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'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.

ששת ימים SIX DAYS [MAY WORK BE DONE BUT THE SEVENTH DAY IS THE SABBATH OF STRICT REST] — What relation is there between the Sabbath (the day that is invariably fixed by God as the holy day) and the festive seasons (the times of which are variable, being dependent upon the proclamation of the Sanhedrin)? But by putting both into juxtaposition Scripture intends to teach you that he who desecrates the festivals is regarded as though he had desecrated the Sabbath, and that he who keeps the festivals is regarded as though he had kept the Sabbath (Sifra, Emor, Section 9 7).

'שבת היא לה, He, the creator of light and darkness assigns these days in all your dwellings, wherever on earth. The reason this is spelled out is that we might have thought that just as days and nights are not constant, being longer in the summer than in the winter respectively, so that the hours of the first Sabbath in history might serve as the model for all future Sabbaths, and Jews over the world ought to observe the 24 hours which Jews in the land of Israel observe as their Sabbath. The Torah, by writing בכל מושבותיכם, indicates that the commencement and conclusion of the Sabbath depends on the local times of day and night, not on a central location. [as opposed to the determination of the monthly time when the new moon , i.e. the new month begins, which is related to its astronomical constellation in the sky over Jerusalem, which serves as the ”dateline” for the Jewish people.Ed.]

בכל מושבותיכם, “in all your dwellings.” The Sabbath laws apply regardless of whether you are in the Holy Land or in exile. Up to now the Torah had dealt with different kinds of vows made by people, resulting in those being offered as animal sacrifices on the altar in the Temple. On those days everybody is required to offer sacrifices in the Temple regardless of having vowed to do so or not. It also describes the type of work that must not be performed on these festivals.

Shabbos. The word שבת connotes rest, interrupting and refraining from work. In my opinion it also connotes intellectual analysis and exploration. This is based on the verses (Koheles 9:11), “I returned (שבתי) and saw under the sun,” and (Yirmiyahu 31:18) “For after my return (שובי) I have completely changed my mind.” These connote peace of mind (ישוב הדעת), as in the words of the Rabbis. This is because Shabbos is a special day for investigation and seeking in the affairs of Hashem, Blessed be He.

'אלה מועדי ה THESE ARE THE APPOINTED FESTIVALS OF THE LORD [EVEN CONVOCATIONS OF HOLINESS WHICH YE SHALL PROCLAIM] — Above (v. 2), where similar words are used, Scripture is speaking of proclaiming the year to be a leap-year, here it is speaking of the קדוש החדש, sanctification of the month (a technical expression denoting proclaiming when is the New Moon — the beginning of a month) (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 10 1).

אלה מועדי ה' מקראי קודש אשר תקראו אותם, “These are the appointed times of the Lord, holy convocations, which you are to proclaim, etc.” The Torah describes all the festivals as related to the attribute Hashem. The reason the word אלה is used to introduce them is that that word symbolises something permanent, enduring. The message is that these festivals will not become redundant through historic developments in the future. As long as this physical universe will continue to exist the Jewish people will continue to observe these festivals. This is also what is meant when the Torah wrote the words לנו ולבנינו עד עולם, “for us and our children forever” (Deut. 29,28), i.e. the laws of the Torah apply for all foreseeable future times.
Tanchuma Pinchas 17 relates that a Gentile once asked Rabbi Akiva why the Jews were still celebrating the festivals when the prophet (Isaiah 1,14) had told the people that “G’d hated your new moons and your festivals, etc.” Rabbi Akiva answered that if Isaiah had spoken of “My new moons, My festivals,” instead of: “your new moons and your festivals,” he would have a point. What G’d hated were the festivals introduced by King Jerobam which were meant to supplant the festivals described in the Torah here. We have been told in Kings I 12,32 that King Jerobam introduced a festival in the eighth month (to supplant Sukkot in the seventh month), a month he had chosen of his own will (verse 34).
Furthermore, it is written in verse 38 of our chapter “apart from the Sabbaths days of the Lord,, etc.” The repetition of the word אלה, “ these,” in verse 37 of our chapter plus the word מלבד in verse 38 are the Torah’s way of saying that no other festivals are to be considered as “G’d’s” festivals. The ones listed in our portion will never be abolished; this is why they are called “G’d’s festivals.” Concerning these festivals the psalmist said in Psalms 111,8: “they are well-founded for all eternity, wrought of truth and equity.”

Sanctification of the month. I.e., above (in verse 2) it is written, “The appointed times of Hashem, which you shall proclaim them” (תקראו אֹתם), and we [expound the word and] read it as אתם (you). I.e., everything depends on beis din; if they proclaim a leap year it is a leap year, and if not, it is not a leap year. And here too it is written, “The appointed times of Hashem, the holy assemblies that you shall proclaim them (אֹתם),” which implies that it depends on beis din, if they sanctify [the month] it is sanctified, and if not it is not sanctified.

בין הערבים AT EVENTIDE — i. e. the period from six hours onwards (reckoning from six o’clock in the morning) (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 11 1; cf. Rashi on Exodus 12:6).

'בין הערבים פסח לה; although the day on which the Passover is being slaughtered is the 14th of Nissan, not one of the days listed as מקרא קודש, the Torah relates to it as if it were, seeing that this sacrifice, signifying the Exodus from Egypt, the redemption of the Jewish people from slavery, is at the root of the whole legislation governing the Jewish calendar. The sages are empowered to see to it that the annual calendar date which the Torah legislated for this sacrifice to be offered coincides with the month in which the spring equinox occurs, so as to ensure that we do not violate the concept of היום אתם יוצאים בחודש האביב, “on this day you left (Egypt) it was during the month of spring.” The concept of “spring” and its message of resurrection of nature which had hibernated during the winter is so strong that it is part of the אלה מועדי ה' concept. (compare Deuteronomy 16,1)

בין הערבים פסח לשם, "at dusk it is the Lord's passover." This means that the part of the passover offering which belongs to G'd, i.e. the sprinkling of the blood and the burning of the fat parts of the lamb must occur on the eve of the 14th of Nissan. However, the part of that sacrifice which is to be consumed by every Jew has to occur after nightfall in conjunction with the eating of unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Furthermore, the expression "a passover to G'd" is a reminder of the very first passover sacrifice, the one the Jews slaughtered in Egypt. That Passover was of immediate benefit to the Jewish people so that the sacrifice could hardly be called "a passover for G'd." It included elements which were never repeated. In Shemot Rabbah 19 we are told concerning the Passover of Moses (not he personally but the one he commanded at the time) that it contained the fragrance carrried by the winds from Paradise. Compare what I have written in my commentary on Exodus 12,43 in this connection. In addition to that, the first Passover was responsible for G'd killing the firstborn of the Egyptians. Now that the Passover was merely a commemoration of what had occurred as part of the first Passover the people offering it could truly claim that they did so for G'd i.e. that it is a "passover for G'd."

From six hours onward. I.e., from the beginning of the day until six hours [midday], the day is brightest. And from six hours onwards it is less bright than before, therefore from six [hours] onwards is called evening. The real evening is when night approaches and it becomes very dark. Thus the entire period from immediately after six hours [into the day] onwards until nightfall is called “between the evenings.”

A Pesach (offering) for Adonoy. This time period is also called an “appointed time” because melachah is prohibited while bringing the Pesach offering, and it is a “holy assembly” for reciting Hallel during the offering of the Pesach. Therefore, it says here “in the afternoon” because it is only called an “appointed time” in the afternoon.

בין הערבים, פסח, “at dusk, a Passover;” on the eve of the first day of Passover. The night between the fourteenth and the fifteenth of that month is called “Passover.” The reason is that during that night the people were busy consuming the meat of that offering. The remaining days of that festival are called: חג המצות, “the festival of the unleavened bread.”

פסח לה׳ [AT EVENTIDE] IS THE פסח OF THE LORD — i. e. the offering of the sacrifice which bears the name פסח‎.

The sacrifice whose name is Pesach. Because “Pesach” refers not to the festival, but to “the bringing, etc.”

שבעת ימים מצות תאכלו, “you will eat unleavened bread for seven days.” The unleavened bread a person eats during those seven days are accounted as his fulfilling this commandment on Passover, the exception are the thanksgiving offerings, part of which are chametz, leavened bread, and mostly unleavened wafers which may not be offered on these days.

YE SHALL DO NO MANNER OF ‘M’LECHETH AVODAH’ (SERVILE WORK). “[Not] even such work as is considered by you important and necessary work, because the neglect of it would involve a monetary loss, as for example a matter that will not permit delay. So I understood from the Torath Kohanim which teaches as follows:¹⁹⁹Torath Kohanim, Emor 12:6. ‘I might think that on intermediate days of the festival²⁰⁰I.e., the mid-festival days, or the half-festive days between the first and the last days of Passover or of Succoth. it is also forbidden to do m’lecheth avodah (servile work) etc’”²⁰¹Scripture therefore states with reference to the first and last days of Passover and of Succoth, that it is on them that servile work is forbidden, but not on the intermediate days of the festival. This is Rashi’s language.
But this is not correct at all. For what reason is there that Scripture should say, “Do not do [on the festival days even] such work that will not permit delay,” and [the prohibition for] all other labors be deduced by a kal vachomer²⁰²I.e. an argument from minor to major. “If work that will not permit delay is forbidden, then surely it is all the more so forbidden if the work can be delayed till after the festival.” See in Vol. II, p. 133, Note 208, on kal vachomer. and if so it would have been proper to say it in the same way in the case of the Sabbath too! [However, with reference to the Sabbath it says Ye shall do ‘no manner’ of ‘m’lachah’ (work), and it does not say m’lecheth avodah (servile work) as in the case of the festivals!] Moreover, if it be [as Rashi explained it], then there is an allusion in the Torah to the effect that on the intermediate days of the festival it is permissible to do work that will not permit delay, but the Rabbis have said,²⁰³Chagigah 18 a. “Scripture has handed over this matter [of determining which activities are forbidden and which are permitted on the intermediate days of the festival] only to the Sages,” which means that there is no allusion in the Torah as to which work is permitted and which is forbidden! Again, the term avodah (work) includes all kinds of labors and purposes, [as the following verses indicate]: ‘oveid’ (he that tilleth) his ground shall have plenty of bread;²⁰⁴Proverbs 12:11. ‘va’avadcha’ (he shall serve thee) six years;²⁰⁵Deuteronomy 15:12. ‘v’avad’ta’ (thou shalt serve) thine enemy²⁰⁶Ibid., 28:48. — and nowhere does the term avodah mean only work that permits no delay, which, if not done today, can no longer be done on the following day [as Rashi had written]!
Rather, the meaning of m’lecheth avodah (servile work) is all work that is not necessary in the preparation of food, similar to that which it is said, Six days ‘ta’avod (shalt thou labor), and do all thy work;²⁰⁷Exodus 20:9. and in all ‘avodah’ (manner of work) in the field;²⁰⁸Ibid., 1:14. ‘v’ne’evadtem’ (and ye shall be tilled) and sown;²⁰⁹Ezekiel 36:9. but Cain was an ‘oved’ (tiller) of the ground.²¹⁰Genesis 4:2. But work which is done in preparation of food is work of direct benefit, and is not [called] m’lecheth avodah (servile work). This [distinction] is clearly explained in the Torah. For with reference to the Festival of Unleavened Bread where He said at first, no manner of work shall be done in them,²¹¹Exodus 12:16. it was necessary to explain [in the same verse], Save that which every man must eat, that only may be done by you; therefore with respect to the other festivals He shortened [the command] and said [as in the verse before us], ye shall do no manner of servile work, thus prohibiting all work which is not done in preparation of food, and informing us that the preparation of food is permissible on the festival days. And in no place does Scripture say concerning any of the festival days, that “no manner of work” [shall be done on it] without explaining [immediately] that the preparation of food is permissible on it, because the form m’lecheth avodah (servile work) establishes that principle.²¹²In other words, when the Torah states concerning any festival, “no manner of ‘servile work’ shall be done on it,” that establishes already the permission to prepare necessary food, since such work is not ‘m’lecheth avodah’ (servile work). But where Scripture states concerning a festival, “no manner ‘of work’ shall be done on it” [an expression which is similar to that stated concerning the Sabbath], then it is always followed with a permission for the preparing of necessary food, since the term “work” is inclusive of all labors. However, in the section of All the firstling males²¹³Deuteronomy 15:19. [where all the festivals are mentioned], He states with reference to the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the Eternal thy G-d; thou shalt do no work therein²¹⁴Ibid., 16:8. [and yet Scripture does not follow it up with a permission for preparing food]! The reason for this is that He had already clearly permitted²¹⁵In Exodus 12:16 — quoted above. the preparation of food on it [Passover], and it was therefore no longer necessary [there in the section of All the firstling males] to say in connection with it: “all manner of servile work.” He mentioned there merely “work” (thou shalt do no ‘work’ therein),²¹⁴Ibid., 16:8. and did not say kol m’lachah (“all work” or “any manner of work”) as He said with reference to the Sabbath¹⁷⁶Verse 3. and the Day of Atonement,²¹⁶Further, Verse 28. because the intention is, “Do not do that work about which I have admonished you [elsewhere, i.e., ‘servile work’].”
Now Rabbi Chananel²¹⁷See above in Seder Kedoshim Note 286. It is important to note that in the printed editions of Ramban the text here is “Rabbi Abraham” (ibn Ezra) instead of “Rabbi [or Rabbeinu] Chananel,” as found in Ramban manuscripts. It is, however, not found at all in Ibn Ezra’s commentaries, thus proving that the correct reading is “Rabbeinu Chananel.” Ramban’s interpretation of the term m’lecheth avodah, as substantiated by Rabbeinu Chananel, has had a wide influence on the whole concept of “work” on the festivals (see an article of mine in “Hadarom,” No. 34, pp. 234-237). wrote: “Do no manner of ‘m’lecheth avodah’ (servile work). This teaches that He only permitted [on a festival day] the preparation of food, as it is written in connection with this matter in another place: And in the first day [of Passover] there shall be to you a holy convocation, and in the seventh day a holy convocation; no manner of work shall be done in them.²¹¹Exodus 12:16. And because He mentioned there any manner of work [which indicates a prohibition covering even preparation of food], it was essential that He should explain [in the same verse]: save that which every man must eat, that only may be done by you. The meaning of m’lecheth avodah is work for the purpose of material possessions, such as sowing, harvesting, digging and the like, but the preparation of food is not m’lecheth avodah.” This is Rabbeinu Chananel’s language.
And the Beraitha in the Torath Kohanim [which Rashi quoted at the beginning of the section] is taught as follows in the correct texts thereof:²¹⁸Torath Kohanim, Emor 12:5-8. See also in Vol. II, p. 106, Note 45 on Rabbeinu Chananel. “Do no manner of ‘m’lecheth avodah.’²¹⁹Verse 36. See my Hebrew commentary p. 145, that this is the correct reading here. It is this verse which is clearly referred to by Ramban when he begins the interpretation of the Beraitha. This is intended to elucidate [the law] about the intermediate days of the festival, that it is prohibited to do work on them. I might think that any manner of m’lecheth avodah (servile work) is forbidden on them. Scripture therefore states it [i.e., the eighth day of Tabernacles, is a day of solemn assembly],²²⁰Further, Verse 36. See my Hebrew commentary p. 145. meaning: it is a day on which all manner of servile work is forbidden, but on the intermediate days [of the festival] such work is not forbidden. These are the words of Rabbi Yosei the Galilean. Rabbi Akiba says: What need is there for Scripture to say: These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations?²²¹Further, Verse 37. If it refers to the festivals, they are each stated [separately]! If so, why is it said, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations? This refers to the intermediate days of the festival, on which the doing of work is forbidden. I might think that all manner of servile work is forbidden to be done on them. Scripture therefore states, it etc.”²²⁰Further, Verse 36. See my Hebrew commentary p. 145. [as quoted above].
The explanation of this Beraitha is [as follows]: Rabbi Yosei the Galilean interprets the verses, Ye shall do [no manner of servile work],²²⁰Further, Verse 36. See my Hebrew commentary p. 145. and These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal,²²¹Further, Verse 37. as meaning that Scripture prohibits the doing of work on all [the days] which are termed “the appointed festivals of the Eternal.” Thus I might think that they are all alike with respect to this prohibition, and that any manner of servile work is prohibited to be done on [the intermediate days of the festival] just as on the first and eighth days [of Tabernacles], and [then] we would interpret the verses thus: Ye shall do no manner of servile work. These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal,²²²Verses 36 and 37 are thus combined to yield this thought. since a verse may be interpreted together with an antecedent phrase or even together with a penultimate phrase.²²³Shabbath 32 b. In the case before us, Verse 37 [These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal] is explained by an antecedent phrase in Verse 36 [Ye shall do no manner of servile work]. Ramban in speaking of “a penultimate phrase” is merely completing the quotation of the Talmudic saying, but the intent here is perforce to “an antecedent phrase.” It is for this reason that Scripture excludes it by saying, ‘it’ is a day of solemn assembly; ye shall do no manner of servile work,²²¹Further, Verse 37. meaning: “the eighth day [of Tabernacles] is restricted as regards all servile work, but on the intermediate days of the festival the prohibition is not like that of [the eighth day], affecting all manner of ‘servile work,’ but it is only ‘work’ which He said they must not do,” and [the precise nature of the work forbidden on the intermediate days of the festival] Scripture did not mention, nor did it allude to it at all, but entrusted it to the Sages [to establish which work is permitted and which is prohibited]. The text which Rashi brings [further on in Verse 36]²²⁴“Ye shall do no manner of servile work. I might think that it is forbidden to do servile work also on the intermediate days of the festival. Scripture therefore states it (the eighth day of Tabernacles) is a day of solemn assembly [but not the intermediate days]” (Rashi, Verse 36). is also to be explained in this way.
This Beraitha [of the Torath Kohanim] is taught in the Gemara of Tractate Chagigah in the following way:²²⁵Chagigah 18 a. “Ye shall do no manner of servile work.²²⁶Verse 8, referring to the seventh day of Passover, which is a full festival day as is the eighth day of Tabernacles. This teaches us about the intermediate days of the festival, that it is forbidden to do work [on them]. These are the words of Rabbi Yosei the Galilean. Rabbi Akiba says etc.” [as quoted above]. And there [in Tractate Chagigah] it is further taught: “Just as [servile work] is forbidden on the seventh day [of Passover], so also it is forbidden on the sixth day; if so [I might think], just as the seventh day is restricted with respect to all work,²²⁷As it is stated in Deuteronomy 16:8 with reference to the Passover: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly … thou shalt do no work therein. Since it does not state “servile work,” the restriction would seem to apply to “all work,” as the Gemara expresses it. Now Ramban has already explained above that the real intention of this verse in Deuteronomy is “servile work,” and the reason why it mentions “work,” is because Scripture has already explained (in Exodus 12:16 — see Note 215), that it applies specifically to “servile work.” The argument of the Gemara, however, merely proceeds on the basis of the expression as stated there in Deuteronomy. Further on in the text Ramban will again remove this difficulty in accordance with this line of thought, by saying that the Gemara is merely following the expressio of the verse. so also the sixth day [as well as the other intermediate days of the festival] are restricted with respect to all work. Scripture therefore states ‘ha’shvi’i’, (‘the’ seventh day),²²⁸Deuteronomy 16:8. The definite article in [ha’shvi’i] is limiting, meaning: only on the seventh day are you so restricted, but not on the preceding intermediate days. meaning: “the seventh day is restricted with regard to all work, but the sixth day is not restricted with respect to all work, for Scripture entrusted [the determining of which work is permitted and which is forbidden] only to the Sages, etc.” Now the Gemara states that [on the seventh day of the festival we are] restricted against doing “all work,” but the Torath Kohanim [mentioned above] states “all servile work.” This is because in the interpretation [of the Gemara] the Sages chose the wording of the Scriptural text [and since in Deuteronomy 16:8 it says with reference to the seventh day of Passover, thou shalt do no ‘work’ therein, the Gemara followed that expression, but the intention is really only to “servile work”], for with respect to a festival it cannot be said that “all work” is forbidden therein, but only “all servile work.” Thus both [the Torath Kohanim and the Gemara] meant the same thing, namely, that on the festival days all manner of servile work is forbidden, but on the intermediate days of the festival all manner of servile work is not forbidden; however, forbidden are those kinds of labor which [although] have not been set forth in the Torah, but which Scripture entrusted to the Sages [to be specified as forbidden].
And in the Sifre [we have been taught]:²²⁹Sifre, R’eih 135. “Rabbi Yishmael says: Since we have not been instructed that on the intermediate days of a festival it is forbidden to do work, therefore Scripture states, Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly,²¹⁴Ibid., 16:8. [thus teaching that] just as the seventh day is restricted [as regarding work], so also is the sixth day [and all intermediate days of the festival] restricted. Now I might think that just as the seventh day is restricted with regard to all work, so also is the sixth day restricted with regard to all work. Scripture therefore states ‘the’ seventh day,²²⁸Deuteronomy 16:8. The definite article in [ha’shvi’i] is limiting, meaning: only on the seventh day are you so restricted, but not on the preceding intermediate days. thus teaching that the seventh day is restricted with regard to all work, but the sixth day is not restricted with respect to all work.” This Beraitha too [speaking of “all work” being prohibited on the seventh day of Passover] is to be explained in accordance with the principle we have laid down [i.e., that the intention is “all servile work,” the Beraitha merely following the language of the verse, as explained above]. Thus we have discussed at length the matter of the Beraithoth dealing with this subject, in order that the words of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, should conform with the clear and correct interpretation which we have said of these verses.
Yet despite all this, I have found a contradiction to our words from a Beraitha taught in the Sifre:²³⁰Ibid., Pinchas 147. “Ye shall do no manner of ‘m’lecheth avodah’ (servile work).²³¹Numbers 28:18 (with respect to the first day of Passover). This teaches that the doing of work [on the first day of Passover] is forbidden. How do we know that the preparation of food is permitted thereon? Here it is stated a holy convocation [In the first day shall be ‘a holy convocation'; ye shall do no manner of servile work], and there²³²In Exodus 12:16. it is said [with respect to the same day] a holy convocation. Now just as there [the verse explicitly] permits preparing food, so here too the intention is to permit the preparation of food [on the same day].”²³³Now this Beraitha is clearly in contradiction to Ramban’s opinion above, that the term ‘m’lecheth avodah’ (servile work) does not include a prohibition against preparing necessary food on a festival. For if so, seeing that with respect to the first day of Passover it states in Numbers 28:18: Ye shall do no manner of ‘m’lecheth avodah,’ why then did the Sifre have to search for a special source to establish the permissibility of preparing necessary food? Ramban will now proceed to remove this contradiction.
It appears to me that the term avodah was understood by our Rabbis, of blessed memory, in the sense of labor and toil which one does for another, [the usage being] similar to these expressions: ‘avodath aved’ (the work of a bondservant);²³⁴Further, 25:39. ‘eved avadim’ (a servant of servants) shall he be unto his brethren;²³⁵Genesis 9:25. ‘avdu’ (they served) Chedorlaomer.²³⁶Ibid., 14:4. Similarly: ‘avodath avodah va’avodath masa’ (the work of service, and the work of bearing burdens),²³⁷Numbers 4:47. which means the work of any task in the Tent [of Meeting], and the work of [bearing] burdens upon the shoulder. If so, it would be possible [to think] that light works which one does for one’s own enjoyment are permissible, even though they are not for the preparation of food, while those difficult labors done in the course of preparation of food, which a servant performs for his master, are forbidden to be done. Therefore this [Beraitha just quoted from the Sifre] asked: “Whence do we know that this permission [for certain works] refers to preparation of food, so that all work done in the preparation of food is permissible, even if it involves difficult labor, and that we should prohibit all other kinds of work, for even the easiest of them are called m’lecheth avodah? From the similarity of phrases, a holy convocation, for there²³²In Exodus 12:16. it is indicated that all works [even easy ones] are prohibited, and all works done for the preparation of food [even those difficult tasks that a servant does for his master, such as cooking, baking, etc.] are permitted to be done.”
Now I have seen the following text taught in the Mechilta:²³⁸Mechilta, Pis’cha 9. “Save that which every man must eat, that only may be done by you.²³²In Exodus 12:16. All works necessary for the preparation of food overrule the festival, but not all Services [in the Sanctuary, as will be explained] overrule the festival. Now [the argument may be advanced]: Let some works done for the preparation of food overrule the Sabbath! And the following reasoning would favor it: If in a situation when all Services do not overrule the festival, nonetheless all works necessary for the preparation of food do overrule the festival, then in the situation where some Services [in the Sanctuary] do overrule the Sabbath, is it not logical that some works done for the preparation of food overrule the Sabbath! Scripture therefore states, Save that which every man must eat, [that only may be done by you.²³²In Exodus 12:16. — on the festival, but not on the Sabbath. It is thus established that although] some Services [in the Sanctuary] overrule the Sabbath, no work for the preparation of food may overrule the Sabbath.” Now the meaning of the phrase [in the Beraitha] “some Services [in the Sanctuary which overrule the Sabbath],” is such things as offerings which are obligatory for the day, these being the Daily Whole-offering and the Additional Offerings; “but the festival is not overruled by all Services [in the Sanctuary],” these are vow-offerings and freewill-offerings [of individuals], or a freewill burnt-offering [which, although wholly for the altar, may yet not be offered on a festival]. But the meaning of the phrase [“is it not logical that] some works for the preparation of food [overrule the Sabbath]” has not been clarified to me. However, it alludes to what we have said, that work which is accomplished by means of great toil, akin to work [which a servant does for his master], is included in the prohibition, but that which is accomplished easily, and is customary for a man to do for himself, is permitted; or “some works” may mean [those necessary] for maintenance of life, and “all works” may mean abundance of dishes for pleasure. The principle then of ‘m’lecheth avodah’ [servile work — stated in the case of the festivals], is thus to permit the preparation of food [since that is not within the terms of “servile work” which is forbidden on the festival].

מלאכת עבודה, “laborious work.” Rashi includes even activities which, if not performed on those days, result in the Israelite suffering irrevocable financial loss. Nachmanides disagrees, saying that what purpose would be served in the Torah telling us that we must not even perform activities that result in financial loss, so that activities that do not result in financial loss would be forbidden automatically? If this were a valid form of reasoning, we would apply it also to activities forbidden on the Sabbath! Furthermore, if correct, why did the sages have to rule that activities which result in irretrievable loss may be performed on the intermediate days of the festivals, thus providing us with an allusion in the text, whereas the sages contend that there is no such allusion in the text? (Compare Chagigah 18) In addition, the expression עבודה, includes all manner of work and activities, as we know from Proverbs 28,19 עובד אדמתו ישבע לחם, “he who works his soil will have enough to eat.” Or, Deut. 15,12 ועבדך שש שנים, “and he shall serve you for six years.” Nachmanides quotes a number of additional such uses of the word עבודה. On the basis of these examples he concludes that the expression מלאכת עבודה includes all manner of work except that involving the preparation of food. He draws a comparison between Kayin who was a עובד אדמה, tilled the earth, but did not do this for his amusement or satisfaction but out of necessity, and someone who prepares food, the objective being his enjoyment. Clearly, the two activities are not comparable, hence the expressionמלאכת עבודה describes the nature of the activity not its value to the person who performs it. It is noteworthy that when speaking of the festival of matzot, the very first of the festivals mentioned, in Exodus 12,16, the Torah writes כל מלאכה לא יעשה בהם, that on those days no manner of work may be performed. This is no contradiction, as the Torah immediately continues to exempt the kind of work needed to prepare food. On the contrary, it supports the theory that whenever the expression מלאכת עבודה is used this excludes activities involved in preparing food. Had this not been the intention of the Torah the word מלאכה would have sufficed. There is one exception to the wording used by the Torah in connection with the festivals, i.e. Deut. 16,8 where the eating of מצות is discussed, and where the Torah in prohibiting work on the seventh day of Passover uses the expression לא תעשה מלאכה. On the face of it, this sounds ambiguous, as the Torah omits the customary מלאכת עבודה on the one hand, but it does not write כל מלאכה לא תעשה, “that you must not perform all manner of work” either, as it does concerning the Sabbath or the Day of Atonement. The meaning of the words לא תעשה מלאכה is simply: “do not perform the manner of work I have already prohibited to you on the festivals in previous references to that day.”

