Comentário sobre Números 28:32

Kap. 28. V. 1. In dem vorigen Kapitel war auf Mosche Antrag Fürsorge getroffen, dass nach seinem bevorstehenden Heimgange die Gottesgemeinde nicht ohne Führer bleibe, der ihnen im privaten und öffentlichen Leben mustergültig voranleuchten und durch seinen Einfluss das Einzeln- und Gesamtleben des Volkes in die von Gott gewiesenen Bahnen lenken und in ihnen erhalten solle.

Dass aber dem Volke und seinen Führern diese ihre Bestimmung nie abhanden komme, dass ihnen stets Israels ewige Aufgabe, seine Beziehungen zu Gott aus seiner besonderen Schicksalsleitung und Verpflichtung gegenwärtig und immer aufs neue von ihnen beherzigt werden mögen, dahin sollen die hier folgenden Nationalopferhandlungen, die תמידים ומוספים ,קרבנות צבור wirken, die diese Beziehungen und die ihnen entsprechenden Gesinnungen und Vorsätze in der bedeutungsvollen Sprache der Opferhandlungen für das Nationalbewusstsein zum beredten Ausdruck bringen.

Sie ergänzen daher die mit Josuas Bestellung getroffene Fürsorge für das Weiterleben des durch Mosche am Volke begonnenen Gotteswerkes und schließen sich daher dieser an. Man kann sagen: Josua und den קרבנות צבור hatte Mosche bei seinem Scheiden das bis dahin seiner Pflege anvertraut gewesene Gotteswerk zu übergeben.

Diese קרבנות צבור-Kapitel bilden in wahrem Sinne den Schluss der eigentlichen Gesetzgebung (siehe zu Kap. 30, 2). Sie stehen, wie wir bereits zu Wajikra Kap. 23, 1 bemerkt, erst im "Buche der Wüstenwanderung" und zwar am Ende desselben, weil erst diese vierzigjährigen Erfahrungen in der Wüste geeignet sind, unsere nationale Selbsterkenntnis zu vermitteln und das Bedürfnis fühlbar zu machen, stets an unsere Beziehungen zu Gott und an die Gesinnungen und Vorsätze erinnert zu werden, die diese Beziehungen von uns erwarten.

צו את בני ישראל COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — What is said above? Moses said, “Let the Lord set [a man over the congregation]” (Numbers 27:16). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Instead of giving Me a command regarding My children, command My children regarding Me!” A parable! It may be compared to the case of a princess who was departing this world and gave her husband charge concerning her children, etc., as it is related in Sifrei Bamidbar 142:1.

COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM: MY OFFERING, MY BREAD FOR MY FIRE-OFFERINGS. The reason [for stating this command here] is that after He had said, Unto these the Land shall be divided,¹⁷⁰Above, 26:53. He completed the commands relating to the laws of the offerings which they are to observe in the Land, since they did not bring any Additional Offerings [of Sabbaths and festivals] in the desert, as I have mentioned in Seder Emor El Hakohanim.¹⁸¹Leviticus 23:2. Likewise they were not obliged to bring drink-offerings in the wilderness, as I have explained in Seder Shelach Lecha.¹⁸²Above, 15:2, in the verse: when ye are come into the Land … But now He charged those who were to come into the Land with the duty of bringing all [these offerings] there — the Daily Whole-offerings, the Additional Offerings, and their meal-offerings and their drink-offerings. And although He did not say expressly here: “when you come into the Land,” He has already mentioned it in the section of drink-offerings,¹⁸²Above, 15:2, in the verse: when ye are come into the Land … and He hinted at it in the first section dealing with the festivals.¹⁸³Leviticus 23:10: when ye are come into the Land … Now He started here with the [laws of the] Daily Whole-offering, [for] although it has already been mentioned in the section of V’atah Tetzaveh,¹⁸⁴Exodus 29:38-42. He repeated it in order that it should all be arranged in one section. And Rashi wrote [in Verse 4]; “That one [i.e., the section in V’atah Tetzaveh] was an instruction [only] for the days of the installation [of the priests], and here He [repeated it] as a commandment for [all future] generations.” But this is not correct, since there it says, It shall be a continual burnt-offering ‘throughout your generations.’¹⁸⁵Ibid., 29:42. Hence the commandment to offer this in future generations has already been stated there.
And according to the interpretation [of the Rabbis]¹⁸⁶Sifre, Pinchas 142. many new teachings are added here [in this repetition of the section of V’atah Tetzaveh; namely]: “My offering — this is the blood. My bread — this refers to [those parts of the offering] that are to be burnt on the altar. My fire offerings — these are the handfuls [of flour] and the frankincense [of the meal-offering]. For a pleasing odor unto Me — these are the [two] bowls [of frankincense that were brought as a memorial] with the showbread.¹⁸⁷Leviticus 24:7. Ye shall observe — that it should only be brought from [animals which have been] kept [for a number of days, and examined so that no blemish occurs to them]. Ye shall observe — that one may only bring [the offering] from that [money] which was donated to the treasury [of the Sanctuary]. Ye shall observe — that priests, Levites and Israelites should stand over it. Ye shall observe — Scripture uses here the term shmirah [‘keeping,’ or ‘observing’], and elsewhere it [also] uses the term shmirah;¹⁸⁸I.e., in the case of the Paschal-lamb where it says: And it shall be to you ‘l’mishmereth’ (in your keeping) until the fourteenth day of the same month (Exodus 12:6). Since the lamb had to be bought on the tenth of that month (ibid., Verse 3), the verse implies that it has to be carefully examined for a blemish for four days before it is slaughtered. Since here, in speaking of the Daily Whole-offering, Scripture likewise uses the term shmirah [— ‘tishmeru’ (ye shall keep)], we deduce that it also has to be examined for four days before it is slaughtered just as there the offering requires observation [so that no blemish should be found in it] for [a period of] four days before it is slaughtered, so here too etc.” [See] the whole interpretation, as it is stated in the Sifre.¹⁸⁶Sifre, Pinchas 142.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the verse also hints to the following: It states My offering, My bread ‘l’ishai’ — of ‘ishai’ (My Divine powers) — ye shall keep and be careful to offer unto Me to My Name, in its due season. And thou shalt say unto them¹⁸⁹Verse 3. further, This is the fire-offering which ye shall offer unto the Eternal,¹⁸⁹Verse 3. “so that the offering should bring about [the desired unity and harmony on high].”¹⁹⁰See L’vush Ha’orah on Ricanti. Now there is no sin-offering amongst the Additional Offerings of the Sabbath, as there is in all the other Additional Offerings [i.e., those brought on the New Moon and the festivals], because the congregation of Israel is its partner [that of the Sabbath],¹⁹¹See Vol. I, p. 60. The allusions here are Cabalistic. and all is [therefore] peace [and harmony]. The student [learned in the teachings of the Cabala] will understand. Similarly He mentioned [here for the purpose of arranging all offerings in one section] And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the Eternal’s Passover,¹⁹²Further, Verse 16. meaning that they should offer the Paschal-offering, in order to command them about it together with the other [additional] offerings of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. And He dealt with it [the Paschal-offering] briefly, referring to it only by its name, since He had already explained [all] its laws, according to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof.¹⁹³Above, 9:3.

צו את בני ישראל, "command the children of Israel, etc." Why did the Torah choose to record this paragraph of offerings in this of all places, i.e. after the appointment of Joshua instead of in Parshat Emor where all the other sacrifices offered on the festivals are recorded? After all, it is quite clear that the offerings listed here had been part of the regular schedule of sacrifices ever since the Tabernacle had been inaugurated over 38 years earlier whereas Joshua had been appointed only in the 40th year?

צו את בני ישראל, “command the Children of Israel, etc.” Rashi comments that in spite of the fact that a similar instruction had already been issued in Exodus 29,38, the instructions there were limited in validity to the seven days during which the Tabernacle was being consecrated. The legislation commencing in our verse is for all times when sacrifices can be brought. Nachmanides writes that Rashi is not correct, as in Exodus 29,42 the Torah had added the word תמיד לדורותיכם, which means that the legislation is of unlimited duration. We must therefore understand the legislation as follows: After the manner in which the land of Israel would be shared out among the various tribes had been explained, i.e. לאלה תחלק הארץ, (26,53) the Torah concluded the whole subject of the sacrificial offerings, seeing that while in the desert the offerings known as מוספים had not been presented at all, and there had also not been any libation offerings, נסכים in the desert. Now that the people were on the threshold of entering the Holy Land, the Torah had to restate some of these laws in the manner in which they would apply once the people were on their own land. This applied also to the offerings whose details were not introduced under the heading of כי תבואו אל הארץ, “when you will come to the land, etc.” The latter introduction had only been used in connection with the libation offerings in Numbers chapter 15.

את קרבני לחמי, “My offering, My food for My fires;” the chapter dealing with the mandatory public sacrifices offered at regular intervals has been introduced here since Moses had already been warned regarding the offerings that the Israelites are to present; now that Moses saw that he was not going to enter the Holy Land together with the people he informed them of all these details (which were not applicable as yet). He commenced with the daily burnt-offering although the details of this offering had already been listed in Exodus 29, 38-41. At that time the reason was to inform us of what sacrifices were being presented during the seven days of inaugural celebrations of the Tabernacle. (compare Rashi). Nachmanides questions this as the Torah had used the expression “for all your generations” already at that point.

May Hashem command… Rashi is answering the question: What connection does the passage of the constant burnt-offering have with the passage above, where it states “May Hashem, God of the spirits command”?

V. 2. צו את בני ישראל וגו׳, das erste קרבן צבור, Basis und Träger aller Opfer überhaupt (siehe zu Wajikra 6, 5) ist das תמיד, das stete Tagesemporopfer morgens und abends. Seine Anordnung ist bereits (Schmot 29, 38 f.) sofort nach der heiligenden Weihe des Altars gegeben, um den Altar sogleich in seiner lebendigen Wirksamkeit, dem eigentlichen Zweck seiner Einrichtung und Weihe zu zeigen, und verweisen wir auf die dort bemerkten Erläuterungen. Hier wird die ununterbrochene Erfüllung dieser Anordnung zur besonderen nationalen Obliegenheit gemacht und, damit zugleich die Darbringungszeit dieses Tamidopfers als tägliches "Moed" (siehe zu Kap. 9, 2) der Zahl der übrigen Moadim eingereiht, ja ihnen allen vorangestellt. — צו את בני ישראל (siehe zu Kap. 5, 2). Im Hinblick auf das vorhergehende ויצוהו, das Josua in den Dienst der Gesamtheit stellte, fordert dieses צו וגו׳, dass aber gleichzeitig auch die Gesamtheit in den Dienst Gottes gestellt werde und sich selber unablässig durch das דימת-Opfer an diese ihre Dienstbezeichnung erinnere. Es ist dies der Sinn des ספרי z. St.: עד שאתה מפקדני על בני פקוד בני עלי שלא ינהגו בי מנהג בזיון ושלא ימירו את כבודי באלהי נכר.

תשמרו להקריב לי, “you shall observe in order to offer for Me.” Just as the word שמירה in connection with the lambs for the Passover meant: “close supervision, to prevent any blemish developing,” so here too the meaning is “close supervision prior to slaughtering the daily communal animal sacrifices.”

קרבני MY OFFERING — this refers to the blood.

את קרבני לחמי, “My offering, My food; etc.” In the Sifri the word קרבני, “My offering,” is understood as referring to the blood of the offering that gets on the altar, whereas the word לחמי, literally “My bread,” is understood as applying to the meat parts burned up on the altar. The words לאשי, literally “to My fires,” are understood there as applying to the meal-offering, the parts the priest closes his fist over as well as the frankincense. The expression ריח ניחוח, literally “sweet fragrance,” is applied to the spoonfuls of incense presented with the showbreads each Sabbath. The תשמרו –in the same verse- means that no animal is to be offered on the altar unless it had previously been observed for a number of days and it was found to be unblemished. It also means that during the procedure of the slaughter, etc., delegates of the other tribes of the Israelites, Levites, as well as priests should be nearby. The word תשמרו which appears here as well as in Exodus 12,6, where the first communal offering, the Passover, has been described as being checked out during 4 days, is to tell us that any sacrificial animal must be examined during no less than four days before it is offered on the altar.

According to the plain meaning of the text: the word קרבני refers to the blood; the word את includes the salt which had to be added to each offering as we know from Leviticus 2,13. The reason we dip bread nowadays in salt before eating it at the beginning of our meal is that the Torah called a sacrificial offering לחם, bread. The word לחמי refers to the fat parts of the sacrificial animal, (or all its flesh as the case might be) which was burned up on the altar. The word לאשי refers to all that is given over to the fire on the altar. The word תשמרו refers to the Israelites standing in attendance during this procedure. The word במועדו, which means “at its appointed time” and seems superfluous seeing that the offering under discussion is presented daily, means that no other sacrifice is to be offered earlier in the day than these daily total-offerings. By the same token, no offering was to be presented after the evening daily burnt-offering. Another meaning of the word במועדו is that the legislation overrides the Sabbath legislation and that even on the Sabbath (Sifri 142) these daily burnt-offerings were offered as usual even if the laws of ritual impurity had to be set aside in order for this offering to be presented (compare Pessachim 76).

Before you command Me concerning My children, command My children concerning Me. As it is written, “May Hashem command…” (27:16). [This means first] command My children concerning Me, that they should serve Me [by teaching them the laws of My altar offerings].

Perhaps the reason is that he Torah wanted to inform us that in the event that Joshua would want to offer daily burnt-offerings or the additional offerings on the festivals on his own, i.e. from his own funds, he would not be allowed to do so although he personally represented the community as the Talmud demonstrates in several instances. The Torah therefore recorded this legislation here to make certain that these offerings will be perceived as communal offerings paid for by the contributions of the whole community to the fund set up for this. This is the meaning of "command the children of Israel!" The Torah repeats this command by writing ואמרת אליהם, "and say to them," to point out that unless this detail is complied with the sacrifice is invalid. The Torah wrote אליהם instead of the customary להם in accordance with what I have explained on וירא אליו (Genesis 18,1) that when the word אליו or אלהם is used it suggests that the people so addressed should subordinate their own ego. [I suppose the exegetical aspect is that the letters אל also mean "don't." Ed.] I have seen a comment in the Yalkut Shimoni on our verse that the Israelites had assumed that the daily communal sacrifices were part of their wanderings in the desert and that as soon as they would be settled in the Holy Land this practice would be discontinued. G'd therefore recorded this legislation here to show that these sacrifices would be continued also after the conquest of the land of Canaan under Joshua.

את קרבני וגו׳. Es wird hier das Tamid, dieses Grundopfer, in allen wesentlichen Merkmalen der durch die Opfer überhaupt zum Ausdruck kommenden Beziehungen gezeichnet. קרבני: das Zu-Gott-Nahen, die Gewinnung der Gottesnähe; לחמי: durch die Bereitstellung alles irdischen Strebens für die Gottesgegenwart auf Erden; לאשי : vermittelst der Hingebung an das Feuer des göttlichen Gesetzes zur durchdringenden Läuterung und Belebung (siehe Wajikra 1, 2 u. 9 und 3, 11); ריח נחחי: und alles dies nur als andeutender Ausdruck des im Leben zu verwirklichenden Gott Wohlgefälligen. Daher im קרבני זה הדם :ספרי, die zu Gott hinan sich emporhebende לחמי אלו אמורים :נפש, die Hingebung aller Strebungen und aller Ziele; לאשי אלו קמצים ולבונה, die Güter der Nahrung des Wohlstandes und der Lebensfreude (— obgleich beim תמיד weder קומץ noch לבונה gebracht wird, sondern das מנחת נסכים כולה לאשים übergeben wird, so nennt doch ספרי eben solche Feuergaben, die nicht beim תמיד vorkommen, weil eben das תמיד die Grundlage aller übrigen Opfer bildet, und der Idee nach קומץ und anschließen —), also der ganze irdische Anteil מנחת תמיד sich dem מנחות aller לבונה der Menschen und Völker in dem ewigen Feuer des göttlichen Gesetzes zu Gütern des Gottesreichs auf Erden umwandelt; גירסת הגר׳׳א) ריח נחחי אלו נסכים), somit endlich die Summe unserer höchsten Glückseligkeit in dem Boden des göttlichen Gesetzesheiligtums wurzelnd, in das Bewusstsein des göttlichen Wohlgefallens an uns und dem Unsrigen auf Erden aufgehend. —

להקריב לי במועדו, “to present to Me at its appointed time.” This applies even if the appointed time occurs on the Sabbath, or if the person offering it is temporarily ritually unclean. (Compare Sifri) [I did not find the reference to ritual impurity in my edition of the Sifri. Ed.] According to the author, it must mean that if no priest can be found on that day that is ritually pure. This offering must not be skipped even during time of war. [There are stories in the Talmud describing that the priests paid fortunes to the besieging Babylonians or Romans to supply such animals for them. Ed. We find that the angel remonstrated with Joshua for not having seen to it that this offering was offered while the army laid siege to Jericho (Talmud, tractate Megillah folio 3) An alternate interpretation: the emphasis here is on the word במועדו, “at its appointed time,” it must neither be offered too early in the morning nor too late in the afternoon.

לחמי MY FOOD — this refers to the fat-portions, and so it states, (Leviticus 3:16) “And the priest shall burn them (the fat-portions) on the altar, it is the food of the fire-offerings” (Sifrei Bamidbar 142:2).

This refers to the blood. As is written (Vayikra 1:5), “The sons of Aharon shall bring the blood” upon it.

את קרבני לחמי לאשי, "My food which is presented to Me as a burnt offering, etc." The convoluted language is due to the daily communal offerings consisting of three parts. 1) The offering of the sheep as the sacrifice. 2) The tenth of an epha of flour which accompanied it as a gift-offering. 3) The drink-offerings consisting of a quarter Hin of newly pressed wine. With respect to the animal, the Torah speaks of קרבני, "My sacrifice;" with respect to the meal-offering (gift) the Torah speaks of לחמי, "My bread." Finally, with respect to the drink-offerings, the Torah speaks of ריח ניחחי, "sweet savour unto Me." The reason is that the drink-offering is poured onto the foundation of the altar descending into the hole called שיתין, and only its smell is noticeable on the altar. In each of these instances G'd uses the suffix "MY" to indicate that all of them are His and remain within His domain as proclaimed by David in Psalms 24,1: "The earth and all that is thereon belongs to G'd." The reason that G'd appended this possessive suffix even to the word אשי, "My fire," is that even the fire belongs to G'd. Israel should remember that whatever they offer to G'd as a sacrifice is really G'd's in the first place.

