Midrash su Levitico 23:4

(Fol. 25) MISHNAH: It once happened that two witnesses came and said: "We saw the moon in the eastern part of the horizon in the morning, and in the evening, in the western part of the horizon." R. Jochanan b. Nuri declared them to be false witnesses; but when they came to Yamnia, Rabban Gamaliel accepted their testimony as valid. On another occasion two other witnesses came and said: "We saw the moon on its proper day, but could not see it on the next evening of the intercalary day." R. Gamaliel accepted their testimony, but R. Dosa b. Harkinas said: "They are false witnesses; for how can they testify of a woman that she gave birth, when on the next day she appears to be pregnant?" "I approve of your opinion," remarked R. Joshua. Upon this, R. Gamaliel sent word to R. Joshua, saying: "I order thee to come to me with your staff and your money, on the Day of Atonement, — which is to come according to your computation." R. Akiba went to him (R. Joshua) and found him grieving. He then said to him: "I can prove that all which Rabban Gamaliel has done is proper, for it is said (Lev. 23, 4) These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which ye shall proclaim, etc.; i.e., whether at their proper time, or not at their proper time, shall their convocations be considered as holy festivals." R. Joshua then went to R. Dosa b. Harkinas. "If we are to reinvestigate the decisions of the Beth Din of R. Gamaliel." R. Doso b. Hankinas said to him, "then we must also reinvestigate the decisions of all the tribunals of justice which have existed from the time of Moses till the present day! But it is said (Ex. 24, 9) "Moses, Nadah, Abihu, and seventy elders went up [to the Mount]. Why were not the names of the elders also specified? To teach us that every three men which are appointed in Israel to form a Beth Din (judiciary tribunal), are equal to the Beth Din of Moses." E. Joshua then took his staff and money in his hand, and went to Yamnia, to Rabban Gamaliel, on the very day on which the Day of Atonement would have been according to his computation. Then Rabban Gamaliel arose and kissed him on his forehead, saying: "Enter in peace, my teacher and my disciple! My teacher in knowledge; my disciple — since thou didst fulfil my words."

3) If the year should not have been intercalated, and they intercalated it perforce or unwittingly or mistakenly — Whence is it derived that it is (nevertheless) intercalated? From (Vayikra 23:9) ("These are the festivals of the L–rd, callings of holiness, which you shall call (them) in their times": "them" — even unwittingly; "them" — even mistakenly; "them" — even perforce.

6) I might think that just as the year is intercalated to answer some special need, so, it is intercalated because of tumah (of the populace); it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 23:5) "In the first month … it is Pesach" — Let the first month not pass without Pesach.

"to sanctify it": with a blessing — whence they ruled: It is sanctified by wine (i.e., "kiddush") upon its entry. This tells me only of kiddush at night. Whence do I derive (the same for )kiddush in the daytime? From "Remember the day of Sabbath." This tells me only of (kiddush for) the Sabbath. Whence do I derive (the same for) the festivals? From (Leviticus 23:4) "These are the festivals of the L rd, which (including the Sabbath) you shall "call" (in the kiddush) in their times."

Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and with gladness of heart, due to abundance of everything, you will serve your enemies…” (Deuteronomy 28:47–48) – had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance” (Exodus 15:17), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Let all their evil come before You [and do to them as You did to me]” (Lamentations 1:22).³³The term “You will bring them” in the verse in Exodus and the word “come” in the verse in Lamentations have the same root: tav, bet, alef.
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “Peoples heard, they were agitated” (Exodus 15:14), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “They heard that I am sighing” (Lamentations 1:21).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt” (Exodus 3:7), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “See, Lord, for I am in distress, my innards burn” (Lamentations 1:20).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You shall proclaim on this very day” (Leviticus 23:21), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “I called my lovers; [they deceived me]” (Lamentations 1:19).³⁴The word “proclaim” in Leviticus and the word “called” in Lamentations have the same root: kuf, resh, alef.
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “Justice [tzedek], justice you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The Lord is righteous [tzadik], for I have defied His word” (Lamentations 1:18).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You shall open your hand [to your brother]” (Deuteronomy 15:11), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Zion spread its hands, [there is no comforter for it]” (Lamentations 1:17).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “These are the appointed times of the Lord” (Leviticus 23:4), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “For these I weep” (Lamentations 1:16).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “We will ascend on the highway [bamsila]” (Numbers 20:19), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The Lord trampled [sila] all my mighty” (Lamentations 1:15).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “I broke the bars of your yoke” (Leviticus 26:13), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The yoke of my transgressions is preserved in His hand” (Lamentations 1:14).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “A perpetual fire shall burn upon the altar” (Leviticus 6:6), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “From on high He sent fire into my bones” (Lamentations 1:13).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “[The Lord your God who goes before you, He shall fight for you according to all that He did for you.…] in the entire path [derekh] that you went” (Deuteronomy 1:30–31), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “May it not befall you, all passersby [ovrei derekh]” (Lamentations 1:12).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You will eat your bread to satiation” (Leviticus 26:5), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “All its people are sighing, seeking bread” (Lamentations 1:11).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “No man will covet your land” (Exodus 34:24), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The besieger spread his hand over all its delights” (Lamentations 1:10).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “For on this day he shall atone for you [to purify you]” (Leviticus 16:30), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Its impurity is on its skirts” (Lamentations 1:9).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “From all your sins you shall be purified before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Jerusalem has sinned” (Lamentations 1:8).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You shall be remembered before the Lord your God” (Numbers 10:9), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Jerusalem remembered in the days of its affliction” (Lamentations 1:7).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “I will walk in your midst” (Leviticus 26:12), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “All the glory of the daughter of Zion has gone” (Lamentations 1:6).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “The Lord will place you as a head [lerosh]” (Deuteronomy 28:13), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Its foes are ascendant [lerosh], its enemies are tranquil” (Lamentations 1:5).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “Three times a year [shall all your males appear before the Lord your God…on the festival]” (Deuteronomy 16:16), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The ways of Zion mourn [without festival pilgrims]” (Lamentations 1:4).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You will dwell securely” (Leviticus 26:5), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Judah has been exiled in affliction” (Lamentations 1:3).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “It is a night of watching of the Lord” (Exodus 12:42), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “It weeps at night” (Lamentations 1:2).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “How [eikha] can I bear alone” (Deuteronomy 1:12), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “How [eikha] does…sit solitary?” (Lamentations 1:1).

R. Hosha'ya said: When Israel arrives at (i.e., determines the time for) New Year's Day, the Holy One says to his ministering angels:⁵²Cf. also Exod. R. 15:2. Raise up the tribunal,⁵³Gk.: bema. and bring {back} [out] the books. Then they say: Why? And he says: Because I wish to judge my children tomorrow when it is New Year's Day. They immediately raise up {bring out} a tribunal [and bring out] the books. An earthly court has made a determination to proclaim <a leap year>. It says tomorrow we are celebrating New Year's Day. The ministering angels say to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, you did not tell us: Tomorrow is New Year's Day. He said to them: The reckoning is in their hands, as stated (in Exod. 12:2): THIS NEW MOON (i.e., THIS MONTH) BELONGS TO YOU; it is transferred to you. As for you and me, let us go to my children, so that whatever they do, we may go along with them. Moses said (in Deut. 4:7): {AND} [FOR] WHAT GREAT NATION IS THERE WHO HAS A GOD SO NEAR TO IT AS IS THE LORD OUR GOD WHENEVER WE PROCLAIM ON HIS BEHALF.⁵⁴A more traditional translation of these last six words would read: WHENEVER WE CALL UPON HIM. Now the word PROCLAIM (rt.: QR') is only <used in reference to> festival times. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 23:4): [THESE ARE THE FESTIVAL TIMES OF THE LORD…,]⁵⁵This lacuna does not occur in the Masoretic Text. THE HOLY ASSEMBLIES (rt.: QR'), <WHICH YOU SHALL PROCLAIM (rt.: QR') AT THEIR APPOINTED TIME>. Therefore (according to Exod. 12:2): THIS NEW MOON (i.e., THIS MONTH) <BELONGS TO YOU>.

What is the intent of (Exodus, Ibid. 150 "And the seventh day, a Sabbath of resting, holy to the L rd"? From (Leviticus 23:4) "These are the festivals of the L rd, callings of holiness," I might think that just as the holiness of the festivals (i.e., the determination of their times by intercalation and the like) is relegated to beth-din, so, the holiness of Sabbath. It is, therefore written "and the seventh day, a Sabbath of resting, holy to the L rd" — Sabbath is relegated to the L rd, and not to beth-din. And thus is it written (Ibid. 14) "And you shall keep the Sabbath."

(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.”