כל מלאכת עבודה לא תעשו. The Torah informs us that on the festival the only manner of “work” permitted is the type concerning the preparation of food, something that had already been mentioned in connection with the festival of matzot in Exodus 12,16. [presumably, seeing that the baking of matzot, i.e. having fresh “bread” on a festival is almost mandatory, it had to be mentioned there in connection with that festival. Ed.] However, the problem in that verse is that the Torah when forbidding work on the festival had first written that כל מלאכה, “every manner of work is forbidden,” before listing the exception in the verse following. By speaking of מלאכת עבודה, the Torah provides a new definition of what kind of work is prohibited on the festivals, i.e. the type of work connected to acquisitions of one kind or another either directly or indirectly, i.e. making a livelihood. Included are such activities as sowing, digging in the earth, ploughing, harvesting, etc. Preparing food is not in the forbidden category of work then.

'והקרבתם אשה וגו‎‎ BUT YE SHALL OFFER A FIRE-OFFERING etc. — This is identical with the additional offerings due on the first day of Passover which are mentioned in the section of פנחס (Numbers 28:19). But why are these referred to here? In order to intimate that the additional offerings do not impede one another (i. e. that if a particular animal of these מוספים cannot be scarified, it is still lawful to bring the others) (Menachot 49a), because it states: —

AND YE SHALL BRING AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE UNTO THE ETERNAL SEVEN DAYS. Scripture is stating that all seven days [of Passover] should be a festival to bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal,²³⁹Further. Verse 37. but not that they are all equally forbidden as far as doing work, like on the first and seventh days. He did not explain [here the precise nature of] the offering, since He is going to mention it in a special section dealing with all the offerings of the festivals,¹⁶⁶These are found in Numbers beginning with 28:9 up to the end of Chapter 29. when it is His wish that they should be binding on the children of Israel, and as I have explained.²⁴⁰Above on Verse 2. And the interpretation of our Rabbis²⁴¹Torath Kohanim, Emor 10:5. is that [the intention of the verse here] is to state that we are to bring an offering under all circumstances, even if we do not have all the [required] Additional Offerings. This is a correct [explanation].

והקרבתם אשה לה' שבעת ימים, the offering of the mussaph offering for seven consecutive days is to remind us that the intervening days of this festival are not totally secular in nature, although only the first and seventh day have been accorded the title מקרא קודש. The whole matter of the mussaph, additional communal offerings, has not been gone into in detail here as this is a subject treated in Numbers when this legislation appears in detail in chapters 28-29. The reason why in connection with the New Year’s day the Torah does mention the offering of an אשה לה', is that this day already qualified for a mussaph offering, it being not only the first day of the new year but also the first day of the month of Tishrey. In Numbers 29,6 the Torah once more draws our attention to this fact, [presumably to tell us that New Year’s day does not replace the significance of the date of the new moon. Ed.] If you were to counter that אשה ה' is also mentioned in this chapter in connection with the day of Atonement, remember that what is referred to there are burnt offerings and sin offerings, both on behalf of the High Priest and the people but not by each individual member of the people as are sin offerings generally, not mussaph offerings which are mandatory communal offerings. The reason why the Torah listed the Sabbath and the festival of matzot in a single paragraph is that both were legislated prior to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Each of the other festivals has been accorded a paragraph of its own. The Torah commences its reference to the festival of weeks by speaking of the Omer, and the counting of the seven weeks from the Passover until that festival, seeing that the festival of weeks is also known as the harvest festival,חג הקציר and we thank the Lord for the שבועות חקות קציד, “who keeps for our benefit the weeks appointed for harvest” (Jeremiah 5,24). The principal reason for the festivals is to afford us an opportunity to express our gratitude in prayer and in deed. For instance, an example is the appointed time for the festival during spring when we pray to G’d giving thanks for His having given us our freedom at the time of the Exodus from Egypt. The Omer was an expression of gratitude for the barley harvest, the earliest opportunity to fulfill part of the bikkurim legislation, presenting the first of the ripened crop to G’d. This prayer also contains a request concerning the future. The counting of the 49 days between Passover and the festival of weeks reminds us of the need to offer such prayers on a daily basis. On the festival of Sukkot, the festival of ingathering, we thank the Lord for having enabled us to bring the year’s major harvest under our roofs.

והקרבתם אשה לה' שבעת ימים, “you shall bring a fire-offering to Hashem for a seven-day period.” The reason is that all the seven days of Passover enjoy the status of being festivals, חג, so that these additional publicly financed sacrifices are mandatory. On the other hand, the work prohibition applies only on the first and the seventh day of this festival. The components of this fire offering are not detailed here but in a separate section in Numbers chapters 28-29.

Seteyne in Old French. In other words, שבעה is like an adjective describing a group of seven tangible objects, whether animals, plants or inanimate objects, whereas שבעת refers to a group of seven that is removed from something tangible, such as power or wisdom which are not intangible. Unlike “the strong person” or “the wise person,” which indicate a connection [of strength or wisdom] to something physical. Afterwards the verse explains that the group [implied by the abstract seven] consists of days. See parshas Bo (Shemos 12:15).

‎'והקרבתם אשה לה‎ YE SHALL BRING THE FIRE-OFFERING OF THE LORD — bring it under any circumstances — if there are no bullocks available as prescribed, offer the prescribed rams; and if there are neither bullocks nor rams, offer the lambs (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 11 5).

Perhaps even [during] the intermediate days of the festival. It answers [this query by saying] that whatever any activity which [would] incurs a loss [if it were not done at that time] is permitted [to be performed] onduring the intermediate days of the festival. This implies that on the festival itself, even that something which incurs a monetary loss [if it is not done] is forbidden.

שבעת ימים SEVEN DAYS — Wherever the term שבעת is used it is a noun (not a cardinal numeral), so that the words here mean a septaine of days (a period of seven days), in old French Similar is the meaning of all the expressions שמנת ,ששת ,חמשת ,שלשת.

מלאכת עבדה [YOU SHALL DO NO] SERVILE WORK — Not even such labors as are regarded by you as an obligation and a necessity, the neglect of which involves loss of money, as, for instance, a matter that may become lost (that cannot be postponed without irretrievable loss). I understand this (that the above is the meaning of מלאכת עבדה) from Torat Cohanim (on .v 36 of this chapter), since it states there: I might think from what Scripture states (vv. 36, 37) כָּל מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ אֵלֶּה מוֹעֲדֵי‎ that‎ מלאכת עבדה is forbidden also on the intermediate days of Passover and Tabernacles (lit., the week-days of the festivals). Scripture, however, states, “it (the eighth day) is a festival and ye shall do no מלאכת עבדה” thus intimating that on a day which is not a festival such work is permitted. The intermediate days are not regarded as a festival and the rule is that דבר האבד may be attended to. Hence the very question: “may מלאכת עבדה be done on the intermediate days?”, implies that the term denotes דבר האבד.

ראשית קצירכם THE FIRST FRUITS OF YOUR HARVEST — This means that it (the Omer) shall be the first thing to be harvested (cf. Sifra, Emor, Section 10 3).

SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM: WHEN YE ARE COME INTO THE LAND. Since He establishes a new commandment here in connection with each of the festivals, in addition to their being days of rest and holy convocation, therefore He singled out for each festival a special section, which begins with the charge, Speak unto the children of Israel.²⁴²So also further on in Verse 24 [in connection with the New Year], and Verse 34 [in connection with the Festival of Tabernacles]. The reason why that expression is not found in connection with the Festival of Weeks and the Day of Atonement will be explained in the text. And since the time of the Festival of Weeks is dependent upon the omer,²⁴³Literally: “a measure.” This refers to the meal-offering of the new barley brought on the second day of Passover, which is the sixteenth day of Nisan. From that day on we count the forty-nine “days of the omer,” and on the fiftieth day is the Festival of Weeks. Thus it is clear that the time of this festival is dependent upon the omer. therefore He stated it all in one section. And because the Day of Remembrance [i.e., the New Year] and the Day of Atonement are in one month [Tishri], and both relate to one subject — the [Divine] Judgment concerning man’s sins and the atonement [achieved] by those who do repentance — therefore He did not say concerning the Day of Atonement “speak unto the children of Israel,” since the first statement [about the New Year] was sufficient in this case. He made, however, two separate sections [of the omer and the Festival of Weeks, as also the New Year and the Day of Atonement], because they are different matters.

דבר אל בני ישראל, “speak to the Children of Israel, etc.” Nachmanides writes that the reason why the Torah devotes a separate instruction by G’d for each of these festivals instead of a single introductory heading for all of them, is that each festival contains some legislation which did not apply to the previous one, excepting the Sabbath. The common denominator of all of them is that all are called מקראי קודש, “holy convocations. Since there is no specific date given for the festival of Shavuaot, seeing that the Torah links it to the first day the omer was offered on the 16th day of Nissan and stipulates that the 50th day thereafter must be the festival of Shavuot, it is lumped together in the same paragraph as that legislating the omer offering, an offering which permits the new barley harvest for general consumption from that date on. Also, the fact that both Rosh Hahanah and Yom Hakippurim occur in the same month and represent the beginning and the end of the ten days of penitence, i.e. they cover basically the same subject, at least the words דבר אל בני ישראל, “speak to the Children of Israel,” are not repeated.

The first of the harvest. I.e., Jews may not reap their fields until the omer is reaped first, [before]of all everything else that is being reaped. But Rashi is not saying that ראשית קצירכם means that you should may only bring the omer only from the first of the harvest and not from the end or middle of the harvest.

...

עמר — The tenth part of an Epha; this was its name (i. e. עמר has not the meaning of a sheaf here as is the meaning of the word e. g., in Deuteronomy 24:19: ושכחת עמר — but it denotes a certain measure), as we find (Exodus 12:18) “And they did measure it with the Omer”.

AND YE SHALL REAP THE HARVEST THEREOF. This means that you are not to reap any harvest in the Land until you have reaped the omer²⁴³Literally: “a measure.” This refers to the meal-offering of the new barley brought on the second day of Passover, which is the sixteenth day of Nisan. From that day on we count the forty-nine “days of the omer,” and on the fiftieth day is the Festival of Weeks. Thus it is clear that the time of this festival is dependent upon the omer. and have brought it as the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest. Similarly, from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain shalt thou begin to number seven weeks,²⁴⁴Deuteronomy 16:9. means “from the time you begin to put the sickle to any standing grain, for it is forbidden to raise the sickle over standing grain until the day that you begin to count [seven weeks].”

Such was its name. I.e., the measure that contains a tenth of an ephoh is called an omer.

ראשית קצירכם, “the first fruit of your harvest;” it would not be good manners to eat of this harvest before your bringing a gift to the Lord acknowledging His share in your successful harvest.

והניף AND HE SHALL WAVE [THE OMER] — Every form of the root נוף used in connection with sacrifices signifies that one moves the latter about both horizontally (מוליך ומביא) and upwards and downwards (מעלה ומוריד); he moves it about horizontally to prevent (i. e. the act was symbolical of preventing) destructive winds, he moves it about upwards and downwards to keep away injurious dews (cf. Rashi on Exodus 29:24) (Menachot 62a).

ON THE MORROW AFTER ‘HA’SHABBATH’ THE PRIEST SHALL WAVE IT. “That is, the morrow after the first day of the Festival of Passover. For if you are to say it means [on the morrow of] the Sabbath of Creation [i.e., the weekly Sabbath], you have no indication which Sabbath is meant.” This is Rashi’s language. And indeed, this is the greatest of the proofs mentioned in the Gemara²⁴⁵Menachoth 66 a. [to show that ha’shabbath here is not to be interpreted literally as meaning the weekly Sabbath, but refers to the first day of Passover]; for what sense is there for Scripture to state that “when ye are to come into the Land … and shall reap the harvest thereof ye shall bring the sheaf on the morrow of the weekly Sabbath,” which would mean that at any time of the year when we come into the Land and reap its harvest, the priest shall wave the sheaf on the morrow of the first Sabbath after we have come into the Land! In that case the Festival of Weeks would have no [definite] starting point from which we are to count [the forty-nine days, so that on the fiftieth day we should celebrate that festival]! Moreover, according to this way we would not know even in the years following [our entrance into the Land] when we are to begin counting [the forty-nine days], but only from the day that we first put the sickle to the standing grain at our will. But these are meaningless words! If, however, the expression on the morrow after ‘ha’shabbath’ means “on the morrow after [the first day of] the festival,” in accordance with the tradition of our Rabbis, then the matter appears correctly. For at first Scripture commanded that we should observe in the first month the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days,²⁴⁶Verse 6. and that on the first day there should be a solemn rest and on the seventh day a solemn rest,²⁴⁷Ramban’s language here follows that of Verse 39 with reference to the eight days of Tabernacles. and we are not to do thereon any manner of servile work. Afterwards He stated that when we come into the Land we are to bring on the morrow of this rest-day [previously] mentioned, the sheaf of the waving,²⁴⁸Verse 15. this being the first rest-day here mentioned. And He also taught that the [bringing of the] sheaf was not obligatory in the desert, nor outside the Land [since the section begins, When ye are come into the Land …]. However, the expressions, even unto the morrow after ‘ha’shabbath’ the seventh²⁴⁹Verse 16. and seven ‘shabbathoth’²⁴⁸Verse 15. cannot possibly be interpreted as referring to a festival [as does the expression on the morrow after ‘ha’shabbath’ here in Verse 11 and also further in Verse 15.] Onkelos, however, rendered them as meaning “week”, but if so, there are two different usages of the same word in one verse!²⁵⁰Verse 15 reads: And ye shall count unto you from the morrow of ‘ha’shabbath’ … seven ‘shabbathoth’ shall there be complete. According to Onkelos the first ha’shabbath means “the festival,” while the second shabbathoth means “weeks.” And the commentators²⁵¹So interpreted by Ibn Ezra. have written that this is a literary expression [Scripture using one term in the same instance with two different meanings], such as: they rode on thirty ‘a’yarim’ (ass colts) and they had thirty ‘a’yarim’ (cities).²⁵²Judges 10:4. Also quoted by Ramban in Exodus 3:2. And in another place Scripture clearly states, Seven weeks shalt thou number.²⁴⁴Deuteronomy 16:9. Similarly, those that were to come in on ‘ha’shabbath,’ with those that were to go out on ‘ha’shabbath,’²⁵³II Kings 11:9. [where both ha’shabbath mean] “week.” Likewise, Saying: ‘When will the New Moon be gone, that we may sell grain, ‘v’ha’shabbath,’ that we may set forth corn?’²⁵⁴Amos 8:5. [also means “and the week”], for since every seven days contain one Sabbath, and the enumeration of the days is with reference to it [the Sabbath],²⁵⁵For thus we say: “This is the first day in the Sabbath, etc.” See Ramban to Exodus 12:2, and 20:8 (Vol. II, pp. 116-7, 313). therefore one week is called “one shabbath”, this usage being well-known and common in the words of our Rabbis, such as: “for twice b’shabbath (in the week) the court sits in towns [on Mondays and on Thursdays].”²⁵⁶Kethuboth 2 a.
It is possible that every shabbath mentioned [here] in the section means “week.” And the meaning of the expression on the morrow after ‘ha’shabbath’ is that on the day of the waving of the sheaf they should begin counting the week, and if so, that day will be “on the morrow after the week” which has passed, it being as if He had said: “The day of the waving of the sheaf shall be on the morrow after the week with relation to the days that have passed by, and the first with reference to the weeks which he is to count until he finishes seven weeks.” And since He mentioned the expression, and on the fifteenth day,²⁵⁷Verse 6. He thus states that [the priest] should wave the sheaf on the morrow after the week mentioned, and count therefrom seven weeks. One cannot mistake the expression [ha’shabbath] as referring to the fourteenth day [of Nisan, thus making the offering of the omer, brought on the morrow, to be on the fifteenth day of Nisan, the first day of Passover], for of that fourteenth day He has said that only at dusk [is the Eternal’s Passover].²⁵⁸Verse 5. — Thus it is clear that the Festival of Passover begins on the fourteenth of Nisan at dusk, and the first day of the festival is the next day, i.e., the fifteenth. Hence on the morrow after ‘ha’shabbath’ must refer to the expression and on the fifteenth day etc. (in Verse 6), thus establishing that it is on the sixteenth day of Nisan that we are to begin a new week — the first of the seven complete weeks. And the meaning of they shall be complete²⁴⁸Verse 15. is that a Sabbath together with its six days is called “a whole” Sabbath. And the meaning of the expression mimachorath ha’shabbath [literally: “from the morrow of the shabbath”] is like b’machorath ha’shabbath (“on the morrow of the shabbath”). Similarly, Even unto ‘mimachorath ha’shabbath’ the seventh, shall ye number [fifty days]²⁵⁹Literally: “Even unto from the morrow after the seventh week …” This cannot be understood literally, for it would mean that the festival day of Shevuoth is to be observed on the day “from the morrow after the seventh week, i.e., on the following day after the morrow of the seven weeks.” Instead, it must mean: “Even unto on the morrow …” [is like b’machorath ha’shabbath (“on the morrow of the shabbath”)] So also: It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it u’mimachorath²⁶⁰Above, 19:6. See in my Hebrew commentary p. 148 Note 36. [literally: “and from the morrow,” means u’b'machorath — “and on the morrow]. Scholars²⁶¹I have not identified these scholars. have said that the letter beth cannot occur as a prefix in the word machar (tomorrow) or machorath (the morrow). [Therefore it states], And it came to pass ‘mimachorath’ [literally: “from the morrow”] that Moses sat to judge the people²⁶²Exodus 18:13. [which means “on the morrow”]. And the Eternal did that thing ‘mimachorath’²⁶³Ibid., 9:6. [literally: “from the morrow,” which means “on the morrow”], and similarly all such expressions.

ממחרת השבת, on the day following the first day of the Passover festival.

ממחרת השבת, “on the day following the rest-day.” The meaning of this expression is: “on the day following the first day of Passover.” The word שבת here does not mean: “a week,” as it does in verse 15 in שבע שבתות “seven weeks.” The reason the Torah refers to a week by the name of שבת is that each unit of seven successive days includes a “Sabbath,” and seeing that that is the central day of the week as far as Jews are concerned, it is not surprising to hear a “week” also referred to as a “Shabbat.” In any reference to the Jewish calendar, each day of the week is identified by its relation to the Sabbath, i.e. “the first day of the Sabbath”, “the second day of the Sabbath,” etc. Nachmanides writes that there is no problem even if we were to call the expression ממחרת השבת as “the day following the week,” as the day on which the omer is waved for the first time is the 16th day of Nissan, the day on which the counting of the seven new weeks begins. It follows that that day is the day following the completion of the previous week. Seeing that the first day of Passover is on the fifteenth of Nissan, the Torah quite correctly describes the sixteenth as the day following the week that had just expired.

ממחרת השבת יניפנו הכהן, “from the day following the rest day the Priest shall wave it.” The word שבת In this verse does not refer to the שבת בראשית, the fixed Sabbath, the one which recurs every week, but to the first day of the Passover festival on which the performance of work is prohibited. This is also the way Onkelos understands the word when he writes: מבתר יומא טובא, “the day after the festival,” i.e. the day following the 15th of Nissan. The Torah prohibited eating from the new barley harvest until the 16th day of Nissan. This is the meaning of the line: “you shall not eat bread or roasted kernels or plump kernels until this very day, an eternal statute applicable to all your dwellings” (verse 14). This means that the prohibition to eat from the new barley harvest applies as a Biblical prohibition even outside the boundaries of the land of Israel throughout the ages (Compare Kidushin 37). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish states that there are three commandments which though primarily linked with our living in the Holy Land, also apply in the Diaspora. They are חדש-כלאים- ערלה, the prohibition listed here, the prohibition of cross breeding, and the prohibition of eating of the fruit of a tree during the first three years of its existence. The prohibition listed here is Biblical, whereas ערלה is known as decreed by Moses at Sinai, i.e. not derived through exegesis but through tradition, a decree of the sages effective since the time the Torah was given. The prohibition of cross breeding in its application outside the boundaries of the land of Israel is of later origin, a Rabbinical decree. (Compare Sifra Emor 10,11).

Horizontally away from him and toward him. You might ask: How does Rashi know that תנופה includes “vertically upwards and downwards” as well? The answer is: This is derived from a gezeroh shovoh of “waved,” “waved.” It says in parshas Tetzaveh (Shemos 29:27), “Which were [the] waved (הונף) and uplifted (הורם).,” and over tThere [the verse refers to]he movinges [it] horizontally away from him and toward him, and vertically upwards and downwards. Because The word הונף means to move something away from him and toward himforwards and backwards, similar to the expression “waving (הנפה) with cloths,” when people chase away flies by moving a cloth to and from themselves. And הורם means to move something vertically upwards and downwards, because הורם is an expression of הרמה (lifting), and if one you lifts something one you haves to lower it. Here too it is the same.

ממחרת השבת, “on the day following the first day of Passover.” We have one verse in which we are commanded to eat unleavened bread for seven days (here), and another in which we are commanded to eat leavened bread during six days. (Deuteronomy 16,8) How do we reconcile these two verses? During periods when you are unable to eat from last year’s harvest (because there is none left after the sh’mittah year, you are allowed to eat from the new harvest during 6 days of this festival. How do we fulfill the commandment of “on the day following the Sabbath?” We understand the word Sabbath here as the first day of the festival. (If we were to wait until after the whole of the festival has elapsed, we would have ignored the commandment contained in that verse. Annotation by Rabbi Chavell)

לרצנכם TO BE ACCEPTED FOR YOU — If you offer it according to this precept it shall effect favourable acceptance for you.

To prevent harmful dews. I.e., so that the dew should serve as a blessing and not as a curse.

ממחרת השבת ON THE MORROW AFTER THE DAY OF REST [THE PRIEST SHALL WAVE IT] — This must mean on the morrow of the first day of the Passover festival (on the 16th of Nisan); for if you say that it means on the morrow of the weekly Sabbath (i. e. on a Sunday) you do not know which particular Sabbath Scripture is referring to (Menachot 66a).

The Shabbos of Creation. Every Shabbos is called the Shabbos of Creation because that is when the Holy One “rested” at from the work of Creation.

You [cannot] know which [Shabbos] is meant. Even though this proof is disproved and they cite other proofs there, nonetheless, Rashi cites this proof as it is a response to the words of the Tzedukim and Baitusim, [see explanation of Re’m]. Therefore For this [reason] he cites it.

ועשיתם... כבש AND YE SHALL OFFER… A LAMB — This came (was brought) as an obligatory sacrifice in connection with the Omer.

An obligation in connection with the omer. Rashi is answering the question: Why in parshas Pinchas (Bamidbar 28,) which lists [all] the additional offerings [of Pesach], as Rashi explains (in verse 8), is there no mention of this sheep? He answers: This sheep is not brought as an additional offering but comes as an obligation in connection related towith the omer.

ומנחתו AND THE MEAL OFFERING THEREOF — i. e. the usual meal-offering that was brought together with its drink-offering,

The meal-offering [which accompanies] its wineoffering. I.e., [this offering is] not the meal offering [which is brought] by itself that is mentioned in parshas Vayikra. Because iIt is written afterwards “Its wine-offering is one fourth of a hin,” and since the wine is [comes as] a wine-offering, the meal offering too is also certainly the mealoffering [which accompanies] a wine offering. Even though it is two tenths and the mealoffering of a sheep [that accompanies a wineoffering] is [generally] one [tenth], even so, it is [nevertheless] the meal-offering [which accompanies] a wine-offering, except that [here] it is double [the normal amount].

ומנחתו שני עשרונים, “with its meal offering including two tenth parts of an eyphah of fine flour;” our sages point out that this meal offering was different from all other meal offerings offered as an adjunct to offerings consisting of sheep which were only accompanied by meal offerings containing one tenth of an eypha of fine flour; although it was accompanied by a larger meal offering than other similar offerings, the libation that accompanied it was not larger than the normal one quarter of a hin of wine. This is also why when we recite in our Mussaph on the festivals that offerings of bullocks were accompanied by three measures of fine meal for such offering, whereas two measures accompanied offers consisting of a ram, and one such measure accompanying offerings consisting of a sheep. When listing the accompanying libation offerings in that same prayer, the text does not mention the amount of wine for the libations of each such sacrifice beyond saying “the appropriate amount for each.” When speaking of the libation for the “omer” offering, the Torah writes: ונסכה in the feminine mode instead of ונסכו, for Its libation offering” in the masculine mode as it refers to the whole meal offering, the word for that offering being מנחה, a feminine noun. In our prayers we do not refer to this distinction as it is the only exception. Actually, one half of the meal offering is intended to belong to the omer firstling of the barley harvest offering, whereas the other half is intended to be the meal offering which belongs to the sheep offering. The size of the libation accompanying this offering is the same as usual.

ומנחתו שני עשרונים סלת, and its gift offering, “two tenths of fine flour, etc.;” this was double the usual amount as it was the first offering presented from the new harvest. The additional amount of flour presented symbolizes that the harvest has been bountiful. Seeing that we do not find a parallel when it comes to the number of sheep offered on this occasion in addition to the breads, we mention in our mussaph prayers on the festival the respective components of each of these offeringsSome opinions hold that the one “tenth” of fine flour mentioned here was the “omer,” and they bring as proof that the libation accompanying that offering was not commensurate with the two “tenths” of fine flour mentioned here. This argument is without merit, as the two “tenths” mentioned here were wheat flour, whereas the “omer” consisted of barley. The expression סלת for finely ground flour is used exclusively with flour made from wheat.

שני עשרנים TWO TENTHS DEALS OF FLOUR — It was double as much as was usually required with a lamb (cf. Numbers ch. 28).

ונסכה יין רביעית ההין, “and its accompanying libation, one tenth of a measure known as hin, of wine." Rabbi Eliezer, in the Talmud, tractate Menachot folio 89, points out that the Torah uses the feminine mode for the word ונסכה, i.e. it is read as if it had been spelled with the masculine pronoun ending ו, although spelled with feminine ending ה. What is the reason for this strange phenomenon? The libation appropriate for a gift offering, known as מנחה in Hebrew is appropriately referred to in the feminine mode, seeing that the noun מנחה, gift offering, is a feminine noun. On the other hand, normally the libation accompanying the gift offering consists of oil, whereas here it consists of wine, יין. It is therefore not correct to speak of a doubling of the libation, as only the amount of flour has been doubled. Moreover, libations consisting of oil were a later addition in the history of the Jewish people in the desert, having been introduced only in Numbers chapter 28.

ונסכו רביעית ההין AND THE DRINK OFFERING THEREOF OF WINE SHALL BE THE FOURTH PART OF HIN — Although its meal-offering was twice as much as usual its drink-offering was not double (Menachot 89b).

ומנחתו ושני עשרונים, ונסכו יין, “and its gift offering, two tenths of fine flour and its libation, wine; Seeing that this libation was not introduced until Numbers 28, the reference to it here is grammatically ambiguous; we find another example of such an ambiguity in verse 18 of our chapter: שבעת כבשים ופר אחד ואילים שנים, “seven male sheep and one bullock and two rams,” which are offered on account of the two loaves representing the firstling fruit of the new wheat harvest on the festival of Shavuot; The Torah adds here: “and their respective gift offerings and libations,” (without spelling out what the latter consisted of.) All the other sacrifices offered on the festivals, mentioned here without specifics, are all described in the feminine mode, as only in Numbers chapter 28 they are considered as complete, as there the libations accompanying them are spelled out.

וקלי means flour made out of tender ears (כרמל); this is called קלוי because they dry them in the oven and so become scorched.

בכל מושבותיכם, the prohibition to eat from the new barley harvest before the 16th of Nissan applies even when there is no Temple and no Omer offering can be brought to G’d.

ולחם, “and the bread etc;” five species of grain when baked, qualify for the description “bread,” they are the ones that are liable to become chametz, leavened, if their dough are allowed to rise. “Baked dough” made from kitniyot, legumes, such as rice, maize, lentils, etc., the dough of which does not become leavened, does not qualify for the definition “bread” in the Torah. (Sifra)

וכרמל — these are ears themselves which are called grenailles in old French (Menachot 66a, b).

בכל משבתיכם IN ALL YOUR HABITATIONS — The Sages differ in their opinions regarding this (the meaning of these words). Some learn from here (taking the words בכל משבתיכם in the sense "wherever you may live") that the law concerning the new crop applies also outside the Land of Israel; others, hold that it (the phrase) denotes “in all your settlements” and is only intended to teach that they did not become subject to the command concerning the new crop until after the land had become their inheritance and place of settlement (ישיבה) i. e. after they had subjugated the land and had parcelled it out amongst the tribes (Kiddushin 37a).

ממחרת השבת FROM THE MORROW AFTER THE DAY OF REST — i. e. from the morrow after the first day of the Passover festival (Menachot 65b).

