order to go up for the festival but have not yet arrived in Jerusalem (Sifra, Emor, Section 9 1; cf. Sanhedrin 11a).

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”].

מועדי ה' אשר תקראו אותם מקראי קודש, after the Torah had spoken on the subject of the animal offerings and the people offering them whose purpose it is to ensure that the Shechinah rests in/over the people of Israel. Compare Exodus 29,42 עולת תמיד לדורותיכם, פתח אהל מועד לפני ה' אשר אועד לכם שמה; “a regular burnt offering throughout the generations, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting before the Lord.” The Torah spoke of the festivals, days on which one abstains from the pursuit of secular matters. On some of these days one has to abstain from such activities completely, on others only partially. For instance, on the Sabbath as well as on the Day of Atonement there is a total cessation of everything which is called מלאכה, work, in the sense of a productive activity. These days are meant for us to occupy ourselves exclusively with Torah and other sacred tasks. To this effect the Torah wrote (Exodus 20,9-10) “you shall labour for six days and conduct all your activities, whereas the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your G’d.” On that day your activities should concern spiritual matters. On some of the days described as holy convocations there is a partial prohibition of work, desisting basically from the kind of activity related to the kind of labour involved in earning one’s livelihood. One is to enjoy these days. Concerning such days, our sages coined the phrase חציה לה' וחציה לכם, “half for G’d and half for you.” (Pessachim 68) There is no doubt that when the Jewish people conduct themselves in this fashion that the Divine Presence will be at home among them. Assaph expressed this thought in Psalms 82,1 which commences with the words אלוקים נצב בעדת א-ל וגו', “G’d stands in the divine assembly. Among the divine beings He pronounces judgment.” The meaning of the word מקראי קודש when applied to the days the Torah calls מועדי ה' אשר תקראו אותם מקראי קודש is: “days of assembles of the people for sacred undertakings.” The word מקרא refers to an assembly, just as the words שבת and חודש are understood as meaning assemblies both in Isaiah 1,13 and Isaiah 4,5

מועדי ה׳ אשר תקראו אותם, "appointed seasons (festivals) of G'd which you shall proclaim, etc." G'd decreed that these festivals will come into force as a result of the court declaring them to be in force (Torat Kohanim). We need to understand why the Torah repeated the words אלה הם מועדי, "these are My festivals." We must also try and understand how the Sabbath (verse 3) fits into this chapter seeing it is most certainly not subject to the manipulations of the Jewish High Court! Moreover, why did the Torah have to write the words: "these are the festivals of the Lord" a third time in verse 4?

אשר תקראו אותם םקראי קודש, which you are to designate as periods of sanctified time. Whenever the word קרא appears in connection with the festivals it means the fixing of certain dates in the calendar. We have an example of this in Lamentation 1,15 where the prophet Jeremiah refers to the date on which the Temple was destroyed as קרא עלי מועד,”G’d having fixed the date the Jewish people was to experience this traumatic event including the killing of the flower of its youth.” Yonathan ben Uzziel, in translating Kohelet 2,15 כםקרה הכסיל, normally translated as “like the fate of the fool,” renders these words as מערע קדיש, [my version of the Targum renders the meaning of the verse quite differently, in a fatalistic sense, i.e. that G’d decrees death regardless of whether one is a fool or as wise as Solomon. Ed.]