Also: את קרבני לחמי לאשי ריח ניחוחי, diesen präzisesten und konzisest gefassten Ausdruck unserer ganzen jüdisch nationalen Stellung und Bestimmung, תשמרו להקריב לי במועדו, ihn in der "von Gott zu unserem Zusammenfinden mit Ihm bestimmten Zeit Gott näher zu bringen" und damit eben diesem unserem von Gott erwarteten "Ihm entgegenkommen" Ausdruck zu leihen, dies wird hier zur nationalen מצוה und שמירה, zur nationalen sorgsamst zu erfüllenden Obliegenheit gemacht. Und wie haben die Geister des jüdischen Volkes die Ausführung dieser Obliegenheit verstanden! Nur aus den von der ewig frischen Hingebung der Nation in allen ihren Gliedern zeugenden jährlichen Halbschekelspenden, מתרומת הלשכה wurden die Nationalopfer, insbesondere aber das tägliche Tamidemporopfer versorgt (Menachot 65a) und immer für das Tamidopfer vier Tage vor dem Gebrauche, dem Pesachopfer gleich (Schmot 12, 3), dessen Fortsetzung im tiefen Grunde das Tamidopfer bildet, sechs מום-freie Schafe in der לשכת הטלאים bereit gehalten (Arachim 13a u. b). Und mit nichten betrachtete man das auf der Moriahöhe zu Jerusalem täglich durch die Priester dargebrachte Nationalopfer als ein opus operatum, als ein damit abgetanes Werk, damit in heidnischem Sinn "der Gottheit ihr Genüge" geschehe. Wie hier in der gesetzlichen Anordnung das Tamidopfer durch den Singular תעשה des Vers 4 die Nation in ihrer Einheit begreift und daher nur durch die nationale Gesamtheitsrepräsentanz zur Verwirklichung gelangt, gleichwohl V. 2 durch den Plural תשמרו die Nation in allen ihren Gliedern zum steten achten auf dieses Nationalopfer verpflichtet: so sagten sich die jüdischen Geister, das beständige Tamid in Jerusalems Tempel werde nur dann zum wahrhaft beständigen Nationalopfer, wenn dem im hohen Mittelpunkt der Nation täglich morgens und abends sich vollziehenden einzigen Opfervorgange die lebendige Teilnahme der Geister und Gemüter überall im ganzen nationalen Umkreise zugewandt sei. וכי האיך קרבנו של אדם קרב והוא אינו עומד על גביו! sagte man sich. Was ist das Opfer ohne die persönliche oder doch geistige Gegenwart des Menschen, dessen Opfer dargebracht wird! Spricht doch das Gesetz: תשמרו להקריב לי במועדו! Schon unter Anordnung der frühesten Propheten teilte sich daher die Nation in vierundzwanzig משמרות, den vierundzwanzig Priesterabteilungen (Dewarim 18, 8) entsprechend, die in Wartung des Tempeldienstes wöchentlich wechselten. Jedes Volks-משמר hatte Angehörige in Jerusalem wohnhaft, die als Deputierte ihres משמר in der sie treffenden Woche sich im Tempel beim Tamidopfer einstellten. Gleichzeitig versammelten sich die fernen Mitglieder des משמר in ihren Städten und schlossen sich im Geiste dem Tamidopfer durch "קריאת התורה und תענית" an, damit als Frucht aller Opfer die Läuterung "der Erkenntnis und des Wandels" beherzigend. Dieses, persönlich oder im Geiste, "Sicheinstellen" bei dem Tamidopfer wird מעמד genannt (Taanit 26 a), und durch diese מעמדות in Jerusalem und in den Städten des Landes wurde direkt und indirekt das Bewusstsein und die Teilnahme für das in Jerusalem sich täglich vollziehende Nationalopfer in der ganzen Nation wach gehalten. Es war damit die zweifache Überzeugung gepflegt, dass für jeden Juden der geistige Halt seines Seins, Denkens und Handelns in dem Gesetzesheiligtum, dem Mittelpunkt der Gesamtnation liege, seine Verbindung mit Gott nur durch das in dem einen Gesamtheiligtum unter Cherubimflügeln ruhende und von dort aus durch die Gesamtvertreter der Nation ihm verbürgte Gesetz vermittelt werde, dass aber auch, und eben daher das auf dem Altar dieses Nationalheiligtums täglich im Opfer sich erneuende Nationalgelübde der zu Gott hinanstrebenden Gesetzestreue in seiner Erfüllung auf jeden Sohn des Volkes rechnen und in dem fernsten und letzten Manne im Volke seinen Jünger und Vollbringer erblicken wolle. Und wenn noch heute, nach so vielen Jahrtausenden, dem Vermächtnis der späteren großen Führer unseres Galut getreu, die ganze in alle Fernen zerstreute Nation zu einem "Maamad" geworden, und in Nord und Süd, in West und Ost, die Zeit des einstigen Tamidopfers in Jerusalem noch jetzt jede treue jüdische Brust weckt, den Blick nach der Moriahgegend in Jeruschalajimzion zu richten und das in Worte übersetzte שחרית und מנחה Nationaltamidopfergelübde erneut auszusprechen, und so uns in einem nationalen Treugelöbnis an das von der Moriahöhe zu Jerusalem uns zu Erbe gewordene Gottesgesetz mit Gott und allen Brüdern auf Erden zusammen zu finden: so ist dies im Gründe nichts anderes, als eine Betätigung im Geiste des את קרבני לחמי לאשי ריח ניחחי תשמרו להקריב לי במועדו, bis einst in Wirklichkeit der Altar auf der Moriahöhe zu Jerusalem wieder erbaut ist und aus den Gesamtschekeln der Nation das Tamidopfer in den von Gott gestifteten Opfersymbolhandlungen das ewige jüdische Nationalgelübde zum Ausdruck bringt.

לאשי [MY FOOD] FOR MY FIRE OFFERING — i.e., the fat-portions that are assigned for the fire offerings of My altar (Sifrei Bamidbar 142:2).

This refers to the “emurin” parts. Meaning that והקטירם ["shall burn them"] refers to the emurin parts that are burned. There (Vayikra 3:16) it is written “bread” [referring to the emurin parts]. Thus we see that the emurin parts are referred to as “bread.”

This was the reason which made G'd write the word תשמרו, "observe, i.e. take care to perform this commandment;" failure to offer these sacrifices means that when we use any part of the universe for our own purposes we are actually stealing G'd's property; we are violating a negative commandment. G'd adds the words להקריב לי, "to present for Me as an offering." This means that even when doing this we are only offering to G'd's presence a small part of His possessions by presenting them to Him. The vast majority of His possessions remain His, however.

Nach allem diesen begreift sich sehr die Opposition, die eben die Darbringung des Tamidopfers aus Nationalmitteln an den Bestrebungen der Sadduzäer finden konnte und fand. Der Geist, welchen das nationale tägliche Opfer im Volke nährte und jeden einzelnen im Volke mit Erkenntnis und Weihe seiner Lebenserfüllungen auf die Gesamtheitsvertretung im Gesetzesheiligtum hinwies, der das Zeugnis und die Lehre des Gesetzes (Dewarim 17, 10) anvertraut war, und die des täglich zu erneuernden Treuegelöbnisses an dies Gesetz in dem Gesamtheitstamidopfer namens der Gesamtheit zu warten hatte, dieser Geist ist eine Verurteilung des Sadduzäismus einer jeden Zeit. Der Sadduzäismus kennt als Vermittlung des jüdischen Menschen mit seinem Gotte nur den, wie er spricht "jedem in seinem Winkel zur Hand liegenden" (Kiduschin 66a) Schriftbuchstaben der Bibel, den sich jeder nach seinem subjektiven Belieben interpretieren und daraus das ihm jeweilig Zusagende als den göttlichen Willen verehren und befolgen möge. Er perhorresziert den Geist des Tamidopfers, der den einzelnen seinen Gott und das göttliche Wohlgefallen nur im Anschluss an die nationale Gesamtheit und das denselben anvertraute und von ihr gewährleistete lebendige Gotteswort finden lassen will. Darum war es eines der ersten Anliegen der Sadduzäer, der Lehre Geltung zu verschaffen, dass das tägliche Tamid kein nationales Pflichtopfer, sondern ein der subjektiven Willensregung eines jeden einzelnen Anheimgegebenes sei. In flacher Beschränktheit urgierten sie den Singular des: את הכבש האחד תעשה בבקר ואת הכבש השני תעשה בין הערבים und übersahen, dass durch den Plural des vorangehenden תשמרו להקריב לי, und ebenso אשר תקריבו לד׳, die Verpflichtung der Gesamtheit auferlegt ist, die in dem Opfer eben sich als Gesamteinheit begreifen soll. Dieser sadduzäische Versuch war von so prinzipiell einschneidender Bedeutung, dass, als es gelang, das Volksbewusstsein von dessen Nichtigkeit zu überführen, die Tage der "Aufrechthaltung des Tamid". איתוקם תמידא, der nationalgeschichtlichen Gedächtnisrolle aller durch Fastenverbot, teils auch durch Trauerklageverbot zu feiernden Rettungstage einverleibt wurden, ja, mit ihnen beginnt diese Nationalchronik der אילין יומיא דלא להתענאה בהון ומקצתהון דלא למספד בהון מריש ירחה דניסן עד תמניא ביה איתוקם תמידא וכו׳ שהיו הצדוקים אומרים יחיד מתנדב ומביא תמיד מאי דרוש את הכבש אחד תעשה בבקר ואת הכבש השני תעשה בין הערבים מאי אהדרו את קרבני לחמי לאישי תשמרו שיהו כולן באין מתרומת הלשכה (Menachot 65a).

תשמרו YE (the children of Israel) SHALL WATCH [TO OFFER TO ME] — This implies that priests, Levites and ordinary Israelites shall stand by watching when the sacrifices are offered (Sifrei Bamidbar 142:2). From this command they (the Rabbis) derived the law of, and instituted the Maamadot (representatives of the people who were present when the sacrificial service was performed) (Taanit 27a).

They learned from here and instituted the ma’amados units. Meaning that it is written, “You shall be vigilant.” This implies that for the entire duration of the offering, in the morning and in the afternoon, all of Yisroel should stand over it. However, this is impossible because everyone has to concern himself with his own affairs to support himself. Therefore, they instituted [the ma’amados] and divided all of Yisroel into twenty-four groups, and similarly the Leviim and the Kohanim were divided into twenty-four groups. One of those twenty-four groups of Kohanim would serve, and similarly they instituted that one group of Leviim and Yisraelim would stand over the constant burnt-offering for one week. During the next week a different ma’amad [would take their place] and they would be considered as the emissaries of all of Yisroel, for the emissary of a person is considered like the person who sends him. The cycle would continue in this way, such that no one ma’amad served more than twice a year.

The Torah also alludes to a mystical dimension of sacrifice per se. Its purpose is to bring closer to G'd's Essence things which are "branches" of sanctity extant in the universe and as such are part of G'd Himself. This is the meaning of the word קרבני with the suffix י, i.e. "the sacrifice is something which brings sanctity close to Me." The means by which this occurs is that My bread is offered to Me as fire. When it rises in the form of smoke it turns into a sweet odour for Me.

במועדו (siehe zu Kap. 9, 2). Eine Wahrheit von nicht geringer Bedeutsamkeit liegt in der Einreihung der "täglichen" Momente des Morgen- und Abendwerdens in den Kreis der menschengeschichtlich "einzigen" von Gott zeugenden und zu Gott ladenden Großtaten Gottes der מתן תורה ,-יציאת מצרים- und Wüstenwanderungswunder. Wie die Offenbarung Gottes in Mizrajim, am Schilfmeer, am Sinai, in der Wüste, mit jeder wiederkehrenden Erinnerungszeit zu einem "Moed", zu einem von Gott zeugenden, zu Gott ladenden Momente wurde, so bestimmt Gott jeden täglich mit einer von keiner anderen Naturerscheinung übertroffenen Regelmäßigkeit eintretenden Moment des Tag- und Abendwerdens zu einem eben solchen "Moed", macht jeden steigenden und fallenden Lichtstrahl zu einem täglichen nicht minder lauten Zeugen und Boten, der uns Gott in der Gegenwart des Weltenganges zeigt und einen jeden von uns zu Gott hinruft. Wie die, die natürliche Ordnung der Dinge aufhebenden Gottestaten in Mizrajim Gott verkündende Wahrzeichen sind, so ist gerade die Stetigkeit in dem kreisenden Wechsel der Naturordnung ein noch lauterer Verkünder dieses Gottes, ja die in die Ordnung der Natur eingreifenden Gottestaten hatten ganz eigentlich den Zweck, uns Ihn als den Ordner dieser Ordnung, als den Gesetzgeber dieser Gesetze zu zeigen, damit durch die Stetigkeit Seiner Ordnungen uns nicht der Gedanke an Ihn, den Ordner, Meister und Gebieter der Weltordnung verloren gehe, der חק נתן ולא יעבר, der das Gesetz gegeben, das nicht weicht, so lange Er sein Bestehen will und Seine Welt in dem Geleise Seines Willens erhält, der wie הוא אמר ויהי, wie Er gesprochen und es ward, so auch הוא צוה ויעמד, gebot und es stand stille, auf dass ייראו מד׳ כל הארץ ממנו יגורו כל יושבי תבל, auf dass die Menschen Ihn als den Herren der Erd- und Menschenwelt kennen und fürchten lernen und wissen, dass nur solchem Menschen- und Völkerbeginnen eine Zukunft winkt, das sich Seinem Gesetze und Willen harmonisch fügt. —

במועדו [YE SHALL OFFER TO ME] IN ITS APPOINTED SEASON — Every day is the “appointed season” for the continual offerings.

Every day… For surely it was offered twice daily, thus why was it necessary to say, “At its prescribed time”? Rather, it was so that it would not be withheld, even in a state of impurity. [You might ask:] Why does Rashi not explain here that “at its prescribed time” means even in a state of impurity, as he explains concerning the Pesach offering (Bamidbar 9:2)? The answer is that there the Pesach offering came only once a year, thus the term “At its prescribed time” would imply even in a state of impurity. However here the constant burnt-offering was offered twice daily, thus “At its prescribed time” was only appropriate according to Rashi’s explanation. Re’m

Wie hier der Moed der täglichen Lichtschöpfung an die Spitze aller geschichtlichen Moadim tritt, so ist ja auch innerhalb dieser Moadim stets das Geschichtliche mit dem jahrzeitlichen Naturmomente verknüpft, auf dass das jüdische Seelenauge mit einem Blick Gott in der Natur und Geschichte erschaue und wir gotterfüllt mit jedem Atemzuge durchs Leben wandeln. —

ואמרת להם AND THOU SHALT SAY TO THEM — This is an instruction to the Beth Din (Sifrei Bamidbar 142:3).

-4. ואמרת להם זה האשה, "You shall say to them 'this is the fire-offering,' etc." G'd repeats once more: ואמרת. Why? The words זה האשה also do not seem called for. It appears the Torah wanted to make sure we would not think that the single sheep to be offered was a minimum only and that if the priests decided to, they could offer any number of sheep. The Torah therefore wrote "tell them only this is the fire-offering," i.e. only one sheep, neither more nor less. The same applied to the sheep to be offered in the evening. We must understand verse 3 as telling us that this sacrifice had to be offered on a daily basis. Verse 4 tells us that only the quantity specified by the Torah here and none other was acceptable for this type of sacrifice.

ואמרת להם, “you shall say to them.” This is a warning to the Court (Sifri).
זה האשה, “this is the fire offering;” seeing the paragraph had commenced with the words: “My offering, קרבני, why did the Torah now call it אשה? The fact is that the word is the explanation of לחמי לאשי, אשר תקריבו לה', for the requirement of Hashem, i.e. it must not be disqualified by inadmissible thoughts during its presentation, פגול. כבשים, “sheep,” no other animals. בני שנה, ”one year old;” i.e. not a day older than one year old but as young as eight days. תמימים, “unblemished.” This is the corollary of Leviticus 22,21: “it shall not be blemished.” The word תמימם is spelled here with the letter י before the final ם missing. This indicates that both these sheep should be identical. [This is a conjecture in the Talmud Yoma 62b which is ultimately rejected]. There were to be a total of 730 such sheep for the year, assuming the year had 365 days [as opposed to the lunar year which on average has 354 days]. The number 730 is alluded to in the first letters of the words תמימם שנים ליום.
שנים ליום, “two per day.” The two offerings may be viewed as advocates, pleading the case of the Jewish people before a heavenly tribunal; the site where these two sheep were being slaughtered corresponded to the relative motion of earth to sun during the day, the morning sacrifice at the north-west corner of the courtyard, the afternoon sacrifice at the north-east corner.
עולה תמיד, “a permanent burnt-offering.” This offering will always function as advocate on behalf of the Jewish people.
ליום עולה, “for the day a burnt-offering” [This contradicts the cantillation. Ed.]. According to Yuma 10 when the dawn rose the lookout in the Temple would call out ברק ברקאי, “the morning-star is shining.” This is the reason why the expression עולה was not mentioned in what appears to be a parallel passage in Exodus chapter 29.

This is an admonishment to the Beis Din. Meaning, an admonishment to Beis Din, that they should warn Yisroel regarding the constant burnt-offering. For if not so, why repeat, “Say to them”?