AND YE SHALL COUNT ‘LACHEM’ (UNTO YOU). The meaning thereof is similar to the expression And ye shall take ‘lachem,’²⁶⁴Further, Verse 40. thus establishing that the counting [of the forty-nine days of the omer] and the taking [of the lulav, ethrog etc. on the Festival of Tabernacles] be done by each and every person. Thus the counting must be done by word of mouth, and he should mention the number, just as our Rabbis have received it by tradition.²⁶⁵This may refer to what the Rabbis have said: “It is obligatory to count the days, and it is obligatory to count the weeks” (Menachoth 66 a). Thus we say e.g., “This is the tenth day, making one week and three days of the omer.” This is unlike the expressions and he shall count ‘lo’ (to himself) seven days for his cleansing;²⁶⁶Above, 15:13. then she shall number ‘lah’ (to herself) seven days²⁶⁷Ibid., Verse 28. [referring to a man or woman who suffered a flux, in which case the counting of the clean days does not have to be uttered by word of mouth], because if they so wish, they may remain in their impurity; they must only beware not to forget their impurity [and enter the Sanctuary or eat holy food in a state of defilement, which Scripture strongly forbids].²⁶⁸But otherwise the man or woman suffering a flux [i.e., zav or zavah] is under no obligation to proceed with the purification. Hence “the counting” of the seven clean days which the Torah mentioned that they must do could not be in the nature of a positive act — counting by word of mouth — but merely a warning that they should not forget their state of impurity. However, in the case of the counting of the omer, this reasoning is inapplicable, since the observance of Shevuoth on the fiftieth day is not a matter of choice, hence “the counting” must mean by word of mouth. Similarly, And thou shall number ‘lecha’ (unto thee) seven Sabbaths of years etc.²⁶⁹Further 25:8. of the Jubilee, means [only] that you shall be heedful of the number so that you should not forget [when the Jubilee year falls, but the actual counting of the years does not have to be by word of mouth]. But in the Torath Kohanim I have found it said:²⁷⁰Torath Kohanim, Behar 2:1. “And thou shalt number unto thee²⁶⁹Further 25:8. — in the court.” Now I do not know if the intention is to state that the Great Court [of seventy-one judges] is obliged [actually] to count the years and the Sabbatical cycles²⁷¹Thus the counting would be done e.g., in the following manner: “This year is the twentieth year, making two Sabbatical cycles and six years of the Jubilee.” See “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 148-149. at the beginning of every year, and to recite a benediction before the counting as we do at the counting [of the forty-nine days] of the omer; or it may be that the intention [of the Torath Kohanim] is to state that the court should be careful in the counting of the years, and sanctify the fiftieth year.²⁷²See ibid., p. 144. Thus the number of days from the day of the waving of the omer until the day of the holy convocation [i.e., the Festival of Weeks], is identical to the number of years of the [seven] Sabbatical cycles until the Jubilee, and the reason for them is the same. Therefore ye shall number fifty days²⁴⁹Verse 16. which means that one is to count seven weeks [comprising] forty-nine days,²⁷³Perhaps the thought conveyed here is as explained above (in Verse 11) that these seven weeks are not determined from the start of the regular cycle of weeks, but by these forty-nine days which are counted from the day of the waving of the sheaf, on whatever day of the week it may take place. and sanctify the fiftieth day which he has counted [and make it a holy convocation], just as He said with respect to the Jubilee.²⁶⁹Further 25:8. This is the meaning of the word t’mimoth (complete) — [seven weeks shall there be ‘complete’], meaning that they be exactly that number, no less and no more, just as is the meaning of the expression: they shall be perfect,²⁷⁴Numbers 28:19. for anything additional or missing makes a thing imperfect.²⁷⁵The thought is similar to a principle stated by the Sages: “Every addition of a limb is considered equivalent to the entire absence of the respective limb [in an animal or fowl]” (Chullin 58 b). Thus the explanation of this section is that we are to begin counting the days in the beginning of the barley harvest,²⁷⁶Ruth 1:22. and bring of the first fruits of the harvest, of the fresh ears,²⁷⁷Above, 2:14. a meal-offering unto the Eternal, and also to offer up with it an offering,²⁷⁸As specified in Verse 12: And in the day when ye wave the sheaf, ye shall offer a he-lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt-offering unto the Eternal. and to finish the counting of the days in the beginning of the corn harvest, as a shock of grain cometh up in its season,²⁷⁹Job 5:26. and bring of it a meal-offering of fine corn flour unto the Eternal, and to offer with it also an offering.²⁸⁰As specified in Verse 18: And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs … This is the reason why He mentioned these offerings in this section, because they are brought on account of the meal-offerings which are the main [commandment] of these festivals, but He did not mention the Additional Offerings brought on these festivals [which are enumerated in the Book of Numbers],²⁸¹Numbers 28:18-31. even as He did not mention those of the rest of the festivals.

וספרתם לכם, "and you shall count for yourselves, etc." The reason the Torah adds the word "for yourselves" is that G'd commanded to count for seven weeks consecutively. We are told in the Zohar volume 3 page 97 that seeing the Jewish people were in a state of impurity and G'd wanted to betroth them to Himself He applied the legislation pertaining to a menstruant woman who is required to purify herself for seven days. He therefore commanded them to "purify" themselves for seven weeks by counting those days much as a menstruant counts the seven days. The count then was for the benefit of the Israelites in order that they would become G'd's "bride" as it were and would be able to step under the wedding canopy at Mount Sinai. The reason that the period of counting was seven weeks instead of seven days was the extraordinary amount of impurity the Jewish people had accumulated during their extended stay in Egypt. Another reason is that in this instance we speak about an entire people having to shed their accumulated impurities. I have explained on Exodus 19,1 that the word בצאתם was to be understood as a cause for G'd having delayed the giving of the Torah, i.e. the presence of the Israelites in Egypt for a long time necessitated the period of seven weeks during which the Jews prepared themselves for this event. The sentiment that the reason the Torah was not given immediately after the Exodus is supported by the words ממחרת השבת, that the Torah would not be given immediately after the Sabbath, i.e. Passover, but after a period described as the morrow of that day. The nature of this count is that the days have to be whole days, as opposed to parts of days. Seeing the 15th of Nissan at that time was a Sabbath and that on part of that day the Israelites were still in Egypt, the count of the seven weeks could not commence until the following day, i.e. ממחרת. While it is true that this consideration applied only to the generation of Israelites who left Egypt at that time, the Torah legislated that the same procedure be followed year after year starting with the year of the Exodus. Kabbalists understand why we have to re-enact history in this fashion. According to the plain meaning of the text the reason the Torah refers to "the day following the Sabbath" is a reminder of the fact that while in Egypt the Jews had to perform slave labour also on the Sabbath. You may do well to read what I have written on Genesis 2,2 in connection with the words ויכל אלוקים ביום השביעי.

וספרתם לכם, “you are to count for yourselves, etc.” Some commentators believe that the reason the Torah demanded this count is that seeing that these are days when the harvesting in the fields is in full swing, the common people, the farmers, might lose track of the exact number of days that had elapsed since the Passover. Seeing that during that period they are hardly ever at home, the messengers from the court might have difficulty in reaching them. These farmers might not find out if the month of Nissan had 29 days or thirty days, and similarly, they might not know if the High Court had extended the length of the month of Iyar or not. By counting until 50 they would be certain to observe the festival of Shavuot on the correct day. This is also the reason that the optimal time for counting these days was in the evening, as during the day they might have been to preoccupied with their harvesting activities.

וספרתם לכם ממחרת השבת, “you will begin to count for yourselves, commencing with the day after the first day of Passover;” seeing that there are seven weeks between the beginning of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest, periods when the commandment of sh’mittah is observed in earnest, the prophet (Jeremiah, 5,24) has already categorized them as: שבועות חוקת קציר ישמר לנו, “Who keeps for our benefit the weeks appointed for the harvest.”Rashi comments: “seven weeks during which G-d decreed for us two laws, that of the harvesting of the “omer and the presentation of the first two loaves of the new wheat harvest.” He sees to it that we can harvest these two species at the appropriate time of the year. Seeing that such an important part of our livelihood depends on these two harvests, it is easy to understand that the Torah expects us to keep the counting of these days meticulously. Just as we have to count days we also have to count weeks, at the end of which period we sanctify the fiftieth day after completing the seventh week. We have to do the same concerning counting for the sh’mittah year and the arrival of the yovel year. The emphasis of this whole paragraph is on the respective concepts of sh’mittah and yovel. There are a total of 49 potential disasters that the Torah warns us of if we fail to observe these two basic positive commandments. [Thenumber 49 symbolizes the number of days we fail to assimilate the social significance of those laws to ensure that no extremes of rich and poor will become permanent features in our land. [My choice of words. Ed.]

You shall count for yourselves. The word chosen for designating counting (וספרתם) alludes to the soul’s benefit — becoming sanctified and purified from all materialistic desires and lowly thoughts during this seven week period. For even the word תספור (count) does not connote merely to know how many days and weeks, rather, it implies analysis and watchfulness, as it says, “But now, You count my steps” (Iyov 14:16). This mainly implies analysis and watchfulness of one’s steps and behavior. Similarly, here too, the meaning of “you shall count for yourselves” is that you should inspect your lives, think deeply about yourself — what is the true good you should choose and the true evil from which you must flee. Do not do anything without weighing it first in the scales of judgment to see if it is good or bad. This can be compared to someone who received a sum of money from his friend. He will be careful about the amount of the coin count and also the quality of each counted coin, lest he have an invalid, defective coin … Possibly, we can also say that in using the word וספרתם the Torah includes the idea of purity and refinement, as the language of the verses (Yechezkel 1:26): “Sapphire (ספיר) stone,” and (Shemos 24:10), “Sapphire brick.”.

תמימת תהיינה [SEVEN WEEKS] SHALL BE COMPLETE — This teaches that one has to begin counting in the evening, for otherwise they would not be complete (Menachot 66a).

וספרתם לכם, according to Nachmanides the additional word לכם, “for yourselves,” was the reason why our sages decreed that every individual was to count these days, it was not enough for the members of the Court to do so on behalf of the people at large, as they did when they proclaimed the day of the New Moon. On the other hand, when the Torah writes וספרת לך in the singular mode, pertaining to the Jubilee year, that is a task reserved for the High Court exclusively. (Leviticus 25,8) The number of days from the first heaving of the omer offering corresponds exactly to the number of years in a Jubilee cycle. The seven years in that cycle, correspond to the seven weeks in the counting of the omer. Presumably, this is the reason why the Torah wrote תספרו חמישים יום, “you are to count 50 days, meaning that you count seven times seven days, i.e. 49 days, whereupon the 50th day is a holy convocation, again a wording which closely parallels the Jubilee legislation in chapter 25. The principal reason for mentioning the number 50 is to ensure that we do not count either less or more than the number stipulated by the Torah.

A moral-ethical approach to our verse may be derived if we see in the word וספרתם the root ספיר, sapphire, the material the second tablets were made of (compare Vayikra Rabbah 32,2). The souls of the Jewish people are compared to the nature of sapphires which lose their lustre when they become dirty. As a result of sins committed by their owners (bodies inhabited by these souls) something similar happens to their souls. The message of the word וספרתם is that by means of the count the Jewish people would "polish up" their souls so that they would be unblemished by the time they would experience the revelation at Mount Sinai.

ממחרת השבת, if you were to say that these words refer to the day following the original Sabbath, i.e. the first day of the week, you would on occasion have to count fifty two days instead of forty nine days or even fifty four days or fifty six days, neither less nor more. This is why the first day of Passover cannot occur on either: Monday, Wednesday or Friday. How then could I fulfill the commandment implied in the words “on the day following the Sabbath?” This can only be done by understanding the word שבת, as referring to the first day of the festival.

ממחרת השבת, the word ממחרת is as if the Torah had written במחרת, “on the day following, etc.” This is quite accurate as the counting begins on the day following the first day of the matzah festival. The Torah adds: (actually at the end of verse 14)

ממחרת השבת מיום הביאכם, "on the morrow of the Sabbath from the day you offer the Omer, etc." The meaning is that the count commences now before you come to the Holy Land. As far as what is to happen after the people will come to the land of Canaan the Torah writes: "from the day you offer the Omer sacrifice." The reason the Torah first mentioned the words ממחרת השבת, is that the commandment of counting commenced already at the time of the Exodus.

חוקת עולם לדורותיכם בכל מושבותיכם, “an eternal decree for all your generations wherever you will reside.” The decree referred to is 1) that of not eating of the new barley harvest before the day on which the omer offering has been presented. 2) To observe the fiftieth day as a festival on which the performance of work is prohibited. I might have thought that seeing that these laws have been linked to offering sacrifices, also to the offering of the first sacrifice of breads made from the new wheat harvest on Shavuot, that the other regulations do not apply when there is no Temple and when we are not dwelling in our own land. This is also the reason that the Torah stresses the same applicability of the prohibitions of the Day of Atonement, as there too, seeing that the atonement mentioned in the Torah is linked to special offerings and the ceremony of the scapegoat, that when these cannot be performed that the entire Yom Kippur legislation would be null and void. By writing these extra lines the Torah makes plain that this is not so. There was no need to specifically mention applicability of the prohibitions of New Year, Sukkot and chag hamatzot wherever Jews lived except in connection with the laws in Exodus chapter 12,17 seeing that it appeared to depend entirely on the availability of a male lamb in its first year for slaughter in the Temple. We might have thought that once there was no place available to offer the blood and fat of that lamb on the altar, the laws about unleavened bread and bitter herbs would also not apply, therefore the Torah had to write verse 17 to disabuse us of such an idea. As long as the Torah did not restrict a prohibition to periods when there would be a Temple, such prohibitions remain in force regardless. (Compare Kidushin 37)

השבת השביעת — Translate this as the Targum does שבועתא שביעתא THE SEVENTH WEEK.

AND YE SHALL OFFER A NEW MEAL-OFFERING UNTO THE ETERNAL. The meaning of the expression a new meal-offering is that no meal-offering [of the new crop] is to be brought into G-d’s House until they bring this one, as our Rabbis have explained.²⁸²Menachoth 68 b: “The omer [the meal-offering of barley brought on the second day of Passover] made the new crop permissible in the country [i.e., for private consumption], and ‘the two loaves’ [which were brought on the Festival of Weeks] made it permissible for use in the Sanctuary.” It was necessary for Scripture to state, it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings²⁸³Verse 14. with reference to the prohibition of [eating of] the new crop and the command to rest [from work] on the Festival of Weeks,²⁸⁴Verse 21. because [the prohibition of eating of the new crop] depends on the waving of the sheaf,²⁸⁵When the Sanctuary stood, the offering of the omer at any time on the sixteenth day of Nisan at once rendered chadash (the new crop) permissible food. Since the destruction of the Sanctuary, the prohibition extends to the whole day of the sixteenth of Nisan (Rosh Hashanah 30 a-b; see also “The Commandments,” Vol. II, pp. 186-188). [and the Festival of Weeks is connected] with the new meal-offering [mentioned in the verse before us]. Thus this verse is intended to state that even after our exile to countries outside the Land, when the omer²⁴³Literally: “a measure.” This refers to the meal-offering of the new barley brought on the second day of Passover, which is the sixteenth day of Nisan. From that day on we count the forty-nine “days of the omer,” and on the fiftieth day is the Festival of Weeks. Thus it is clear that the time of this festival is dependent upon the omer. and the [new] meal-offering are no longer offered, He nonetheless commanded concerning the observance [of the law of the new crop and resting on the festival], for the [prohibition against eating of the] new crop applies by law of the Torah in all places. It was not necessary to mention this in connection with the Day of Remembrance [i.e., the New Year], and similarly in connection with the Festival of Tabernacles He did not mention [that it is to be observed] “in all your dwellings” [because these two festivals are clearly not dependent upon the offerings in the Sanctuary]. He did, however, mention it with reference to the Day of Atonement,²⁸⁶Verse 31. because since He had made our atonement dependent upon the offerings, as he mentioned in the section of Acharei Moth,²⁸⁷Above, Chapter 16. therefore He said here that the prohibition [of eating and working on that day] applies in all places [and at all times], as He stated it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you²⁸⁸Further, Verse 28. by fasting and resting from work, and [the absence of] the offerings does not prevent His [granting of] atonement. Similarly He did not mention here with reference to the Festival of Unleavened Bread: “it is a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations,” but in the section of This month shall be unto you the beginning of months²⁸⁹Exodus 12:2. He did mention it,²⁹⁰Ibid., Verses 14 and 17. because since He had made there the matter dependent upon the Passover-offering, as it is said, and unleavened bread with bitter herbs they shall eat it,²⁹¹Ibid., Verse 8. See in my Hebrew commentary, p. 149, Note 60. therefore He had to state that [the Festival of Unleavened Bread] is an ordinance forever,²⁹²Ibid., Verse 14. in all your habitations.²⁹³Ibid., Verse 20. He mentioned [here] with reference to the Sabbath that it is to be observed in all your dwellings,²⁹⁴Above, Verse 3. because since He had permitted work in the Sanctuary in the bringing of the Daily Whole-offering and the Additional Offerings, therefore He said that the prohibition [of work on the Sabbath] applies in all our dwelling places; for the intention of that expression is only to state: “in all your dwelling places, but not in the House of the Eternal.” And so the Rabbis have said in the Mechilta:²⁹⁵Mechilta, Vayakheil 1. “Ye shall kindle no fire in your dwelling places.²⁹⁶Exodus 35:3. In your dwelling places you may not kindle a fire, but you may kindle it in the Sanctuary.” Similarly it says with reference to the prohibition of [eating] fat or blood, It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings,²⁹⁷Above, 3:17. because it was prohibited on account of the offerings, [therefore He stated that this prohibition is nonetheless independent of the offerings, and applies always and everywhere]. And so the Rabbis have said in Tractate Kiddushin:²⁹⁸Kiddushin 37 b. “Why did the Merciful One write the expression in all your dwellings²⁹⁷Above, 3:17. in connection with [the prohibition against eating] fat or blood? It is because I might have thought that since this prohibition is written in connection with the offerings, therefore when there are offerings [i.e., when the Sanctuary is in existence] the prohibition is applicable, and when there are no offerings it is not applicable, thus the Torah wanted to teach us [that it is always applicable].” There [in Tractate Kiddushin]²⁹⁸Kiddushin 37 b. the Rabbis also said: “Why did the Merciful One write [here in this section — in Verse 3] the expression in all your dwellings with reference to the Sabbath? It is because I might have thought that since it is written in connection with the festivals, the Sabbath should require sanctification by the court just as the festivals do, therefore the Torah wanted to teach us [that the Sabbath is independent of sanctification by the court]. The principle then is that the Torah does not mention this expression [in all your dwellings] with reference to any commandment which is a personal obligation, unless there is a necessity for some reason.
Now the expression: ‘out of your dwellings’ ye shall bring two wave-loaves²⁹⁹Verse 17. [on the Festival of Weeks], is not similar to “out of all your dwellings.” Rather, its meaning is: “out of the Land of your dwellings,” excluding [the obligation to bring two loaves from the produce of] outside the Land of Israel, just as it is said, When ye come into the Land of your habitations which I give unto you.³⁰⁰Numbers, 15:2. And so the Rabbis have taught [in a Mishnah]:³⁰¹Menachoth 83 b. “All the [meal-]offerings of the public or of an individual may come from the produce of the Land or outside the Land, save only the omer²⁴³Literally: “a measure.” This refers to the meal-offering of the new barley brought on the second day of Passover, which is the sixteenth day of Nisan. From that day on we count the forty-nine “days of the omer,” and on the fiftieth day is the Festival of Weeks. Thus it is clear that the time of this festival is dependent upon the omer. and the two loaves.”²⁹⁹Verse 17. And even according to the Sage who says³⁰²Ibid., 84 a. The Sage is Rabbi Josei the son of Rabbi Yehudah. that the omer may be brought from the produce of outside the Land, he admits in the case of the two loaves [brought on the Festival of Weeks] that they may be offered only from what is grown within the Land [of Israel].

מנחה חדשה, to permit use of the new wheat harvest in the Temple, seeing this is the period when the wheat ripens.

עד ממחרת השבת השביעית תספרו, “until the day after the seventh week you shall count.” You are aware already that the count extends only for 49 days. Therefore, the tone-sign under the word תספרו does not link the word to חמישים, “fifty” which follows it, but the word חמישים belongs to the word והקרבתם, “you shall offer a sacrifice,” which follows it. Forty-nine days are spent counting whereas the fiftieth day is spent offering the gift-offering of the two loaves of the new wheat and the animal offerings accompanying them. The Torah did not mention the Shavuot festival independently as it did with all the other festivals. We could have expected the Torah to write: בחודש השלישי בששי לחודש חג השבועות, “in the third month on the sixth of the month is the Shavuot festival,” just as it did with the other festivals. Seeing that the Torah did not refer to the festival Shavuot in that manner makes it plain that it is considered as a festival which is linked to the Passover, i.e. it completes what commenced on Passover and now that we have counted forty-nine days from the second day of Passover the time has come to celebrate the Shavuot festival. Looking at it from a spiritual point of view, the days between the last day of the Passover festival and the festival of Shavuot may be considered as somewhat like חול המועד, the intermediate days of the Passover and Sukkot festivals respectively.

As its Targum: “the seventh week.” Rashi is answering the question: If it means [the passing of seven] actual Shabbosos, then the seven שבתות would be not fifty days, but only fortytwo days.

Then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the Lord: It is a sign for the day of the giving of the Torah, since the Torah must be new to a person on every day, as if he received it on Mount Sinai [that day]. And that which it is not mentioned explicitly in the Torah that this day is [the day of] the giving of the Torah, and so [too] it is not mentioned explicitly in the Torah that Rosh Hashanah is the day of judgement, the reason for both of them is [the same], as I have written in my essay, Ollalot Ephraim: That about the giving of the Torah, God did not want to limit [it] to one specific day, since it must be similar to a person as if each and every day of the year, he received it on that day from Mount Sinai. As in truth our rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Eruvin 54b) that the Torah is compared to a breast: that all the time that the infant presses on it, it brings out a new flavor; so [too] the Torah - any one who ponders it brings out a new explanation every day. Therefore it is correct that it be similar to him as if he received it today at Mount Sinai. And, if so, every day is the [day] of the giving of the Torah for those that ponder it. Therefore, it is not fitting to limit its giving to one specific day. And therefore, our rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Sifrei, Veetchanan 6:6) that words of Torah should be new to you, and not like an old thing that the heart of a person is sick of. And, in truth, you find a novelty in it on each and every day. And therefore the day of its giving is [nowhere] elucidated in the Torah more than that which is hinted in the bringing of the new offering - to teach that the Torah is a new offering on each and every day.

תספרו חמשים יום, “you shall count fifty days.” We need to recite a blessing when we count, as opposed to when a woman after her period counts seven days of her purification days. Her count is not necessarily consecutive, as if she sees a drop of blood that emanated from her vagina, this invalidates the count. She has no control over this, whereas we, who are counting consecutive days, know beforehand that the sun rises every day consecutively. (Compare commentary of our author on Leviticus 15,28)

עד ממחרת השבת השביעת תספרו EVEN UNTIL THE MORROW AFTER THE SEVENTH WEEK SHALL YE NUMBER — until, but not including the day until which you count: thus there are 49 days (the seven complete weeks spoken of in the preceding verse).

On the fiftieth day. I.e., since we only count forty-nine days, how can the verse write fifty days? He answers that fifty does not refer to “you shall count,” but to the offering, that on the fiftieth day you shall bring it, and the word (יום) is missing a בי"ת. It is as if it said, “On the fiftieth day you shall bring it [the sacrifice].”

'חמשים יום והקרבתם מנחה חדשה לה‎… FIFTY DAYS — AND YE SHALL OFFER A NEW OBLATION UNTO THE LORD — i. e. on the fiftieth day ye shall offer it. This, I say, is a Midrashic explanation, but the literal sense is: “Even unto the morrow of the seventh week which is the fiftieth day shall ye number”: the text has its phrases inverted.

Barley. I.e., that [offering] is the first of the barley, and the omer is the first of the wheat.

This is the reason why the Day of Judgment is not mentioned as well, so a person will not go in the stubbornness of his heart and acquire sins all year round, thinking that he will correct his deeds close to the day when Hashem sits on the Throne of Judgment. Rather, he should envision that each and every day Hashem sits on His Throne of Justice and examines His ledger. In this way all his days will be in repentance …

מנחה חדשה A NEW MEAL OFFERING — It was the first meal-offering that was offered from the new crop. And if you ask, “But surely the meal-offering of the Omer has already been offered on the 16th of Nisan”?! Then I reply: It (the Omer) was not like all the other meal-offerings — which, with one exception (cf. Numbers 5:15), were all brought of wheat — since it was brought of barley and therefore it is not taken into account (cf. Menachot 84b).

מושבתיכם [YE SHALL BRING] OUT OF YOUR HABITATIONS [TWO WAVE LOAVES] — but not from outside the Land of Canaan (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 13 1; Menachot 83b).

THEY SHALL BE BAKED WITH LEAVEN. Scripture commanded that these two loaves be leavened, because they are a thanks-offering to G-d for having kept for us the appointed time of the harvest,³⁰³See Jeremiah 5:24. and a thanks-offering comes with cakes of leavened bread.³⁰⁴Above, 7:13 — It is important to note that neither the two leavened loaves of the Festival of Weeks nor the leavened cakes of a thanks-offering were burnt on the altar, as leaven is forbidden to be burnt on the altar. They were merely brought into the Sanctuary Court as part of the offering, but they were eaten by the priests. Perhaps the [usual] prohibition of bringing leavened things as an offering³⁰⁵Ibid., 2:11. is because leaven alludes to the attribute of justice, for it is called chametz (leaven), just as wine which sours is called ‘chometz yayin v’chometz sheichar’ (vinegar of wine or vinegar of strong drink),³⁰⁶Numbers 6:3. the word [chametz] being derived from the expression: the unrighteous ‘v’chomeitz’ (and ruthless man),³⁰⁷Psalms 71:4. for [vinegar of wine and vinegar of strong drink] are drinks whose original taste has been “robbed” from them, and they are therefore not suitable for [normal] drinking. Similarly, for my heart yithchameitz’³⁰⁸Ibid., 73:21. means that it was “in a ferment, and it lost its composure.” Now since the offerings are brought to be acceptable before the Glorious Name,³⁰⁹Deuteronomy 28:58. See Ramban above, 1:9 (towards the end). they are therefore not to be brought from objects which possess a strong power³¹⁰Alluding to the attribute of stern justice (Tziyoni). to change natural properties of other things [such as leaven], and similarly they are not to be brought from things which are completely sweet³¹¹Alluding to everlasting mercy (ibid.). such as honey. [Instead, they are to come] only from things which are blended of different qualities, just as the Rabbis have said with reference to the creation of the world³¹²Bereshith Rabbah 12:15. The language here is that of Rashi on Genesis 1:1. “He combined the attribute of mercy with the attribute of justice, and created the world.” Now on the Festival of Weeks which is the day of the Giving of the Torah [on Mount Sinai], the offering [i.e., the two leavened loaves and the various burnt-offerings, together with their meal-offering which is of unleavened bread, as stated in Verse 18] comes in accordance with the law of the thanks-offering [which was brought with ten leavened cakes and thirty unleavened cakes],³¹³Above, 7:12-13. See Ramban there on Verse 12. for it is the day of the solemn assembly. The student learned in the mysteries of the Cabala will understand. And this is the secret of which our Rabbis have said:³¹⁴Vayikra Rabbah 9:3. “All offerings are destined to cease [in the World to Come],³¹⁵This is generally understood as meaning that since there will be no sin in the World to Come, there will not be an occasion to bring the sin-offering etc. See Ramban above, 1:4 that the burnt-offering, too, atones for sin. But for the thanks-offering there will always be an occasion. Ramban, however, alludes to a mystic interpretation, namely, that since the World to Come represents the life of perfect harmony, it is symbolized by the thanks-offering in which the leavened and the unleavened are combined, whereas in the present world justice and mercy are not always combined (see Ramban further, on Verse 24 towards the end, about the nature of the New Year and the Day of Atonement). but the thanks-offering will never cease etc.,” for in it are both unleavened and leavened [cakes], comparable to the World to Come [in which the Divine attributes of justice and mercy will forever be in perfect harmony].