דבר אל בני ישראל, “speak to the Children of Israel;” Nachmanides writes that the reason the name of Aaron has not been mentioned in this paragraph is that in this paragraph the Torah did not mention the additional sacrifices, מוספים, which are offered on every one of the festivals mentioned here. The Torah contents itself with writing –in a general statement- והקרבתם אשה לה', “you are to offer fire-offerings to Hashem.” The details are spelled out only in Numbers chapter 28-29. The reason this has been delayed until there is that by then the details of the occupation of the land of Israel, the key to how to distribute the various parts of the land had been spelled out, and basically, the additional offerings are applicable in the central location where the Tabernacle/Temple would stand and the Israelites would have to make their pilgrimages to that location to honour the festival. In a manner of speaking, these מוספים represent acknowledgment of Hashem having given us our daily bread in the land of Israel. Although at this time, the land had not yet been conquered, the Torah in verses 9-22 speaks about offerings which could not possibly be brought prior to the land having been conquered, seeing that the ingredients are largely produce of that land, the message is that the legislation in the Torah being discussed here is for the duration, throughout the generations. It is noteworthy that the Sabbath, a day that is not connected to calendar considerations, is mentioned as part of these מועדים. The reason is to show that part of this legislation, such as the Sabbath, is capable of being honoured in the performance already immediately. The fact that after having mentioned the Sabbath the Torah reverts to telling the halachic authorities of the people אשר תקראו אותם במועדם, “the festivals that you have to proclaim as such at their appointed times,” makes the distinction between the Sabbath on the one hand, and the festivals on the other hand, quite clear. The reason that the Sabbath is introduced with the words אלה מועדי ה', “these are the appointed festivals of Hashem, etc.” in the plural mode is that the Sabbath occurs so frequently. It is reported in the name of Rabbi Chiya (hasefardi) that when mentioning the Sabbath the words מועדי ה' occur before the words אשר תקראו אותם, “that you are to proclaim,” whereas in connection with the festivals the words אשר תקראו אותם occur after the words מועדי ה'. This is a clear hint that unless the dates of the festivals have been publicly proclaimed in advance, these festivals i.e. their legal status, remains in doubt. It is necessary for the Highest Court of the land to declare the first day of that month as such in order for us to know when the dates mentioned as festivals do occur. Nachmanides mentions further that the words אלה מועדי ה' אשר תקראו אותם וגו' refer to what follows, [not as in Genesis 24, or Exodus 6,19 and many others where the word אלה sums up what had been reported before then. Ed.] This is the reason why the Torah felt compelled to repeat this line seeing it had interrupted its narrative with mention of the Sabbath. There is an essential difference between observing the Sabbath and observing the festivals, as on the Sabbath any manner of מלאכה, creative kind of activity, is prohibited, whereas on the festivals only activities defined as מלאכת עבודה, “work typically performed by slaves, servants,” are forbidden. This enables us to cook, fry, and use fire on the festivals. There is a further allusion in the text that when such a festival day occurs on the Sabbath, the rules pertaining to the festival do not supersede those of the Sabbath and all the activities normally prohibited on the Sabbath are then also prohibited on the day that is both Sabbath and part of the festival. We find a similar syntax in the Torah when the Torah writes אלה הדברים אשר צוה ה' לעשות אותם, “These are the things which Hashem had commanded to do them,” in connection with the building of the Tabernacle, (Exodus 35,1) as there too, the Torah had interrupted its narrative by referring to the rules of Sabbath observance. In light of the above we can understand very well why when introducing this legislation the Torah did not use the words והקרבתם אשה לה' when describing the Sabbath, [although such an offering is, of course tendered every Sabbath, Ed.] as it does at the end of the mention of each festival, and instead it writes at the end of the chapter (verse 37) אלה מועדי ה' אשר תקראו אותם מקראי קודש להקריב אשה לה' מנחה זבח ונסכים דבר יום ביומו. מלבד שבתות ה' ומלבד מתנותיכם וגו' , “These are the appointed festivals of Hashem that you shall proclaim as holy convocations, to offer a fire-offering to Hashem: a burnt offering, and its meal-offering, a feast-offering, and its libation, each day’s requirement each day. Apart from Hashem’s Sabbaths, and apart from your gifts, apart from all your vows, etc.” These verses make crystal clear that the Sabbaths are not included in the list of the festivals. If a further proof were needed you will find this in the very fact that the Torah wrote a separate paragraph commencing with practically the same words in verse 4. If the Sabbath could have been lumped together with the festivals, surely at least that verse could have been saved.

אלה הם מועדי, “these are My festivals.” The Sabbath is included here in the list of festivals seeing it is a fixed day in the calendar. The Torah describes the Sabbath here as שבת היא לה' בכל מושבותיכם, instead of the more customary חקת עולם לדורותיכם, “an eternal statute for your generations in all your dwellings,” as that wording would have implied that the work-prohibition on the Sabbath would apply universally in every location for all times. Under the circumstances, the wording suggests that the work-prohibition applies only in “your dwellings, not in the Temple, i.e. G’d’s dwelling.