V. 3. ואמרת להם. Durch diese Wiederholung ist das vorhergehende צו וגו׳ ואמרת וגו׳ zu einem besonderen Ausspruch erhoben und eben damit, wie bemerkt, die Verpflichtung der Gesamtheit für das Tamidopfer als besonderes Augenmerk der Gesetzgebung gekennzeichnet. זה האשה וגו׳, verglichen mit Schmot 29, 38, ist dort die Tendenz, das Tamidopfer als Verwirklichung des Altarzweckes zu bezeichnen, während es hier in seiner Bedeutsamkeit für das stets wach zu haltende Nationalbewusstsein besprochen wird. Als solches wird sein Charakter אשה und עולה hervorgehoben: Hingeben an das Gesetzesfeuer, an die leuchtende, läuternde und belebende Macht des Gesetzes, und eben darin und damit ewiges Fort- und Hinanschreiten zu Gott und der von Ihm gewiesenen Höhe der Bestimmung, אשה und עולה, das sind die beiden Grundgedanken, welche durch das Tamid als der Nationalgedanke in jeder jüdischen Brust belebt und ewig wach gehalten werden sollen. Und durch זה האשה werden beide כבשים, das Morgen- und Abendopfer, sofort als ein Opfer, eine Gottes Nähe suchende Feuerhingebung begriffen. Es ist durchaus nur ein und derselbe Lebensgedanke, der uns tags und nachts zu erfüllen hat, wie es nur ein und derselbe Gott ist, von dem der Tag wie die Nacht stammt und welchem beide Lebensgestaltungen, die Tag- und die Nachtseite unseres irdischen Daseins angehören. Beide zusammen bilden ja überhaupt unseren einheitlichen Lebenstag, dessen zweiteiliger und doch einheitlicher Wechselgestaltung eben die שני כבשים entsprechen sollen, wie durch das שנים ליום ausgedrückt ist (siehe Schmot daselbst). Der Tendenz dieser wiederholten Anordnung des Tamidopfers entsprechend, ist auch das תמימים, die Forderung der "Ganzheit" unserer Hingebung hervorgehoben.

שנים ליום This may be understood according to its plain sense: TWO [LAMBS] FOR EACH DAY, But in the main it is intended to teach that they should be slaughtered at a spot opposite the day (i.e. the sun) — the morning continual offerings at the west and that of the evening at the east of the rings fixed in the ground and in which were inserted the animals feet (Sifrei Bamidbar 142:3; Yoma 62b).

Like the plain interpretation. Meaning: Two each day; one in the morning and one in the evening.

That they should be slaughtered towards the sun. For if not so, why is it necessary to say “two each day”? Since it says, “You shall offer the one lamb in the morning” (v. 4) why did the Torah say, “Two each day”? Rather it means כנגד היום [lit. "opposite the day"] which means opposite the sun.

To the east of the rings. Meaning: [They should be slaughtered] near the rings which were in the east, in order to be opposite the sun so that no one would say that they were serving the sun. The rings mentioned here are the rings that Yochanan the Kohein Gadol established in the area of the courtyard used for slaughtering. They were inserted into the ground and the legs of the animals were fastened to them during the slaughter…

את הכבש אחד THE ONE LAMB [SHALT THOU OFFER IN THE MORNING] — Although it has already been stated in the section beginning with the words ,ואתה תצוה (Exodus 29:38 39): “Now this is what thou shalt offer … [The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning]”, that was an instruction for the days of the installation ceremony of the priests, but here it states the commands for all generations.

את הכבש אחד, “One of the lambs,” we would have expected the Torah to write את הכבש האחד, however the omission of the letter ה here is to alert us to the fact that the word אחד has a numerical value of 13 to teach us that 13 priests were involved in this procedure (Yuma 25). This number is also not accidental but is in itself a reminder that the offering was addressed to the אחד, to the One and Only G’d. In Exodus chapter 29,39 the Torah does write: את הכבש האחד, as is grammatically appropriate when speaking of an animal singled out from its flock as superior.

Here the commandment is for all the generations. (Kitzur Mizrochi) Ramban claims that this is not correct, for there it already stated, “A continual burned-offering for your generations.” Chizkuni answers that the minimum [meaning of the] number of “generations” is two and no more, therefore the verse where it is written “command” (v. 2) implies alacrity for now and for future generations is necessary.

V. 4. את הכבש אחד. Statt האחד heißt es אחד, also nicht: das eine Schaf, sondern: das Schaf, und zwar nur eins. Damit dürfte der sadduzäischen Auffassung begegnet und ausdrücklich gesagt sein, dass für die Gesamtnation nur ein Schaf zum Tamid nahegebracht werden soll, dies daher entschieden nur ein קרבן צבור sei und keineswegs von jedem יחיד als נדבה gebracht werden könne. ואת הכבש השני ist wohl nicht die Anordnung des תמיד של יבין הערבים, die erst V. 8 erfolgt, sondern nur Erläuterung zu dem vorangehenden את הכבש אחד וגו׳. Es sollen nicht beide, es soll nur eines dargebracht werden, — denn das zweite soll erst abends zum Opfer kommen — diese notwendig erschienene Erläuterung dürfte das Einheitliche des Tamidopfers noch mehr hervorheben. Es könnte, ohne den Charakter eines קרבן צבור zu verlieren, das צבור selbst, wie sogleich im Schabbatmussafopfer, durch zwei Tiere zum Ausdruck gelangen. Allein es würde dann die nationale Gesamtheit in der Vielheit ihrer Glieder und nicht als geschlossene Einheit ihren Ausdruck finden. Das Tamid soll jedoch Israel in der Idee seiner Gesamteinheit darstellen (siehe zu Versen 9 u. 10).

את הכבש אחד, “the one sheep;” Rashi explains that although this commandment had already been written in Exodus 29,38, at that time it applied only to the days during which the priests were consecrated. Now it applies permanently. If you were to argue that we find the word: לדורותיכם, “for your generations,” in the passage containing this law in Exodus, the word there might be understood as applying only to the minimum number of generations, i.e. two generations, whereas here it applies to all future generations when the Temple would be standing. This is also why it is introduced herewith the word: צו, “issue a command!” (verse 2) (Sifra, at the beginning of the portion Tzav.)

תעשה בבוקר, “you are to prepare it in the morning.” The numerical value of these two words is the same as לארבע שעות, i.e. during the first four hours of the day.

בבוקר, “in the morning.” a period from sunrise until the sun has spread its rays across the horizon. The universe was created during the day as we know from Genesis 2,4: “on the day the Lord G’d made earth and heaven.”

סלת למנחה FLOUR FOR A MEAL OFFERING — the meal offering that usually accompanies drink offerings (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 23:37).

The libation minchah. Meaning that this was the tenth of an eiphah of fine flour which comes with the offering, to the exclusion of the meal-offerings mentioned in Vayikra, which come on their own (Vayikra 2).

V. 5. ועשירית האיפה וגו׳. Schmot 29, 40 heißt es nur עשרן סלת und fehlt auch die ausdrückliche Bezeichnung: למנחה, hier steht letzteres und עשירית האיפה, beides der Tendenz der Wiederholung der Tamidanordnung gemäß. Für das nationale Bewusstsein gehört als wesentliche Ergänzung des עולה-Gedankens der מנחה-Begriff, zur Hingebung der ganzen Persönlichkeit die huldigende Anerkennung der Gotteshörigkeit aller die nationale Existenz und Wohlfahrt bedingenden Güter der Nahrung und des Wohlstandes. עשירית האיפה heißt es aber, statt des sonst bei allen folgenden Opfern konstanten: עשרן, in Hinblick auf das: והעמר עשירית האיפה הוא. (Schmot 16, 36). dem nationalen Bewusstsein mit jedem Minchazehntel jene nationale Grunderfahrung der Nahrung spendenden göttlichen Fürsorge vergegenwärtigend.

ועשירית האיפה סלת, “and the tenth of an eyphah of fine flour;” just as the “fine flour” mentioned in the passage in Exodus referred to flour from wheat, so here too it refers to flour ground from wheat. (Exodus 29,42). Whenever the Torah mentions the word סלת, it refers to fine flour made from wheat.

בשמן כתית, “with beaten oil;” the olives were ground in a mortar and oil resulting was squeezed out by hand. It was not stored in a vat to prevent any residue from accumulating at the bottom of the vat. (B’chor shor)

רביעית ההין, a quarter of a hin, i.e. three logs.

העשיה בהר סיני WHICH WAS OFFERED BY MOUNT SINAI — i.e., like those continual burnt offerings which were offered during the days of the installation ceremony (which took place whilst the people were encamped by Mount Sinai). — Another explanation of העשיה בהר סיני is: It compares the continual burnt offering to the burnt offering of Mount Sinai — to that which was offered on the fifth day of the third month, before the Giving of the Torah (see Rashi on Exodus 19:11), of which it is written, (Exodus 24:6) “And he put it (the blood) in basins”: this teaches, therefore, that it (the continual burnt-offering) requires a vessel for the reception of the blood (Sifra, Tzav, Chapter 18 8).

עולת תמיד העשויה בהר סיני, before the sin of the golden calf when there was not yet a need to accompany this sacrifice with libations.

העשויה בהר סיני, “which was instituted at Mount Sinai.” This is a reference to the offerings brought daily during the inaugural procedures of the Tabernacle (Exodus 29). This was a period prior to the attribute of כבוד moving from the top of the mountain to the top of the Tabernacle. The wording here seems to suggest that after their stay around Mount Sinai the Israelites did not continue to offer these burnt-offerings in the desert at all. In Chagigah 6 Rabbi Eleazar understands the words עולת תמיד העשויה בהר סיני as meaning that the relevant procedures were taught at Mount Sinai whereas the offerings were not offered there at all. Rabbi Akiva, however, understood the verse to mean that this procedure was first introduced at Mount Sinai. [Presumably prior to the building of the Tabernacle, as the Tabernacle was not built till nine months after the sin of the golden calf. A better explanation is that of Tosafot that the disqualification of the Israelites was the sin of the spies. This leaves other problems. Ed.] and never again interrupted. This poses the problem of a verse in Amos 5,25: “the meat-offerings and gift-offerings which you offered to Me during the forty years in the desert.” Why did the prophet not mention the burnt-offerings offered during that period? The answer given is that during those 40 years the daily-burnt-offering represented only the tribe of Levi who had not been guilty of the sin of the golden calf and who therefore were not out of grace. This teaches that even according to the view of Rabbi Akiva who holds that once introduced this procedure was not abandoned even temporarily, the meaning of the offering was different.

Like those which were done during the days of inauguration. Meaning that when the Torah wrote, העשויה בהר סיני [lit. "that was offered at Mount Sinai"] it implied that these had already been offered at Mount Sinai. So why then was it necessary to offer it here? Rashi answers that it was “like those…” meaning that he ‘amends’ the verse as if it had said כהעשויה ["as was done"] with a [letter] kaf indicating comparison.

V. 6. עולת תמיד וגו׳. Wir haben Schmot 29, 40 mit Hinblick auf die Tatsache, dass der Altar in Ezechiel הראל "Gottesberg" genannt wird, und auf den Vers Ps. 68 ד׳ בם סיני בקדש, die Vermutung geäußert, dass auch hier der Altar geradezu: הר סיני genannt werde und der Altar mit dem Altarfeuer den Sinai mit dem אש אוכלה auf seinem Gipfel im Gesetzesheiligtum vergegenwärtige. Aufs innigste würde dies mit der Tendenz dieser wiederholten Tamidlehre übereinstimmen. Es wird damit das Tamidopfer zu einem sich ewig fortsetzenden, täglich sich erneuernden נעשה ונשמע-Gelöbnis, mit welchem die Nation der Gesetzesoffenbarung am Sinai begegnete לggg und zuerst in den Bund des Gesetzes eintrat. Ist doch das עולה in der Tat nichts. anderes, als die Gelobung ewigen Fortschrittes in Erfüllung und Erkenntnis. Diese stets erneute Hingebung an das אש אוכלה בהר סיני vollzieht sich aber nur in der Hingebung des עולה und מנחה an das אש על המזבח, nicht aber in dem נסוך היין, der in den Altargrund gegossen wird. Daher fasst hier das עולת תמיד eben nur עולה ומנחה zusammen, es als das עולת תמיד העשויה בהר סיני zu kennzeichnen, und folgt dann erst im folgenden Vers ונסכו usw.

עולת תמיד העשויה בהר סיני, “it is a continual burnt offering which was offered at Mount Sinai. In other words, this practice began when the Jewish people were encamped around Mount Sinai, as we know from Exodus 24,5: וישלח את נערי בני ישראל ויעלו עולות, “Moses sent forth the young men of the Children of Israel and they offered burnt offerings. He intended that this practice should remain in use forever.

ונסכו (more lit., its pouring forth — i.e. its offering that was poured forth) — wine (cf. Numbers 15:5).

AND THE DRINK-OFFERING THEREOF — “of wine. IN THE HOLY PLACE THOU SHALT POUR — upon the altar they shall be poured out. A POURING FORTH OF STRONG DRINK — wine which has an intoxicating power. This excludes wine straight from the [wine-]press.” This is the language of Rashi. But it is not correct, for the Rabbis have already said:¹⁹⁴Baba Bathra 97a. “Wine straight from the wine-press one may not bring [for the drink-offering, since it is non-intoxicating], but if one did bring [such wine], it is valid” [and there is no need to bring other wine]. Thus [we see that] wine straight from the wine-press is not excluded on the basis of a [Scriptural] verse [for in that case, he would have to bring other wine instead of it], but it is merely a prohibition of the Rabbis to be observed as a rule directly [but if not observed, it does not invalidate the drink-offering]. However, [the correct interpretation is]:¹⁹⁵Sifre, Pinchas 143. “Strong drink, to exclude wine which is diluted [with water],” which is invalid even if already brought [so that one must bring other wine which is undiluted]. And this is how it is interpreted in the Sifre.¹⁹⁵Sifre, Pinchas 143. And there they [furthermore] said: “In the holy place thou shalt pour — it was to be poured in the holy place, and in the holy place it was absorbed.”¹⁹⁶This is a reference to the cavity at the side of the altar, into which the libations were poured. It was a natural cavity in the ground which had existed since the six days of creation, and the wine went down and was absorbed therein. See my Hebrew commentary, p. 317.
Now Scripture mentions in the [case of the] Daily Whole-offering and [the Additional Offerings of] your New Moons the amount of fine flour in the meal-offering [which accompanied them],¹⁹⁷Verses 5, 13. and the amount of wine in the drink-offerings [which accompanied them],¹⁹⁸Verses 7, 14. but in the [case of the Additional Offerings of the] Sabbath, the Festival[s] of Unleavened Bread, Weeks, the New Year, the Day of Atonement, and the first day of the Festival of Tabernacles, He mentioned the amount of the meal-offering, but did not specify the amount of the drink-offerings. The reason for this is that although in the section [dealing with] the drink-offerings¹⁹⁹Above, 15:4-12. He commanded how much the meal-offerings and the drink-offerings should be for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs,²⁰⁰Further, 29:33. in vow-offerings, freewill offerings, and [the offerings of] the festivals,²⁰¹Above, 15:3. we find a double meal-offering for the lamb brought with the sheaf [of barley],²⁰²Leviticus 23:13. and on the day of Atzereth²⁰³I.e., the Festival of Weeks. See in Vol. III, p. 393, why this festival is called by the name Atzereth. — Ibid., Verse 17. [they brought] two tenth-parts of an ephah [baked] with leaven,²⁰³I.e., the Festival of Weeks. See in Vol. III, p. 393, why this festival is called by the name Atzereth. — Ibid., Verse 17. and so also we find [unleavened cakes, wafers, and cakes of leavened bread] in a thanks-offering, which were a meal-offering.²⁰⁴Ibid., 7:12-13. Therefore Scripture had to specify [here] in the case of all the festivals that their meal-offering does not change, as it changed in these [above-mentioned cases]. But the drink-offerings never varied; therefore He mentioned them at first in [the case of the] Daily Whole-offering, and did not refer to them afterwards in the case of [the Additional Offering of] the Sabbath. He did refer to them again [when speaking] of the New Moon,²⁰⁵Further, Verse 14. in order to mention also the drink-offerings of the bullocks and the rams, but afterwards He did not have to mention them at all. [Likewise] He mentioned on the first day of Tabernacles the amount of the meal-offering,²⁰⁶Ibid., 29:14. and it was [therefore] no longer necessary to mention it in connection with the other days of the festival, except [to state], and their meal-offering and their drink-offerings … according to their number, after their ordinance,²⁰⁰Further, 29:33. meaning to say: “after their ordinance on the first day [of the festival] as mentioned [previously].”

שכר, “intoxicating liquid.” Rashi understands the word as excluding newly made wine that has not yet become alcoholic, the liquid not yet having fermented. Nachmanides queries that since we know that such wine if it had been offered is not disqualified retroactively, we can see that the requirement was only a cautionary decree by the Rabbis, this could not be the meaning of the word here. He concludes that therefore the meaning is that watered down wine is not acceptable. Nachmanides writes further that the Torah mentions the amount of fine flour to be used as part of the daily meal-offering accompanying the daily burnt offering, and it also mentions the amount of wine used in the libation, both in the daily offerings and on the corresponding offerings on the New Moon. Similar measurements for the libations are, however, not mentioned in connection with the corresponding offering on the Sabbath and all the other festivals. The reason maybe that although these measurements are mentioned in the section dealing with the libations (Numbers 15,4-12) in connection with the meal-offerings and libations for the bull, ram, and sheep when these are free-willed offerings such as different categories of vows and individual offerings on the festivals, we find different measurements (double) in the meal offering accompanying the Omer, or that on Shavuot the meal-offering also comprises 10 loaves of leavened bread. Similarly, these standard measurements are varied in connection with the קרבן תודה, people who have to present thanksgiving offerings. Basically, seeing that the libations do not vary in measurements, allowing for the size of four-legged animal that they accompany, they, i.e. their measures have been written first in conjunction with the daily communal offerings known as תמיד. They do not have to be mentioned again as they are not subject to variations in their measures at all. The size of the מנחה on the first day of Tabernacles has been mentioned (29,14) something that did not need to be repeated on the subsequent days of that festival other than a brief note such as “and their meal offerings and libations in accordance with the law.” The משפט, “law,” referred to is the size of the libation on the first day of that festival. This still leaves us with the question of why there was a need to specify the size of the libation on the New Moon more so than on any other days in the calendar. Perhaps one can explain this by saying that seeing the legislation of the offerings on that day introduces the concept of the so-called מוספים, “additional” communal offerings, the Torah saw fit to also give details of the accompanying libation of each mammal being presented.