חמץ תאפינה, בכורים, the Omer was the first ripened barley; the offering mentioned in our verse here represented the first ripened stalks of the wheat harvest. This is why the festival of weeks is also known as יום הבכורים, “the day of the firstlings offering.” (compare Numbers 28,26 where this מנחה חדשה, “new gift offering” is described). The more appropriate translation would be the “gift offering consisting of the new (grain) harvest.”
The reason that the Torah added the word לה', “for the Lord,” [after all, all offerings are exclusively for the Lord, so why single out this one by name? Ed.] is that after first presenting this offering to G’d, the whole people may now enjoy the new wheat harvest. The verse from Jeremiah 5,24 which we quoted earlier, referred to the סכנה, period of “danger” which this crop was exposed to while growing during which period so many things could have happened which would have ruined the eventual crop. Thanksgiving prayers are therefore called for, expressing our gratitude that nothing of what we worried about during those many weeks actually happened. [the word חקות in that verse may mean that the laws of nature according to which the crop would ripen was not upset by bad weather, and other climatic phenomena which would have ruined all of the farmer’s efforts during the season of ploughing and seeding. Ed.] The Torah, appropriately, legislated that in addition to the two loaves baked from the new wheat, which did not get on the altar, of course, also 2 sheep, etc., were offered as explained in connection with שלמי תודה, thanksgiving offerings in Leviticus 7,13.

For the Most High. Explanation: The word תנופה here does not have the same meaning as תנופה [of verse 10] where Rashi said it means [waving], “he moves [it] horizontally away from him and toward him.” Because over there, תנופה occurs after the bringing [of the offering and is part of the sacrificial ceremony]. But here, תנופה occurs before the bringing [of the offering, and simply means to separate it for Hashem]. This is implied by the [order of the] verse saying that you should bring of the bread of תנופה, i.e., first תנופה and then bringing. Perforce, תנופה here means raising and separating, that it is “raised for the most High.”

לחם תנופה WAVE LOAVES — i. e. heave loaves that have been heaved in honour of the Lord. It is these which constitute the “new meal-offering” mentioned above (v. 16).

May not be brought. Not that this [offering] is [merely of] the first harvested [wheat], but rather, that the offering itself is a first-fruit-offering, first of all the meal-offerings. Because if not so, why does the verse say “first-fruit-offering,” once it is already written, “You shall bring a new meal-offering to Hashem,” i.e., you shall bring the offering from the new [harvest]. Therefore [we say that] the Torah wrote בכורים, similar to the word בכור (firstborn), to indicate that it is the first of all the meal-offerings. I.e., even the jealousy offering [of the sotah] which is of barley, is only brought after this meal-offering, even though the jealousy offering is not of wheat.

בכורים [THEY ARE] THE FIRSTLINGS — the first of all meal-offerings offered, the first even in relation to the “meal-offering of jealousy” (cf. Numbers 5:15) which was brought of barley; even that must not be offered of the new crop previous to the two loaves, although a barley offering had already been brought, viz., the Omer which was offered on Passover (Menachot 84b).

על הלחם means, on account of the bread — as an obligation connected with the bread (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 13 4; Menachot 45b).

חמץ תאפינה, “they shall be baked leavened.” Nachmanides, quoting Jeremiah 5,24 חוקות קציר ישמור לנו, “He who keeps for our benefit the laws of the periods appointed for the harvest,” sees in the offering a form of thanksgiving offering. Every thanksgiving offering contained 10 out of 40 loaves that were leavened. Nachmanides speculates that the normal prohibition to include anything leavened in our offerings may be related to leavening being viewed as outgrowths of spiritually negative influences, “creatures” or phenomena which have their origin in demonic forces, Satan. As such they are reminders of the attribute of Justice, the last thing we want to remind Hashem of when offering Him our sacrifices.

אשה ריח ניחוח לה', “a fire-offering, of sweet-smelling fragrance to the Lord.” The Torah adds that a male goat is to be offered as a sin-offering (verse 19). We need to understand why in addition to the animals described as אשה ריח ניחוח there was also a need for a sin-offering. This is especially important as in Numbers 28,26 where the offerings of all the festivals are listed there is no mention made of this male goat as a sin-offering in connection with the offerings listed as being brought on Shavuot. The sacrifice mentioned in Parshat Pinchas was addressed directly to the highest attribute of G’d, to Hashem, whereas the sacrifices mentioned here were addressed in the first instance to the Shechinah, (and to Hashem as the ultimate address). You will find that in Pinchas the word לה' is mentioned prior to the details of the offering being given, whereas here the Torah uses the reverse procedure, mentioning the word only after most of the animals have been mentioned. Here the Torah wished to include an allusion to an historical event which occurred on the first Shavuot, i.e. the revelation at Mount Sinai. At that time the Israelites experienced this revelation as a manifestation of the mountain burning, etc., i.e. as “fire.” Hence the emphasis here on the words אשה לריח ניחוח לה' as a reminder of that fiery experience. Also, in connection with the inauguration of the Tabernacle the Israelites experienced a vision of the כבוד ה', (Exodus 40, 34-35 where this is mentioned twice) similar to an experience they had seen at the revelation. We find that the prophet Isaiah refers to a manifestation of such glory, תפארת, in (Isaiah 64,10) in connection with the Temple. He calls it תפארת. Whenever the word עצרת occurs it refers to the manifestation of the Shechinah. The Temple was a permanent manifestation of this attribute. This concept is anchored in the Torah’s instruction that three times a year יראה כל זכורך, “all of your males shall be seen in the presence of the Lord, etc.” (Exodus 23,17), an allusion to the fact that there is an attribute of the Lord, i.e. the כבוד, also known as Shechinah, before whom these males are to appear. On the other hand, on the occasion of the day we know as שמיני העצרת, the day following the Sukkot festival, no mention is made of this אשה, fire-offering; the reason is that on that occasion no pilgrimage occurred, i.e. the Israelites did not separately fulfill the commandment of appearing before the Lord at the Temple.

An obligation. Since the verse obviously cannot be understooand according to its plain meaning [that the animals are] actually on top [of the bread]. Rather, it means because of the obligatory [offering] of the day, [implying] that if one did not bring the bread, he does not bring the sheep, etc. Rashi says [that it means] “for the sake,” because we find that על sometimes serves in place of a lamed, which serves in place of “for the sake.” Re’m explains the meaning of Rashi at length, writing that if one did not bring the bread, he does not bring the sheep, etc., proving this from the Toras Kohanim. [However] he forgot what is mentioned in Menachos (45a) in the Mishnah, and what is explained further in the Gemara. And so it says there in the words of R. Akiva. (Nachalas Yaakov)

על הלחם, “with the bread.”

ומנחתם ונסכיהם WITH THEIR MEAL OFFERINGS AND THEIR DRINK OFFERINGS — according to the law of the meal offerings and the drink offerings which are distinctly set forth with reference to all animal sacrifices in the chapter dealing with drink offerings: (Numbers 28:12—14) “three tenth deals of flour for one bullock, two tenth deals of flour for one ram, and one tenth deal of flour for one lamb”: — this is the meal-offering. The drink-offerings were: “half a hin of wine for a bullock, the third part of a hin of wine for a ram, and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a lamb”.

ועשיתם שעיר עזים THEN YE SHALL SACRIFICE ONE KID OF THE GOATS — I might think that the seven lambs (cf. v. 18) and the goat mentioned here are identical with the seven lambs and one goat mentioned in the Book of Numbers (28:27—30). — This is, however, not the case, for when you come to the bullocks and the rams you will find that they are not identical (here, v. 18. we have one bullock and two rams, whilst there you have two bullocks and one ram). Consequently you must admit that these (the lambs and the goats mentioned here) form a group for themselves and the others form a group for themselves: these were offered on account of the loaves and the others as additional offerings for the day (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 13 6; Menachot 45b).

These are [a group] unto themselves. Explanation: even though the number of sheep and the he-goat of this parshah are the same as those of parshas Pinchas, however the number of oxen bullocks and rams of this parshah are not the same as the bullocks and rams in parshas Pinchas. Because here it is written “one young bullock and two rams,” whereas in parshas Pinchas (Bamidbar 27:28) it is written, “two young bulls [and] one ram.”

ועשיתם שעיר עזים, “you shall offer one hegoat;” Rashi comments here: I might have thought that the seven male sheep and the male goat mentioned here are the same as those mentioned in Numbers 28,27. However, when you look at the bullocks and rams, you will note that they are not identical, as there we read about two bullocks and one ram. Furthermore, if you were to assume that what is described here is part of the mussaph offerings presented on the festivals, what is the difference between the offering presented on Shavuot from the ones recorded in Parshat Pinchas?

ושני כבשים בני שנה, and two male sheep less than a year old. Rabbi Shimon, quoted by Sifra, asks for what sin these two sheep are supposed to atone? He answers that they are to atone for inadvertent ritual impurity incurred in the Temple or in connection with the service in the Temple. He adds that if the first animal achieved atonement, what was the second one in aid of? He answers that it would atone for additional impurity incurred in the interval. He adds that according to strict rules such offerings should therefore be offered around the clock, as inadvertent impurity is liable to occur at any moment; however, G-d decided to save His people the additional expense. [There appears to be a misprint somewhere because while the male goats served for atonement, the male sheep were peace offerings, not sin offerings. The interested reader who finds this “misprint” incredible, is referred to Malbim’s commentary on this Sifra. Ed.]

והניף הכהן אתם... תנופה AND THE PRIEST SHALL WAVE THEM [WITH THE BREAD OF THE FIRSTLINGS] FOR A WAVE OFFERING — This teaches us that they (the offerings) require the waving whilst they are still living. One might think that all of them (the seven lambs mentioned in v. 18) have to be waved! It, however, states על שני כבשים “[and the priests shall wave them… upon the two lambs]” (cf. Menachot 62a).

[While] alive. We derive this from the gezeroh shovoh “them,” “them.” It is written here, “The kohein shall wave them,” and it is written elsewhere, in parshas Metzora (14:12), “And wave them [the lamb and log of oil] as a wave-offering before Hashem.” Just as there [it is when they are] alive, for it is written afterwards (verse 13), “He shall slaughter the lamb,” so here too while they are alive. Re’m, however, explains: Because [We derive that the animal is waved while still alive] since it says regarding the peace-offering of an individual (above 7:34), “Because the breast waveoffering and the thigh [that is] the uplifted portion I have taken from Bnei Yisroel, from their peace-offerings (זבחי שלמיהם),” which implies the plural form. It should have said this in the singular form because it is talking of the peace-offering of an individual. This [plural expression] teaches that public peace-offerings too require waving. If so, why does the verse here need to write “The kohein shall wave them [the sheep peace-offerings] along with the bread of the first-fruit-offering as a wave-offering before Hashem?” It must be to teach the waving of the public peace offerings is [also] while they are still alive. This is [derived] in Perek Kol Hamenachos (Menachos 62a).

והניף הכהן אותם, “the priest will wave them;” the two sheep for the Shavuot festival.

קדש יהיו THEY SHALL BE HOLY [TO THE LORD FOR THE PRIEST] — Because festival-offerings offered by a private person are holy only in a minor degree, Scripture was compelled to state of the festival-offerings of the community that they are holy in the highest degree.

Holy things of a greater degree. Because if not, why write holy at all? Can it be that [the sanctity of] peace-offerings of the public be is less holy than peace-offerings of the individual which are holy? Thus, our verse must be saying that they are holy things of a greater degree.

על לחם הבכורים, “with the bread of the first fruit of the wheat harvest;”

על שני כבשים, “with the two lambs.” Not literally with, but “next to,” as explained by the Talmud in tractate Menachot folio 62.

קדש יהיה לה' לכהן, it will be holy to the Lord;” for the priest.” No non priest may eat any parts of them, as opposed to other types of peace offerings.

חקת עולם לכל מושבותיכם, even though no manner of sacrificial offering could be offered in any of the countries to which Jews were eventually exiled, the “counting” part of this legislation would not be abandoned on account of this.

וקראתם בעצם היום הזה מקרא קדש, “and you will proclaim a holy convocation on this very day.” The reason why the Torah does not spell out in which month this occurs, and on what date of this month, as it does with all the other festivals, is if it had done so, the people would not have been counting weeks and days, but would simply have contented themselves with observing the festival on its appropriate date. The counting was an important feature of these weeks as we have pointed out on verse 15. Nowadays, in the absence of the Temple, our being in exile, and having adopted (therefore?) a permanent calendar, the fiftieth day after the first day of Passover automatically occurs on the same date in the month of Sivan, the date on which the Ten Commandments (orally) were given to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. In light of the fact that the counting is no longer associated with the date of Shavuot as that date was known, the benediction commencing with שהחיינו וקימנו לזמן הזה, “Who has kept us alive and well until this point in time,” is not recited.

ובקצרכם AND WHEN YE REAP [THE HARVEST OF YOUR LAND, THOU SHALT NOT MAKE CLEAR RIDDANCE OF THE CORNER OF THE FIELD] — Scripture repeats the prohibition here (although it has already been mentioned above, 19:9) in order to make one who transgresses this law infringe two negative commands. R. Abdima the son of R. Joseph said: What reason had Scripture to place it (the law concerning the corner of the field) amidst those regarding the festival-sacrifices — those of Passover and Pentecost on this side of it, and those of the New Year, Day of Atonement and “the Feast” (Tabernacles) following on that side of it? To teach you that he who leaves the gleanings, the forgotten sheaf and the corner of the field to the poor as it ought to be, is regarded as though he had built the Temple and offered his sacrifices therein (cf. Sifra, Emor, Chapter 13 11).

AND WHEN YE REAP THE HARVEST OF YOUR LAND, THOU SHALT NOT WHOLLY REAP THE CORNER OF THY FIELD, NEITHER SHALT THOU GATHER THY GLEANING OF THY HARVEST: THOU SHALT LEAVE THEM FOR THE POOR. Rashi comments: “He repeats once more these prohibitions [although they have been mentioned above, 19:9] in order to make one liable for transgressing two negative commandments [in each case].” And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that the reason [for the repetition] is because the Festival of Weeks is the day on which the first-fruits of wheat harvest³¹⁶Exodus 34:22. [are brought as a meal-offering, in the form of the two leavened loaves], therefore He warned that “you should not forget what I have commanded you to do in those days.” The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the expression, And when ye reap the harvest of your Land alludes to “the harvest” mentioned at the beginning of this section,³¹⁷Above, Verse 10. thus stating that when you will come into the Land and you reap the sheaf, the first-fruits of your harvest,³¹⁷Above, Verse 10. thou shalt not wholly r,eap the corner of that field for the sake of the sheaf, neither shall you gather the gleaning, meaning to say that this commandment [of bringing the omer²⁴³Literally: “a measure.” This refers to the meal-offering of the new barley brought on the second day of Passover, which is the sixteenth day of Nisan. From that day on we count the forty-nine “days of the omer,” and on the fiftieth day is the Festival of Weeks. Thus it is clear that the time of this festival is dependent upon the omer.] does not override these negative commandments.

ובקצרכם , after giving thanks for the harvest and its successful storing of it in the barns, the Torah warns of what has to be done to ensure that the financial success which this harvest represents not be ruined. This is why the farmer is commanded to set aside, or simply not harvest, such incidentals as are referred to as לקט, שכחה, פאה, which in the words of our sages in Ketuvot 66 are viewed as מלח ממון חסר, ואמרי לה חסד. “money cannot be salted away (for safekeeping.)” Some people, in a play on words, change the word חסר for חסד, loving kindness, a kind of charity,” suggesting that the only way to ensure that one does not lose one’s own money is by engaging liberally in handing out charity to the deserving. The legislation in our verse then is this insurance for the farmer not to lose his crop even after he has already brought it into the barn.

ובקצרכם, on the day following the Passover, (16th of Nissan) after the Omer and the sheep which is part of that offering, had been offered on the altar.

ובקצרכם את קציר ארצכם, “When you reap the harvest of your land, etc.” Ibn Ezra writes that the reason the Torah introduces the subject of the harvest here is that the festival of Shavuot occurs right in the middle of the harvesting season, and the Israelite needs to be reminded of his duties vis a vis that festival at a time when he is so engrossed in bringing in his harvest. Nachmanides writes: the true reason, in my opinion is, that the introductory letter ו in the word ובקצרכם is a reference to the first time when the Torah commanded a mitzvah related to the harvest, when it spoke about the omer the offering of a sheaf of the early barley harvest on the second day of the Passover festival. At that time, the Torah had introduced the subject with the words כי תבואו אל הארץ...וקצרתם את קצירה in verse 10 of our chapter, implying that we must not shortchange the poor in order to fulfill the commandment of bringing that omer, by harvesting also the last corner of the field. Normally, when a positive commandment conflicts with a negative commandment and is due simultaneously, the positive commandment can override the negative commandment. In the example mentioned this is not so. (Compare verse 22)

ובקצרכם, “when you harvest, etc.” The reason the word קצר occurs twice in this verse is to teach that failure to observe the statute laid down here makes one guilty of two separate violations. Rabbi Avdimi son of Rabbi Yossi, asked: “why did the Torah see fit to mention this legislation of leaving the corner of one’s field for the poor in the middle of the paragraphs detailing the festivals so that Passover and Shavuot are before this legislation and Rosh Hashanah, Yom Hakippurim and Sukkot after it?” It is to teach that anyone who observed this legislation properly is considered as if he personally had built the Temple and offered sacrificial offerings in it. This is why the paragraph concludes with the words אני ה' אלוקיכם, “I am the Lord your G’d” (and can be depended upon to reward you for your performance of these commandments).

Leave [it] before them. Nachalas Yaakov asks: Why did Rashi not explain this above in parshas Kedoshim (Vayikra 19:10) where it is also written [regarding left over grapes], “You shall leave them for the poor and the proselyte?” Also, how can Rashi [here] expound two lessons from one word? I think that one question answers the other. Since it is already written “you shall leave” in parshas Kedoshim to teach “Leave [it] before them, etc.,” if so, “you shall leave” over here is apparently superfluous and comes for us to expound another lesson, that [besides] “Leave [it] before them and they will gather [it],” also, “You must not help any one of them [in preference to anyone else].” Rashi wanted to write both these lessons at one time and therefore he waited until here.

ובקצרכם את קציר ארצכם, "And when you reap the harvest of your land, etc." Why does the Torah introduce this kind of legislation at this juncture when it is totally out of context with the subject matter being legislated in this chapter? Perhaps the Torah wanted to inform us that the owner of a field from which the barley for the Omer sacrifice has already been taken is still subject to the variety of tithes the farmer is commanded to leave for the poor when he harvests his field. Had the Torah not written this I might have thought that inasmuch as this field had already become a sacrifice to G'd in that the Omer of barley had been offered from it on the altar it would no longer be subject to the legislation of the various donations which have to be separated from the harvest. Perhaps this is why only two of those gifts to the poor are mentioned here, i.e. פאה ולקט, the corner and the gleanings, both of which are duties which devolve on the actual field itself. This is different from the legislation of שכחה, already harvested sheaves, which the owner has forgotten to pick up. Our sages in Torat Kohanim say that the Torah alludes to the moral-ethical message that anyone who gives פאה, לקט, and שכחה is considered as if he had assured the continued existence of the Holy Temple and had offered sacrifices therein; thus far Torat Kohanim. The reason they mention the word שכחה although it does not even appear in our verse is because it is also a commandment similar to לקט ופאה. In this way they have hinted at what we have written above.

ובקוצרכם את קציר ארצכם, “when you reap the harvests of your land, etc.;” seeing that the principal period of harvesting commences around the time of Shavuot, the Torah chose to speak of this season first, when discussing special laws of benefit to the poor connected with the act of collecting the harvest. Examples are: leaving a corner of the field uncut for the poor to help themselves, and not gleaning anything the reapers had dropped by mistake. (B’chor shor)

תעזב THOU SHALT LEAVE [THEM UNTO THE POOR] — leave these in front of them and they shall gather: you are not allowed to assist one of them to the injury of another poor man (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 3 5; Mishnah Peah 5:6).

אני ה' אלוקיכם, the many faceted functions of G’d are alluded to here, i.e. that G’d’s supervision is needed at all stages of the growing of the crop,; He is the G’d of the reapers, the G’d of the collectors. G’d says that “My regulations are designed to be beneficial for you the grower, for the poor who collects the gleanings. I will deal beneficially with those who have already demonstrated their concern for others by complying with the legislation set forth here.”

אני ה' אלהיכם I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, Who am faithful to pay you your reward.

וידבר ה' אל משה, “the Lord spoke to Moses;” The reason why this sequence has been interrupted by telling us that G-d addressed Moses separately about the days of New Year and the Day of Atonement, something He had not done when speaking about Shavuot, is because each one of those festivals is something in its own right, as distinct from Shavuot which is inextricably linked to Passover as the reaping of the beginning of the barley harvest begins on the second day of Passover and the counting of the seven weeks links Passover to Shavuot.

זכרון תרועה [THERE SHALL BE UNTO YOU] A זכרון OF SOUNDING THE CORNET — a mention (זכרון) of Biblical verses which speak of the Divine remembrance and Biblical verses which have reference to the blowing of the Shofar (a ram’s horn) on the occasion of important historical events (Sifra; Rosh Hashanah 32a) that I may recall to memory (זכרון) for you the offering (lit., the “Binding”) of Isaac in whose stead a ram was offered (cf. Rosh Hashanah 16a) having been caught by its horn (שופר‎).

IT SHALL BE UNTO YOU ‘SHABBATHON’ (A SOLEMN REST). This means that it is to be a day of rest, to repose thereon [from work]. And our Rabbis have said:³¹⁸Shabbath 24 b. “The word shabbathon (a solemn rest) amounts to a positive commandment.” Thus one who does work on a festival day transgresses both a negative commandment and a positive commandment, and one who rests thereon fulfills a positive commandment. And in their opinion [that of the Rabbis],³¹⁹Shebuoth 10 a. all the festivals have been likened one to another,³²⁰This is alluded to in the vecse, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal (above, Verse 4), thus teaching that all festivals are alike with respect to a positive commandment [to rest thereon] and a negative commandment [not to do work], even though in the case of some festivals, [as the text continues], the positive commandment is not clearly set forth in Scripture. for the word shabbathon is not mentioned in connection with the Festival of Unleavened Bread, nor in connection with the Festival of Weeks.
Now in the Mechilta on the section of Hachodesh³²¹Exodus 12:2. I have seen the following text:³²²Mechilta, Pis’cha 9. “And ye shall observe this day.³²³Exodus 12:17. Why is this said? Has it not already been stated, no manner of work shall be done in them?³²⁴Ibid., Verse 16. From this I would know only about matters which are considered m’lachah [‘work’ on the Sabbath, and thus forbidden by the Torah]. How do I know about activities which are termed sh’vuth [as explained later on]? From the verse which states, and ye shall observe this day,³²³Exodus 12:17. which includes those activities which are termed sh’vuth. I might then think that on the intermediate days of the festival those activities known as sh’vuth are likewise forbidden, and the following reasoning would favor it etc;³²⁵“Since the expression holy convocation is stated both with reference to the first and seventh days of Passover (ibid., Verse 16), and the intermediate days of the festival are similarly termed [in the verse, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal, even holy convocations — Verse 4 in the section before us], therefore just as activities called sh’vuth are forbidden on the first and seventh days, so are they also forbidden on the intermediate days of the festival.” — So it could be argued. Scripture therefore states [with reference to the Festival of Tabernacles], On the first day shall be a solemn rest”³²⁶Further, Verse 39. [but not on the following intermediate days of the festival].
Thus the Sages interpreted the word shabbathon as indicating a complete rest on that day, desisting even from those activities which are not of the chief labors or their derivatives. But this interpretation is not clear to me. For if you say that this Mechilta is a mere Scriptural support for a Rabbinic ordinance, what reason is there for the Rabbis to use this language [i.e., “How do I know about activities which are termed sh’vuth?” when instead they should have said, “How do I know about activities which are not regarded as m’lachah?”], for the term sh’vuth in the language of the Sages is always used with reference to activities forbidden by the Rabbis; and so how is it possible to say, “How do I know that activities which are forbidden on account of sh’vuth instituted by the Rabbis, are forbidden on the basis of a verse [in Scripture]!” The way in which such [Beraithoth make use of] Scriptural texts as a support for Rabbinical enactments, is by teaching [an interpretation in a verse] showing that they [such Rabbinical enactments] are based on the Torah, but they never say, “That activity which is forbidden by the Sages, from what verse in the Torah do we derive it?” Instead, this [Beraitha of the Mechilta] should have stated, “Activities which are not in the category of m’lachah (‘work’),³²⁷There are thirty-nine main classes of “work” (Shabbath 73 a). Their subspecies are also subject to the same regulations (Baba Kama 2 a). The intention here, then, is to find a source for such kinds of activity which are neither “work” nor any of its derivatives. Examples are mentioned further on in the text. whence do we know that they are forbidden? From the word shabbathon!”
It appears to me that this interpretation intends to state that we are commanded by law of the Torah to have rest on a festival day even from activities which are not in the category of m’lachah (“work”).³²⁷There are thirty-nine main classes of “work” (Shabbath 73 a). Their subspecies are also subject to the same regulations (Baba Kama 2 a). The intention here, then, is to find a source for such kinds of activity which are neither “work” nor any of its derivatives. Examples are mentioned further on in the text.
Thus we are not to be engaged the whole day in wearisome tasks: measuring out crops of the field, weighing fruits and gifts, filling the barrels with wine and clearing away the vessels, and moving stones from house to house and from place to place [although none of these activities is “work” in the strict sense of the term]. Similarly, if it be a city encompassed by a wall and its gates are locked at night, [and it is therefore according to law of the Torah treated as one domain, and the prohibition against taking out aught from one domain to another is inapplicable there], they would be loading heaps on asses, as also wine, grapes, and figs and all manner of burdens³²⁸Nehemiah 13:15. they would bring on a festival; and the market place would be full for all business transactions, the shops standing open and the shopkeepers giving credit,³²⁹Aboth 3:16. the money-changers sitting before their tables with the golden coins before them, and the workers would rise early to go to their work and hire themselves out for such works [as described above] just as on weekdays, and so on! And since all these matters do not entail m’lachah, they would be permissible on a festival day and even on the Sabbath itself! Therefore the Torah said that [the festival should be a day of] shabbathon (solemn rest), meaning that it should be a day of rest and ease, not a day of labor [and weariness]. This is a good and beautiful interpretation.³³⁰See Ramban in Exodus 12:16 (towards the end) where he refers to this interpretation that he intended yet to write, and see also there, p. 134, Note 213.
Afterwards I saw the other Mechilta of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai³³¹The standard Mechilta being that of Rabbi Yishmael [a colleague of Rabbi Akiba], Ramban here refers to another Mechilta which he specifies by name: “the Mechilta of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai.” Hence the epithet “the other Mechilta.” [See, however, in Vol. I, p. 603, where this epithet is not used by Ramban.] Rabbi Shimon was a pupil of Rabbi Akiba. The text quoted is found in that work on Exodus 12:16. where it is taught in another form: “I know only that it is forbidden [on a festival day to do] the kind of work for which, [if transgressed on the Sabbath through error], one must bring a sin-offering. How do I know that [it is forbidden to do] such works [on a festival day] for which one does not have to bring a sin-offering [if transgressed through error on the Sabbath], such as climbing a tree or riding on animals or swimming in the water, or slapping one’s thighs or clapping one’s hands? From the verse, no manner of work shall be done in them.³³²Exodus 12:16, stated with reference to the first and seventh days of Passover. I know only concerning acts of [one’s own] choice. How do I know concerning acts commanded [in the Torah], that we may not dedicate anything [to the Temple treasury], or make a vow of valuation, or devote anything [for Temple repairs, or for the priests], or set apart the heave-offering or the tithes? From the expression shabbathon,³³³In Verse 24 before us with reference to the New Year, and as explained above all festivals have been likened one to another. See Note 320. which means sh’vuth” (rest, abstention from ordinary occupation). In a similar way this [Beraitha] is taught in the Torath Kohanim with reference to the Day of Atonement.³³⁴Torath Kohanim, Acharei 7:9. Now although these Beraithoth³³⁵On the meaning of this term see above in Seder Vayikra, Note 65. differ in their language and in their interpretations, perhaps they all intend one common thing, namely, to find some Scriptural support for activities forbidden by the Rabbis. But nonetheless, whether the interpretation of the first Beraitha [mentioned above] be as we have said [i.e., that it is forbidden by Scriptural law to do on a festival day activities which are not strictly speaking “work,” but are wearisome labors], or whether all [these Beraithoth] intend only to find a Scriptural support for matters forbidden by the Rabbis, the meaning of the term shabbathon is as we have explained, namely, that we should have a day of repose from labor and toil. This is indeed a very proper and excellent interpretation.
Thus we have been prohibited from doing [any of the main classes of] “work” on the Sabbath by a negative commandment,³³⁶Exodus 20:10. and [for the intentional transgression thereof is prescribed] the punishment of excision [if the court has no knowledge of the transgression or there are no witnesses, but if there are witnesses who testify, the punishment] is death — but as for labors and toils [which are not strictly speaking “work”], we are commanded by means of this positive commandment;³³⁷For of the Sabbath it is likewise said shabbathon (here in Verse 3): Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh it is a Sabbath of ‘shabbathon’ (solemn rest). and on a festival day we are prohibited from doing “work” by a negative commandment, [the punishment for the intentional transgression thereof being whipping], and the doing of labors [which are not strictly speaking “work”] we are forbidden by means of a positive commandment. It is on this basis that the prophet [Isaiah] said, If thou turn away thy foot because of the Sabbath, from pursuing thy business on My holy day … not doing thy wonted ways, nor pursuing thy business, nor speaking thereof; [then shalt thou delight thyself in the Eternal].³³⁸Isaiah 58:13-14. Similarly, a Sabbath of ‘shabbathon’ (solemn rest) shall be for the Land³³⁹Further, 25:4. means that [the seventh year] shall be a Sabbath of rest, that one is not to plow nor cultivate the Land at all. It is because of this that the Sages have interpreted [in the first Beraitha mentioned above] that on the intermediate days of the festival those activities known as sh’vuth are not forbidden. But this is only according to the law of the Torah, for by Rabbinic enactment whatever one may not do oneself one is not permitted to say to a non-Jew to do, since even with reference to the Rabbinic prohibition against telling [a non-Jew to do work], the Sages were strict [in not permitting it on an intermediate day of the festival].³⁴⁰Moed Katan 12 a. Thus since the Rabbis forbade even a sh’vuth involving only speech, it is clear that they prohibited every sh’vuth involving action.