That [the Sanhedrin] proclaims a leap year. This is the correct text: “Regulate the appointed times so that [the] Israel[ites] should become knowledgeable in them,” i.e., they should become used to coming up [to Jerusalem] on the festivals. He then explains how [it is regulated]. “[The Sanhedrin] proclaims a leap year, etc.” Since the [people]y were uprooted from their place they [Sanhedrin] proclaim a leap year, because if they do not proclaim a leap year, they [people] will be unable to come up and reach Jerusalem until after the festival., and t The following year they will not want to come up for the festival, thinking that that they will be unable to reach Jerusalem before the festival. Therefore they proclaim a leap year. See Sanhedrin 11a.

דבר אל בני ישראל, “speak to the Children of Israel;” this is a call for them to assemble in order to hear what he has to say to them. Once they had assembled, the Torah tells Moses what he is to say to them, ואמרת אליהם, and say to them: אלה הם מועדי, “these are My appointed seasons.” The verse speaks of the Sabbath. The plural mode in the word מועדי, is used, as there are so many Sabbaths every year. (Ibn Ezra)

אלה הם מועדי, “these are the appointed dates on which I will demonstrate My pleasure in your company.” If you were to treat these dates as ordinary days, week days, they would turn from being מקראי קודש to מקראי חול assemblies devoted exclusively to the transient life on earth and the physical pleasures people want to experience in this life. They would then not be מועדי, “My appointed times,” but would turn into מועדיכם שנאה נפשי, “your appointed times, the ones My soul detests.” (same chapter in Isaiah 1,14)

מקראי קודש, “a holy convocation.” According to Nachmanides the exact meaning of this expression is that all the people will be assembled on that day in preparation of performing a sacred task. On such days it is a commandment for the people to assemble in or near the House of G’d [in accordance with the regulations governing ritual purity. Ed.] Public prayers would be recited, songs of praise for Hashem would be sung, etc. The people would honour such days by clean and appropriate clothing for the occasion. They would also observe the second part of the day as a day of feasting, eating and drinking well in honour of G’d. Onkelos views the origin of the word מקראי as related to a happening, rather than as related to “following a call.” He quotes אשר יקרא אתכם באחרית הימים, “what is going to happen to you at the end of days,” (Genesis 49,1) as another example of the word מקרא or יקרא having this meaning. In other words, “whenever such a day or date occurs, make a point of treating it as a holy day.” This day or these days are to be treated as something special, a fact that is reflected in one’s bearing, cleanliness, distinctive dress and superior food. All this is implied in Onkelos’ meaning.

I believe we must understand this verse in the following manner. In the first instance G'd informed the Jewish people that in principle the exact time (though not the calendar date) of these "appointed seasons" are subject to input by the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Supreme Court. In view of this principle, the Torah feared that we might err and believe that even the Sabbath itself was subject to such input by the Sanhedrin, i.e. to postponement if it suited the court. The Torah therefore wrote: "these are My appointed seasons, you are to have work performed for six consecutive days and only the seventh day is the Sabbath on which you may not perform all manner of work." The Torah had to write once more: "these are the appointed seasons of the Lord which you are to proclaim," to inform us that we are entitled to adjust the part of the calendar dealing with those days to suit our needs. This is followed by the respective dates in the first month, the third month and the seventh month which are liable to be affected by adjustments made by the Sanhedrin.

There may be yet another reason why the Torah repeated the formula אשר תקראו אותם, "which you are to proclaim (or may) proclaim." Maimonides writes as follows in chapter 4 of his treatise on the sanctification of the new month: "There are three considerations which justify lengthening the year by means of the insertion of an extra month. 1) Bringing it in line with the solar seasons of the year. 2) Ensuring that Passover occcurs in the spring as demanded by the Torah. 3) Enabling the period when the fruit of the trees ripen to occur in summer. Maimonides mentions some other reasons which may prompt the Sanhedrin to adjust the calendar, such as to enable travellers to make their pilgrimage to Jerusalem at a time when the roads are passable, etc., or at a time when the bridges are safe from flooding, etc. The secondary reasons are mostly connected to the fact that many Israelites lived in the diaspora. In other words, the two principal considerations for adjusting the calendar are A) climate-related reasons. B) people-related reasons. Seeing that the Torah described the Passover festival as occurring in the season of the spring, the religious authorities made the necessary adjustments to conform with this requirement. The Torah repeats the right of the Sanhedrin to proclaim when these dates should occur in order for us to know that both climate-related considerations and people-related considerations are valid reasons for the Sanhedrin to make use of its authority in this regard.