Wine. Meaning [wine] but not other drinks, for in the passage dealing with the libations it is written “wine for a libation, one fourth of a hin” (Bamidbar 15:5).

V. 7. ונסכו וגו׳. Diese Hingebung alles Seins, alles Wollens und allen Habens an Gottes Gesetzesfeuer sei aber keine mit Widerstreben sich vollziehende Notwendigkeit; den höchsten Gipfel auf Erden zu erreichender Glückseligkeit finde Israel in dieser seiner Bestimmung; in dem Boden des Gesetzesheiligtums, auf welchem der Gottesberg mit seinen Anforderungen sich erhebt, wurzelt seine Glückseligkeit, und seine freudigste Begeisterung findet es, wenn es den Ausdruck seiner höchsten Lebenswonnen im Heiligtum vor Gott hingießen kann (siehe zu Kap. 15 V. 5 ff.). שכר ist Wein in seiner geistigen Kraft. Äußerlich sind שכר und קדש Gegensätze. Darum steht hier בקדש voran. Die Stätte, die Israels Opfer empfängt, die ist auch zugleich der Boden, dem seine höchsten Freuden angehören. Es darf sein שכר ins Heiligtum tragen und es ist ihm nur שכר, weil es dasselbe בקדש לפני ד׳ hingießen kann. —

בקדש הסך CAUSING IT TO BE POURED FORTH ON THE HOLY SPOT — upon the altar they shall be poured out.

They shall be poured on the altar. Although it is written, “In the Holy” alone without explaining where, it means upon the altar which is termed "holy," as is taught in Succah 49a.

נסך שכר A POURING FORTH OF STRONG DRINK — wine that has intoxicating power. This excludes wine straight out of its vine press (new wine which is non-intoxicating) (Bava Batra 97a).

ריח ניחח A SMELL OF ניחח — one that causes satisfaction (נחת רוח) to Me, that I gave commands and My will was executed (Sifrei Bamidbar 143:3; see Rashi on Leviticus 1:9).

כמנחת הבוקר וכנסכו תעשה אשה ריח ניחוח, even though you have already offered the daily burnt-offering of the morning which in all respects corresponds to this one, also the second one will be received by G’d with equal goodwill, to also become a pleasant fragrance.

V. 8. ואת הכבש השני (siehe zu Schmot 29, 38 u. 41). וכנסכו bezieht sich auf בקר: das מנחה und נסך des Abends ist ganz gleich dem מנחה und נסך des Morgens (siehe über das ganze Tamidopfer zu Schmot 29, 38-42).

וכנסכו, “and as its drinkoffering;” this is a reference to the libation consisting of wine, as well as to the drink offering accompanying the communal gift offering presented every morning.

וביום השבת שני כבשים, "And on the Sabbath day, two sheep, etc." The reason that the additional communal offering on the Sabbath was smaller than any of the parallel offerings on the festivals and even the intermediate days of the festivals is the mystical dimension of לחם משנה, the two loaves we eat on the Sabbath at each meal. The two additional sheep offered on the Sabbath symbolise the idea which has been eternalised in the custom of the two loaves, themselves a reminder of how G'd provided a double portion of manna to the Israelites in the desert each Friday. The mystical element of the number seven is alluded to by the fact that only this day is also called "the seventh day." Even though some festivals have a seventh day, the significance of the seventh day of a festival does not have anything in common with the mystical dimension of the seventh day which occurs regularly every week.

וביום השבת שני כבשים, “and on the Sabbath day, two male lambs (additionally).” On the holidays including New Moon and New Year and the day of Atonement a total of seven male sheep were part of the day’s communal additional offerings. These were additional to the daily two lambs. On the Sabbath, however, only two additional male lambs were offered. According to the Talmud Yuma we quoted these definitely had to match each other in their size, appearance and value if possible. The word למצוה, “for performance of the commandment,” used in the Talmud when stipulating this means that this was an a priori requirement, i.e. efforts had to be made to find two such matching animals. In the event it was impossible to find such, the next best match was acceptable.
The reason that on the Sabbath only two extra male lambs were required for the Mussaf offering is that the Sabbath, by definition, has a dual significance, i.e. the Torah once wrote the word זכור and once the word שמור in the two versions of the Ten Commandments concerning its observance. In other words, the positive and negative aspects of the Sabbath observance carry equal weight When the Torah speaks of Sabbath observance, G’d refers to this as את שבתותי תשמרו, “observe My Sabbath days,” i.e. each Sabbath has two aspects to it (Leviticus 26,2). Every piece of legislation in connection with the Sabbath appears in pairs, even the amount of manna which fell on Friday (on account of the Sabbath) comprised two omer instead of one. Warnings of penalties are worded as מות ימות, promises of reward for its observance are similarly expressed in dual form, i.e. the hymn recited on the Sabbath is called both מזמור and שיר. Also the reward promised for its observance is described in such terms, i.e. Isaiah 58,13-14: “then you will enjoy the favour of the Lord, I will set you astride the heights of the earth, and let you enjoy the heritage of your father Yaakov.” According to a Midrash based on the wording of the mussaph prayer on Sabbath, G’d explained the reason why He is content with only two extra male sheep on that day as that He does not want to ask us for more than we ourselves enjoy on the Sabbath, i.e. two extra meals.

V. 9. וביום השבת וגו׳. Das zum Ausdruck des besonderen Tagescharakters am Schabbat zu dem täglichen Tamidopfer hinzukommende Emporopfer unterscheidet sich vom Tamidopfer in nichts, als darin, dass das Tamidopfer aus einem כבש, das מוסף-Opfer des שבת aber aus zwei כבשים besteht. Es muss daher das unterscheidende Charakteristische lediglich in der verschiedenen Bedeutung der Zahl eins und zwei bei den Tieren der Nationalopfer liegen. Nun haben wir bereits den wesentlichen Unterschied zwischen dem Nationalopferausdruck durch ein Tier und demjenigen durch zwei Tiere (Wajikra 23, 13 u. 17. 19 und sonst) kennen gelernt. Die Zahl eins drückt die Nation in ihrer Einheit, die Zahl zwei jedoch in ihrer Vielheit, in allen ihren einzelnen Gliedern aus. Und das bildet auch sofort den spezifischen Unterschied zwischen dem עולת תמיד und dem עולת שבת. Im כבש אחד des תמיד tritt die Nation als solche zu dem Lenker und Leiter ihres Nationalgeschickes und erneut mit jedem steigenden und fallenden Tageslichte das Nationalgelöbnis der Treue, der Folgsamkeit und Hingebung an die ihr von ihrem "Hirten" und ihrem Herrn und Meister zur Lösung gesteckten Ziele.

וביום השבת, “and on the Sabbath day, etc.;” there is a comment by Midrash Shocher tov on Psalms 92,1 that amongst all the mussaph offerings there is none that is as inexpensive as that of the Sabbath, i.e. consisting of only two not more than one year old sheep. According to the author of that Midrash the Sabbath complained to G–d about this. G–d told the Sabbath that this day is distinguished by a number of things that occur on it or relating to it in duplicates. It has two hymns dedicated to it; its special offering consists of two sheep; it is known as עונג, “pleasure, delight,” not once but twice; when it is deliberately desecrated it brings a dual penalty, i.e. מות יומת, the show breads are paired on the table in the Temple. This is also why we speak of this mussaph offering being כראוי, “tailored to its essence.” This is an expression that has not been applied to the mussaph offerings on any other occasion. The Midrash elaborates by means of a parable: a King told his servants to prepare his meal for “my sons”. The servants prepared two separate meals. After both his sons had consumed these meals, the king asked for a meal to be prepared for him. The servants asked him which kind of meal he desired. The king asked what kind of meal they had served to his sons? The servants spelled out the details for him. The king then responded that they should not prepare a more elaborate meal for him than they had prepared for his sons. [My version of this Midrash does not quote the Sabbath as having complained to G–d. Ed.]
G–d acted in a similar manner when He provided the Jewish people with a double portion of manna for the Sabbath even before the Sabbath had commenced. Seeing He gave His people the equivalent of two loaves of bread before the Sabbath, He wished this to be remembered by “feeding” Him the equivalent of two loaves of bread as the special offering on the Sabbath. This is what the two sheep of the mussaph offering on that day represent. Seeing that we are on the subject of preparations for the Sabbath, let us explain also the central part of the Sabbath Mussaph prayer which commences with the words: תכנת שבת, “You (G–d) have instituted the Sabbath, etc.” The sequence of the letters תכן in the word תכנת, are a reminder of Exodus 5,18, where in response to Moses requesting a three day vacation for the Israelites to serve the G–d of his people, Pharaoh not only refused, but doubled the work load of the people by denying them the straw that had been given to them for making bricks, and insisting that the daily number of bricks required תכן לבנים, remain the same. The “institution” the author of the prayer speaks of refers to G–d having named each day of the creation sequentially so that the Sabbath would be the seventh day, a number which G–d is especially fond of. (Compare Vayikra Rabbah 29,11) [The author of the Midrash there makes a long list of proving the statement he has just made. Ed.] He claims that this is why G–d took a special liking to Chanoch, the outstanding human specimen of the seventh generation.]

וביום השבת, “and on every Sabbath, etc.” All of the offerings are described as being offered with either the word עשיה, something being carried out, or with the word הקרבה, something being presented. Seeing that basically such activities as offering sacrifices are forbidden on the Sabbath, the Torah avoids the use of these terms in connection with the communal offerings that are mandatory on the Sabbath nonetheless. The reader may therefore be misled by the absence of these words in connection with the communal offerings on the Sabbath.

ושני עשרונים “and two tenths, etc.” These correspond to the two loaves of bread over which we recite the benediction on the Sabbath meals. The reason that at this point the Torah omits the words והקרבתם or תקריבו, is that while the Israelites were in the desert these mussaf sacrifices were not offered up. The people had not been commanded concerning them until now, at the end of their wanderings in the desert.

In den שני כבשים des עולת שבת treten alle die Individuen der jüdischen Gesamtheit, alle die jüdischen Menschen zu ihrem Schöpfer und Herrn und, wie sie im שבתון des שבת, in der Einstellung alles Werkschaffens Ihm, dem Schöpfer und Herrn der Welt, sich und seine Welt huldigend zu Füßen legen, betätigen sie im עולה des שבת das Bewusstsein, dass der רועה ישראל, dass der "Hirte des jüdischen Nationalganzen" auch der besondere "Lebenshirte einer jeden jüdischen Seele" in diesem Nationalganzen ist, der כרועה עדרו ירעה בזרעו יקבץ טלאים ובחיקו ישא עלות ינהל (Jes. 40, 11). und erneuern das Gelöbnis, Ihm stets als dem Hirten aller seiner Geschöpfe die Treue, Folgsamkeit und Hingebung an die Ziele zu, zollen, für welche Er sie als "jüdische Menschen" ins Dasein gerufen und ihnen für diese Bestimmung einen Anteil an Seiner Welt und an den seine Welt beherrschenden Menschenkräften erteilt.

רצית קרבנותיה, ”You took pleasure in its offerings.” Any offerings of animals which had been alive for at least one Sabbath are especially welcome to G–d. [In fact animals which have not been alive on at least one Sabbath are not considered as fit as such. [Compare Leviticus 22,27 Ed.]

שני כבשים, “two male sheep” the Torah did not demand more than the minimal as additional communal sacrifices on the Sabbath. In fact that additional offering is equal to the daily morning and evening offerings. No sin offering is offered on the Sabbath as a communal offering, contrary to the musspah, additional offerings on the various festival days. The major reason is that seeing that parts of the sin offerings were meant to be consumed by the priests, the Torah did not want them to benefit from animals that were slaughtered on the Sabbath, something that in their private lives they were not allowed to do on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was “desecrated” only for offerings which were presented only to G-d. This is why the Torah adds the words: רצית קרבנותיה, “You received the offerings pertaining to the Sabbath with goodwill.” The exception to this rule is when New Moon occurs on the Sabbath and there is an additional offering including a sin offering on that day, due to the calendar day occurring on the Sabbath. (B’chor shor) At any rate, on ordinary Sabbath days the Torah made a distinction.

Nachdem daher im תמיד bereits Israel als nationale Einheit, als כבש אחד mit seinem einen עשרון und seinem einen רביעית יין seinem Gotte genaht, tritt am שבת Israel nochmals als nationale Vielheit in Vertretung aller ihm angehörigen Seelen als solcher mit ihren zwei כבשים und ihren zwei עשרונים und ihren zwei רביעית יין hin, innerhalb des nationalen Gesamtbewusstseins die von demselben gepflegte Einzelbeziehung eines jeden einzelnen seiner Angehörigen zu Gott in dem vom שבת geweckten Geschöpfesgefühle zum lebendigen Bewusstsein zu bringen.

צוית פירושיה עם סדורי נסכיה, “You did commanded its special obligations with the order of its drink offerings.” The word “You did command,” implies that violation of the command carries a serious penalty. Rashi explains this in connection with the words זכור, “remember,” and שמור, “make sure you do not violate,” appearing on the two versions of the Sabbath Commandment in the two sets of Tablets. (Exodus 20,8) He explains that these two versions of the same commandment were uttered by the Lawgiver at the Revelation as if they were a single utterance. We find something similar in connection with one of the commandments concerning incestuous relationships, where the Torah wrote לא יקח איש את אשת אחיו, “a man is not to take as a wife a woman who had been the wife of his brother, but where the reverse i.e. “the nakedness of the wife of the wife of your brother you must not reveal.” (Leviticus 19,15) In Deuteronomy 25,5, we find a similar construction concerning the levirate marriage. One utterance, but two written recordings. The Torah writes: יבמה יבא עליה ולקחח לו לאשה ויבמה,”her brother-in-law shall sleep with her, and take her as a levirate wife.” Although some of these statements appear on the face of it as if they contradict one on another in some way, the one concerning the Sabbath does not contain a contradiction but appears to complement one the other. Some scholars see in even this commandment some contradiction to the extent that the word זכור, which our sages interpret as making kiddush over wine when it commences, i.e. a positive commandment, which would relieve women from observing it as positive commandment linked to a specific time frame are not binding on women, and it is clear to the whole world that Sabbath observance applies to women no less than to men. [The double portion of manna was provided for men and women equally, i.e. both were included in that legislation. Ed.] The expression שמר only appears in the Torah in connection with negative commandments, i.e. violation involves an act. (Compare Talmud, tractate Zevachim, folio 106. At first glance it looks as if שמר is the opposite of זכור. Actually, this is not so, as women are no less obliged to sanctify the Sabbath seeing that the Talmud stated specifically in tractate B’rachot, folio 20 that whosoever is obligated not to violate the negative commandments of the Sabbath is also obligated to fulfill the positive commandments pertaining to that day. One might raise the question of why we do not publicly read both of these paragraphs every Sabbath? We do this every New Moon, and on every festival, whenever we pray a mussaph prayer in remembrance of the sacrifices offered in honour of such days. The fact that these two paragraphs consist of only two verses each is no excuse for not reading them in public on every Sabbath, and the Talmud, tractate Megillah folio 22, prohibits the public reading of paragraphs of the Torah that are not at least three verses long. The fact remains that we add this paragraph to the public reading of the Torah on every New Moon day that occurs on a Sabbath. The reason that we do so on those days is that New Moon is a day associated with the need to obtain atonement of sins as pointed out in the Talmud, tractate Taanit, folio 27; This is supposed to date back to the time of Avraham in Genesis chapter 15, when upon being told by G–d that he would have biological offspring who would develop into a great nation, he had asked for some sign as confirmation that he had not imagined G–d speaking to him. He wanted to know by what merit he had deserved such a promise and such a future. G–d spelled this out to him in verse 8 and 9 of that chapter when He asked him to prepare some sacrifices to Him. In other words, these sacrifices would earn him the merit that this promise of G–d would be fulfilled. When Avraham heard this, he responded that this was all well and good as long as there would be a Temple in which to offer these sacrifices daily. What would ensure that even during years of exile, which G–d had indicated that his descendants would have to endure, there would not be a chance to offer these sacrifices? G–d replied that these exiles would recite the relevant portions of the Torah in which the legislation about the sacrificial offerings is written, and then He would consider this as a substitute for their not having been presented on an appropriate altar. On New Moon we recite a verse in the mussaph prayer relating to a male goat that had to be presented on that day as a sin offering.
An alternate approach: When the Torah dealt with the subject of the festivals at length in Leviticus chapter 23, it wrote: “these are the festivals for the Lord which you are to proclaim (ahead of time)”, and it is forbidden to interpret a text contrary to the plain meaning, p’shat, and the Sabbath is obviously not included in this commandment as it occurs at the end of every week, and the people are all aware of this, neither is that day ever referred to as a moed, days which are related strictly to certain days of the calendar, whereas New Moon is included in the days called: moed. (Lamentations 1,15, based on the Talmud in tractate Taanit, folio 29). The sages felt the need to explain why, for instance, the sin offering in the mussaph offering is described as לה', “for the Lord,” i.e. on behalf of the Lord, a formulation we do not find elsewhere. The sages of the Talmud tractate Sh’vuot folio, 9 suggest that this offering is offered on behalf of the Lord for having diminished the size of the moon, which had originally been the same size as the sun. This is a very puzzling explanation. We may have to understand it as follows: G–d, in speaking of a sin offering on His behalf, refers to our offering an atonement offering on His behalf throughout the generations on New Moon and this will comfort the moon for having been demoted. The “comfort” will help babies not to be infected with certain diseases called diphtheria to small children, seeing that the first renewal of the moon occurred on the fourth day of the week, the day on which G–d had “hung” the luminaries during the six days of the creation. (Compare Talmud tractate Taanit folio 29.) This is also how Rashi explains this when commenting of Genesis 1,14. He draws our attention to the defective spelling of the word meorot, luminaries, which ought to have been spelled מאורות, seeing it is derived from the word אור, “light,” but the first letter ו has been omitted. By omitting this letter, what remains is the plural of the word מארה, “curse.” On the first day of the month when the light of the moon is at its weakest, the children are more at risk than during any other day of the month. Hence G–d, in a manner of speaking, apologises for this, so that this day makes that sacrifice atonement for anything that could have harmed these children in the normal course of events. [G–d does not “apologise” to the moon, -He had diminished the size of the moon for a valid reason- but to our children who would have been at greater risk had we not offered this extra sin offering on each New Year’s day. Ed.]