זכרון תרועה, a remembrance of the Royal t’ruah. When jubilating toward one’s king, one employs these blasts on the trumpets or shofars to demonstrate such regard for one’s king. Compare Psalms 81,2 הרניני לאלוקים עוזנו, הרנינו!, “stir up jubilation to G’d, our strength, raise a shout!” The expression זכרון, is an allusion to the fact that on this date G’d sits on the throne of Justice remembering the deeds of each one of His subjects and evaluating them as a judge. This is why the Talmud in Rosh Hashanah 8 calls on us to recite verse 4 in the above mentioned chapter of Psalms which reads תקעו בחודש שפר בכסא ליום חגנו, כי חוק לישראל הוא משפט לאלוקי יעקב, “blow the horn on the new moon on the day the moon is veiled, on our feast day, for it is a statute for Israel a ruling of the G’d of Yaakov.” On such days we have additional reason to rejoice in the fact that He is our King, who inclines toward leniency, and is likely to find us as possessing sufficient merit to pass this examination of the way we led our lives in the year just concluded. Isaiah expresses these sentiments in referring to G’d as כי ה' שופטנו, ה' מחוקקנו, ה' מלכנו, “for the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our King” (Isaiah 33,22)

זכרון תרועה, you will be remembered by G’d as a result of your blowing the t’ruah from the shofar. This is spelled out more clearly in Numbers 10,9 והרעותם בחצוצרות...ונזכרתם...וגו', “when you will blow the sound of the t’ruah…. You will be remembered… etc.

יהיה לכם שבתון, “shall be a day of rest for you.” Nachmanides writes that this formula suggests that Rosh Hashanah is to be a day of rest for you in that you do not even perform some of the tasks that you do normally perform on the other festivals. For instance, if you were inclined to measure the size of the harvest you had brought in, not one of the 39 forbidden activities, you should not do this on Rosh Hashanah. Neither should you weigh fruit, etc. Avoidable physically tiring labour, should not be engaged in on that day.

To remember for your sake the binding of Yitzchok. Explanation. Rashi is answering the question: Why does it not say “It shall be a day of sounding the ram’s horn,” (as in parshas Pinchas (Bamidbar 29:1)?. Regarding this he explains: “A mention of Biblical verses, etc.” He is also answering the question: Why do we mention Biblical verses that relate to the shofor. Although iIt is understandable that we say recite the Biblical verses relating to kingship since the Holy One Blessed Is He judges the whole world on Rosh Hash anah like a king, but why do we say the Biblical verses which relate to the shofor? Rashi answers, “To remember for your sake...” Gur Aryeh asks: The [extra] blessings of [the Additional prayer of] Rosh Hashanah are only a Rabbinic decree and as can be proven from Rosh Hashanah (34b) [where it says that] we go to a place where they are blowing [the shofor] and not to a place where they are reciting [these] blessings, since they [the prayer services] are [only] by from a Rabbinic decree. It seems that the beraisa is not explaining that the words of the verse’s words, “a remembrance of the sounding,” actually mean that one must say Biblical verses relating that relate to Remembrances and the shofor, because [the mitzvah to recite] these [verses] are is certainly a Rabbinic decree. Rather, Rashi means as follows: Because Scripture writes “a remembrance of the sounding,” and not “a day of sounding,” it means that Israel will be remembered through the sounding. Therefore, it is written “remembrance.” And because of this, the Sages instituted these blessings as it says there (Rosh Hashanah 16a), “Say remembrances so that your remembrances should rise before Me for the good.”

באחד לחדש השביעי, “on the first day of the seventh month, etc.” you observe a festival, שבתון on the first day of that month and it occurs on a Sabbath, you are to observe a symbolic act as the substitute for blowing the shofar, called here זכרון תרועה, in accordance with the rules established by our sages. On account of this absence of blowing the shofar on the Sabbath, the sages added the extra words יום זכרון תרועה, in the relevant portions of the principal prayer known as עמידה, the prayer to be recited while standing. In the portion known as Pinchas, where all the sacrifices offered especially on the festivals are listed in detail, the word: זכרון, “in memory of,” is missing, the Torah describing that day only as יום תרועה, “the day on which the t’ruah sound of the shofar is to be blown. (Numbers 29,1) In other words, in regular years when that date does not occur on a Sabbath, the shofar is to be blown. The day is referred to in our relevant prayers as yom hazikaron, a day of remembrance, the means of that remembrance, the shofar not being stated. The purpose of the blowing of the shofar in all parts of the world, regardless of whether we are in exile, is to bring ourselves to favourable consideration by the Creator, Who, on that day decides which of us are going to survive the year about to commence. Moses was instructed about such a concept already when told to make two trumpets for himself in Numbers 10,9.

זכרון תרועה, “a remembrance including shofar-blasts. According to Rashi this is an allusion to the Biblical verse dealing with or mentioning this subject that are to be recited on that day. [We recite 10 each in the Mussaph service. Ed.] Among the things we bring to Hashem’s attention on that day is the selfless submission by Yitzchok on the altar on which his father was prepared to sacrifice him. Nachmanides writes that the comments by Rashi on that word are only to be understood as secondary meanings superimposed by our sages, the real meaning of the word זכרון תרועה being like the meaning of the words יום תרועה, i.e. that on that day we are to blow blasts of the shofar which in turn will bring our devotion to Hashem and our making a חשבון הנפש, a serious examination of our lifestyle our concern to His attention, an activity including remorse which will continue until the tenth of the month. G’d promised also in connection with our trumpeting blasts on the חצוצרות, Moses’ trumpets that He would take note of this, that it would serve for Him as a “reminder” and He would come to our assistance when the need arises. (Compare Numbers 10,10 et al) Seeing that on that occasion the reason was that we celebrated a day of rejoicing whereas here nothing is mentioned of the blowing of the shofar being the result of a particular expression of certain collective emotions, it is clear that the shofar blasts here are not spontaneous expressions of joy, etc., but are a duty the Torah imposes on us in connection with New Year’s Day, the Day of Judgment. Whenever the Torah mentions תרועה without going into details, the reference is to a shofar, not to the trumpets. Although the Torah does not mention why on this day it is more important that we bring ourselves to Hashem’s attention than on the other days of the year, the proximity of that day to the Day of Atonement 10 days later speaks for itself. The Torah also did not elaborate on why that day has been designated as a holy convocation. Seeing that it occurs in the month that it does and the day is the day on which traditionally first man was created, it is most plausible to accept the sages’ estimation that this is the day on which the Creator sits in judgment of man, His most precious creature. The prophets provide us with a number of allusions that on this day G’d assumes the mantle of supreme Judge, i.e. “dresses:” up in garments of Royalty, the garments worn by a judge. After Rosh Hashanah, during the days of penitence, the “King” will concern Himself with forgiving, or at least reducing the level of guilt of His subjects, those who truly repent their errors.

A MEMORIAL OF T’RUAH’ (A BLAST OF THE RAM’S HORN) — “[a memorial by means of recitation of] Biblical verses which tell of Divine Remembrance, and verses which have reference to the blowing of the Shofar [the ram’s horn], so that I shall recall in memory for your sake the Binding of Isaac, instead of whom a ram was offered.” This is Rashi’s language.
Now the Rabbi [Rashi] should have mentioned also the Rabbinic interpretation for the recitation of verses in which the Sovereignty of G-d is described,³⁴¹In the Additional Service of the New Year, ten Biblical verses which speak of G-d as King of the universe are recited; so also ten verses which speak of Divine Remembrance, and ten which speak of the role of the Shofar. See in Vol. I, p. 268 Note 318. for it is impossible that Scripture should mention the verses of Divine Remembrance and of the Shofar, and should not mention also the verses of Sovereignty. And the Sages have already derived [the duty of reciting] them from the verse, And they shall be to you for a memorial before your G-d: I am the Eternal your G-d:³⁴²Numbers 10:10. “There was no need for Scripture to state here, I am the Eternal your G-d. And why does it state I am the Eternal your G-d?³⁴³In Verse 9 ibid., it states already, and ye shall be remembered before the Eternal your G-d. Why then is it said in Verse 10 again, I am the Eternal your G-d? It is stated only to establish a general law, that wherever you recite verses of Divine Remembrance you recite next to them those of Sovereignty,” as it is taught in Torath Kohanim³⁴⁴Torath Kohanim, Emor 11:2. and in Tractate Rosh Hashanah.³⁴⁵Rosh Hashanah 32 a. However, all these interpretations are only Scriptural supports for Rabbinic enactments. For the Rabbis have explicitly said:³⁴⁶Ibid., 34 b. The Gemara there brings a Beraitha as follows: “If there are two cities, in one of which they blow the Shofar [but there is no-one who can recite the Additional Service of the New Year with the special verses about G-d’s Sovereignty etc.], and in the other they recite the Service but have no Shofar, then we are to go” etc., as Ramban continues. “We are to go to the place where they blow the Shofar, and we are not to go to the place where they recite the Service” [without the blowing of the Shofar. On this statement of the Beraitha the Rabbis of the Gemara asked:] “Surely this is so! The blowing of the Shofar is commanded by law of the Torah, and the recitation of the verses is only by law of the Rabbis [and what need is there for the Beraitha to teach me that the law of the Torah takes precedence!” To this the Gemara answered: “The Beraitha is] necessary only to teach this in a case where one is certain and one is in doubt.”³⁴⁷Even if there is only a doubt whether there will be a Shofar in one community, whilst in the other it is certain that they will recite the Service, but without the sounding of the Shofar, the Beraitha teaches that we are yet to go to the place where there is a possibility of the Shofar being blown, even though there is a doubt about it.
Rather, the expression a memorial of ‘t’ruah’ is like the verse, it shall be a day of ‘t’ruah’ unto you,³⁴⁸Numbers 29:1. Scripture stating that we are to blow [the Shofar] on that day, and this shall be to us for a memorial before G-d, as it is said further on, and ye shall blow with the trumpets [over your burnt-offerings, and over the offerings of your peace-offerings], and they shall be to you for a memorial before your G-d.³⁴²Numbers 10:10. And since He said there, And in the day of your gladness, and in your appointed seasons, and in your New Moons, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt-offerings, and over the offerings of your peace-offerings,³⁴²Numbers 10:10. whereas here He commanded only a t’ruah [a blast of the horn] for this festival [the New Year], and following it He said, and ye shall bring an offering made by fire,³⁴⁹Verse 25 here. we deduce that this t’ruah [mentioned here] is not the same blowing which was done with the [silver] trumpets over the offerings. We furthermore [deduce] that this t’ruah here was not done over the offerings, but it is obligatory upon all Israel [wherever they are], and is to be done with the Shofar [the ram’s horn], for he had not yet commanded him [Moses] to make the trumpets, and all unqualified expressions of t’ruah are done with the Shofar, as it is said, And thou shalt make proclamation with ‘shofar t’ruah’ (the blast of the horn).³⁵⁰Further, 25:9.
Now Scripture did not explain the reason for this commandment, why [we must do] the blowing [of the horn], and why we need a memorial before G-d on this day more than on all other days, and why He commanded altogether that this day should be a holy convocation. But because this day comes at the beginning of the month in which the Day of Atonement occurs, it would appear that on the New Year there is a judgment before Him, blessed be He, for by these He judgeth the peoples,³⁵¹Job 36:31. on the New Year He sits upon the throne as the righteous Judge,³⁵²Psalms 9:5. and afterwards in the course of the next ten days He forgives the transgression of His servants.³⁵³See Genesis 50:17. Scripture is thus alluding to this matter which is well-known in Israel by word of the prophets and our holy ancestors.³⁵⁴“Up to Moses our teacher, and it is still with us as a matter of tradition and as is known in the Talmud. And he who has been worthy to be a student of the secrets of the Torah, will see the subject expressed more clearly in Scripture, and the expressions of the Torah will be better understood by him, for t’ruah has stood by our fathers etc.” (see text here) (Ramban in his Sermon on Rosh Hashanah, Kithvei Haramban, I, p. 220). And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], t’ruah is that which has stood by our fathers and us, as it is said, Happy is the people that know the ‘t’ruah,’³⁵⁵Psalms 89:16. “And what does this verse mean? It cannot be understood literally, for there are many peoples who know how to make the t’ruah (the quavering sound) on trumpets and ram’s horns, and yet their portion is unhappiness, and similarly we find the contrary! Rather, t’ruah is symbolic of the attribute of justice … and the sense of the verse is: Happy is the people that know the ‘t’ruah,’ that possesses the knowledge of cleaving the G-d in time of t’ruah, for the term ‘knowing’ is used for attachment, as it is written, And the man ‘knew’ Eve his wife” (Genesis 4:1) (Kithvei Haramban, I, p. 220). For by doing repentance [as will be explained later on] and cleaving to G-d, the judgment will be rendered in mercy. similar in meaning to that which it is written, ‘t’ruath’(the alarm of) war;³⁵⁶Jeremiah 4:19. for The Eternal is a man of war.³⁵⁷Exodus 15:3. If so, it shall be a day of ‘t’ruah’ unto you³⁴⁸Numbers 29:1. means that the day which is set aside for t’ruah [i.e., when the world is judged according to the attribute of justice], will be to our succor [for we will be remembered in mercy].³⁵⁸Abusaula. Similarly, a memorial of ‘t’ruah,’ a holy convocation³⁵⁹Verse 24 before us. means that there will be a remembrance [of mercy] in the t’ruah [the quavering sound which alludes to the attribute of justice], and therefore it is a holy convocation. It was not necessary for Scripture to mention the Shofar [i.e., that “it shall be a day of Shofar unto you”], for the Shofar is already alluded to in the word “day,”³⁶⁰Since the word Shofar [the ram’s horn] is symbolic of mercy, it is already hinted at in the word “day” which likewise symbolizes mercy (L’vush in his commentary to Ricanti quoting the language of Ramban). and the t’ruah is on [that “day”], and thus it is a day of judgment in mercy, not a ‘t’ruath’ (alarm of) war.³⁵⁷Exodus 15:3. It is for this reason that Scripture mentioned only the t’ruah [but did not mention the t’kioth, the accompanying plain sounds], because it is already a tradition received by our Rabbis which all Israel have seen [done] as far back as Moses our teacher, that each t’ruah (quavering sound) has one plain accompanying sound before it and one after it. And why should Scripture mention the t’ruah, and not mention the t’kioth at all, neither in connection with the New Year nor the Day of Atonement [of the Jubilee year]?³⁶¹Further, 25:9. “[The Day of Atonement in] the Jubilee year is like the New Year in respect of the blowing of the Shofar” (Rosh Hashanah 26 b). But it is because the t’kiah [the plain accompanying sound] is the memorial, and it is the Shofar [all alluding to the attribute of mercy], and the t’ruah is as its name indicates [i.e., a reference to the attribute of judgment].³⁶²Similar to ‘t’ro’eim’ in the verse: ‘t’ro’eim’ (thou shalt break them) with a rod of iron (Psalms 2:9) (L’vush in his commentary to Ricanti). And because it [the t’ruah] is wholly surrounded by mercy — an accompanying plain sound before it and one after it — therefore He said of those who know the ‘t’ruah’³⁵⁵Psalms 89:16. “And what does this verse mean? It cannot be understood literally, for there are many peoples who know how to make the t’ruah (the quavering sound) on trumpets and ram’s horns, and yet their portion is unhappiness, and similarly we find the contrary! Rather, t’ruah is symbolic of the attribute of justice … and the sense of the verse is: Happy is the people that know the ‘t’ruah,’ that possesses the knowledge of cleaving the G-d in time of t’ruah, for the term ‘knowing’ is used for attachment, as it is written, And the man ‘knew’ Eve his wife” (Genesis 4:1) (Kithvei Haramban, I, p. 220). For by doing repentance [as will be explained later on] and cleaving to G-d, the judgment will be rendered in mercy. that through righteousness they will be exalted, for Thou art the glory of their strength.³⁶³Psalms 89:17-18. Thus it is clear that everything depends upon repentance,³⁶⁴“For otherwise, it would be the Day of Judgment” (L’vush). but on the New Year He is concerned entirely with the attribute of justice and conducts His world [by that attribute], and on the Day of Atonement He is concerned entirely with the attribute of mercy. It is this which is expressed in the saying of the Rabbis [with reference to these solemn days]:³⁶⁵Rosh Hashanah 32 b. “The King sitteth upon the throne of judgment etc.” Thus the New Year is a day of judgment in mercy, and the Day of Atonement is a day of mercy in judgment.
From that which we have explained about this subject you will understand the sense of the verse written in [the section of] the journeyings [in the wilderness]: They shall blow ‘t’ruah’ (an alarm) for their journeys. But when the assembly is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.³⁶⁶Numbers 10:6-7. For of their journeys it is written, and the angel of G-d journeyed,³⁶⁷Exodus 14:19. and it is further written, And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said: ‘Rise up, O Eternal, and let Thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee,’³⁶⁸Numbers 10:35. which is similar in meaning to the verse, The face of the Eternal is against them that do evil.³⁶⁹Psalms 34:17. — But when the assembly is to be gathered³⁷⁰Numbers 10:17. it is said, Return, O Eternal, unto the ten thousands,³⁷¹Ibid., Verse 36. similar in meaning to the verse, And there was a King in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered.³⁷²Deuteronomy 33:5. And the ten days between the New Year and the Day of Atonement allude to the Ten Emanations, for on the Day of Atonement He is exalted by them, and the Eternal of hosts is exalted through justice³⁷³Isaiah 5:16. as is known in tradition. Furthermore there is also a sign about this in the heavens, for this month of Tishri has as its constellation the zodiac sign of the Balance, thus signifying that in that month a just balance and scales are set by the Eternal.³⁷⁴Proverbs 16:11.

אשה‎ והקרבתם‎ AND YE SHALL OFFER A FIRE OFFERING — i. e. the additional offerings prescribed in the Book of Numbers (29:2 ff.).

אך — The words אך and רק wherever they occur in Scripture have a limitative force; here the word implies: it (Yom Kippur) makes expiation for those who repent, but it does not make expiation for those who do not repent (אך... יום הכפורים הוא — in a limitative sense it is Yom Kippur) (Shevuot 13a; cf. Rashi on Exodus 34:7).

ACH’ (BUT) ON THE TENTH DAY OF THIS SEVENTH MONTH IS THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. “All expressions in the Torah of ach (but) and rak (only) indicate limiting qualifications, [and here the word ach indicates that the Day of Atonement] effects atonement ‘only’ for those who repent, but it does not effect atonement for those who do not repent.” This is Rashi’s language on the basis of the words of our Rabbis.³⁷⁵Shebuoth 13 a. And if so, the explanation of the verse is that on the first day of this month [Tishri] there will be for all of you a day of memorial of ‘t’ruah³⁷⁶Above, Verse 24. [a blowing of the quavering sound which signifies judgment], for you will all be judged then before Him, but for some of you [i.e., those who repent] there will be on the tenth day of this month a day of atonement. Thus the meaning of the word ach is like that of bilvad (“only,” “alone”). Similarly, Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my son ‘ach’ (only) this once.³⁷⁷Exodus 10:17. So also, ‘harak ach b’Moshe’³⁷⁸Numbers 12:2. means “has He indeed spoken ‘only’ with Moses?” Likewise, ‘Ach’ on the fifteenth day of the seventh month³⁷⁹Further, Verse 39. means “only on the fifteenth day [of Tishri] ye shall keep the feast of the Eternal seven days,³⁷⁹Further, Verse 39. not consecutively,” for the Festival-offering [brought by the individual]³⁸⁰This is the Festival peace-offering which one is obliged to bring when making the pilgrimage to the Sanctuary three times in the year (see “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 60-61). does not override the Sabbath [and therefore it cannot mean seven days consecutively]. In the same way you are to explain [the word ach] in all the commandments, in accordance with the tradition of our Rabbis. Similarly, ‘ach’ he is torn in pieces³⁸¹Genesis 44:28. means [that Jacob said] that nothing else [could have happened to Joseph] except that he was torn in pieces. So also, For the children of Israel and the children of Judah ‘ach’ have done that which was evil in My sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have ‘ach’ provoked Me,³⁸²Jeremiah 32:30. means that they have done nothing else.
But by way of the plain meaning of Scripture the word ach means achein (“surely”), [a word which is used] to authenticate something, [as in the following expressions]: ‘achein’ (surely) the thing is known;³⁸³Exodus 2:14. ‘achein’ (surely) ye shall die like men.³⁸⁴Psalms 82:7. And here it means, “Surely on the tenth day of the seventh month is the day of atonement,” the expression constituting a [Divine] assurance on the authenticity of the matter, Scripture stating: “On the first day of the month is the day of judgment, but indeed on the tenth of the month is the day of atonement, therefore you shall afflict your souls, and you shall do no manner of work.” Similarly, ‘ach’ (surely) thou art my bone and my flesh;³⁸⁵Genesis 29:14. ‘ach’ (surely) it is the king of Israel;³⁸⁶I Kings 22:32. ‘ach’ (surely) G-d is good to Israel, even to such as are pure in heart.³⁸⁷Psalms 73:1. So also is the meaning of the verse, ‘ach’ ye shall keep My Sabbaths³⁸⁸Exodus 31:13. which declares: “Now I have commanded you concerning the work of the Tabernacle, but surely My Sabbaths you shall keep forever.” So also in all cases [where the word ach is mentioned] it may be explained to you in this way, if you will understand them.

אך בעשור לחודש השביעי, even though on all the other days described in this chapter as מקראי קודש it is proper to express our joy on these days by means of food and drink, as we know from Nechemyah 8,10 where Ezra asks the people on New Year’s day אכלו משמנים ושתו ממתקים, “eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks,” the tenth of this month the day known as Yom Hakippurim, Day of Atonement, is a day devoted to confession of our sins and a day when a person comes to grips with the sins he has been guilty of. On this day it is not in order to preoccupy oneself with anything other than the quest to obtain G’d’s forgiveness and to achieve expiation of one’s sins. Instead of eating and drinking, the order of the day has been best expressed by Isaiah 58,3 הן ביום צומכם תמצאו חפץ וכל עצביכם תנגושו, “because on your fast day you see to your business and you oppress your labourers!” [the prophet sarcastically chastises the people who, while technically fasting, expect G’d to listen to their requests while they continue in their wicked ways, going only through the motions in their religious observance. Ed.]

יום הבפורים הוא מקרא קדש, "it is a Day of Atonement, a holy convocation." The reason the Torah writes the word הוא is to tell us that this day is in a class by itself, the date alone making it a Day of Atonement independent of any pronouncement. As a result one qualifies for reward by observing the second half of the verse, i.e. proclaiming it holy and afflicting oneself through abstention from food and drink, etc. This is an additional bonus apart from the atonement we are granted simply by being alive on that day.

'אך בעשור וגו, on the other festival days preparation of food had been permitted and only מלאכת עבודה had been forbidden. Not so on Yom Kippur, a day of self denial when all manner of work is prohibited just as on the Sabbath

אך בעשור, “However, on the tenth, etc.” Rashi draws attention to the saying of our sages that every time the word אך or רק appears in the Torah it introduces the limitation, diminution, of some general principle mentioned previously. Nachmanides writes, that if this is so, the meaning of our verse must be that whereas on the first of that month the entire people observed a day of teruah, blowing the shofar, seeing that all of them came up for judgment on that day, by the tenth of that month only a small portion of the people still needed to ensure that their judgment too would be favourable. This day would complete the process of atonement. The meaning of the word אך in our verse then would be the same as בלבד, “excepting,” referring to something not included in the previously enunciated rule. Just as in Exodus 31,13, basically, the rule was that the construction of the Tabernacle does not override the prohibitions of performing work on the Sabbath, it exempted performance of circumcision if the eight’s day of the baby occurred on the Sabbath. The circumcision is not postponed. The meaning of the word אך in our verse is similar to when Pharaoh pleaded with Moses to pray for G’d to forgive him his sin one more time, He used the words: אך הפעם"” (compare Exodus 10,17) When we encounter the word אך again in verse 39, i.e. אך בחמשה עשר יום לחודש השביעי באספכם את תבואת הארץ תחוגו וגו', “only on the fifteenth of the seventh month when you gather in the yield of the earth, you are to celebrate, etc.”, the message is also that even though that date may occur on the Sabbath, this does not cause the first day of the Sukkot festival to be postponed. According to the plain meaning of the text, the word אך is to be understood as similar to “but in truth,” similar to the word אכן. That word appears in such a context in Genesis 28,16 when Yaakov becomes aware that G’d’s presence is manifest at the location where he had the dream of the ladder. It appears again in such a context when Moses had killed the Egyptian thinking that there had not been any witnesses, and on the morrow he found out that he had erred. (Exodus 2,14) In our verse the meaning of the word אך then is that on the tenth of the seventh month is Yom Hakippurim, on no other day. Ibn Ezra, understands the word אך here as meaning that in spite of the extremely serious nature of that day, seeing that it too has been described as a מקרא קודש, just like all the festivals, it too is a day on which (the latter part) we are to express our joy at feeling that we have been forgiven.

אך בעשור לחודש, “but on the tenth of the month, etc.;” why do we need the word: “אך?” Seeing that all the other festival days are known as מקרא קודש, “holy convocation,” i.e. days for eating drinking and general enjoyment, whereas this is a day on which all these things are forbidden, the word אך introduces Yom Kippur as a contrast by letting us know that it is no less of a festival, מועד, although the emphasis is the atonement that is granted to the entire nation on that day. It is still called מקרא קודש on account of the day being honoured by the sacrifices being offered and by the abstaining from the normal weekday activities. On that day, we subject ourselves to afflictions and at the end of the day we all feel even better than at the end of any of the other days called מקרא קודש.

אך בעשור לחודש, “however on the tenth of that month, etc.” whenever the Torah uses the word: אך, it is meant to exclude something. All of the other festivals have been called: מקראי קודש, “holy convocations;” this implies that on these days we would celebrate also by eating more and better food, drink some wine, etc.; and generally enjoy pleasurable experiences. This day has been called מקרא קודש, the last letter being missing. The Day of Atonement is an exception to all this. Instead of a day of enjoyment, we are to deliberately cause ourselves discomfort, i.e. ועניתם את נפשותיכם. Prior to the giving of the first set of Tablets which Moses had smashed, the Torah had written that the elite of the people when accompanying Moses before he ascended the Mountain to receive them, had “seen” G-d, had eaten and drunk,” (Exodus 24,11). It was stated there that G-d had not punished them for this on that occasion, a clear indication that they had deserved to be punished. As a consequence, when they made a golden calf and treated it as a deity and danced around it and ate and drank, the result was that at least some ended up treating that calf as a deity by prostrating themselves in front of it. (Exodus 32,6) As part of the atonement, a process completed on the 10th of Tishrey when Moses brought them the second set of Tablets, eating and drinking was absolutely prohibited.

והקרבתם אשה, as already mentioned in chapter 16 and again in Numbers 29,8-11.