26 (Numb. 29:35) “On the eighth day”: What was the reason for [the number of sacrificial animals] being reduced on each day? The Torah is simply teaching you etiquette from the sacrifices. Thus if someone goes for lodging,²²Gk.: 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 meat; on the third he feeds him fish; on the fourth he feeds him greens. So does he continue to reduce, until he is feeding him pulse. (Numb. 29:35) “You shall have (literally, there shall be for you)”: What is the meaning of “for you?” [The Holy One, blessed be He,] said to them, “Festival times are fitting 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. 23:37), ‘These are the festival times of the Lord.’ And similarly (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.”

... Teach us oh, teacher: A court which sanctified the month, but not at Eintav with witnesses, is it sanctified? R’ Abahu said in the name of R’ Chiya the great: if a court sanctified the month without witnesses, it is sanctified, as it says “…which you shall designate in their appointed time.” (Leviticus 23:4) This means whether it is with witnesses or without. Whether witnesses saw it or not it is sanctified, as it says ‘which you shall designate.’ And why did the court intercalate a month into the calendar at Eintav? Because this was the meeting place for the court. Therefore on Rosh HaShana which fell out on Shabbat the shofar is not blown anywhere except at Eintav, in the place where the court sat and intercalated the years and months. The Holy One said: Zion is the meeting place for the whole world, as it says “…for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:3) Therefore when I redeem Zion and her exiles, as it says “Zion shall be redeemed through justice and her penitent through righteousness,” (Isaiah 1:27) they will come and blow the shofar within her. From where do we learn this? From how the prophet finished his words “Sound a shofar in Zion…” (Yoel 2:15). This is how R’ Tanchuma opened in the name of the House of R’ Aba: “The fairest of branches (nof) , the joy of the entire earth- Mount Zion, by the north side, the city of a great king.” (Psalms 48:3) What does nof mean? A bride (kloninfe). Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches’ R’ Chanina bar Pappa said: The most beautiful in her branches, like the fig whose roots are in the land, rising up with her branches going out in every direction, she is beautiful. This is why Jerusalem is called the fairest of branches, because in the future she will be so “And it became wider and it wound higher and higher…” (Ezekiel 41:7) Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches’ R’ Berachia said: The one who is beautiful through the waving (hanafat) of her omer offering. R’ Yitzchak said: The one who is beautiful because in the future she will wave away the nations of the world. R’ Levi said: the fairest of branches (nof) because everyone beautifies her, praises her and waves (manifim) to her. “Tyre, you said, 'I am the perfection of beauty.'” (Ezekiel 27:3) but everyone praises and says ‘how beautiful’ to Jerusalem “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?” (Lamentations 2:15) Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches’ R’ Levi said: her branches are beautiful through the circling of the altar. Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth’ R’ Yochanan said: there was a dome of accounting outside of Jerusalem, and they would take their accounts to do them outside of Jerusalem under that dome outside of the city limits. Within the city they would eat, drink and be joyful. Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth’ Through the dew which comes out from there and causes the grains to wave (m’nafef), gives blessing and makes all the land rejoice. ‘The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth’ R’ Yonatan of Bet Guvrin went into Jerusalem with merchandise in his hands and no one was around. He said: and this is the joy of the entire earth?! He hadn’t finished saying this before he sold everything that was in his hands. “…Mount Zion, by the north side…” (Psalms 48:3) And is Zion located in the north, isn’t it actually in the south? What is ‘the north side’? That her sacrifices were offered “…on the northern side of the altar…” (Leviticus 1:11) And what does “…the city of a great king…” (Psalms 48:3) mean? The city of the Great King. Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth’ R’ Levi said: joy comes from Zion, “…and they shall come to Zion with song, with joy of days of yore shall be upon their heads…” (Isaiah 35:10) The blessing comes from there, “Like the dew of Hermon, that comes down upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forever.” (Psalms 133:3) The Torah comes from Zion “…from out of Zion comes the Torah…” (Isaiah 2:3) Help comes to Israel out Zion, “Send forth your help from the sanctuary, and support you out of Zion.” (Psalms 20:3) Life comes from Zion, “…for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forever.” (Psalms 133:3) Salvation comes from Zion, as it says “Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!” (Psalms 14:7) And the shofar blast which will bring near the redemption of Israel comes out of Zion “Blow the shofar in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain; Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the Lord comes, for it is at hand…” (Yoel 2:15)