ונסכו, “and the drink offering thereof.” This again refers to a libation consisting of wine.

Weil nun eben das עולת שבת nichts als ein nuanciertes תמיד ist, dessen Nuance nur in den zwei כבשים statt des einen כבש des תמיד-Opfers besteht, darum schließt sich auch die Anordnung des עולת שבת, ohne weitere Einleitung etwa: וביום השבת תקריבו עולה לד׳ שני כבשים וגו׳, gleichsam das תמיד-Opfergesetz fortsetzend: וביום ,השבת שני כבשים וגו׳ einfach an, damit eben das Charakteristische der zwei כבשים im Gegensatz zu dem einen כבש des Tamidopfers hervorhebend.

ונסכו es ist zweifelhaft, worauf das Suffix ו sich bezieht. Auf כבשים, wie gewöhnlich, müsste es ונסכיהם heißen. Im Singular bezieht es sich entweder auf סלת oder auf יום השבת, oder überhaupt auf שבת, das ja auch V. 10 männlich erscheint. Also entweder: das zu jedem סלת einer מנחת נסכים gehörige נסך, zum Ausdruck der Nahrungs- und Wohlstandsgüter auch den Ausdruck der höchsten Lebensfreude, oder: diesen bereits beim Tamid erschienenen Ausdruck noch besonders auch für den שבת hervorgehoben, der ja eben jedes Einzelleben mit dem Geiste der höchsten hieniedigen Seligkeit erfüllen will und zu jedem einzelnen spricht: וקראת לשבת עונג (Jes. 58, 13), damit eben das Nichtschaffen von Nahrungs- und Wohlstandsgütern am Schabbat, das תשיב משבת רגלך עשות חפצך ביום קדשי aus dem Scheine eines widerwilligen Tributs zu einem Quell der höchsten Glückseligkeit erhebend.

עלת שבת בשבתו lit., THE BURNT OFFERING OF A SABBATH ON ITS SABBATH — and not the burnt offering of this Sabbath on another Sabbath. Take the case that one had not offered the sacrifice on this Sabbath, I might think that he might offer two on the following Sabbath! However, it states “on its Sabbath’, thus showing that if its day (the Sabbath on which it had to be brought) be past, its (that Sabbath’s) offering is cancelled (Sifrei Bamidbar 144:2).

עולת שבת בשבתו, “the Sabbath burnt-offering on its Sabbath.” This means that the procedure is to take place on each Sabbath, as if the Torah had written דבר יום ביומו, “a daily procedure day by day” (Exodus 8,13).
על עולת התמיד, “in addition to (after) the daily total-offering.”

But not one Shabbos burnt-offering… You might ask: Why concerning Yom Tov does Rashi also not write that we do not bring the burnt-offerings of one Yom Tov on another Yom Tov? The answer is that this does not have to be taught, for it is obviously forbidden, given that each Yom Tov has a distinct name. However, each Shabbos is the same as another Shabbos and one might have said that this was permitted, thus Rashi informs us that it is forbidden. (Gur Aryeh) One cannot say that this only comes to exclude the burnt-offerings of Shabbos from being offered on Yom Kippur, for example the emurin of Shabbos that were left over until Yom Kippur, teaching that they should not be offered. However one could make up for the burnt-offerings of one Shabbos on another Shabbos. For if so, it should have written עולת שבת בשבת [lit. "the burnt-offering of Shabbos on Shabbos"]. What is meant by בשבתו ["on its Shabbos"]? Hear from this that the verse is saying [it shall be brought] on its Shabbos and not on another.

V. 10. עלת שבת בשבתו. Offenbar bezeichnet in dieser Konstruktion, und so auch in עלת חדש בחדשו (V. 14) das Wort חדש ,שבת, die Schabbat- und Neumond-Institution im allgemeinen, die בחדשו ,בשבתו in dem jedesmaligen Schabbat- und Neumondstage ihre Verwirklichung finden soll. עלת שבת ist das der Bedeutung und dem Zwecke der Schabbatinstitution entsprechende Emporopfer, שבתו ist jeder siebte, der Verwirklichung dieser Schabbatinstitution angehörige Tag. Vielleicht steht hier deshalb auch שבת im סמיכות ohne נסמך, eben zum Ausdruck der Allgemeinheit des durch dieses erste שבת bezeichneten Begriffes. Es ist der allen Schabbaten zu Grunde liegende "Schabbat". — ולא עולת חול בשבת :עולת שבת בשבתו (Schabbat 24b); nur um der Schabbatinstitution zu genügen, darf am Schabbat geopfert werden, nicht aber etwa die vom Vorschabbat zurückgebliebenen על עולת התמיד ונסכה — .חלבים ואיברים, auch das Tamidopfer mit seinem מנחה und נסך wird am Schabbat dargebracht (siehe zu Kap. 9, 2). Ja, das Schabbatopfer kommt nur zum Tamidopfer hinzu, על עולת התמיד ונסכה מגיד שאין מקריבים מוספים אלא בינתים, (ספרי) התמידין קודמין למוספין (Sebachim 89a). Hat doch überhaupt das Tamidopfer, als immerwährender Ausdruck der unablässig zur Höhe ihrer Bestimmung hinanstrebenden Nation, täglich den Opferdienst im Heiligtum zu beginnen und zu schließen und alle anderen Opfer, und so auch das Schabbatemporopfer, in seine Mitte lediglich als Manifestation dieses Gesamthinanstrebens aufzunehmen und zum. Ausdruck zu bringen, wie dies bereits Wajikra 6, 5 entwickelt worden.

עולת שבת בשבתו, “the burnt offering for the Sabbath, on its Sabbath; Festival days and New Moon both have an element of enabling atonement connected to them. This is why the Jewish people are advised of these days ahead of time, and are called upon to do repentance on them. Our sages tell us in the Talmud tractate Megillah folio 31, that as long as we read from the Torah the sections dealing with these days on their respective days or on the Sabbath preceding them, we are considered as if we had offered the sacrifices ordained to be offered on those days even if we had been prevented from doings so, such as when in exile and there being no Temple to do so. [On some of the festivals G-d sits in judgment of parts of His creation, such as the fruit of the earth, the trees, or if there will be sufficient rain, etc.. Since His decisions affect us greatly, doing some penitence even on those days is very appropriate, and is reflected in our liturgy on those days, and we do not restrict ourselves to Rosh Hashanah and the Day of Atonement. Ed.] In connection with the additional communal offerings on the Sabbath, no hint of the day serving as atonement in any form is given. The offerings on that day have only one objective, to provide G-d with a pleasant fragrance from His children, i.e. ריח ניחוח. This is also why the Mussaph prayer on the Sabbath is quite differently worded from the parallel prayers on the festivals. In those prayers the fact that we have been sinful and are therefore still in exile, is not mentioned with a single word or hint.

על עלת התמיד BESIDES THE CONTINUAL BURNT OFFERING — these two lambs are additional offerings for the Sabbath besides (על) those two lambs of the continual burnt offering. And this tells us that these additional offerings must be brought only between the two continual offerings (Sifrei Bamidbar 144:2). Similarly in the case of all additional offerings it is stated that they are to be brought על עלת התמיד to point to this deduction.

Between the two constant-offerings. When it is written על עולת התמיד [lit. "upon the constant burnt-offering"] this implies [that it was offered] after the constant burnt-offering. However, since it did not write על עולת התמידים ["upon the constant burnt-offerings"] it implies that it was offered between the two constant-offerings. With this the difficulty of Re’m is answered. However according to Rashi’s comment, “Aside from the two constant burnt-offering lambs” which explains the word על as meaning “aside from” I do not know how one can derive from here that they may only be offered between the two constant-offerings.

Auch die Schabbatinstitution, obgleich ihrem Ursprunge nach älter als die Nation, und auch der Idee nach der Erwählung und Bestimmung derselben also vorangehend, dass man ganz eigentlich sagen kann, Verwirklichung der Schabbatinstitution sei Veranlassung und Endabsicht dieser Erwählung, wird dennoch, in Betracht ihrer Wiederherstellung durch diese Erwählung, von der Hingebung der Nation an ihre Bestimmung getragen und bildet nur einen integrierenden Teil dieser Bestimmung. Es gilt daher auch für עולת שבת בשבתו :die Bestimmung על עלת התמיד ונסכה Vielleicht um die hierdurch gewissermaßen zurücktretende wesentliche Priorität und ursprüngliche Selbständigkeit des Schabbats im Verhältnis zu allen anderen Institutionen andererseits wieder hervorzuheben, wird hier der sonst weiblich auftretende שבת männlich gekennzeichnet: עלת שבת בשבתו und nicht בשבתה.

ונסכה, “and its drink offering.” This is a reference to the drink offerings consisting of wine accompanying the daily communal burnt offerings.

Das Schabbatmussafopfer besteht nur aus עולה und ist ihm kein חטאת wie bei allen anderen מוספים beigeordnet. Vergegenwärtigen wir uns das, was wir Wajikra 4, 24. über den חטאת-Begriff und dessen Verhältnis zu עולה entwickelt haben, so dürfte sich daraus die Abwesenheit des חטאת beim Schabbatmussafopfer leicht erklären. Wit haben dort aus allen diese beiden Opferkategorien charakterisierenden gesetzlichen Bestimmungen die Überzeugung zu gewinnen geglaubt, dass das חטאת-Bewusstsein, das niederschlagende Gefühl sittlicher Gesunkenheit und Sündhaftigkeit, nicht das normale Gepräge jüdischer Lebensstimmung bilden solle. Wenn daher an den Moadim, — und in dieser Beziehung ist auch ראש חדש Mo'ed (Schebuot 10a) — an den besonderen, aus der zusammenwirkenden Bestimmung Gottes und der Nation hervorgehenden Zusammenkunftstagen die Nation mit dem vollendeten Opferausdruck ihrer idealen Bestimmung ihrem Gotte entgegenkommt, so ruft freilich eben die Vergegenwärtigung dieser idealen Vollendung das gleichzeitige Bedürfnis eines den Abstand der Wirklichkeit von dieser idealen Höhe zum Bewusstsein bringenden חטאת hervor. Allein dem Schabbatmussafopfer, das zu dem, aus dem nationalen Bewusstsein Gott huldigenden Gedanken des: Tamidopfers nur noch die Gotteshuldigung aus dem geschöpflichen Menschenbewusstsein ergänzend hinzuträgt und aus beiden zusammen die hingebungsvolle und ewig hinanstrebende Gesinnung gestalten will, die uns mit jedem Atemzuge unseres Daseins erfüllen soll, ihm musste, wie dem Tamid selbst, ein חטאת fern bleiben.

ובראשי חדשיכם, it was an ancient custom among the Israelites to treat the day of the new moon as a semi festival. We know this already from Samuel I 20,19 where Yonathan describes the day as one on which no work is performed in the field, a day not defined as יום המעשה, “a working day.” This is why this day has retained a special significance for the Jewish people, i.e. the Torah describes it as ראשי חדשיכם “the beginning of your months.” You will not find the regular festivals, מועדים described as “your festivals.” We do not find the Sabbath described as “your Sabbath” or the festival of Shavuot as “your day of the firstling fruits.” [the author will go to some length to explain that the ending כם in the word שבועותיכם in verse 26 does not refer to that festival. Ed.] Neither do we find the expression סכותיכם, etc.
The reason for this ancient custom of treating the day of the new moon almost like a festival is that historically, success of the Jewish people in matters terrestrial has always been linked to the lunar cycle. The moon is a phenomenon which has no light of its own, a phenomenon which depends on receiving and reflecting light from an external source.
Although prior to the sin of the golden calf the Jewish people’s fate was totally independent of any foreign domination, described as חרות על הלוחות, a kind of absolute independence, freedom engraved on the Tablets (the first set no doubt), (compare Exodus 32,16) as well as Eyruvin 54 and Tanchuma, Ki Tissa 16), once they had sinned they (divested themselves of this privilege, (and) no longer made use of this “Royal crown” at all times as did the other nations, so that they did no longer appear to enjoy this advantage over the other nations of the world.
Ever since that spiritual disaster, the Jewish people could enjoy their original privilege of independence from the restrictions imposed by the fact that one is part of the “laws of nature” only on rare occasions in their history, whereas most of the time they were dependent on “light”, i.e. good fortune, from external sources not under their control. To that extent, their history reflects the situation of the moon with its periods of ascent and decline month after month. When the moon is not directly exposed to the light of the sun it becomes invisible. The expression אין מזל לישראל, (Shabbat 126) means that the Jewish people do not generate light of their own, do not work at being masters of their own fate, but rely entirely on G’d to guide their fates. They receive this Divinely emanated light when their deeds are pleasing to G’d.
This is why in the parlance of our prophets G’d Himself is referred to as: “אור ישראל” Israel’s source of light. (compare Isaiah 10,16 as well as Psalms 27,1 where David refers to G’d. as אורי וישעי, “my light and my salvation.”)
Whenever the Jewish people are in a state of sin, their sins act as a barrier between them and their G’d so that they are deprived of their source of light. When Isaiah describes their state of being when sinful, he speaks of their G’d’s hiding His face from them, as Israel walking in darkness harassed by the gentile nations. (Isaiah 59,2).
Whenever the Jewish people’s fortunes are at low ebb this represents a desecration of G’d’s name, i.e. His reputation, as the gentiles refer to us sneeringly as עם ה' אלה “are these the ones who describe themselves as G’d’s special nation?” We can understand what our sages have said in Gittin 58 that whenever the Jewish people are in trouble, G’d is automatically forced to share their troubles. Having linked His honour to the honour and glory of the Jewish people, He suffers with us, (allegorically speaking). Whenever we suffer, whenever we are in a state of being oppressed, G’d is described as saying that “the pirate has attacked Me and you simultaneously.”
Seeing that the sin offering presented on New Moon’s day is an atonement for the Jewish people who are the cause of preventing the light of the moon to shine, or the reason it shines so weakly when it does shine, the sages in our prayers on that day referred to that sin offering as לכפר בעדם זכרון לכולם יהיו תשועת נפשם מיד שונא, “to obtain atonement for themselves. They were to be a memorial for them all, and a salvation for their soul from the hand of the enemy.” This is the reason that this is the only sin offering described as חטאת לה', “a sin offering on behalf of G’d.” Presentation of this offering is also in respect of the damage the sinful behaviour of the Jewish people has inflicted on G’d’s image among the gentile nations.
When we read about the dialogue described between the moon and G’d in Chulin 60, where G’d is eventually described as saying to the Jewish people “bring a sin offering on My behalf,” (in expiation for My diminishing the light of the moon) what the sage (Rabbi Shimon ben Pezzi) wanted to explain by putting such strange sounding words in G’d’s mouth is that ultimately the reason why the moon was diminished was because seeing it has a kinship with the Jewish people and these did not always live up to their lofty destiny, the moon [as a celestial representative of G’d Himself, Ed.] therefore has to suffer alongside with them for their shortcomings. Seeing this may not sound quite fair, G’d allegorically ordered a sin offering to be brought by the Jewish people on New Moon’s day in order appease the moon.

ובראשי חדשיכם, and on your new moons, etc. The suffix "your" is used to remind us that it is up to a collegium of terrestrial judges to determine the date the new moon should be celebrated.

ובראשי חדשיכם, “and on your New Moons, etc.” Some commentators understand this verse as applying to the New Moon of the month of Nissan, seeing that the New Moon of that month has been described asראשון הוא לכם לחדשי השנה, “it is the first New Moon for you of the moons of the year.” (Exodus 12,2) This would explain why the Torah concludes (verse 14) our paragraph with זאת עולת חדש בחדשו לחדשי השנה, ”this is the burnt offering of each New Moon on the successive moons of the year.”

ובראשי חדשיכם, “and on your New Moons, etc.” The reason the word ובראשי is in the plural instead of ובראש, is to avoid misunderstanding. Had the Torah written the singular ובראש I could have understood this legislation to apply only to the first day of Nissan, a day previously singled out as beginning of the month. This day had been referred to as ראש חדשים in Exodus 12,2. By writing ובראשי חדשים, the Torah made plain that the following mussaf offerings were to be offered on the first of every month. Not only this; every month has two beginnings. In the evening it is recognizable through the appearance of the moon, in the morning through the offering of the requisite sacrifice. The special offering for the New Moon could not be offered at night as no offerings may be offered at night with the exception of the Passover which is offered after the daily evening burnt-offering.