B’ETZEM’ OF THIS DAY. The commentators³⁸⁹R’dak in his Sefer Hashorashim, (Book or Roots), root etzem. have said that the meaning of this phrase is “in this selfsame day.” Similarly, and ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor fresh ears until ‘etzem’ this day³⁹⁰Above, Verse 14. means “until this selfsame day.” So also, ‘uch’etzem’ the heaven for clearness³⁹¹Exodus 24:10. means “the very” heaven. But we cannot interpret that the word b’etzem here alludes to the essence and power of this day³⁹²And in that case the verse would be stating: “You shall do no manner of work in the essence of the day, meaning at daytime.” That interpretation would be incorrect, as the text continues. [which is at daytime], just as our Rabbis have said with reference to the verses: ‘b’etzem’ of this day entered Noah … into the ark³⁹³Genesis 7:13. [which the Rabbis interpreted to mean³⁹⁴Sifre, Ha’azinu 332. that because the neighbors threatened to kill him and destroy the ark should they see him entering it, therefore G-d told him to enter it ‘b’etzem’ of this day — in broad daylight]; ‘b’etzem’ of this day the Eternal did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt³⁹⁵Exodus 12:51. [which the Rabbis similarly interpreted³⁹⁴Sifre, Ha’azinu 332. “in broad daylight,” because of the previous threats of the Egyptians not to let them go — such an interpretation we cannot assume here], for it is written, and ye shall afflict your souls, in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even.³⁹⁶Further, Verse 32. Thus it is clear that the prohibitions affecting the Day of Atonement commence on the evening before the actual day. Similarly, And ye shall make proclamation ‘b’etzem’ of this day a holy assembly³⁹⁷Above, Verse 21. [stated with reference to the Festival of Weeks] includes the night as well. Now He did not mention this phrase ‘b’etzem’ of this day with reference to the Sabbath nor the festivals, except for the Festival of Weeks and the Day of Atonement, and so also in the prohibition of chadash (the new produce)²⁸⁵When the Sanctuary stood, the offering of the omer at any time on the sixteenth day of Nisan at once rendered chadash (the new crop) permissible food. Since the destruction of the Sanctuary, the prohibition extends to the whole day of the sixteenth of Nisan (Rosh Hashanah 30 a-b; see also “The Commandments,” Vol. II, pp. 186-188). He said until ‘etzem’ of this day.³⁹⁰Above, Verse 14. The reason for this appears to be that since He had said of the Festival of Weeks, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the waving … ye shall number fifty days,³⁹⁸Ibid., Verses 15-16. Thus one might think that the observance of the festival depends on the doing of the acts prescribed for it, whereas the real meaning is: “from the day that you are to bring” etc. irrespective of whether they can be brought or not, as when the Temple is destroyed. and then He stated, and ye shall present a new meal-offering … Ye shall bring out of your dwellings,³⁹⁹Ibid., Verses 16-17. etc., and dealt at length with the commandments of the offerings [in Verses 17-20], therefore it was necessary to state, And ye shall make proclamation ‘b’etzem’ of this day a solemn assembly;³⁹⁷Above, Verse 21. meaning that the very day is holy and the doing of work is forbidden on it, and it is not dependent upon the sheaf [of the waving brought on the second day of Passover], nor on the offerings. Similarly in the case of the Day of Atonement, since He had said, and ye shall afflict your souls, and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal,⁴⁰⁰Ibid., Verse 27. and in the section of Acharei Moth⁴⁰¹Above, Chapter 16. He made the [complete] expiation dependent upon the offerings and on the goat sent [to Azazel],⁴⁰²Ibid., Verse 22. therefore it was necessary to state here, And ye shall do no manner of work on that very day, for it is a day of atonement in itself to make atonement for you, besides the expiation effected by the offerings. Similarly, until ‘etzem’ of this day³⁹⁰Above, Verse 14. said in connection with the new produce [means that the prohibition of eating from the new produce continues] up to that very day, which is the day ye have brought the offering of your G-d,³⁹⁰Above, Verse 14. thus stating that even if the [meal-] offering [of the new barley] has not been brought, the commandment applies to that very day — so that the new produce²⁸⁵When the Sanctuary stood, the offering of the omer at any time on the sixteenth day of Nisan at once rendered chadash (the new crop) permissible food. Since the destruction of the Sanctuary, the prohibition extends to the whole day of the sixteenth of Nisan (Rosh Hashanah 30 a-b; see also “The Commandments,” Vol. II, pp. 186-188). is forbidden before that day and is permissible afterwards. This is the sense of His saying, it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings,³⁹⁰Above, Verse 14. as I have explained.⁴⁰³Above, Verse 16.
We further find that Scripture mentions this phrase ‘b’etzem’ of this day in the case of events which have been decreed to come at certain set times. Thus it says of Noah, ‘b’etzem’ of this day entered Noah etc.;³⁹³Genesis 7:13. [and in case of the exodus it says,] And it came to pass ‘b’etzem’ of this day that all the hosts of the Eternal went out from the land of Egypt;⁴⁰⁴Exodus 12:41. [and when Moses was ordered to ascend Mount Nebo it says,] And the Eternal spoke unto Moses ‘b’etzem’ of that day, saying: ‘Get thee up into this mountain of Abarim, unto Mount Nebo.’⁴⁰⁵Deuteronomy 32:48. The reason for this expression in these [three] cases is that it is possible to think that Noah had brought into the ark beforehand many of the beasts and fowls [and on the selfsame day that he finished bringing them into the ark, he himself came in]; likewise it is possible [to think] that some Israelites had left Egypt before that time and on that day the exodus was completed, and so also that the command for Moses our teacher’s ascension was given before that day, and on that day he actually went up. Therefore Scripture explained in all these [three] cases that [the particular events referred to in the verses] all took place on these selfsame days, not that they were started before and finished on those days, but they all happened [completely] on these very days. Similarly, ‘b’etzem’ of this day was Abraham circumcised,⁴⁰⁶Genesis 17:26. means that many people were circumcised in one day, the verse thus stating Abraham’s zeal in observing the commandments.
It further appears to me that the expression “the etzem” of any thing means “its power and strength,” the term being derived from the verses: my power ‘v’otzem’ (and the might) of my hand;⁴⁰⁷Deuteronomy 8:17. strength ‘v’tha’atzumoth’ (and power).⁴⁰⁸Psalms 68:36. So also, One dieth ‘b’etzem tumo’⁴⁰⁹Job 21:23. means “in the fulness of his strength.” And since the bones form the structure of the body and its strength, they are so called [atzamoth — from the word otzem, strength]. Thus ‘k’etzem’ the heaven for clearness³⁹¹Exodus 24:10. means that the purity of that which they saw [at Mount Sinai] was clear and strong, even as is a pure clear heaven. It is for this reason that He mentions about those specific days [of festivals referred to above] the expression etzem hayom, in order to indicate that these matters specified are of the very essence of the days, not because of other things added to them, namely the offerings brought on those days.
And so also did Onkelos translate [the word etzem as] “bikran of that day,” which [literally] means “‘in the horn’ of that day,” [i.e.,] in its essence and in its strength, the word bikran being related to these expressions: and all ‘karnei’ (the horns) of the wicked will I cut off;⁴¹⁰Psalms 75:11. my shield ‘v’keren’ (and the horn of) my salvation;⁴¹¹II Samuel 22:3. for since the strength [of the animal] is in its horns, therefore the substance of a thing is called karno [“its horn” — its strength or essence]. In the language of the Sages we find:⁴¹²Terumoth 7:1. “He pays the keren (the principal value) but he does not pay the [added] fifth.” And some texts of Onkelos have bichran [with a chaph instead of bikran with a kuph], but it is all one, for in Scripture kova and chova both mean hat,⁴¹³I Samuel 17:38 (kova); 17:5 (chova). See Vol. I, p. 506, where Ramban mentions this princuple briefly, that the kuph and the kaph (or chaph) are often interchangeable. and the Sages always make use of the term akava written with a kaph [meaning “staying”], which is derived from the expression, ‘v’lo y’akveim’ [written with a kuph, and meaning: and He stayeth them not] when His voice is heard.⁴¹⁴Job 37:4. The Rabbis also say mithkasheit [with a kuph]⁴¹⁵Tosephta, Kethuboth 7:3. See my Hebrew commentary p. 156, Note 73. from the word tachshitin [with a chaph, meaning “ornaments”]. They further say: “If ants kors’muha” [with a kuph, meaning “nibbled” the crop],⁴¹⁶Peah 2:7. of the root: the boar out of the wood ‘y’chars’menah’ [with a chaph, meaning: doth ravage it].⁴¹⁷Psalms 80:14. And those other places where the expression ‘b’etzem’ of this day is mentioned also mean: “in the strength of that day,” for they were matters which in the normal course of events could not happen in one day. Therefore Scripture stated that all the beasts and all the cattle and all the fowl and all creeping things upon the earth were gathered by “the power” of that day, by the decree of G-d upon them, for it was His mouth that commanded and the breath thereof it hath gathered them.⁴¹⁸Isaiah 34:16. Similarly, six hundred thousand men on foot, beside children⁴¹⁹Exodus 12:37. cannot be gathered together and go out as one man from the land of Egypt [all in one day], only by the strength of the day which was so decreed upon it by word of the Supreme One. And so also in the case of Moses our teacher, this expression [‘b’etzem’ of this day] is intended to teach that on the day he was commanded to write this song, and teach it the children of Israel, put it in their mouths,⁴²⁰Deuteronomy 31:19. and he finished speaking all these words,⁴²¹Ibid., 32:45. it was decreed upon him that he go up by the power of that day in which the Divine decree was given, to Mount Abarim, and then he said the section of ‘V’zoth Habrachah’ (And this is the blessing)⁴²²Ibid., Chapter 33. and afterwards he went up to the mountain — all these activities being matters which would usually take many days, but they were all done by the power and strength of the day. Similarly, that three hundred and twenty men⁴²³Three hundred and eighteen were the trained men in the house of Abraham (Genesis 14:14). Together with Abraham and Ishmael there are three hundred and twenty. should be circumcised in one day in the house of Abraham was a thing that proceeded from G-d. Now the prophet Ezekiel said, they and their fathers have transgressed against Me, to ‘etzem’ this day,⁴²⁴Ezekiel 2:3. in order to include that very day in this group. So also the expression until ‘etzem’ of this day³⁹⁰Above, Verse 14. of the prohibition of the new produce, means “until and inclusive of this day” [i.e., on the sixteenth of Nisan it is also forbidden to eat of the new produce, before the bringing of the meal-offering of the new barley], for the essence of a thing is its power and strength.
And our Rabbis have interpreted the expression ‘b’etzem’ of this day used in connection with the festivals, to mean⁴²⁵Torath Kohanim, Emor 14:7. “on the day itself,” that is to say, from the time the stars appear until they come out on the following night, thus excluding the additional time which the Sages have deduced must be added from profane unto holy [i.e., before the actual beginning of the festival, and after its actual end]. And in the cases of Noah, and the exodus from Egypt, and Moses’ [death], they interpreted that phrase to mean “in the strength of the day,” [that is] mid-day, as is stated in the Sifre,³⁹⁴Sifre, Ha’azinu 332. and Rashi wrote it in the section of Ha’azinu.⁴⁰⁵Deuteronomy 32:48.

seeing that most of the people guilty of not practicing self denial do not do so to annoy G’d, but because they cannot resist the allure of the gratification beckoning to them, whereas most of the people violating the commandment not to work on the day do so because they want to indicate their independence of G’d’s dictates, the penalty of karet is in store for eating or drinking on the day of Atonement, whereas destruction of one’s soul is in store for people deliberately violating the work prohibition applicable on this day.

וכל מלאכה לא תעשו, "and you must not perform any work." The unusual way the Torah explains the reason for the work prohibition may be understood in light of something we have been taught in Sotah 40. The Talmud there states that the congregation is not to recite verses from scripture while the priests are pronouncing the blessing, as it would be equivalent to a slave receiving a blessing from his master while not even bothering to listen. We may understand the legislation here in a similar manner. Seeing that the Day of Atonement itself confers a blessing, i.e. forgiveness, it would be most inappropriate to observe "business as usual" on such a day. It is more appropriate to spend one's time contemplating the grandeur of the Lord of the universe who has set aside a day on which His creatures are rehabilitated.

כי יום כפורים הוא לכפר עליכם, “for it is the Day of Atonement to provide atonement for you, etc.” The instruments that lead to your receiving atonement are the afflictions you have submitted to, the abstaining from pursuing any of your normal and considered important activities. It is important to realise that the absence of the requisite offerings in no way impedes the process of your being forgiven for your sins.

וכל מלאכה לא תעשו בעצם היום הזה כי יום כפורים הוא, “and you must not perform any work on this day for it is a Day of Atonement.” The reason the Torah speaks of atonement and of עצם היום “the essence of this day,” is that without these words we could have thought that when no Temple is standing and the sacrifices appropriate for that day cannot be offered that we also forfeit its benefits, i.e. forgiveness. Therefore the Torah added these words to reassure us.

וכל מלאכה לא תעשו, “and you must not perform any manner of constructive work on that day.” This day is equal to an ordinary Sabbath, when all manner of constructive work is also prohibited. Careful examination of the text will show that on all other festivals the work prohibition is termed מלאכת עבודה, i.e. the kind of work reflecting our dependence on physical, demeaning labour, in order to earn our livelihood. On those days we are allowed to perform most of the kind of work necessary to prepare our food. (verse 7 here and Exodus 12,16). The penalty for violating the work prohibition on the Day of Atonement is spelled out in verse 30, והאבדתי את הנפש ההיא מקרב עמה, “I will destroy that soul from membership among its people.”

בעצם היום הזה, “on this very day.” Nachmanides writes that the commentators generally understand the word בעצם as meaning “the substance of this day.” It would have that same meaning in verse 14 of our chapter ולחם וקלי וכרמל לא תאכלו עד עצם היום הזה, “you must not eat either bread, parched kernels or roasted kernels (from the new harvest) until this very day.” The word עצם does not appear in connection with the Sabbath day, or in connection with any of the festivals. It is only featured in connection with the festival of Shavuot and the Day of Atonement. The reason may be that just as the prohibition of eating from the new barley crop before the omer offering had been presented on the day itself, not the previous evening, it is parallel to the count which is to conclude 50 days after the time when the omer offering has been presented, when the new wheat harvest may be used for an offering. We might have thought that the various commandments attached to either the Day of Atonement or the festival of Shavuot are inextricably linked to the offering of the sacrifices the Torah tells us to offer on those days. By adding the rider בעצם היום הזה, the Torah teaches that each commandment in connection with these special days is standing on its own and has to be observed because of the date on which this day occurs, not because some other auxiliary commandments connected with these days. The word בעצם היום also implies that the night of the day in question is included in the special regulations pertaining to this day, unless of course, specifically excluded. Nachmanides adds that the word עצם is closely related to expressions denoting strength, toughness, etc., as in כחי ועוצם ידי, “my own power and the strength of my hand, [as opposed to G’d’s] Deut. 8,17). Another example is עוז ותעצומות לעם, Psalms Seeing that what supports the body is a certain toughness of character, attitude, etc., the Torah uses the expression עצם היום as in the “skeleton” of the day, the essence of it, when the occasion warrants it.

כי כל הנפש אשר לא תעונה, “for every person (soul) that does not afflict itself;” we have heard the warning previously; now we hear the penalty for disobedience, what is it? ונכרתה, “it will be cut off from the future of its people.” (Sifra)

והאבדתי I WILL DESTROY — This expression “destroying” is employed here because Scripture uses everywhere in similar cases the term כרת, “cutting off” without clearly defining it, so that I do not know exactly what it implies; but when it states here והאבדתי, it teaches in respect of the term כרת that it implies nothing else than becoming lost” (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 14 4).

I will cause that person to perish. This is more severe than the punishment for eating, and the reason is as the Seforno wrote: One who works on Yom Kippur does so out of spite, or he does not believe in the day’s holiness, whereas someone who eats does so out of desire.

'‎‎כל מלאכה וגו‎ [YE SHALL NOT DO] ANY WORK — This is repeated (cf v. 30) in order to make one who does work on Yom Kippur transgress several negative commands. Or, it is repeated, in order to prohibit working in the night of Yom Kippur, just as well as working during the day itself (Yoma 81a).

בכל מושבותיכם, even though nowadays there is no way of obtaining atonement by means of the altar which is part of commandments applicable to this day.

Work at night is prohibited, just as working during the day [is prohibited]. You might ask: Why is this necessary? Why would one exclude the night? The answer is: One may have thought, since it is written “on this very day,” it implies only the actual day as in the verses (Bereishis 7:13) “On that very day Noach came,” “On that very day Avraham [and his son Yishmael] were circumcised” (ibid 17:26). These, which means specifically during the actual daytime, so “Any person who does any work on this very day, etc.,” means specifically during the actual daytime. Therefore one needs “any work, etc.” (Re’m) Alternatively, the Gemara (Yuma 81a) says that “on this very day” excludes time added to Yom Kippur., Ii.e., someone who does work during the time added from weekday to sacred at the beginning and the end [of Yom Kippur], one is not liable for koreis. Thus, one may have thought that night too is excluded from [the prohibition of doing] work, and one needs an inclusory verse is necessary.

כל מלאכה לא תעשו, “you must not perform any activity defined as m’lachah; the Torah has repeated this on account of what follows, i.e. חוקת עולם לדורותיכם, “a permanent statute throughout your generations.”

שבת שבתון הוא, “it is written (spelled) as is and read as is, as I explained on Leviticus 16,31. [The word שבת is generally in the feminine mode and we would have expected the pronoun referring to it as being spelled in accordance with that, i.e. היא. Compare how it is treated in the commentaries and in the Talmud. Ed.]

ועניתם את נפשותיכם התשעה לחדש בערב, “you are to afflict yourselves on the ninth of the month in the evening;” our sages query how it is that we have to afflict ourselves on the day before the Day of Atonement, when the date set by the Torah for that day it the tenth? They conclude that what is meant here is that by eating and drinking on the day prior to the Day of Atonement we can fulfill the “festive” aspect of that day, which is after all part of the list of festivals. (Talmud Rosh Hashana, folio 9) they go as far as to state that treating the ninth day of that month as a festival, is equivalent having afflicted oneself with total abstention from food and drink on the tent of that month. On the other hand, when the Torah demands of us to eat matzot in the evening of the 14th15th of Nissan, Exodus 12,18) we cannot interpret that line in a similar manner, as in our verse the eating of food on the ninth day is linked to afflicting oneself, something that is not so in connection with Passover.

בתשעה לחדש בערב, it is clear from the cantillation marks, i.e. the strongly dividing mark etnachta on the previous word: לנפשותיכם, makes it clear that the word בתשעה introduces a new subject, nothing to do with the words ועניתם את נפשותיכם. It clearly refers to the evening following part of the shabbat which lasts until the evening following.

מערב עד ערב, “from this verse we have proof that the day follows the night.

תשבתו, “you will observe spiritual rest; the entire period is part of the Day of Atonement, which is a festival so that you have to add a little time extra at its beginning and at its official ending.

שבתכם, “your Sabbaths.” This day has been given to the people of Israel as a Sabbath and as a holy convocation. It says: 'שבת לה, “as a Sabbath for the Lord,” and it also said: “a special Sabbath for you.” The former is the Sabbath on which G-d had rested from the creation. The יום השביעי part of the Sabbath is never referred to as being Israel’s, it is always the Lord’s

הזה חג הסכות, "this one is the festival of huts." The extraneous words are explained in Torat Kohanim. Please refer to my comment on this in connection with Leviticus 14,7.

מקרא קדש — This means: Hallow it (make it different from other days) by wearing fine clothes, and through appropriate prayer. In the case of other Festivals of which the same words are used, the expression מקרא קדש implies: Hallow them (distinguish them from other days) by your food and drink, by your fine clothes and appropriate prayers (cf. Sifra, Emor, Section 12 4).

Fine clothing. Why does Rashi explain the phrase “a holy assembly” out of order? He should have explained it [where it first appears in verse 27] before explaining “I will cause that person to perish,” and before “You shall not do any work?” The answer is: He could not explain “sanctify it with fine clothing, etc.,” [earlier], because perhaps when it wrote “a holy assembly,” this was to make the night forbidden like the day regarding work and koreis. But now that it is written “You shall not do any work” which is apparently superfluous to teach and warn that work is forbidden by at night as well as by during the day, [therefore] “a holy assembly” must be teaching that we “sanctify it with fine clothing.” This statement [of Rashi] too seems out of place and it belongs earlier, before “I will cause that person to perish,” because [here] he is referring to Yom Kippur of which the verse writes “a holy assembly” [as the Torah also writes regarding other festivals], and [yet] it is different than other assemblies. Therefore, Rashi did not explain anything [in his commentary on the other verses] where it states “a holy assembly” preceding this [when referring to] other festivals. (Divrei Dovid)

עצרת הוא — The word is derived from the root עצר “to hold back” and suggests: I keep you back with Me one day more. It is similar to the case of a king who invited his children to a banquet for a certain number of days. When the time arrived for them to take their departure he said, “Children, I beg of you, stay one day more with me; it is so hard for me to part with you!” (cf. Rashi on Numbers 29:36 and Sukkah 55b).

IT IS ‘ATZERETH.’⁴²⁶The word atzereth is of the root atzor (to hold back, restrain). Rashi will accordingly explain that the eighth day of Tabernacles is the day G-d requested Israel “to hold back” yet another day before leaving for their homes. Ramban will explain atzereth in the sense of “binding,” or “holding in,” because this day represents the assembly of all emanations alluded to by all festivals, as mentioned in the text. “I keep you back before Me. It is similar to the case of a prince who invited his children to a banquet for a certain number of days. When the time came for them to leave, he said, ‘I beg of you stay with me for yet one more day, for your departure is so hard for me!’” This is Rashi’s language. And these are words of Agadah (homily) in Vayikra Rabbah.⁴²⁷I did not find it in Vayikra Rabbah. See though Tractate Succah 55 b.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], for in six days the Eternal made the heaven and the earth,⁴²⁸Exodus 20:11. See also Vol. I, p. 28: “In the profounder sense etc.” and the seventh day is the Sabbath which has no partner, and the congregation of Israel is its partner,⁴²⁹To each of the first six days of the week there is, so-to-say a partner, but the seventh odd day has no partner. And since blessing does not come solitary, G-d gave the congregation of Israel to be the Sabbath’s partner (Bereshith Rabbah 11:9). See also Vol. I, p. 60. as it is said, and the earth,⁴²⁸Exodus 20:11. See also Vol. I, p. 28: “In the profounder sense etc.” this being the eighth day. It is ‘Atzereth,’ for there everything is assembled. Now with respect to the Festival of Unleavened Bread He commanded that it be observed for seven days, with the first and seventh [days] being holy, though they are all holy and the Eternal is among them.⁴³⁰Numbers 16:3. From then on [i.e., beginning with the second day of Passover] we are to count forty-nine days[of the omer], which are seven weeks comparable to the [seven] “days” of the world,⁴³¹The thought suggested is that the seven “weeks” of the omer are comparable to “the days” of the world, and Shevuoth is thus like the “eighth day” in the Festival of Tabernacles; and the forty-nine days between the first day and “the eighth day” are thus like the intermediate days of the Festival of Tabernacles (Abusaula). and then to sanctify the “eighth day” [i.e., the Festival of Weeks] just as the eighth day of Tabernacles [is holy]; and [the forty-nine days] counted between them are in the “intermediate days” of the festival, in the interval separating the first day and “eighth day” of the festival, this being the day of the Giving of the Torah when He made them to see His great fire and His words they heard out of the midst of the fire.⁴³²Deuteronomy 4:36. Therefore our Rabbis, of blessed memory, always called the Festival of Weeks by the name of Atzereth⁴³³As in Chagigah 17 a. [a name here used in the verse for the eighth day of the Festival of Tabernacles], for it is on “the eighth” day of the festival, which Scripture here so called by that name. And this is the [intention of the] saying of the Rabbis:⁴³⁴Rosh Hashanah 4 b. “The eighth day is a festival for itself” with respect to ‘p’zar k’shab,’⁴³⁵This is an acrostic for the following Hebrew words: pa’yis (lots), z’man (time), regel (festival), korban (offering), shir (song), brachah (blessing). These are all references to various laws indicating that the eighth day of Tabernacles is not considered as just another day of that festival, but is rather an independent festival by itself. Such acrostics were used in order to assist memory. but yet it complements the first [seven] days⁴³⁶Thus: “He that made no offerings on the first festival day of Tabernacles, must offer them any day throughout the whole festival, even on the last [i.e., the eighth] day of Tabernacles” (Chagigah 9 a). In that respect the eighth day is connected with the first seven days. since it is an emanation of the first days but is not like their unity. Therefore in the section of All the firstlings⁴³⁷Deuteronomy 15:19. He mentions in speaking of the three festivals — the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Tabernacles — [that the Festival of Tabernacles] is seven days⁴³⁸Ibid., 16:15. and He did not mention the eighth day, for there He said, all thy males appear etc.⁴³⁹Ibid., Verse 16. See my Hebrew commentary p. 197. This is thus clear.

עצרת היא. The concept of עצירה is something apart from the concept of שביתות. The latter pertains to abstaining from ordinary secular activities, whereas the former entails spending a certain amount of time performing holy tasks, studying Torah, engaging in communal prayer, etc. The expression נעצר occurs in this context in Samuel I 21,8 ושם איש מעבדי שאול ביום ההוא נעצר לפני ה', “and there was a man, one of Saul’s officials detained before the Lord, etc.” In Yoel 1,14 we find the line קדשו יום, עצרו עצרה, “solemnize a fast, proclaim an assembly!” In Kings II 10,20 we find that Yehu proclaimed an assembly in honour of the Baal, [he meant to make sure that he could kill all those who would worship the Baal, which he succeeded in doing, eradicating this cult from Israel. Ed.] The invitation read: קדשו עצרה לבעל, “proclaim a holy assembly for the Baal.” It is in this sense that the Torah refers to the day following the seventh day of the Sukkot festival as Atzeret, an assembly for G’d, the pilgrims for the Sukkot festival to Jerusalem being detained there for an additional day. The joy on that day was to be a Torah inspired and oriented joy, akin to when David says in Psalms 149,2 ישמח ישראל בעושיו, “Israel rejoices in its Maker.”
We find that the description of the family dinners held in the home of Job’s children, his seven sons and three daughters, at set intervals such festive get togethers were held. On the day after the completion of these festivities their father would send word to them to sanctify themselves and rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings to atone for the possibility that they might have been remiss and committed some misdemeanour which would have displeased their G’d. (Job 1,4-5)
On the seventh day after the Exodus from Egypt the Israelites took time out to sing a song of thanksgiving to G’d for their final delivery from the pursuing Egyptians. Subsequently, in commemoration of that occasion, the Torah decreed that this day become an עצרת, a day devoted to contemplation of the great miracle on that first occasion. (Compare Exodus 15,1 and Deuteronomy 16,8).
Again, on the fiftieth day after the Exodus when the Israelites in a great assembly at Mount Sinai spent the day contemplating their elevation to an almost supernatural people, this day was also subsequently observed as an עצרת, although in the Torah this day is never referred to as such. The reason why the Torah itself does not refer to this day as an עצרת may be the fact that shortly thereafter all the accomplishments of this day were lost and the Jewish people were even commanded to divest themselves of the “jewelry” they had worn in commemoration of that wonderful day. (Exodus 33,6)

עצרת, a stoppage, i.e. a day when one must refrain from work.

[A day] of holy assembly. The purpose of the appointed times, the reason Hashem wanted Israel to gather in Jerusalem and be seen in the Courtyard, is so they could learn wisdom and discipline from the kohanim. Jerusalem is the source for the entire word of Hashem, and there they learned how to behave when they returned to their homes after the festival. In the festival’s first days all of Israel was busy with the sight-offerings, festival-offerings, and peace-offerings of vows and free-will from the entire year; they were brought during the intermediate days of the festival. Only on the festival’s last day were there no longer any sight-offerings of festival-offerings, except for someone who transgressed and did not bring them in the first days. This was not appropriate, and therefore it was not common to find these offerings. Thus, the entire people of Israel was free at that time to accept discipline and rebuke, and that is why the eighth day was called Atzeret, a day of convocation.

עצרת היא, “it is a day of special assembly;” this is a parable describing a king whose children came to visit him for the first time; at that time the king said to them: “when are you going to visit me again?” they said to him: “in about a couple of months. ”Thereupon the king took his leave of them. When the children came again to see their father the king, he asked again when they would come to see him again. When they said that they would come again in about four months, the king again thanked them for their visit and bid them farewell. When this story repeated itself a third time and on that occasion the children told him that they would not visit him again until after about seven months, the king begged them to delay their departure for at least one additional day. They agreed and did so. He gave them a special blessing for having spent the extra time with him. This parable is supposed to explain why there is no day called עצרת after Passover and after Shavuot, but only after Sukkot, seeing that it is over six months until the next Passover. The reason there is no pilgrimage festival during the winter is to save the people having to travel to Jerusalem during the inclement winter months.