V. 11. ראש חדש .ובראשי חדשיכם וגו׳ bildet die Grundlage des. ganzen jüdischen Gott-, Welt-, und Menschenbewusstfeins. Mit ihm begann Gott die Grundlegung seiner Nation und richtete damit das Faktum des חדוש, das Faktum der freien Weltschöpfung und Menschenerlösung aus der freien Gottestat, aufs neue, im Gegensatz zu dem die Welt und Menschheit in das Grab der Schuld und des Elends rettungslos bettenden heidnischen Wahn des קדמות, als die Säule der Erlösungszukunft Israels und der Menschheit auf, wie wir dies Schmot 12, 1-2 entwickelt. Die "Erneuung" unserer selbst, das Neuerstehen zu reinem Streben und heiterem Leben, die Erlösung aus allem sittlichen, sozialen und physischen Übel, das erneute Emporrichten an Gottes Hand zur Erstrebung des uns unverlierbar winkenden Ideals der Sittlichkeit und des Heils, unsere Neuerhebung zu der heiligenden und heilenden Lichtnähe unseres Gottes aus dem Jammer aller Dunkelferne, in die wir versunken sein mögen, das ist der Ruf, den wir aus dem Anblick eines jeden neuen Mondes vernehmen sollen, den eben Gottes החדש הזה לכם ראש חדשים also zu unserem "Erlösung" sichernden Vorbildzeichen gesetzt, wie Er den Regenbogen zum Erhaltungsbundeszeichen für die Menschenwelt geweiht (siehe zu Schmot 12, 2). So oft daher der Neumond uns zur Bildung unserer חדשים, unserer Erneuungsphasen ladet, nahen wir uns Gott in seinem Gesetzesheiligtum mit dem vollen Opferausdruck des Ideals seiner uns nach Geschick und Tatenleben erteilten Bestimmung, um im עולה das Gelöbnis ewig weiteren Hinanstrebens zu der ganzen Höhe ggg dieser Bestimmung, und im חטאת das Gelöbnis künftig reinerer, vor jedem Sinken sich wahrender Festigkeit vor dem Angesichte unseres Gottes zu erneuen. Diesen vollen Opferausdruck für Israels ideale Bestimmung, die das Ziel der Erlösung aus Mizrajim und der Gesetzoffenbarung am Sinai war und das Ziel aller weiteren Gottesführungen durch die Gänge aller Zeiten bildet: פרים בני בקר שנים ואיל אחד כבשים בני שנה שבעה תמימים, haben wir bereits zu Wajikra 23, 18 betrachtet. Was Gott in dem Momente seiner Erlösungsankündigung als Ziel dieser Erlösung mit dem Ausspruch: ולקחתי אתכם לי לעם והייתי לכם לאלקים. (Schmot 6, 7; siehe daselbst) verhieß, das findet in dieser Mo'edopfergruppe seinen vollen Ausdruck.

ובראשי חדשיכם, “and on your New moon days, etc.;” this paragraph refers specifically to the day ushering in the month of Nissan, the month in which we were redeemed from Egypt our national birthdayas specifically stated in Exodus 12,2.

Israel soll sein eine Nation, deren jegliches Glied in ewiger Jugendfrische wirksam im Dienste Gottes arbeitet (פרים בני בקד שנים), die darum in ihrer Gesamterscheinung in Gottes Menschheitsherde allen anderen Menschennationen mustergültig in gottgesegneter Kraft voranschreitet (איל אחד), und deren ganze Geschichte nichts ist als ein Gott offenbarender Fingerzeig Gottes inmitten der Zeiten, durch welche sie als Herde seiner Führung in unsterblicher Jugendfrische dahinziehen ((שבעת כבשים בני שנה; — (siehe zu Wajikra 23, 18).

פרים בני בקר שנים ואיל אחד, “two young bullocks and one ram;” The same animals are to be offered as mussaph offerings on Passover and on the festival of weeks, 50 days later; New Moon and these festivals are occasions when a great number of Jewish people are assembled around the Temple in Jerusalem. On Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Atonement and Sh’mini Atzeret, only one young bullock is offered as part of the mussaph offering. On Rosh Hashanah the reason is that there is anyways another bullock that is the burnt offering of the new Moon which occurs on the same date. On the day of Atonement, the bullock offered by the High Priest on his own behalf consists of a young bullock. Also, one of the male goats serves as a sin offering for the whole people, a source for their atonement on that day. On Shimini Atzeret, after for seven days a total of 70 bullocks had been offered on behalf of the seventy nations of the world, one, such young bullock is offered on behalf of the Jewish people.

Diese mit jedem ראש חדש Israels aufs neue als sein unverlierbares und ewig neu anzustrebendes Ziel zu vergegenwärtigende Bestimmung, sie und sie allein bildet den Strebepunkt aller es zu seinem Gotte ladenden Moadim, für sie ward es aus Ägypten frei, für sie empfing es das Gesetz, für sie deckte es der Gottesschutz auf seinem Erziehungsgang durch die Wüste, zu ihr weckt es der Teruaruf am ר׳׳ה, sie erschließt ihm die Sühnepforte am יום הכפורים. Darum ist es die eine und dieselbe Opfergruppe, mit welcher Israel an allen diesen Moadim vor seinem Gotte erscheint, mit alleiniger, wie bereits zu Wajikra daselbst bemerkt, aus dem Tagescharakter fließenden Umwandlung der zwei פרים in einen פר am י׳׳כ ,ר׳׳ה und שמיני עצרת. Denn auch der Opfergruppe des Suckotfestes liegt, wie wir nun bald zu zeigen haben, die Gruppe des ר׳׳ח-Opfer zu Grunde, und so bildet das ראש חדש-Opfer den Grundtypus aller Moadimopfer, sowie ja das קביעות, die heiligende Feststellung, das קרא מקרא קדש aller Moadim, in Wahrheit nur durch קידוש החדש, durch die heiligende Feststellung des ראש חדש bedingt und als in derselben mit enthalten, zur Verwirklichung kommt.

ושלשה עשרנים AND THREE TENTH DEALS [OF FLOUR] — according to the rule of the drink-offerings which are brought with a bullock, for so are they (three tenth deals) fixed in the chapter dealing with the drink offerings (Numbers 15:9).

ושלושה עשרונים...לפר, “three-tenths ephah of fine flour for the meal-offering with a bull.” The measurement specified here was for each bull,; similarly, the measurement for the flour for the meal-offering accompanying the sheep or ram was for each of the respective animals. This is derived from the repetition of the word עשרון, עשרון. Not only that, but the addition of the words לשבעת הכבשים, “for the seven sheep” in verses 21 and 29 make it plain that the measurements given were not for the whole offering but for each animal that was part of that offering. The reason why the hint is given with the sheep is that there were so many sheep that were being offered on the altar. The Torah did not bother to spell out the details of each libation/meal offering separately for each animal as there were no fewer than a total of 196 such animal offerings on the seven days of Tabernacle alone. [Not including the Sabbath. Ed.]

Designated as such in the chapter of the libations. Meaning: Parshas Shelach Lecha (Bamidbar 15:9).

V. 12. ושלשה וגו׳. Wie Kap. 15 verordnet, hat aber sowohl die Nation im ganzen als jeder einzelne als einzelner dem Emporopfer der persönlichen Tatenweihe stets die Huldigungsgabe der Gotthörigkeit mit allen Gütern der Nahrung, des Wohlstandes und der Lebensfreude hinzuzufügen, wie diese Anerkenntnis in שמן ,סלת und יין נסכים, dem רגן תירוש ויצהר des Nationalreichtums entsprechend, zum Ausdruck gelangt, und je höher die Bedeutung der persönlichen Stellung in Gottes Haushalte steigt, die das Tatenopfer zum Bewusstsein bringt, — als treufolgendes כבש der Gottesführung, als mustergültig voranwandelnder איל der Gottesherde, als wirkensreicher פר auf Gottes Volks- und Menschheitsacker —, je höher die zum Bewusstsein kommende Bedeutung der persönlichen Stellung vor Gott, um so wichtiger das gleichzeitige Bewusstwerden der Gotthörigkeit mit allen Gütern des Seins und Strebens, und darum das immer steigende Maß der Mincha und Nesachim bei איל ,כבש und פר, wie dies Kap. 15 angeordnet und hier bei den Moadimopfern zur Erfüllung kommt.

V. 13. עלה ריח ניחוח וגו׳. Die Gütermincha sind eine wesentliche Ergänzung der פרים איל וכבשים und werden ja wie diese dem der Nationalhingebung harrenden אש על המזבח übergeben. Sie bilden daher mit diesem zusammen begrifflich ein עולה, ein Gelöbnis des Hinanstrebens zur Gott gewiesenen Höhe; ריח ניחוח, einen die Willfahrung Gottes im tätigen Leben andeutenden Ausdruck; אשה לד׳, eine Annäherung zu Gott durch Hingebung an die läuternde, belebende und gestaltende Kraft seines Gesetzes.

זאת עלת חדש בחדשו THIS IS THE BURNT OFFERING OF EVERY MONTH IN ITS MONTH — so that if its day is past its offering is cancelled, and there is no supplementary period for it (Sifrei Bamidbar 145:2).

V. 14. ונסכיהם und diese Hingebung bildet Israels reinste Glückseligkeit und steigt mit jeder höheren Stufe der Bedeutsamkeit, deren es sich vor Gott bewusst werden darf.

בחדשו, of every new moon, i.e. at the time when the lunar cycle renews itself. It must be offered on that day, and no other day.

This is the burnt-offering of each Chodesh, at its renewal. This is related to the aspect of, “Renew our days as of old” (Eichah 5:21). This is the opposite of the old. Constant burnt- offerings purchased from the contributions collected in the current year may not be brought in the following year. Each year the constant offerings were brought from the money of new contributions, as in the days in the Wilderness, on Rosh Chodesh Nisan.

זאת עולת חדש בחדשו (siehe zu V. 10). Jeder konkrete Neumondstag fordert die Betätigung der allgemeinen חדש-Idee. Daher ספרי) עבר יומו בטל קרבנו), daher kann das verabsäumte Mo'edopfer, wenn der Tag vorüber ist, nicht nachgeholt werden. Es ist eben dem Tage und dem an ihm und durch ihn zu weckenden und zum Ausdruck zu bringenden Bewusstsein kein Genüge geschehen. Das kann nicht nachgeholt werden. Sind doch die Opfer keine Regalien der Gottheit, für welche es gleichgültig sein könnte, wenn nur zuletzt das Gottheitsregal nicht zu kurz gekommen. Das Mo'edopfer soll unser Bewusstsein in die Richtung der dem Mo'ed entsprechenden Gedankenreihe heben. Ist dies an dem Mo'edtage nicht geschehen, so kann es nicht an, einem anderen Tage nachgeholt werden, denn jeder Tag bringt seine eigene Anforderung, der mit unserer ganzen Hingebung zu genügen ist. So heißt es auch vom Tamid-, vom Schabbatopfer und allen anderen קרבנות צבור שזמנן קבוע, עבר זמנו בטל ,קרבנו (Temura 14 a). Es soll aber nicht nur an jedem Tage dem Tage durch die Nationalrepräsentanz im Heiligtume entsprochen werden, es sollen alle diese Nationalmo'edopfer, und dazu gehört ja (V. 2) auch das Tamid in allererster Linie, aus immer neuer Beteiligung der Gesamtnation durch die jährlichen, in jedem Nissan לחדשי השנה, für die Monate des Jahres zur Erhebung kommenden Schekelspenden hervorgehen (Rosch Haschana 7a) חדש והביא קרבן מתרומה חדשה, in dieser Beziehung bildet jedes Jahr einen besonderen Opferzyklus für sich, wie dies bereits Schmot 30, 16 entwickelt worden.

זאת עולת חדש בחשדו, “this is the New Moon offering whenever the moon renews itself.” This means that if, for some reason, the day passed without this offering having been presented it cannot be made up for subsequently (Sifri 145).

ושעיר עזים וגו׳ AND ONE KID OF THE GOATS [FOR A SIN OFFERING] — All goats brought as additional offerings are intended to atone for those sins committed by causing uncleanness to the Sanctuary or its holy things, — all as is set forth in Treatise Shevuot 9a. The goat of the New Moon differs from other goats brought as additional offerings in the fact that the word לה׳ is stated of it: that it is a sin offering to the Lord. The Halachic explanation of this is: it is to teach you that it only makes atonement for uncleanness where there is no consciousness of having caused it either before or after it has been done (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 16:16 and Note thereon), so that no one is cognisant of the sin except the Holy One, blessed be He, alone. (It is a חטאת לה׳, a sin offering for a sin known only to God). And that the same applies to other goats (i. e., that they atone for uncleanness under the same conditions) we derive from the law about this goat. — But its Aggadic explanation is as follows: The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Bring an atonement offering for My sake, because I diminished the size of the Moon" (cf. Rashi on Genesis 1:16; Shevuot 9a, Chullin 60b).

All the [musaf] goats… Meaning, why do they bring a he-goat on the New Moon as a sin-offering — for what sin [was it brought]?

V. 15. ושעיר עזים וגו׳. Der שעיר החטאת gehört, wesentlich zur Opfergruppe aller Moadim. Es ist der bewusstwerdende Gedanke der unzulänglichen bisherigen Wirklichkeit der in der עולה-Gruppe zum Ausdrucke gelangenden idealen Vollendung zur Seite, Zum ראש חדש, dessen ganze Bedeutung in das Wiederemporringen aus jeder sittlichen Gesunkenheit aufgeht, steht der שעיר החטאת in noch besonderer, engerer Beziehung. Während daher in allen folgenden Mo'edopferordnungen der שעיר חטאת אחד sich ohne Weiteres der עולה- und מנחה ונסכים-Gruppe anschließt, sind diese hier durch זאת עלת חדש וגו׳ abgeschlossen, und tritt שעיר עזים אחד לחטאת durch die Beifügung לד׳, wie עולה לד׳ (V. 11) in besonders zu würdigender Geltung auf. Indem ה׳ ב׳׳ה, der Gott der den Menschen und die Menschheit erziehenden Liebe, in den lichtwechselnden Mondesphasen uns unser Gleichbild gewiesen und mit jedem regelmäßig wiederkehrenden Neumond uns einen ראש חדש, uns einen Tag einer wieder neu zu beginnenden geistig sittlichen Selbsterneuung zum Emporringen aus jeder lichtlos gewordenen Verdunkelung gestiftet, hat Er die große Grundwahrheit zur ewigen Beherzigung niedergelegt, dass auch der חוטא, dass auch der sündige Mensch noch לד׳, noch Gottes sei, ja, dass חטאת, dass die Sündenfähigkeit und das Entsündigungsbedürfnis und die Entsündigung, die Wiedererhebung aus der Sünde, wie dies zusammen in dem חטאת-Begriff liegt, לד׳, das höchste Gnadengeschenk sei, mit welchem Gott sein edelstes Geschöpf, den Menschen geadelt. Des Menschen höchster Vorzug, die eigentümlichste Hoheit seines Wesens, dass er aus freier Willensenergie sich auf der Höhe des Sittlichguten halten, frei das Böse meiden und das Gute üben könne, setzt ja unumgänglich die Möglichkeit voraus, dass er auch zu sündigen vermöge, dass die Sinnlichkeit einen verlockenden Reiz für ihn habe, dem aber mit freiem Willensentschlusse zu widerstehen ihm die Kraft verliehen sei, in deren Übung, in deren wiederholter Übung er eben sein Wesen immer mehr zu der ihm bestimmten Gott nahen Stufe sittlicher Reinheit emporarbeitet. Könnte der Mensch nicht sündigen, hätte die Sünde keinen Reiz für ihn, er wäre eben kein Mensch, er wäre Tier oder Engel, "die nicht abweichen in ihrem Gange", aber "Mensch", das aus freier Energie Gott dienende Wesen, wäre er nicht. Seine Wiedererhebung aus der Sünde, wie es das חטאת lehrt und bewirkt, ist somit die Sühne der Sündenfähigkeit, die sein innerstes Wesen bildet und von ihm unzertrennbar ist. Die freie Tugend, zu welcher er sich im חטאת erhebt, ist eine göttliche Blüte, die ja rein nur aus dem Boden der חטא-Fähigkeit erblüht. In der Sprache der ראש חדש-Institution gesprochen: die Herrlichkeit des dem Lichte wieder zuwachsenden Mondes offenbart die ganze Tiefe der Schöpferweisheit, die dem Monde die Fähigkeit zeitweiser Verdunkelung zugeteilt. Sollte dieses nicht vielleicht der Sinn jenes zu unserer Stelle (Schebuot 9a) gesprochenen Satzes der Weisen sein: מה נשתנה שעיר של ,ר׳׳ח שנאמר בו לד׳ אמר הקב׳׳ה שעיר זה יהא כפרה על שמיעטתי את הירח. Die Sünde, die ein Mensch begeht, ist ja in Wahrheit das einzige Schlechte, das in Gottes Welt erscheint. Der gedankenlosen Frage, warum Gott den Menschen mit, der Fähigkeit zu sündigen ausgestattet, gibt ein aus der Sünde zur sittlichen Reinheit frei wieder erstehender Mensch, einer Stufe, die er ohne Sündenfähigkeit nie hätte erreichen können, die den Schöpfer gleichsam rechtfertigende Antwort. Jeder Sieg über die Sünde, ist daher in Wahrheit eine Sühne der Sündenfähigkeit, mit welcher der Schöpfer den Menschen zum Menschen geschaffen, und jeder ראש חדש ist eine solche Aufforderung an uns, eine solche "Sühne des Schöpferwerks" zu betätigen. תוספו׳ (daselbst) hat auch die Lesart: שעיר זה יהא כפרה עלי שמעטתי וכו׳ oder wie der Satz (Chulin 60 b) lautet: הביאו כפרה עלי שמעטתי את הירח.

ושעיר עזים, “as well as one hegoat;” this is to serve as sin offering for the whole Jewish community. It symbolises the guilt of the whole Jewish people, i.e. the 10 brothers of Joseph who had been involved in his sale, and who had never offered an atonement offering at the time. In connection with this hegoat, the Torah adds the words: “for the Lord,” meaning that all of these sin offerings had to be offered as “for the sake of heaven.”

על עלת התמיד יעשה BESIDES THE CONTINUAL BURNT OFFERING SHALL IT BE DONE — It means: shall all this sacrificial rite (not the kid of the goats just mentioned) be done,

The ritual defilement of the Sanctuary. Meaning: If one entered the Sanctuary in a state of impurity; “And its sacred objects,” meaning: If one brought an offering in a state of impurity.

Das Ideal unserer sittlichen Bestimmung hat seinen Ausdruck in מקדש וקדשיו sowie dessen Gegensatz, das Versinken in sittliche Unfreiheit, seinen Ausdruck in den Zuständen und Beziehungen der טומאה findet, durch deren Berührung die Reinheit der מקדש וקדשיו-Idee getrübt wird. Die durch das חטאת einer jeden Mo'edopfergruppe zu bewirkende Aufhebung des Gegensatzes einer jederzeitigen Wirklichkeit gegen das durch das עולה der Opfergruppe vergegenwärtigte Ideal unserer Bestimmung findet daher ihren adäquaten Ausdruck in: כפרה על טומאת מקדש וקדשיו. Daher Schebuot 2a u. 9a die Lehre, dass שעירי רגלים ושעירי ראשי חדשים מכפרין על טומאת מקדש וקדשיו, und zwar על שאין בה ידיעה לא בתחלה ולא בסוף, solche טומאת מקדש וקדשיו findet darin ihre Sühne, die völlig bewusstlos geschehen und nie zum Bewusstsein kommt. (קרבן עולה ויורד bei טומאת מקדש וקדשיו setzt ידיעה בתחלה ובסוף voraus; — siehe Wajikra 5, 2 und Kommentar daselbst 5, 13). Es entspricht diese טומאת מקדש וקדשיו, welche אין בה ידיעה לא בתחלה ולא בסוף, jener Trübung unserer sittlichen Freiheit, in welche wir bei dem unvermeidlichen Verkehr mit den der Gebundenheit angehörigen Seiten des physischen Daseins leicht geraten und so unbewusst immer mehr und mehr der mitten im Verkehr des physischen sinnlichen Lebens unserem göttlichen Wesen zu erhaltenden lichtempfänglichen Reinheit und Klarheit uns entfremden könnten, wenn nicht eben von Zeit zu Zeit die מועדי ד׳ bei uns eintreten und uns hinaus aus aller dumpfen Gebundenheit und hinan und hinein in die frei und hell machende lichte Nähe unseres Gottes riefen. — Auch dieses Freimachen aus einer uns unbewusst eigen gewordenen, unsere קודש-Beziehungen trübenden טומאה, wird in der Beifügung לד׳ zu חטאת gefunden: שעיר עזים אחד לחטאת לד׳ חטא שאין מכיר בו אלא ד׳ יהא שעיר זה מכפר (Schebuot 9a). In tieferem Grunde dürfte, wenn unsere Auffassung nicht irrig ist, dieser Satz mit dem oben angeführten: שעיר זה יהא כפרה על שמעטתי את הירח zusammenfallen. מיעוט הירח im Sinne des החדש חזה לכם ist doch eben die durch die schöpferische Vermählung des göttlich reinen Gotteshauches mit dem physisch Sinnlichen gegebene Möglichkeit zeitweiliger Verdunkelung des Göttlichen im Menschen. —

על עולת “together with the burnt offerings already mentioned.”

ונסכו AND ITS DRINK OFFERING — the words “and its drink-offering” do not refer to the goat, because sin-offerings have no drink-offerings.

Who was not cognizant either at the beginning or the end. Such as a proselyte who converted, or a baby who was kidnapped by gentiles.

על עולת התמיד יעשה ונסכו, “it shall be offered as a continual burnt offering together with its drink offering.”

The other goats are derived from this one. Meaning: One learns [this quality] of the festival musaf goat-offerings from the goat brought on the New Moon. For it is written, “And [one] goat,” with a [letter] vav denoting something in addition to the musaf of the New Moon. [This teaches that] just as the musaf of the New Moon atones for the defilement of the Sanctuary and its sacred objects, so too the other goats. Those [goat-offerings] that do not have a [letter] vav [preceding them] are learned from those cases where the Torah did teach this law, since we learn the general case from the explicit.

ונסכו, this word, as on previous occasions, refers to the libation consisting of wine as a gift offering on a daily basis.

This is also expounded aggadically… Even though the first explanation is also a Midrash. But, the meaning is as follows: It is expounded according to the aggadah, meaning with an aggadic explanation. For the first midrashic interpretation was according to the beraysos of Toras Kohanim which contain halachos and monetary laws.

This entire offering. (Gur Aryeh) Meaning: This does not refer to the goat at all, since there are no libations for a sin-offering. Rather, it refers to the [entire] offering.

“Its libation” does not [only] refer to the goat. Why would this be written concerning the goat and not the bulls, rams and sheep? Furthermore [Rashi comments:] “Its libation” does not refer to the goat, meaning that it only refers to the continuous burnt-offering mentioned previously, as if the Torah had said, “In addition to the continuous burnt-offering and its libation shall you make this offering.”

ובחודש הראשון בארבעה עשר יום לחודש, “And in the first month on the fourteenth of the month, a Passover for the Lord.” This was a special warning to present the Passover, (each householder, as rule) it was mentioned here once more in conjunction with the other offerings of the festival of unleavened bread. The Torah abbreviated here by only mentioning the name of that offering as all its details had already been spelled out in chapter 12 of the Book of Exodus.

ובחודש הראשון בארבעה עשר יום לחדש פסח לה', “and in the first month on the fourteenth of the month, a passover for the Lord.” In this verse the words בין הערבים which usually appear in connection with the passover are missing. Also the burnt-offering which has to be brought on the Sabbath during the seven days of Passover is not mentioned; neither does the Torah make any reference to the offering of the first new barley, commonly known as Omer which is presented on the second day of the Passover and which is mentioned in Leviticus 23,12. Here the Torah phrases the prohibition to perform work on the Holiday as כל מלאכת עבודה, instead of the more all encompassing expression כל מלאכה, “all manner of work,” used in connection with the Sabbath. The difference is that it is permitted to use fire on the festival in connection with preparing food for the same day. Seeing that in Exodus 12,16 where the Torah also speaks of the Passover it does use the expression כל מלאכה to refer to the work-prohibition it had to add the words: “except what is needed to prepare food for every person,” in that verse.

VV. 16-19. ובחדש הראשון וגו׳ und wenn der erste Monat der jüdischen Nationalschöpfung gekommen, und dann am vierzehnten, am Vorabend der Erlösung, im Peßachopfer immer wieder und wieder jedes jüdische Haus mit allen seinen Seelen der Gottesentscheidung zwischen physischem und bürgerlichem Sein und Nichtsein, die Erlösungsstunde wiederholend, sich unterstellt und den konstituierenden Aufbau der Nation von ihren Grundrechten auf, aufs neue begeht (siehe Schmot 12, 3 — 14 u. 27); wenn dann am fünfzehnten die Nation zum חג, zum Festkreis, um Gott und sein Heiligtum sich zusammenschließt und sieben Tage mit den Mazzot, mit den ungegohrenen Broten in Händen, das Bekenntnis ablegt, wie sie Gott und nur Gott allein die Freiheit und Selbständigkeit verdankt, deren sie sich erfreut, sie darum von dem niederbeugenden Pharaonengeist in den aufrichtenden und freimachenden Dienst Gottes eingetreten (Schmot 12, 14 u. 15); sofort der erste Tag sie daher aus allem Erdendienst hinaus und zu Gott und seinem Heiligtume hinangerufen, und keine Hand im Werk schaffenden Dienst der Erde sich rührt (Schmot 12, 16): והקרבתם, so hat sie wieder, wie am ראש חדש, mit dem idealen Ausdruck ihrer aus allen diesen ihren Beziehungen zu Gott hervorgegangenen Bestimmung in פרים שנים איל אחד ושבעה כבשים Gott zu nahen. Es wird hier nur, dem normalen Ausdruck des ראש חדש gegenüber, die Bestimmung תמימים durch den besonderen Satz: תמימם יהיו לכם besonders hervorgehoben, dem פסח- und מצות-Begriff entsprechend die "Ganzheit" unserer Hingebung der "ganzen" Persönlichkeit in allen und mit allen Beziehungen in das durch יציאת מצרים begründete Dienstverhältnis zu Gott zu besonderer Beherzigung darbietend. תמימם יהיו לכם: nur in dem Zustand der Ganzheit können sie zum Ausdruck der mit יציאת מצרים euch gewordenen Bestimmung euch dienen (siehe Wajikra 22, 19 f.).

לחדש הזה, of this month, etc. The word "this" appears superfluous. Torat Kohanim Leviticus 23,6 explains that the word is used to teach us that on the Sukkot festival one need not eat matzah. Matzah needs to be eaten only on Passover. I have already explained this on Leviticus 14,7.

כל מלאכת עבדה [YE SHALL DO] NO SERVILE WORK — even work that is a necessity for you, as, for instance, a matter that may become lost (that cannot be postponed without irretrievable loss) and which is permissible on the intermediate days of Passover and Tabernacles (lit., the week days of the Festival) is forbidden on the Festival itself (see Rashi on Leviticus 23:8).

For example, to prevent a loss. (Gur Aryeh) Meaning: The Torah writes a prohibition concerning “work of consequence” in order for one to expound that on the intermediate days only work of consequence is permitted, [meaning work] that prevents a loss from happening. For if it had only written, “Any work,” then the authorization of allowing to do work that the Torah writes concerning the intermediate days would have also referred to “any work.” However now that the prohibition regarding work to prevent a loss from happening is written regarding the festival, we inevitably learn that the authorization of allowing to do work on the intermediate days is specifically for work to prevent a loss from happening, but not for other types of work. (Kitzur Mizrochi) explains that this was necessary to inform us that other types of work are prohibited on the festival; for one would have said that since work was permitted [on the festival] regarding the preparation of food, so too it was permitted [to do work] to prevent a loss from happening, [i.e.] where there would be a monetary loss if it were not performed on that day. Thus, we are informed that even in this case it is forbidden.

מקרא קדש, “a holy convocation.” Although the word מקרא appears with the letter א at the end, it is to be understood as if it had been spelled with the letter ה at the end meaning: ”a happening.” The Targum renders the verse as referring to a מערע, “a happy gathering involving food and drink, and fancy dress.”

כל מלאכת עבודה, “any manner of servile work;” this type of work is prohibited to be carried out on such a day, whereas work involving the preparation of food and drink is permissible. This is the reason why the Torah here did not write as it did concerning work on the Sabbath: כל מלאכה לא תעשו, “you must not perform any manner of מלאכה, but only forbade: “servile type of work.” כל מלאכת עבודה.

פרים BULLOCKS — in allusion to Abraham, as it is said, (Genesis 18:7) “And unto the herd (the bullock) Abraham ran”,

תמימים יהיו לכם, “they shall be free from blemish, for you.” If animals used as communal offerings on the Sabbaths or festivals should have a blemish disqualifying them as offerings, slaughtering such animals on the Sabbath or festival would be a grave sin. It would even be forbidden to remove the skins of such animals on either the Sabbath or the festival. This is why the prophet Ezekiel, Ezekiel 22,8 stated: קדשי בזית ואת שבתותי חללת, “you have despised My holy things, and you have profaned My Sabbaths.” This is also why no mention is made of the animals for the offerings on New Moon having to be free from blemish. It is clear that all animals for offerings must be free from blemishes on any day of the week, but if these animals are offered on a day when certain work must not be performed, if such an animal is nonetheless being offered, the person doing so has committed an additional sin, that of profaning the holiness of the day.

אילים RAMS — in allusion to the ram of Isaac (Genesis 22:13).

כבשים LAMBS — in allusion to Jacob, as it is said, (Genesis 30:40) “And the lambs did Jacob set aside”. I saw this in the work of R. Moses the Preacher (see Rashi on Numbers 7:21).

THREE TENTH-PARTS SHALL YE OFFER FOR ‘A BULLOCK’ — that is, for each of the [two] bullocks, [mentioned in the preceding verse]. Similarly, three tenth-parts for ‘the one bullock’²⁰⁶Ibid., 29:14. means for each one of the [thirteen] bullocks [mentioned in the preceding verse]. And [the expression in the following Verse 21] for the one lamb shows us [the meaning of] this [phrase — for ‘a bullock,’ in Verse 20 before us], since it says [there in Verse 21], ‘isaron isaron’ [literally: ‘a tenth-part, a tenth-part’ shalt thou offer for ‘the one lamb’ — thus indicating clearly that this amount of the meal-offering is for each of the Iambs; and here too the amount stated is for each of the bullocks and rams]. Scripture further states explicitly [in Verse 21]: for every lamb of the seven lambs. So here too, for ‘a bullock’ means for [each of] the two bullocks. Scripture, however, sometimes speaks briefly in a matter which is self-understood, for it is obvious that there are not three tenth-parts [of an ephah offered up] for one bullock, whilst the second one has none [at all]. And [the reason why] He stated explicitly [in the following Verse 21] in connection with the lambs [that the meal-offering specified is for each one of the lambs], is because they are many [i.e., seven], and it follows all the more so in the [case of the] bullocks [mentioned here in Verse 20 that the meal-offering specified there is to be offered up for each of the two bullocks]. And in [speaking about the first day of] the Festival of Tabernacles, when the bullocks were more [than on any other festival], He explains three tenth-parts for the one bullock of the thirteen bullocks.²⁰⁶Ibid., 29:14.

VV. 20 u. 21. ומנחתם. Da bereits Kap. 15 die allgemeine Bestimmung erteilt ist, dass zu jedem עולה die entsprechenden מנחה und נסכים im Opfer hinzugefügt sein müssen, ist die Darbringung derselben auch bei den Mo'edopfern selbstverständlich. Nachdem dieselben bei ראש חדש gleichwohl ausführlich erwähnt worden, werden sie bei den übrigen Mo'edopfern nur in abgekürzter Form und zwar als מנחתם, als die selbstverständlich zu ihnen gehörige Mincha besprochen, נסכים sogar wie hier beim Mo'edopfer des Mazzotfestes als selbstverständlich ganz unerwähnt gelassen, und sonst nur durch ונסכיהם allgemein angedeutet, ohne besondere Detaillierung der bestimmten Maßverhältnisse. Mincha und deren Maßverhältnisse waren, wie Ramban im Kommentar erläutert, besonders zu erwähnen, weil bei diesen Abweichungen vorkommen, wie beim עומר. (Wajikra 23, 13), wo dem einen כבש zwei Zehntel beigeordnet sind (siehe daselbst): das Maß der נסכים ist jedoch durchaus konstant und bedurfte daher keiner besonderen weiteren Erwähnung. Einer besonderen Erwägung bedarf noch der plötzliche Übergang (V. 21) vom Plural, in welchem vorher und nachher die Anrede lautet, in den Singular תעשה bei der Mincha der כבשים, und dies תעשה überhaupt, das hier die מנחה für כבשים zu einer עשרון besonderen gesetzlichen Bestimmung hervorhebt, während in allen übrigen sich das עשרון עשרון לכבש einfach den עשרונים von פרים und איל anschließt. Auch diese Ausdrucksnuance dürfte sich aus der Bedeutung des יציאת מצרים-Festopfers erklären. Sind doch die "sieben" "כבשים" der Opferausdruck für die "Gott offenbarende Geschichte" der Nation, ein Gedanke, der in eminentestem Sinne mit dem יציאת מצרים-Gedächtnis der Nation, und zwar in ihrer Gesamteinheit, zum erneuten Bewusstsein kommt. Mehr als alle anderen Geschichtswohltaten, die wir von Gott erfahren haben, hat die יציאת מצרים-Erlösung Israel in seiner Gesamtheit als Ein Wesen gefasst. Es war die Liebe, der starke Arm eines Vaters, der sein Kind aus Tod und Kerker in die Luft des Lebens und der Freiheit hinausrettete. Daher עשרון עשרון תעשה לכבש האחד לשבעת הכבשים am Peßach, und es war diese Einheit des עשרון-Maßes für die כבשים des Mo'edopfers am Peßach darum als besondere Anordnung aufzuführen, weil ja gerade beim Omer am Peßach die Anomalie von zwei עשרנים für ein כבש vorkommt.

V. 22. לכפר עליכם. Am ראש חדש ist die in der Opfergruppe ihren idealen Ausdruck findende Nation nur in der Idee gegenwärtig. Dort tritt daher die Unzulänglichkeit derselben in der konkreten Wirklichkeit nicht so sichtbar hervor, sie ist gleichsam nur Gott gegenwärtig. Dort heißt es daher: ושעיר עזים אחד לחטאת לד׳ (siehe oben). Allein am Peßach ist die ganze Nation in ihrer leiblichen Gegenwart anwesend. Dort drängt sich der Gedanke dieser Unzulänglichkeit und das daraus hervorgehende Sühnebedürfnis, aller Augen auf, daher hier: ושעיר חטאת אחד לכפר עליכם.

V. 23. מלבד עלת הבקר. V. 24 heißt es wie bei ראש חדש und den übrigen Mo'edopfern: על עולת התמיד יעשה ונסכו. Wenn hier noch besonders gesagt ist, מלבד עולת הבקר אשר לעולת התמיד תעשו את אלה, so kann damit nicht die Aufeinanderfolge des Mussaf nach dem Tamidopfer bestimmt sein, die ja mit der stehenden Formel (V. 24) gegeben ist. Vielmehr müssen diese beiden Opfer in besonderer Veranlassung des Peßachfestopfers in ihrem gegenseitigen Verhalten zu einander damit der Erkenntnis näher gebracht sein, und zwar ist das nächste Objekt der Besprechung das Tamidopfer; das ja hier, wie in dem ganzen Mo'edopferkapitel nicht wieder, in seiner begrifflichen Bedeutung: עולת הבקר besonders hervorgehoben wird. Wohl gibt es keine größeren Gegensätze, als die innerhalb der natürlichen Ordnung der Dinge erfolgende Tagwerdung, welche das Tamidopfer veranlasst, und die mit Aufhebung aller Naturordnung erfolgte יציאת מצרים-Tatsache, deren Gedächtnis das Mazzotfest in seinen Mo'edopfern begeht, und doch werden hier beide Tatsachen nacheinander auf Gott, den einen Einzigen bezogen. Es ist derselbe Gott, in dessen Anblick der Morgenstrahl ladet und zu dem das יציאת מצרים-Gedächtnis ruft, denn es ist derselbe Gott, der in der von Ihm gegebenen und von Ihm erhaltenen und gelenkten Naturordnung täglich den Morgen weckt, den Morgen uns und uns dem Morgen gibt, und der in Mizrajim einst mit Aufhebung eben dieser Ordnung sich als den Setzer dieser Ordnung, als den Herrn und Gebieter in Natur und Geschichte offenbarte und mit dieser Offenbarung sich uns als Gott und, uns sich als Volk bestimmte. Daher das bedeutsame: מלבד עולת הבקר אשר לעולת התמיד תעשו את אלה, täglichen Emporopfer bestimmt ist, vollzieht ihr diese, und zwar vollzieht ihr diese im Anschluss an das tägliche Opfer, das diesem vorangeht, wie dies in den Partikeln על und מלבד liegt (siehe V. 10).