כל מלאכת עבדה ANY WORK THAT IS AN עבדה — i. e. even such work which rests as an obligation (עבודה) upon you because if it is left undone it involves monetary loss (cf. Rashi v. 8),

לא תעשו YE SHALL NOT DO: — One might think that it is forbidden to do such urgent work (מלאכת עבדה) also on the intermediate days of Passover and Tabernacles (which are Half-festivals)! Scripture, however, states: עצרת] הוא], “it (i. e. the eighth day) forms a restriction: [ye shall do no urgent work]” — but on the intermediate days such work is not forbidden (Sifra, Emor, Section 12 6).

עלה ומנחה A BURNT OFFERING AND A MEAL OFFERING — This means the מנחת נסכים (the meal-offering due with the drink-offering) that is brought together with the‎ עולה (Menachot 44b)‎.

With the burnt-offering. Rashi is answering the question: Many [kinds] of meal offerings are written in parshas Vayikra, so why does the verse not specify which one it is? Re’m explains that if the meal-offering was by itself, it should have said “a burnt-offering and a sacrifice and wine-offerings and a meal-offering.”

מועדי השם, "the appointed seasons of the Lord, etc." Torat Kohanim on verse 35 quotes Rabbi Akiva as saying that these are the days on which the performance of work is prohibited. I believe this may also be the reason why the Torah concludes by writing: ומלבד מתנותיכם, "and beside your gifts, etc., which you will present to the Lord." These "gifts" include burnt-offerings. We know from Beytzah 19 that burnt-offerings may not be offered on festivals. The Talmud derives this from the word לכם, "for you," and "not for G'd." When we take this into consideration it is clear that verse 38 speaks of the intermediate days of the festivals of Passover and Sukkot.

אלה מועדי, “these are the appointed seasons, etc,” the reason why the Torah had to repeat this once more is because we do not find the verse והקרבתם אשה, “you are to present a fire offering” in connection with the offerings on the festival of Shavuot, (called Atzeret by the Torah). This verse is a reminder that it applies to all the festivals. The Torah had also not used that expression in connection with the Sabbath, at the beginning of the chapter dealing with the festivals. This is why in verse 38 it specifically exempts the Sabbath from this commandment.

‎‎ביומו‎ ‎יום‎ ‎דבר EVERYTHING UPON ITS DAY (lit., the thing of the day, on its day) — the quantity definitely assigned to each day in the Book of Numbers (cf. Rashi on Exodus 16:4).

In Chumash Hapekudim. In parshas Pinchas, where all the musofim are specified, some days with many musofim and some days with few musofim.

להקריב אשה לה' עולה ומנחה זבח ונסכים, “to bring an offering made by fire unto the Lord; a burnt offering and a mealoffering a sacrifice and libations ;” on all the מועדים, these four categories of offerings are to be presented; the expression זבח applies to meat offerings parts of which are to be consumed by the priests, who are allowed to eat parts of the communal sin offerings offered on these festivals.

דבר יום ביומו EVERYTHING UPON ITS DAY (which may mean the matter of the day shall be on its day) — consequently if its day (the day on which some particular one of these sacrifices is due) be past, it's (the day’s) offering is past (cf. Sifra, Emor, Section 12 9).

אך בחמשה עשר יום... תחגו BUT ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY… YE SHALL OFFER A חג — i. e., a sacrifice of peace-offerings as a חגיגה (the pilgrims’ sacrifice on the Festivals) (Chagigah 9a). Since it states that this has to be brought on the fifteenth day of the month, one might think that it (the offering of קרבן חגיגה) shall set aside the Sabbath (supersede the Sabbath law, if that day be the fifteenth of the month)! Scripture, however, uses the word אך (the particle that implies a limitation; cf. Rashi on v. 27): suggesting that it must not be offered on Sabbath because it has a supplementary period consisting of all the seven days of the Festival.

WHEN YE HAVE GATHERED IN THE INCREASE OF THE LAND. “[This is to state] that this seventh month [in which the Festival of Tabernacles occurs] must be at the time of the harvest. From here we learn that they were commanded to intercalate the years [with an extra month], because if there would be no such intercalation, the seventh month [i.e., Tishri] would sometimes fall in the middle of the summer, or in the winter.” This is Rashi’s language. And the words of the Torath Kohanim are as follows:⁴⁴⁰Torath Kohanim, Emor 15:6-7. “Intercalate the years so that you make the Festival of Tabernacles at the time of the ingathering of the fruits. I might think that this refers to the ingathering of all the fruits; Scripture therefore says, Thou shalt keep the feast of Tabernacles … after thou hast gathered in from thy threshing-floor and from thy wine-press⁴⁴¹Deuteronomy 16:13. — ‘from’ thy threshing-floor but not all thy threshing-floor, and ‘from’ thy wine-press, but not all thy wine-press. Now if I am to follow the expression after thou hast gathered in ‘from’ thy threshing-floor, I might think that even if only a little [of it has been gathered in, the Festival of Tabernacles may already be observed in that part of the year, and there is no need then for intercalating an extra month at the end of the preceding winter]; Scripture therefore says [here], when ye have gathered in the produce of the land. How can these be reconciled? [In the following manner]: Try to intercalate the year so that the Festival of Tabernacles occurs when most of the fruits have already been gathered in.” Now the Sages have already derived [the need for] intercalating the year from the verse Observe the month of ‘aviv’ (spring).⁴⁴²Ibid., 16:1. This teaches that before it comes you are to watch whether that month will be capable of producing aviv (ripe ears), and if not, intercalate a year [by adding a month to the winter period] (Rashi ibid., on the basis of Sanhedrin 11 a). But there Scripture taught about [the intercalation of the year because of] the spring [i.e., so that the celebration of the exodus occurs in the month when there are ripe ears already, so that the sheaf of waving can be brought on the sixteenth of Nisan from the new barley], and here it teaches concerning the fruits of the trees [that most of them must be ripened at the time of the Festival of Weeks, so that they are ready to be brought as first-fruits to the Sanctuary, and that most of them are to be gathered in before the Festival of Tabernacles]. For so did the Sages teach us:⁴⁴³Ibid., 11 b. “The year is intercalated on account of three things: on account of ripe ears [that they be available at the time of Passover], fruits of the trees [at the time of the Festival of Weeks], and on account of the solstice [that the summer solstice should not occur after the passing of Tabernacles].⁴⁴⁴Rashi, ibid. Thus the need for intercalation is deduced automatically [from the statement] that this festival [of Tabernacles] is at the time of the ingathering [and if an extra month is not added at the end of the winter season, the festival might sometimes occur in the middle of the summer or winter].
The meaning, however, of the Scriptural verse here is as follows: It states, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal all of which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to bring on all of them an offering made by fire unto the Eternal.⁴⁴⁵Verse 37. However, on the fifteenth day of this seventh month, because it is the time when you have gathered in the increase of the land, ye shall keep the feast of the Eternal seven days. He said here in addition, on the first day shall be ‘shabbathon’ and on the eighth day shall be ‘shabbathon,’ meaning that you are to desist from work, and to rest on them, as I have explained.⁴⁴⁶Above, Verse 24. And He further said that they should rejoice even more before G-d with the lulav and ethrog⁴⁴⁷Further, Verse 40. for seven days, for it is a time of rejoicing because G-d has blessed you in all thine increase, and in all the work of thy hands, and thou shalt be altogether joyful⁴⁴⁸Deuteronomy 16:15. before Him. The meaning of the phrase [in the verse before us] ye shall keep the feast of the Eternal, is that you are to celebrate it before Him by giving thanks to His Name for your gathering of the harvest which came [in time]. Then He went back and stated again [further on in Verse 41], And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Eternal, in order to place next to it [the commandment], Ye shall dwell in booths,⁴⁴⁹Verse 42. the meaning thereof being as follows: and ye shall keep it a feast seven days in the year by dwelling in booths, and all that are home-born shall dwell in them, thus stating that they shall make a festival of seven days by taking the lulav, and rejoicing before G-d, and dwelling in booths. And the interpretation thereof in the Torath Kohanim is as follows:⁴⁵⁰Torath Kohanim, Emor 17:1. “And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Eternal.⁴⁵¹Verse 41. Why is this stated? Since it is said, Seven days shalt thou keep a feast unto the Eternal thy G-d,⁴⁴⁸Deuteronomy 16:15. I might think that the Festival-offering³⁸⁰This is the Festival peace-offering which one is obliged to bring when making the pilgrimage to the Sanctuary three times in the year (see “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 60-61). must be brought on all seven days; Scripture therefore says here ‘it’” [And ye shall keep ‘it’ a feast, thus stating that this offering need only be brought once], etc.⁴⁵²“And why does Scripture (in Deuteronomy 16:15) state seven? It is with reference to the supplementary period — that if he has not brought the Festival-offering on one day, he may bring it on another of the seven days” (Torath Kohanim, Emor 17:2); and on the Festival of Tabernacles, he may bring it even on the eighth day (ibid., 3). See above, Note 436.

אך בחמשה עשר יום, after the Torah had discussed the subject of the festivals in general terms, i.e. their common denominator being that these days are called מקראי קודש on which fire offerings on the altar are being offered on the altar in the presence of the Lord, the Torah continues 'אך בחמשה עשר יום וגו, by showing that the festival of Sukkot is different from all the other festivals: 1) the eighth day of that festival is called as we know from וביום השמיני שבתון, that the eighth day of that sequence of days is to be regarded as a kind of Sabbath. Such a concept does not exist as a special, day in the “week,” nor on the festival of matzot, neither in connection with months or years. In respect of all of these only the number seven has a connotation of holiness, not the number eight.
2) This is the only festival in which the Jew is required to change his home, move out of his regular home, as stated clearly in verse 42.
3) it requires that every Jew take four plants of specific categories and wave them in the 6 directions on earth. (compare verse 40)

אך בחמשה עשר יום לחודש השביעי, even though both New Year and the Day of Atonement are primarily designed to help the people achieve atonement for their sins and their being remembered favourably by G’d, Sukkot is for enjoyment and giving thanks to the Lord for having enabled them to fill their barns with good produce at the end of the harvest season.

באספכם את תבואת הארץ, “when you gather in the yield of the land.” Rashi says that the purpose of the verse is to warn us that the seventh month of the year should coincide with the period when the last of the harvest is brought into the barns. This forms the basis of the sages on occasion, in tandem with the solar year’s requirements, inserting an extra month into our lunar calendar. Nachmanides argues that we already learned this from when the Torah instructed that Passover must occur during the period of the spring equinox, בחודש האביב, (Exodus 34,18) Actually, there it concerned the commemoration of the Exodus on the anniversary of when it had occurred, whereas here the concern of the Torah is that the Sukkot festival coincide with the last fruit of the orchards being harvested. The Torah here elaborates on the nature of true joy being that after a successful harvest we thank Hashem with visible symbols expressing our joy, the four species of plants being one such example. The 15th day of that month, being still part of the ingathering season we observe a festival, interrupting our work in the field, just as we do on the eighth day of the festival. We take time out to rejoice in the presence of the Lord, in Jerusalem. On the last day, a separate festival in many respects, we no longer sit in the Sukkah, nor use the four species of plants.

אך בחמשה עשר יום לחודש השביעי באספכם, “however, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month when you gather in, etc.” We are entitled to ask at this point that seeing the Torah told us already earlier in verse 34 that the Sukkot festival commences on that date, why repeat the date? However, it is the style of the written Torah when lengthy matters are discussed to re-insert the date after an interruption so that we should not forget that we still speak of the same date mentioned earlier in the same paragraph. I would add here that earlier in the paragraph the date seemed to relate to the offering of certain sacrifices, i.e. a procedure directed at G’d, stressing the element of “a holy convocation,” whereas what is discussed here are procedures aimed at our terrestrial universe and our gratitude for the harvest. Seeing that the taking of the palm frond is also an act of rehabilitation on behalf of our ancestor Adam who had sinned by abusing a plant G’d had had planted in Gan Eden, by reiterating the date mentioned in connection with the sacrifices offered on this festival being the same as that on which we take the palm frond, this shows that the taking of the lulav has a two-tiered significance. Apart from symbolising gratitude for the harvest being gathered in it also has an independent spiritual significance. This is further reinforced (verse 40) by the formula ולקחתם לכם, “take for you (spiritual rehabilitation).”

אך בחמשה עשר יום, “but on the fifteenth day, etc.; the introductory word אך here is justified, as on Sukko,t when the harvests have all been brought in and stored, the degree of joy is much greater than on Pessach and Shavuot, the former being a festival when the word שמחה, joy, is not even mentioned, as no part of the year’s crops have as yet been harvested. On Sukkot we celebrate not only the material blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us but also the spiritual blessings, seeing that only four days before its beginning we have become relieved of the burdens of our sins. On this festival the expression שמחה is associated with these days no fewer than three times (including Deuteronomy 15,14). This joy is due to the harvests of our fields, orchards, and the forgiveness of our sins. This is why the Torah is able to urge us: והיית אך שמח, “you shall be joyous without any reservations.”

אך בחמשה עשר יום, “but on the fifteenth day, etc.” the word אך, as usual, is meant to exclude something;” in this instance it refers to the fact that the Passover which must be eaten on the night of the 14th to the fifteenth of Nissan does not require the owners of these animals to spend an additional night in Jerusalem, seeing that the whole offering had already been consumed. The reason for this relaxation of the Torah’s standards is that the farmers are preoccupied with harvesting the barley in their fields at that time. The same is true on the festival of Shavuot. which occurs during the period of the wheat harvest. However on the fifteenth day of Tishrey, when all the harvests of the fields had already been brought into the barns, the pilgrims are required to rejoice for eight days in Jerusalem. (B’chor shor)

באספכם את תבואת הארץ [ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH] WHEN YE GATHER IN THE INCREASE OF THE LAND — This tells us that this seventh month (in which סכות occurs) must be at the time of the ingathering. Hence we learn that they are enjoined to intercalate the years if necessary (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 15 6), because if there be no such intercalation it (the seventh month) would sometimes fall in the middle of the summer or of the winter.

תחוגו את חג ה', “you will celebrate Hashem’s festival.” The meaning of the somewhat strange sounding “Hashem’s festival,” is that we are to rejoice in the location where His presence manifests itself, in the Temple; we do not celebrate our success, but we proffer our thanks to Him, Who alone has made all this possible. The reason why the Torah repeats once more in verse 41 וחגותם אותו שבעת ימים חג לה', “you will celebrate it for seven days as a festival for Hashem,” is to link it to the commandment (verse 42) to dwell in the huts for seven days. Dwelling in the huts, waving the four species, etc., are all part of the manner in which we rejoice; they are all rated as the performance of a Divine commandment. [In other words, the joy is not the reward, but the Torah by making it mandatory, promises reward for our being joyful. Ed.]

תחגו YE SHALL CELEBRATE (OFFER) the peace-offerings of the חגיגה.

שבעת ימים SEVEN DAYS (during seven days), meaning that if one has not brought them on one he may bring them on another of the seven days. But I might think that the meaning is that one has to offer them on each of the seven days! Scripture, however, states (v. 41): וחגתם אתו, “and ye shall make it the day of the חגיגה” — this implies one day and no more. Why, then, does Scripture say “seven”? In reference to the supplementary period (Chagigah 9a).

פרי עץ הדר THE FRUIT OF THE TREE HADAR — a tree the wood of which (עץ) has the same taste as its fruit (פרי) (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 16 4; Sukkah 35a).

AND YE SHALL TAKE YOU ON THE FIRST DAY ‘PRI EITZ HADAR’ (THE FRUIT OF GOODLY TREES). “[That is, a tree] whose bark has the same taste as its fruit. Hadar [a fruit] that ‘remains’ on its tree from one year to another, and this is the ethrog.” This is Rashi’s language. But these interpretations are merely Scriptural supports which our Rabbis taught⁴⁵³Succah 35 a. as a basis for their tradition [that the reference here is to the ethrog]. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote: “And they [i.e., the masters of tradition] have said the truth [that pri eitz hadar refers to the ethrog], for there is no fruit of the tree more beautiful (hadar) than the ethrog. The Rabbis’ interpreted that hadar means [the fruit] that ‘remains’ on its tree [from one year to another], but this is merely a Scriptural support for a matter of tradition.”
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the tree which is called in the Aramaic language ethrog, is called in the Sacred Tongue hadar, for the meaning of the word ethrog is “desirable,” as [Onkelos] rendered: ‘nechmad’ (pleasant) to the sight⁴⁵⁴Genesis 2:9. —” dimrageig to see; “‘lo thachmod’ (Thou shalt not covet)⁴⁵⁵Exodus 20:14. — “thou shalt not theirog.”⁴⁵⁶In our version of Onkelos lo theirog is given as the translation of the Hebrew ‘lo thithaveh’ (Thou shalt not desire) — in Deuteronomy 5:18. In Exodus 20:14, the Aramaic is the same as the Hebrew: lo thachameid. — The general point, however, is clearly established, that the term theirog means “desire,” “delight” or “pleasant.” The name ethrog is related to this expression. And we also say:⁴⁵⁷The source of the expression is found in Targum Jonathan to Psalms 45:14. From Ramban’s words “we say,” it would seem that he is referring to that phrase written in the marriage contract wherein the husband undertakes to pay to his wife a certain sum of money “from all the best, most desirable of his belongings.” “from all the best, arag (most desirable) properties.” And the terms hadar and chemdah are alike in meaning [“desirable”]. Thus the tree and the fruit [ethrog] are both called by one name [as hadar in Aramaic is ethrog], for such is the customary usage of names for most fruits: t’einah [denotes both the fig tree and the fruit]; egoz (nut); rimon (pomegranate); zayith (olive) and other fruits [in all of which cases both the tree and its fruit have the same name], and similarly this tree and fruit are both called in Aramaic ethrog, and in the Sacred Tongue they are called hadar.
In line with the plain meaning of Scripture the verse is stating that we should take for ourselves a pri eitz hadar [“the fruit of a tree called hadar” in Hebrew, which is called ethrog in Aramaic], and that we take branches of palm-trees, and one bough of thick trees [known as hadas, the myrtle], and one bough of the willows of the brook [known as aravah]. Thus [we are to take] one of each of the [four] species, for the [plural] expression branches of palm-trees is connected with And ye shall take you, which refers to many people [so that each person is to take only one of these branches],⁴⁵⁸In other words, since the Rabbis have interpreted the phrase and ye shall take you as meaning that the taking of the four species is to be done by each person, therefore Onkelos translated it: “and you [all] shall take ethrogin, lulavin etc. [in the plural] since the Torah is speaking here to all individuals together. Hence even though it is written branches of palm-trees in the plural, yet we only have to take one branch of a palm-tree, the plural being used because the phrase is connected with and ye shall take you, which refers to many people. since the final decision of the law is like Rabbi Akiba⁴⁵⁹Succah 34 b. See, however, at the very end of this discussion for the practice today. who says: “Just as only one palm-branch is needed and only one ethrog, so also [we need only] one myrtle-branch and one willow-branch.” Therefore Onkelos translated all these four species in the plural [ethrogin, lulavin, etc.], since they are all connected with the [preceding] phrase And ye shall take you, which refers to many people.⁴⁵⁸In other words, since the Rabbis have interpreted the phrase and ye shall take you as meaning that the taking of the four species is to be done by each person, therefore Onkelos translated it: “and you [all] shall take ethrogin, lulavin etc. [in the plural] since the Torah is speaking here to all individuals together. Hence even though it is written branches of palm-trees in the plural, yet we only have to take one branch of a palm-tree, the plural being used because the phrase is connected with and ye shall take you, which refers to many people. And in [explanation of] the reason for this commandment, by way of homiletic discourse, the Rabbis have said that these [four] species are used to obtain the favor of G-d that He may give water.⁴⁶⁰Taanith 2 b.
And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], ‘pri eitz hadar’ (the fruit of the goodly tree) is the fruit in which there is a great deal of desire, and the first man sinned with it, as it is said, And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat.⁴⁶¹Genesis 3:6. Thus the sin consisted [of taking the ethrog] alone,⁴⁶²Beiur Ha ‘lvush in his commentary to Ricanti who quotes the language of Ramban. and we obtain His favor [by means of the ethrog] together with the other species …⁴⁶³To couple the tent together, that it may be one (Abusaula). From here you will understand and know that the ethrog is not bound up with the other three species, and yet it invalidates [the performance of the commandment] if it is not taken together with them, for it is comparable to Atzereth (the eighth day of Tabernacles)⁴⁶⁴Verse 36. which is a festival of its own, and yet is supplementary to the first days.⁴³⁶Thus: “He that made no offerings on the first festival day of Tabernacles, must offer them any day throughout the whole festival, even on the last [i.e., the eighth] day of Tabernacles” (Chagigah 9 a). In that respect the eighth day is connected with the first seven days. Thus they are one in potentiality but not in actuality. I have already explained the reason for this.⁴⁶⁴Verse 36. Thus the meaning of the whole section is as follows: “Ye shall keep the feast of the Great Name for the seven days of creation,⁴⁶⁵See Vol. I, p. 28: “In the profounder sense etc.” and join on to them the eighth day, Atzereth, similar to what is said, For the leader with strong-music on the ‘sheminith’⁴⁶⁶Psalms 6:1. [literally: ‘the eighth’]. And also on those seven days ye shall take the fruit of the tree called ‘hadar’ [i.e., the ethrog] together with the palm-branch in union [with the myrtle-branch and the willow].⁴⁶⁷But the ethrog is not in the union (Abusaula). That is why He mentioned first the ethrog [for it is not tied together with the palm-branch, which is in union with the other two species, since the ethrog alludes to the eighth day of the festival which is a feast of its own], but on the eighth day it is not necessary [to take these four species], for it is itself hadar.” And this is the explanation of the verse, ‘v’chagothem’ (and ye shall keep it a feast) unto the Eternal seven days ‘in the year,’⁴⁵¹Verse 41. meaning that you are to keep it seven days “with the year,” that is with the surrounding and circular movement [around the altar in procession with the four species], related to the expressions: ‘v’chug (and the circuit) of heaven;⁴⁶⁸Job 22:14. and he marketh it out ‘bam’chugah’ (with the compass),⁴⁶⁹Isaiah 44:13. and so also: a multitude ‘chogeig’ (keeping holyday).⁴⁷⁰Psalms 42:5.
Our Rabbis have already alluded to this secret. Thus they have said in Vayikra Rabbah:⁴⁷¹Vayikra Rabbah 30:9. “Pri eitz hadar, this alludes to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, Honor ‘v’hadar’ (and majesty) are before Him.⁴⁷²Psalms 96:6. Branches of palm-trees, this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, The Righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree.⁴⁷³Ibid., 92:13. And boughs of thick trees [i.e., the myrtle-branch], this applies to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, and He stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom.⁴⁷⁴Zechariah 1:8. ‘V’arvei’ (and willows of) the brook, this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, Extol Him that rideth ‘ba’aravoth’ (in the skies).”⁴⁷⁵Psalms 68:5.
And in the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah it is stated:⁴⁷⁶Sefer Habahir, 172-178. See in Vol. I, p. 24, Note 42. “What is meant by pri eitz hadar? It is as we translate it in Onkelos’ Targum: ‘fruits of the tree, ethrogin and lulavin.’ And what is hadar? It is ‘the majesty’ of all, which is ‘the majesty’ referred to in the Song of Songs, as it is said, Who is she that looketh forth as the dawn, etc.?⁴⁷⁷Song of Songs 6:10. And why is it called hadar? Read not hadar (majesty), but hador (‘who resides therein’), this being the ethrog which is separate from the group of the lulav [and myrtle-branch and willow], and yet the commandment of taking the lulav is not fulfilled without it [the ethrog]; and it is tied to all, since it is with each one, and all together they are combined as one. And what is the lulav? It is symbolic of the spinal cord. And boughs of thick trees, meaning a tree the branches of which cover its larger portion. This may be likened to a person who with his arms protects his head. Thus the bough is to the left, and the thickness to the right, and the tree in the middle.⁴⁷⁸These are Cabalistic references to the various emanations based upon the Hebrew expression, va’anaph eitz avoth, the word eitz (tree) being in the middle, and anaph (bough) and avoth (thickness) at the sides. This in its simplest sense is the meaning of the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah: “Thus the bough is to the left etc.” And why is it called eitz (tree)? Because it is the root of the tree. And what are ‘arvei nachal’ (willows of the brook)? They are so called on account of the name of the place wherein they are affixed, which is nachal (brook, river), as it is written, All the rivers run into the sea etc.⁴⁷⁹Ecclesiastes 1:7. And what is ‘the sea’? I must say that it alludes to the ethrog. And how do we know that each midah⁴⁸⁰Literally: “measure,” here referring to the Divine “attribute” or “emanation.” of all these seven⁴⁸¹As symbolized by the one ethrog, one lulav, three myrtle-branches and two willows, totalling seven, which allude to the seven lower emanations. is called nachal? Because it is said, and from Mattanah to Nachaliel.⁴⁸²Numbers 21:19. Read not Nachaliel [the name of a place], but nachalei E-il (the brooks of G-d) etc.” Now this Midrash [referring to “these seven”] is in accordance with the opinion of the Sage⁴⁸³Rabbi Yishmael (Succah 34 b). who holds that we are to take three myrtle-branches, two willows, one lulav, and one ethrog, which is the final decision of the law according to the words of the Gaonim⁴⁸⁴See in Vol. II, p. 521, Note 74. and all Rishonim.⁴⁸⁵Literally: “the former ones.” After the conclusion of the era of the Gaonim with the death of Rabbeinu Hai Gaon (in the year 1038 Common Era), begins the period of the Rishonim, the great scholars of northern Africa and Europe, such as Rabbeinu Chananel of Kairowan, Rabbeinu Gershom, Rashi, etc. It is to them that Ramban refers when he writes in the Introductory Verses to his commentary: “To go forth in the steps of the former ones, the lions of the group, the exalted of the generations” (Vol. I, p. 4).

וענף עץ עבות, the vowel kametz under the letter ע in the word עבות is similar to the same vowel in the word kadosh, קדוש or tahor, טהור, or amok, עמוק, i.e. a branch of a tree which possesses dense foliage.

פרי עץ הדר, “the fruit of a citron tree.” This tree is distinguished by the fact that the taste of its fruit is the same as the taste of its trunk if we were to eat it. Nachmanides writes that our sages used the word in order to provide us with an allusion to this peculiarity. The fact of the matter is that the tree that in Aramaic is called etrog, is known as hadar in classical Hebrew. The meaning of the word etrog is the same as the Hebrew חמדה, something lovely and precious. The words הדר and חמדה are almost identical in meaning. It is a fact that both the tree and its fruit are known by the same name, something that is common with certain fruit trees, such as the fig and the fig tree, the date palm, and its fruit, dates, etc. As to the reason for the choice of these four species, we have a tradition that by symbolically presenting these for species as expressions of our gratitude, the rainfall during the winter season will become beneficial instead of destructive.

Which remain on its tree. You might ask: [perhaps the verse refers to] the long pepper which remains on its tree from year to year and the taste of its wood and its fruit are also the same? The answer is: Even so, one cannot fulfill one’s obligation with it since if one takes [only] one it would not be the requisite size and its taking would be insignificant. And if one took two or three, the verse writes “You shall take for yourselves ... a fruit,” which implies one fruit and not two.

ולקחתם לכם, “you shall take for yourselves, etc.” the sages explain the word לכם here as equivalent to מלכם, “from something that is yours;” these plants must neither be stolen or borrowed. If they were not legally yours, they would act as accusers rather than as advocates on your behalf. Tanchuma section 18 on this verse illustrates by the following parable: The king sent out one of his officers to collect taxes due to him. The officer proceeded to this but was waylaid on the way after having collected a considerable sum, and he was robbed both of his and of the king’s money. Some time later that same robber showed up at the entrance of the king’s palace where the official who had been robbed by him stood guard. He enquired what brought this man to the palace and was told that he had a problem that he wished to submit to the king’s judgment and he begged the official to support his request, or to hire someone to do so. He was then told by that official that as long as he had not made restitution for what he had stolen from him, there could be no question of his receiving any assistance. Thereupon the thief returned what he had stolen from this official. When on the morrow the erstwhile thief submitted his case to the king, the king asked him if he had anyone who could support his request. The petitioner pointed to the official and suggested that he could give testimony as to his character. When the king heard this, he turned to that official and asked him what he could have to say in favour of the petitioner. So the official proceeded to tell the king all that had happened between him and the petitioner. He pointed to some of the vessels that he had been robbed of, and which had been the king’s property originally and which had been returned to him on the understanding that he, this official, would plead on the petitioner’s behalf. All the people present then joined in saying: “woe to the accuser and woe to the accused who both have changed their role.”

ביום הראשון, “on the first day, etc.; ”how can this day be described as the ‘first’ day seeing it is the fifteenth of the month? According to a well known Midrash, this is a hint that the count of our sins committed after the Day of Atonement on the tenth of the month, had been suspended until that day. Seeing that most people had been preoccupied with preparing for the festival of Sukkot during these four days, if inadvertent sins had been committed, they are “overlooked” on those days.

הדר — It is called הדר because it is the tree whose fruit remains (הַדָּר) on the tree from one year to another (several years) — and this is the “Ethrog”.

One [palm branch]. You might ask: If so, the verse should have written כף? The Nachalas Yaakov answers: כפת implies one branch with many leaves, whereas כף implies one leaf only.

ביום הראשון, “on the first day (of the festival).” The palm frond, lulav, which we shake on that day is to symbolise the fact that we have been found deserving of atonement on the recent Day of Atonement. This is what the psalmist had in mind when he said in Psalms 96,12: אז ירננו עצי היער, “then all the trees in the forest shall shout for joy.” Who does this verse speak of? Of the Jewish people in the desert as well as the nations of the earth whom G–d had sat in judgment of on the Day of atonement, see verse 13 in the same chapter of Psalms: לפני ה' כי בא לשפוט הארץ, ישפוט תבל בצדק ועמים באמונתו, “in the presence of the Lord, for He is coming, for He is coming to rule the Earth; He will judge the world fairly and its people in faithfulness.” Both the Jewish people and the gentile nations have come up for judgment on that day, and we do not know which ones are the victors. G–d advises us to hold the lulav in our hands, so that everyone will know that we have been acquitted. Tanchuma on this verse illustrates this by a parable. Two men appear before the king for judgment. The people on the outside have no idea which one of them was successful. All they know is that if one of them holds a cane or an apple in his hand when he emerges from the palace, he is the victor. The Jewish people, being modest, waited for five days before showing that they had been the victors in their confrontation with the gentiles. (Tanchuma, section 18)

פרי עץ הדר, “both from the type of trees that produce fruit and from those which are pleasant to look at and which provide pleasant fragrance.” They are all to be tied together into one bunch. The moral lesson of this instruction is that both the pious people and those less pious but generally observant, are to join in carrying out G-d’s will.

כפת תמרים A BRANCH OF PALM TREES — The word כפת is written defective (without ו, not כפות) to intimate that only one branch is intended (Sukkah 32a).

פרי עץ הדר, “the fruit of the goodly tree;” the four species of fruit which we use on this festival differ in basic attributes, The citron, etrog, is the fruit of a tree which provides taste as well as a pleasant fragrance. It symbolises the righteous person who has both Torah learning and good deeds to his credit. The tree from which the palm frond has been taken provides fruit but does not provide fragrance. (Date palm) It symbolises the average Israelite, who, while having the performances of many commandments to his credit, has failed to acquire Torah knowledge, i.e. he does not exude fragrance. The myrtle branch, hadass, does not bear any fruit but provides us with a pleasant fragrance. It symbolises the person who did acquire Torah knowledge but did not translate it into the performance of its commandments. Finally, the willow branch, aravah, comes from a tree that neither provides fruit nor fragrance, (except shade). It symbolises the Jew who has neither acquired Torah knowledge nor acquired a list of merits for having performed good deeds. The reason that we bind all these four plants together before performing our ritual with them is, to demonstrate that we are aware that the Almighty does not really look down upon us with favour until we have managed to coexist peacefully, regardless of any shortcomings we perceive in one another. The prophet Amos 9,6 alludes to this concept when he wrote: הבונה בשמים מעלותיו ואגדתו על ארץ יסדה, למי הים וישפכם על פני הארץ, ה' שמו, “Who built His chambers in heaven and founded His vault on earth; Who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the land.” On this verse, Midrash Rabbah comments that G–d does all this when we, His people, form a united union. (Vayikra rabbah 30,12) Our author adds that it appears to him that this is also the reason why, on Rosh Hashanah, New Year’s day, in our prayer describing the essence of the day we insert the line: ויעשו כולם אגודה אחת, “they will all form a single band.” A different explanation: The lulav symbolises the human backbone, שדרה. The myrtle branch is a symbol of the eye, whereas the willow branch is a symbol of the lips. The citron, etrog, symbolises the heart, the most import part of the human body.

ושמחתם שבעת ימים, “you are to rejoice for seven consecutive days.” The reason for this is that each day is to be considered as a festival in its own right. The fact that the number of sacrifices offered during these days vary, is proof of this, compared with the offerings on the seven days of Passover.

וענף עץ עבת AND BOUGHS OF THE TREE עבת — i. e. of a tree whose boughs are, as it were, plaited (intertwined one with another) like ropes (עבתות) and cords; this is the myrtle plant which is indeed formed as a plait (three leaves issuing from one point of the branch and covering it) (Sukkah 32b).

And you shall rejoice before Hashem. Their rejoicing is considered “before Hashem” only when they are united. Since the rejoicing is specifically on this festival, which is the season of gathering the harvest, the time when people are usually very happy, the Torah warns them that their rejoicing should only be before Hashem. It should not be like the merrymaking of worthless folk whose entire aim is (Yeshayahu 22:13): “And behold, joy and happiness, slaying cattle and slaughtering sheep, eating meat and drinking wine.” They cause an increase of arguments within the people of Israel. With a ‘rejoicing’ such as this the two Temples were destroyed and we were exiled, as it says (ibid. 55:12): “For with joy shall you go forth” … However, with peace, when we will be united and there will be peace among us, we will be brought to Eretz Yisrael. [Based on: “For with joy shall you go forth, and with peace shall you be brought”]. “The mountains and the hills” (ibid.) — refers to the highest level [of the Holy Chariot] — “and they were very high, and they were dreadful” (Yechezkel 1:18). “They shall burst into song before you” (Yeshayahu ibid.) — for the people of Israel will give precedence to every holy thing, as they should, and the young men will not jostle their elders as happened in the Sin of the Spies. “And all the trees of the field shall clap hands” (ibid.) — meaning: the four groups of Jews alluded to by the four species of the lulav, which come from the trees of the field. They will clap their hands to rejoice before Hashem.

האזרח THE NATIVE — Since this word means native-born, the word בישראל, ANYONE IN ISRAEL, serves to include the proselytes (cf. Sifra, Emor, Chapter 17 9).

ALL ‘HA’EZRACH’ (THAT ARE NATIVE) IN ISRAEL SHALL DWELL IN BOOTHS. “Ezrach means native-born. Ha’ezrach [literally: ‘the’ native-born], this is to exclude women [from the obligation of dwelling in the booth, since the definite article denotes an exclusion. It was necessary that this exclusion be stated] so that you should not deduce from a similarity of expressions of the fifteenth day stated with reference to the Festival of Unleavened Bread,⁴⁸⁶Above, Verse 6. that women are obliged to dwell in a booth just as they are obliged to eat unleavened bread [on the night of Passover]. In Israel, this includes proselytes” [that they are obliged to dwell in a booth]. This is Rashi’s language. And in the Torath Kohanim it is stated:⁴⁸⁷Torath Kohanim, Emor 17:9. “Ezrach, this is the native-born. Ha’ezrach, this is intended to exclude women. ‘All’ that are home-born, this is to include the proselytes and liberated slaves.” And in line with the plain meaning of Scripture, by way of tradition [there is no need for a special source in Scripture here to include proselytes]. For since Scripture has stated, ye shall have one law,⁴⁸⁸Numbers 15:29. both for the stranger, and for him that is born in the Land,⁴⁸⁹Ibid., 9:14. and it is further said, as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Eternal,⁴⁹⁰Ibid., 15:15. there is no need to mention again in every place: “all that are native-born and the stranger.” Therefore He says all that are native in Israel, meaning all who are of Israel, from the greatest of them even to the least of them,⁴⁹¹Jonah 3:5. [to teach] that it is not sufficient that one of a household should dwell in a booth and the rest dwell in homes, but they should all dwell in booths. It is possible that the verse [uses the word ezrach] to teach that all who are like a leafy tree in its native soil⁴⁹²Psalms 37:35. in their homes [are obliged to dwell in booths], except for those who are on a sea voyage, and those who travel on the road [who are exempt from dwelling in a booth].

כל האזרח, even those who own houses must move to the huts and dwell in them during the festival.

כל האזרח, “every native of the land of Israel;” according to Rashi the expression אזרח excludes women while including proselytes. [Rashi reads this into the letter ה at the beginning of the word האזרח, reasoning that if the Torah had only written אזרח, without adding the word בישראל, the proselytes would have been excluded. This would make sense seeing that the commandment commemorates an event in the desert, something that the proselytes’ parents were not part of. Ed.] Nachmanides writes that it seems to him that the plain meaning of our verse is that proselytes are included in the requirement to dwell in huts on Sukkot, as the Torah has more than once stated that it applies both to the native born Israelite as well as the proselyte. (Exodus 12,49; Leviticus 7,7; Numbers 15,16, 16,29) The reason that the Torah wrote the words כל האזרח, is to teach that just as native born Israelites are to perform this commandment including their minors, so the proselytes, if they have children who are minors, are to do the same. The commandment cannot be fulfilled by a single representative of the household, the others simply saying “Amen,” such as when the father recites the “kiddush,” or similar, but each male member of the family is to dwell in these huts for seven days. [Women do not need to be excluded by a special verse or letter, as they are not obligated to perform positive commandments tied to a specific time frame. Ed.] Another possible reason for the word האזרח may be anyone who is “native” in the sense that he is at home permanently in the land, excluding mariners, traveling salesmen, etc., whose livelihood makes it difficult for them to choose when their ships are at anchor, or for whom it is a great hardship to rearrange their schedules. [This makes no sense at the time when the Temple stood and every male was duty bound to be in Jerusalem at such times. Ed.]

This is the native-born. I.e., an Israelite, because Scripture writes האזרח (lit. the citizen) with the definitive article of ה"א, this implies the highest form of citizen, namely a [native born] Israelite. But if so why does the verse write “Israelite”? Perforce it is to include [the fact that] converts [are considered] like Israelites.

בסוכות תשבו שבעות ימים, “you are to dwell in huts for seven days.” This is to remind us that in the desert our forefathers relied on the clouds of G-d’s glory to protect them against nature and its inclemency, instead of relying on a man made roof. (Talmud Sukkah folio 11)

כל האזרח בישראל ישבו בסוכות, “all homeborn Israelites are to dwell in such huts.” The Torah did not need to remind the convert to do so as that was the only “home” he knew, not having one to move out of. Homeborn Israelites, however, who owned not only one house, but palaces and summer and winter homes, are commanded to vacate those during seven days of this festival. In light of the fact that the season of this festival was to be immediately after ingathering of all the harvests had been completed, the farmers were reminded by this symbolic act not to feel secure that no harm could befall them during the six months until Passover, i.e. that they had to rely on the Lord’s goodwill on a daily basis. By complying with the instructions to move out of their homes for seven days, these Israelites demonstrated their faith in the Lord, and their loyalty to His Torah. There is no more practical gesture that they could make of the fact that they did not take credit for their successful farming methods, but gave credit to the Lord’s benevolent supervision of nature for their benefit.

כי בסכות הושבתי THAT I MADE [THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL] ABIDE IN BOOTHS — This does not mean literally “booths” but, “the clouds of Glory" by which they were sheltered (cf. Onkelos; Sifra, Emor, Chapter 17 11; Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:35:1; Sukkah 11b).

THAT I MADE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TO ABIDE IN BOOTHS. “This means the clouds of Glory” [which surrounded the camp of the Israelites during their stay in the wilderness]. This is Rashi’s language. And in my opinion this is the correct interpretation [even] according to the literal sense of Scripture, for He commanded that the generations should know all the great deeds of the Eternal which He did wondrously with them, that He made them dwell in the clouds of His Glory like in a booth, similar to what is said, And the Eternal will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy. And there shall be a ‘succah’ (pavilion) for a shadow in the day-time from the heat etc.⁴⁹³Isaiah 4:5-6. And since Scripture has already explained that the cloud of the Eternal was upon them by day⁴⁹⁴Exodus 40:38. and the pillar of fire by night,⁴⁹⁵Ibid., 13:22. He just says here, that I made the children of Israel to abide in booths, [without explaining what kind of booths, but meaning] “I made them booths out of the clouds of My Glory to protect them.” Thus He commanded that at the beginning of the summer season we are to remember the exodus from Egypt by [calling] its month [the first of the months],⁴⁹⁶See Ramban in Exodus 12:2 (Vol. II, pp. 16-7). and by observing its festival [of Passover], and He further commanded the remembrance of the continuous miracle which was done for them throughout the days of their stay in the wilderness, at the beginning of the winter season. And according to the opinion of the Sage who says⁴⁹⁷This is Rabbi Akiba (Succah 11 b).That the succoth were “clouds of Glory” [mentioned above] is the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer (ibid.). that they made themselves booths in the literal sense, [we must explain that the reason why this commandment is to be observed at the onset of the winter season], is because they began to make them at the beginning of the winter, on account of the cold, as is customary in camps, and therefore He commanded [that we also make] them at that time. The sense of the remembrance is that they should know and remember that they were in the wilderness, and did not live in homes, and they found no city of habitation⁴⁹⁸Psalms 107:4. for forty years, but G-d was with them and they lacked nothing.⁴⁹⁹See Deuteronomy 2:7.

אני ה' אלוקיכם, the meaning of the statement, repeated again and again, is that the reason that G’d requests these symbolic deeds from us is that by performing them we insure that He will not ever turn His benevolent eyes away from us.

למען ידעו דורותיכם, the plain meaning of the text is in agreement with the view expressed in Sukkah 11 according to which the word סוכה is to be understood literally. The meaning of the verse then would be: “construct for yourselves the festival of huts when you gather in your grain and grape harvest (Deuteronomy 16,13) You are to do this at the time you gather in the produce of the earth and your houses are filled with all the good things the earth produces such a grain, grape, wine and oil (olives). This is to be done in order that you will remember” כי בסוכות הושבתי את בני ישראל, in the desert for a period of 40 years when they neither owned land nor found themselves in a cultivated part of the earth. Remembering all this you will have ample reason to be grateful to the One Who has provided you with all of your present wealth and comfort. You must not fall into the trap of thinking that all this success is due to your own efforts. We find a similar thought expressed in Deuteronomy 8,2-3 “you shall remember all the way which the Lord your G’d has led you for these last 40 years…and He fed you the manna, etc.” Why do I command you to do all this? For the Lord your G’d brings you to a good …and you will eat and be satisfied, etc. As a result your heart may become haughty and you will credit yourself with all this as your own achievement. (Deuteronomy 8 7-18) In order that this will not happen and to show that the Israelites G’d’s part in their success they will move out of their solid houses as a reminder to the time when they had not been blessed with any of these benefits which they enjoy ever since inheriting the land of their forefathers. They acknowledge that it is G’d Who provides the Jewish people with the ability and valor.

כי בסוכות הושבתי את בני ישראל, “for I had made the Children of Israel dwell in huts, etc.” Rashi understands this verse as a reference to the clouds of glory that enveloped the Israelites during their march through the desert. Nachmanides writes that the reason why the Torah did not need to spell out what these huts were is that we have already been told of the phenomenon of the clouds of glory that enveloped the Israelites during almost the whole of their journey to the land of Canaan (until the death of Aaron). The meaning of the words is therefore quite clear. Concerning the opinion of some commentators that the word סוכות, huts, is to be understood literally, we must assume that at the beginning of the first winter in the desert the Israelites gathered materials that enabled them to construct these huts. Seeing that this had been so, G’d now commanded the Israelites to incorporate something they had made themselves but with the assistance of Hashem, Who had provided the building materials in the desert, to become part of their memorabilia. There are also some scholars who explain the reason why G’d saw fit to issue this command at this time, as if He had commanded this already in the summer, immediately after Moses received the Ten Commandments, fulfilling the commandment would have been viewed as self-interest, the sun being too hot, and shade being something urgently needed. Building huts at the time of autumn, approaching winter, and leaving more comfortable quarters in favour of a flimsy shelter, proved that the people who do this are motivated by one consideration only, i.e. to fulfill G’d’s commandment. Remembering the miracles G’d performed for the Israelites in the desert by moving into flimsy huts for a week is definitely a powerful means of identifying with our ancestors.

כי בסכות הושבתי את בני ישראל, “for I have let the Children of Israel dwell in huts, etc.” Some of our sages understand the word סכות literally, i.e. booths, huts, whereas others understand it allegorically, meaning that the protective clouds of G’d acted for them as if they were dwelling in secure huts. According to the view of those who understand the word literally we have to assume that the people constructed the huts for themselves (as they certainly did not take prefabricated huts with them out of Egypt). As a remembrance of the Israelites having dwelled in real huts the Torah would command us to re-enact history and build these huts for ourselves on the Sukkot festival. The message of the commandment would be to bring home to us the devotion of the Israelites to G’d seeing they had to travel for 40 years in the desert with their wives and children, erecting and dismantling their huts each time they journeyed, etc. This would also be what the prophet Yoel 2,20 had in mind when he described the condition of the desert as “a parched and desolate land;” the Torah (Numbers 20,5) speaks of the desert as “not a place fit for planting seed where either fig trees or grapevines could grow.” The prophet Jeremiah 2,31, quoting G’d asks the rhetorical question: “have I been like a desert to Israel or a land of deep gloom?” What the prophet meant was that G’d used the barrenness of the desert to remind the Israelites of how He had not allowed them to feel deprived by the fact that they were traversing such unfriendly territory. He had provided for them all the comforts of life which their natural habitat could not provide for them. If one accepts the view of the people who believe that the Israelites had dwelled in actual huts one must suppose that they had had regular commercial contact with traders from far off who had brought to them the various necessities of life including plants, etc.
If one accepts the view of the second group of sages that the Israelites’ “huts” consisted of these protective clouds of the Lord known as ענני הכבוד in our literature, the reason may be that the Israelites were described on occasion as traveling at night under the light and protection of the pillar of fire. According to Deut. 16,14 we must imagine the camps as surrounded on all sides by miraculous manifestations of the attribute of כבוד. It is most likely the correct meaning of our verse that the manifestations of G’d’s clouds and pillars are referred to here as “huts,” and that the word ‘huts’ is employed by the Torah to describe protective cover. The words: “when I took the Jewish people out of Egypt,” i.e. immediately, lends weight to the opinion that the word is used in an allegorical sense. This would be compatible with the words of Isaiah 4,5: “the Lord will create over the whole shrine and meeting place of Mount Zion a cloud by day and smoke with a glow of flaming fire by night. Indeed over all the glory shall be hung a canopy which will serve as a hut for shade by day and as a shelter for protection against drenching rain.” The “hut” the prophet speaks of is clearly reminiscent of the ענני כבוד and the kind of illumination for the righteous in the future. Concerning this development in the future David said in Psalms 27,5: “He will shelter me in His hut (סכה) on an evil day, etc.”

That is that He commanded to offer a sacrifice on all seven days of Pesach in addition to the daily offering. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying, "Seven days shall you offer a fire-offering to the Lord" (Leviticus 23:36). (See Parashat Emor; Mishneh Torah, Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 7.)

"So that they should know, etc." (Lev 23:43) In order that they will not despair from the good life since they do not have a holding of the inheritance or natural happiness. In any case, "they would know" from the mitzvah of Sukkah that it was given [to them] to remember their dwelling in Sukkot when [God] brought them out [of Egypt] (cf Lev 23:43)... And behold, "I am the Lord Your God" (Lev 23:43): Your Leader and Protector forever and there is nothing blocking from the One who is Blessed to bestow goodness and blessing even from those who don't hold an inheritance. And it is also important to understand the language of "the citizen."

So that your generations will know that in Sukkos. The clouds of glory began to appear above the people of Israel in Sukkos, as it says (Shemos 12:37): “The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Sukkos.” In the Mechilta (12), Rabbi Akiva says: “Sukkos refers solely to the clouds of glory.” It seems that this is why Scripture wrote בסכות with the ו (מלא — full spelling); it teaches us about the place where the clouds of glory first appeared, for the name of the place is always spelled in the full form with the ו — סכות. This is why the cantillation mark over the words כי בסכות is a רביעי, which is a stop, even though it might have been more appropriate to use a מהפך to connect the phrase “that in the sukkos” with the phrase “I caused Bnei Yisroel to dwell” [if it were referring to the booths and not the place]. The commentaries discuss why we were commanded on the 15th of the seventh month, which is the beginning of the cold, rainy season, to leave our permanent dwelling places and stay in a temporary abode. This teaches us that Hashem intended that each Jew should recognize that the honor of his lofty spiritual soul is above the heavens. Its permanent dwelling place is there, and it only came into this world to have a temporary dwelling. The phrase “so that your generations will know” fits well with this explanation, because according to the other explanations it should have said, “so your generations will remember.” The Vilna Gaon answers the question raised by commentators: Why do we celebrate Sukkos in Tishrei? Since it corresponds to the clouds of glory it should be celebrated in Nissan when they were given! The answer is that after they made the Golden Calf the clouds of glory departed, and the clouds returned on the morrow of Yom Kippur, when “Moshe called the whole community of the children of Israel to assemble” (Shemos 35:1). That is why we celebrate Sukkos on the 15th of Tishrei.

That is that He commanded to offer the grain offering of the omer. And that is the grain offering of barley on the sixteenth day of Nissan. And with it, we offer an unblemished year-old lamb. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying, "you shall bring the omer, etc." (Leviticus 23:10). This grain offering is what is called, "first fruits." And He hinted to it in His, may His name be blessed, saying, "And if you offer an offering of first fruits" (Leviticus 2:14). And the language of the Mekhilta (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:22:1) is, "Every, if, in the Torah connotes optionality, except for three which are obligatory. One is, 'And if you offer an offering of first fruits.' You say it is obligatory, but perhaps it is optional. [Hence] we learn to say, 'You shall offer the offering of your first fruits.' It is obligatory, not optional." And the regulations of this commandment have already all been completely explained in the tenth chapter of Menachot. (See Parashat Emor; Mishneh Torah, Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 17.)

AND MOSES DECLARED UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THE APPOINTED SEASONS OF THE ETERNAL. The meaning thereof is as follows: The above sections contain admonitions directed to Aaron and his sons, and Moses therefore told them to Aaron and his sons, and sometimes He mentions after them also the children of Israel, as He said at the end of the section dealing with blemishes, So Moses spoke unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel,⁵⁰⁰Above, 21:24. for although Moses was only commanded, Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever be of thy seed,⁵⁰¹Ibid., Verse 17. he wanted to exhort the court of Israel about this matter [and therefore he also spoke to all the children of Israel]. Perhaps the reason [why he exhorted the court] is because a person covers up his blemishes, and the priest does not want to be disqualified on account of them from performing the Divine Service, for it is a [source of] shame and disgrace, therefore He exhorted the court about this matter. But here Scripture states that he declared the appointed seasons of the Eternal to all the children of Israel as one man, and it did not single out the sons of Aaron in these commandments, the reason being that the admonition applies to all alike, since the main [commandments] of these sections are that we are to rest on the Sabbaths and festivals, and to proclaim them holy convocations. None of the offerings are mentioned in these sections, except for the offering of the sheaf [on the second day of Passover], and the two loaves [on the Festival of Weeks], as they [these festivals] are the causes for their being offered. And in the section where the main offerings of the Day of Atonement are set forth,⁵⁰²Ibid., Chapter 16. it says, Speak unto Aaron thy brother⁵⁰³Ibid.. Verse 2. [because it was Aaron’s duty to perform the Service on that day].
And our Rabbis have interpreted [the verse before us] as follows:⁵⁰⁴Torath Kohanim, Emor 17:12. “And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Eternal. This teaches that Moses told Israel the laws of Passover on the Passover, and the laws of Atzereth [the Festival of Weeks]⁵⁰⁵See Ramban above on Verse 36. on Atzereth, and the laws of the Festival of Tabernacles on Tabernacles. In the very language that he heard it, in that language he told them all the sections.” Onkelos also intended to imply this point, for he rendered the verse as follows: “And Moses declared the order⁵⁰⁶By adding this expression “the order of” [the festivals] to the Hebrew words, Onkelos hinted that Moses conveyed the laws of the festivals to the people in order of their times, “the laws of Passover on the Passover, etc.” Onkelos’ intent in adding the phrase “and he taught them” will be explained further on by Ramban. of the appointed seasons of the Eternal, and taught them to the children of Israel.” It appears [from Onkelos’ additional phrase “the order of “] that his opinion is to allude [to the fact] that Moses taught the children of Israel the order of the festivals by means of the intercalation [of the years with an extra month], which was handed over to him by word of mouth on Sinai, this being alluded to in the Scriptural text, which ye shall proclaim⁵⁰⁷Above, Verse 4. holy convocations, and Moses taught the children of Israel by word of mouth the whole traditional order of the secret of intercalation.

וידבר משה את מועדי ה' אל בני ישראל, “Moses informed the Children of Israel of the appointed festivals of Hashem.” Nachmanides comments that seeing the various chapters preceding this one had been concerned with sacrificial offerings, blemishes which would disqualify animals from serving as sacrificial lambs, Aaron and the priests had always been mentioned at the beginning of those pieces of legislation. However, here when the subjects are the festivals, something in which all parts of the people participate equally, Moses addressed all of them. The only two sacrifices mentioned in the whole list of the festivals are the omer and the first two loaves of the new wheat harvest on Shavuot, but as both of these represent the cause of the festival rather than something that needs to be done on account of the festival, there was no reason to single out the priests in connection with this. Seeing that the principal observance of the Day of Atonement was Aaron’s offering a variety of sacrifices, Aaron is addressed in that paragraph specifically (Leviticus) If, in the paragraph dealing with blemishes, the Torah addressed Aaron and his offspring as well as the Children of Israel as a whole, there is a special reason for this, also. It is in the nature of blemishes that he or she who is afflicted with such a blemish tries to hide it, as it is something embarrassing. The Torah therefore went out of its way to address everybody separately on that subject, so that nobody could claim that the legislation did not apply to him or her. Onkelos, who translated our words as ומליל משה ית סדרי מועדיא דה' ואליפנון לבני ישראל, “Moses spoke about the festivals of Hashem to the Children of Israel and taught them all about them,” meant what our sages said (Midrash Rabbah Song of Songs, 1) when they told us that Moses would teach the laws pertaining to Passover before and during Passover, and the laws that pertain to the Day of Atonement during the days preceding it as well as on that day, and the laws pertaining to Sukkot, in time for the observance of that festival. Presumably, he also meant to say that Moses used the opportunity of the approaching festivals to familiarise the Israelites with the rules by which the sages were allowed to manipulate the lunar calendar for the benefit of the farming community. He had been given permission by Hashem to authorise the Sanhedrin to thus bring in line conflicting laws governed by the solar calendar on the one hand and the lunar calendar on the other hand. [Some of the wording is mine. Ed.]

That is that He commanded us to bring two breads of chametz to the Temple with the sacrifices that come with the bread on Shavuot - which is fixed for the bringing of the sacrifice, as it appears in Leviticus - and that the priests eat the two breads, after their waving, with the lambs of the peace offering. And that is His, may He be exalted and may His name be blessed, saying, "You shall bring from your settlements bread as a wave offering" (Leviticus 23:17). And it has already been explained in Menachot (Menachot 45b) that this sacrifice that comes because of the bread is separate from the additional sacrifice of the day, and that this one is different than that one. And we ourselves have already explained this with sufficient elucidation in the commentary on Tractate Menachot (Commentary on the Mishnah). And the regulations of this commandment have already all been explained in Tractate Menachot, Chapters 4, 8 and 11. (See Parashat Emor; Mishneh Torah, Daily and Additional Offerings 8.)

That is that He commanded to offer an additional sacrifice on the first day of Tishrei. And that is the additional sacrifice of Rosh Hashanah. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying, "In the seventh month, on the first day [...] You shall offer a burnt-offering as a pleasing odor to the Lord" (Numbers 29:1-2). (See Parashat Pinchas; Mishneh Torah, Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 9.)

That is that He commanded to offer an additional sacrifice on the holiday of Sukkot. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying, "You shall offer a burnt-offering" (Numbers 29:13). And that is the additional offering of the holiday. (See Parashat Pinchas; Mishneh Torah, Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 10:3.)

That is that He commanded to offer an additional sacrifice on the eighth day of the Holiday (Sukkot). And that is the additional offering of the eighth day holiday of Atzeret. And that which obligates us to count this additional offering separately - separate from all the days of Sukkot - it that we expound that the eighth day Atzeret is its own festival. And that is completely clear. (See Parashat Pinchas; Mishneh Torah, Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 10.)