In addition to the morning burnt-offering. The language is seemingly superfluous, but it comes to teach that on festivals they should bring the constant offering sooner than on any weekday. The connotation of “the morning” is early in the morning, and all the other festivals are derived from this verse regarding Pesach.

Gesetzlich wird, da hier das עולת הבקר, weil es ein עולת חתמיד ist, den selteneren מוספים vorangeht, die allgemeine Ordnungsregel (Sebachim 89a; — siehe auch Horiot 12a und Raschi) gelehrt, dass כל התדיר מחבירו קודם את חבירו, immer das häufigere Vorkommende dem seltener Vorkommenden, das Gewöhnlichere dem Ungewöhnlichen vorangeht, eine wohl zu beherzigende Regel, da gemeinhin das gottesdienstliche Seltenere mehr Beachtung findet, als das Gewöhnliche oder gar Alltägliche.

כאלו תעשו ליום LIKE THESE YE SHALL OFFER ON EACH DAY — Like these mentioned: this implies that they are not continuously to decrease in number on each day as do the bullocks brought on the Feast of Tabernacles (Numbers 29:12—34) (Sifrei Bamidbar 147:2).

V. 24. כאלה תעשו ליום וגו׳. Sieben Tage tritt die ihr Gründungsfest feiernde Nation mit demselben Opferausdruck ihrer Bestimmung zu Gott hin (— nicht wie am ;)— [ספרי] Suckotfeste, an welchem täglich eine veränderte Opfergruppe nahegebracht wird denn am Feste ihrer Gründung gilt es vor allem, sich mit der Idee dieser ihrer Bestimmung voll zu durchdringen, deren Beherzigung eben — wie es bei keinem Mo'ed weiter so vollständig lautet — לחם: eine Bereitstellung aller Verhältnisse der Nation für die Gottesgegenwart in ihrer Mitte bewirken soll, אשה ריח ניחוח לד׳: durch Hingebung derselben an die Feuermacht des göttlichen Gesetzes zum Ausdruck der Willfahrung Gottes im Tatendienst des Lebens. — ונסכו wahrscheinlich, wie in den übrigen Stellen, auf das Tamid sich beziehend. Sonst, da der נסכים noch nicht gedacht ist, könnte es auch auf לחם bezogen werden. —

כאלה תעשו ליום שבעת ימים, “After this manner you shall present offerings for seven consecutive days;” previously, when this festival had been discussed in Leviticus in the latter part of chapter 23, where not the offerings but the location of them in our own land are the central focus of the Torah, the blessings related to these festivals are highlighted, and therefore our gratitude for them. In this chapter the Torah highlights the details of the offerings to be presented on those occasions.

ונסכו, and its drink offering;” the verse refers to the words: 'לחם אשה לה, at the beginning of our verse, i.e. “the food of the offering for G-d made by fire;” what is meant specifically are the drink offerings accompanying the animal offerings as gift offerings, מנחה, including the meal (baked flour) parts of such offerings.

V. 25. וביום השביעי וגו׳ und wie der erste, so ruft euch dann der siebte Tag wieder aus allem Werk schaffenden Erdendienst hinaus und zu Gott und seinem Heiligtum hin, auf dass alle die unter dem Einflusse des siebentägigen Festes gewonnenen und neugestärkten Gedanken und Willensregungen gesammelt und festgehalten werden und mit einem Geist und Herz bereichernden Lebensschatze das Gottesheiligtum die Seinen entlasse (siehe Schmot 12, 16).

וביום השביעי, “and on the seventh day;” I have found that an identical verse is recited also on the seventh day of Passover in our mussaph prayers, i.e. 'ביום השביעי וגו.

וביום הבכורים AND ON THE DAY OF THE FIRSTLINGS — The Feast of Weeks is called the firstlings of the wheat harvest (Exodus 34:22) because of the two loaves (Leviticus 23:17) which were the first of the wheat meal offerings which were brought from the new grain (Menachot 84b).

בשבועותיכם, on account of the weeks of cutting, harvesting. Compare Jeremiah 5,24 שבועות חקת קציר, “the weeks appointed for the harvest.” The reason for the apparently superfluous letter ב at the beginning of this word here is similar to the use by Scripture of the same letter in constructions such as בנפש יכפר in Leviticus 17,11, or בדם עשהאל in Samuel II 3,27, or בלחם נשכרו in Samuel I 2,5. It is a form of emphasis of the word it introduces.

בהקריבכם…בשבעתיכם, when you offer on your festival of weeks, etc. The plural indicates that this festival is not only meant for bringing the offering from the new wheat harvest, but that at the same time it also symbolises the completion of the count of the seven weeks commencing with the second day of Passover. This represents a major rehabilitation of our souls as explained by the Kabbalists. The Torah is careful to use the possessive suffix to indicate that the seven weeks represent the essential elements which distinguished the seven righteous people who between them form the spiritual foundation of the Jewish people. This is explained in detail in Tikkuney Hazohar chapter 21.

Which are the first of the wheat minchah- offerings. Though the omer allows all varieties of new crop, wheat, barley and other types of grain, this is concerning for food that is eaten. However, for offerings one would not be permitted to bring from the new crop until after the minchah of the two loaves which was brought from the wheat from the present year.

V. 26. וביום הבכורים. Und wenn ihr nun nach zurückgelegtem Feste eurer Gelangung zur Freiheit und Selbständigkeit endlich den Tag erreicht, der die Zeit eröffnet, in welchem es euch vergönnt ist, die "Erstlinge" eurer Jahresfrüchte in das Gesetzesheiligtum vor Gottes Altar als Anerkennung des von Gott, seiner Verheißung getreu, in Folge eures Eintritts in seinen Gesetzesbund euch gewährten Bodensegens zu tragen: בהקריבכם מנחה חדשה לד׳, und ihr diese Zeit, überhaupt die Darbringung Gott huldigender Mincha von der neuen Frucht, mit שתי לחם, mit "zwei gesäuerten Weizenbroten" eröffnet, die ihr vor Gottes Altar zum Ausdruck der "menschenwürdigen Selbständigkeit" bringt welche infolge der Verwirklichung seines Gesetzes Gott "jedem Gliede seines Gesetzesvolkes". gewährleistet; und zwar בשבעתיכם, an eurer Wochenvollendung, nachdem ihr, nicht שבעות חקות קציר (Jirmija 5, 24), nicht die Wochen der Erntereife, sondern eure Wochen, die Wochen eurer Reife, eures geistigen und sittlichen Reifwerdens für Empfängnis und Trägerschaft des göttlichen Gesetzes von erlangter Freiheit und Selbständigkeit gezählt habet (siehe Wajikra 23, 15 — 22); und ihr dann wiederum aus dem Werk schaffenden Erdendienst hinaus in den Dienst Gottes, zu seinem Heiligtum, geladen seid.

וביום הבכורים, “And on the day of offering the first fruits, etc,” The reason why this day is called: “the day of the first fruits,” is that commencing with that date the farmer can present such fruit from the current harvest in the Temple as his gift to G-d, i.e. the priests, His terrestrial representatives. The verse failed to mention the month, and from which day of that month this regulation applies. I have already explained the reason for this omission in my commentary on Leviticus23,21.

Another reason why the Torah wrote בשבעתיכם is to disabuse the fools who thought that the words ממחרת השבת in Leviticus 23,25 refer to the Sabbath of Bereshit, i.e. the ordinary Sabbath, rather than the first day of Passover (compare Menachot 65). By saying "your weeks," the Torah makes it plain that the count started on a day which was subject to the terrestrial court to determine. The terrestrial court has no authority to change the date of the Sabbath, although it may postpone the day on which we observe new moons. We have a Baraitha in Menachot 72 where Rabbbi Yehudah also deduces the same ruling from the words in Deut. 16,9 תספר לך, "count for yourself." This excludes days over which our courts have no authority and which all mankind counts alike.

בשבועותיכם, “on your feast of weeks;” the word is translated by the Targum as בעצרתיכון; since the Targum appeared, or in deference to its author, the name of the festival has been changed to Atzeret. [Presumably, this is on account of the stoppage of counting the omer. Ed.] Previously, this festival had been known as Shavuot.

VV. 27-31. והקרבתם וגו׳, so tretet ihr wieder mit dem idealen Ausdruck eurer aus allen diesen Beziehungen hervorgehenden, jedes Einzelleben zum wirkenden Gottesdienst, eure Gesamtheit zum voranleuchtenden Völkermuster, eure Geschichte zu einer Gott offenbarenden Menschheitlehre adelnden, eure Existenz, euren Wohlstand, eure Freuden zu einer Gotteshuldigung weihenden, aus der Unzulänglichkeit einer jeden Gegenwart euch stets die Pforten zu einer neuen reineren, treueren Zukunft eröffnenden Bestimmung, tretet ihr wiederum mit zwei פרים, einem איל, sieben כבשים, mit eurem סלת, eurem שמן eurem יין נסכים und einem שעור לכפר Gott nahe, und heißt es hier, an שבועתיכם, an der Feier unserer Würdigmachung für Gottes Gesetz, nicht wie am Peßach (V. 19) nur in Beziehung zu den unsere durch Gott frei gewordenen Persönlichkeiten ausdrückenden Opfertieren, sondern am Schlusse, im zusammenfassenden Hinblicke auf alle im Opfer erscheinenden Seiten unseres Wesens, auf die פרים איל וכבשים, auf das תמימים יהיו לכם ;סלת נשמן ויין, nur in ihrer Ganzheit, in Darstellung allumfassendster Ausnahmlosigkeit können sie eurer Verhältnisse und eurer Freude an ihnen Opferausdruck werden. Denn eben das תמימות, das alles umfassende, das Ausnahmlose unserer Hingebung an Gott, die Huldigung aller unserer Beziehungen, das: ואהבת את ד׳ אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאודך, die Einheit unseres Lebens aus der Einheit Gottes, wie sie eben die Opferbedeutung: תמימים bezeichnet (siehe Wajikra 1, 3), sie ist eben der Gesamtinhalt des Gesetzes, das als תורת ד׳ תמימה משיבת נפש. —

In connection with the festival of Sh’vuot, although the line: שעיר עזים אחד לכפר עליכם, “one male goat to atone for you,” appears, the customary word: לחטאת, “as a sin offering “ is absent. Presumably this is in honour of the Torah which had been given to the people on that date. This is also why the author of the liturgical poem recited in many congregations on that day, writes that: “sin is not mentioned on that day so that the Lord can enjoy a day of rest.” An alternate explanation. Seeing that on that day, at least, the entire congregation was free from sin, [when the Ten Commandments were given at Mount Sinai. Ed.] According to the Midrash, their status was like as if they had never sinned, as on that day they had unanimously accepted the yoke of the Torah. We find also the line: מלבד עולת התמיד, “apart from the daily burnt offering,” immediately following this verse and it is strange that these words do not appear in connection with the two wave-breads that were offered up only on that day of the year. This was the pattern of the Torah in chapter 29,6,as well as in chapter 29,11, in connection with the mussaph offerings on New Year’s Day as well as on the Day of Atonement.
Perhaps we can answer this question by suggesting that this statement had already been included in the description of the mussaph offerings on that day commencing in verse 26 of our chapter. We also find that in connection with the details of the mussaph offerings on New Year’s Day, (29,2) it is written specifically: ועשיתם עולה, “you are to prepare a burnt offering, etc;” Why was this expression different in any way from the usual formula of והקרבתם עולה, “you are to sacrifice (bring to the altar) that the Torah employs everywhere else when discussing the burnt offering? We may understand that the reason is that that day is the day when all of mankind is being judged, and from the moment we enter the New Year, we are all considered as if we had only been created on that day. The author of the liturgical poems for that day probably had this in mind when he wrote: הבוראם בריאה חדשה, “Who had created them as a new creature.” According to the Midrash, these words in the liturgy for the Days of awe should be read only on the Day of Atonement. (based on the Midrash on Psalms 102,19 where the psalmist speaks of a new people having been created.) [There are several disagreements quoted by the Midrash as to who precisely the psalmist referred to, at any rate all are agreed that he referred to people not yet created at the time when the psalmist composed this hymn. I am therefore not continuing with this part of the author’s commentary. The reader interested can read the Midrash Tehillim Ed.]
The reason why on Sukkot we recite the entire Hallel as opposed to the festival of Passover is that on each of the days of Sukkot, the composition of the offering is different from every other day, thereby giving each day a special significance. On Passover, the mussaph offering is exactly the same on all of the seven days. The reason why on the eighth day, sh’mini ha-atzeret, only a single bullock is part of the mussaph offering, is to show that it is not the Lord Who is in need of these offerings, but they are presented as a sign of honour by G–d to the Jewish people to the gentile nations. It would have been appropriate that this day occur on the 50th day after the end of the Sukkot festival, just as the festival of Sh’vuot occurs on the fiftieth day after the first day of Passover. It has been shifted as the climate at that time makes a pilgrimage to Jerusalem a hardship during the rainy season. (Tanchuma section 15 on this portion) Our author quotes another liturgical poem for these days referring to this point. [We, especially in the land of Israel, where these festivals are part of the everyday atmosphere on these days, do not recite most of these poems anymore, as we do not need them as a reminder of the significance of the days. Ed.]

שעיר עזים אחד, “one male goat;” we have a statement recorded near the end of the Babylonian Talmud tractate Rosh Hashanah, that in the land of Israel the scholars quoting Rabbi Mesharshia in the name of Rabbi Acha, draws attention to the fact that whereas with all the other such sacrifices the term used is חטאת, “sinoffering,” whereas here the reference to sin is omitted. He explains by quoting the Lord saying to the Israelites: “seeing that this is the anniversary of the day on which you voluntarily accepted the yoke of My Torah, I consider this as if you had not committed any sins to be atoned for prior to this day.” (Jerusalem Talmud Rosh Hashanah chapter 4, halachah 10)

תמימים יהיו לכם ונסכיהם THEY SHALL BE TO YOU WITHOUT BLEMISH, AND THEIR DRINK OFFERINGS — i.e. the drink offerings, too, shall be without blemish. Our Rabbis learned from this that wine upon which mold shows itself is unfit for drink-offerings (Menachot 87a).

תמימים יהיו לכם ונסכיהם, “they shall be unblemished for you, together with their libations.” This means that the libations must also be unblemished. Our sages in Menachot 87 use this verse to legislate that if in the wine of the libation any kind of flour-like material floats to the surface the wine is unfit for the altar. The reason is that only the choicest product of its respective category of produce or animal is to be presented on the altar. Anything which does not fit these criteria is unwelcome, unfit for use on the altar a priori (Maimonides Hilchot Issurey Hamizbeach 7, 1-2). If, for instance, someone was obligated to present a burnt-offering on the altar he must not bring a weak or frail, undernourished animal. He must not say that seeing the weak animal is unblemished he has complied with the legislation of the Torah. Concerning such an attitude (saying that as long as it is not blemished it is acceptable) the prophet Malachi 1,14 said “cursed be the cheat” (Rashi).
During the period of the Temple the Israelites would import rams from Moav, and sheep with wide backs they would bring from Chevron, and young turtle-doves from the mountain known as הר המלך. They would bring olive oil from Tekoah; all these places mentioned were known to produce the finest of that respective category of animal, bird, or oil.
We already find that when the Torah mentions the first offering by man, i.e. Kayin and Hevel, that the gift by Hevel is described as consisting of the choicest of its kind (Genesis 4,4). As a result, G’d welcomed his offering while He spurned that of Kayin, who had contented himself with offering produce of an inferior quality (Genesis 4,5). We also have an explicit verse in Deut. 12,11 speaking of כל מבחר נדריכם, “and all the choicest of your vows,” i.e. the choicest animals which you present to G’d to discharge your vows.” It is also written in Numbers 18,32: “when you raise up its best from it.” Even the wood used for kindling on the altar had to be the finest of its kind, was not allowed to contain worms (Maimonides, Hilchot Issurey Hamizbeach 6,2). Timber from buildings which had been demolished was not allowed to be used as wood for the woodpile of the altar. Only “new” wood, i.e. wood not previously used for something else was admissible. Wood from all kinds of trees was permitted to be used except wood from olive trees or from vineyards (Maimonides ibid.) This was out of ecological considerations for the land of Israel.
Similarly, the olive oil used for burning in the Menorah was of the choicest quality, only finely crushed pure olive oil being permitted; it had to be the kind which was free-flowing from the fruit after it was crushed. This is also why the sages disqualified oil into which a mouse had fallen as being unsuitable for lighting the candelabra in the Synagogue (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deyah 104,2). In this connection the same source says that if the mouse had already disintegrated and there is a minimum of 60 times as much oil as residual animal tissue, such oil may be fit for eating, whereas if the remains of the mouse are identifiable one is to throw out the remains of the mouse and, provided there is 60 times as much oil left thereafter, the oil may be used without restriction. All the above is the practical expression of Malachi 1,8: ”would you dare offer a blemished beast to your governor, would he treat you with favor?”

The Rabbis derive from this… Meaning: Above (v. 30) the Torah should have said, “One he-goat to make atonement for you, shall be without blemish for you.” However, it was juxtaposed to the libations to teach you that the libations too, should be without blemish.

Without blemish and their libations. In Menachos (87a) it was derived from here that wine which has become moldy is invalid for libations, as it says, without blemish. The Torah hinted about this here in conjunction with Shavuos because that is when wine would become spoiled, as taught in Baba Basra (98): In the case where one is selling fragrant wine, he must deliver the wine before Shavuos. Rashbam explains that after Shavuos even fragrant wine becomes spoiled.

מלבד עולת התמיד, “beside the daily burnt offering;” if you were to ask why the Torah did not write: beside the two showbreads, etc. etc., which are all part of the offerings presented on Atzeret (as the Torah had done in connection with the New moon offerings, and the offerings on the Day of Atonement?) We would respond to this question by reminding the reader that earlier, in verse 26, these details had already been recorded so that there was no need to repeat them here again. Beside they referred to the gift offerings, not the principal offerings.

ונסכיהם, “and their drink offerings.” This refers to the wine libations on the day of Shavuot and the meal offerings accompanying the principal offerings.

That is that He commanded us to sacrifice two one-year old lambs in the Temple everyday, and these are called the daily offerings (temidin). And this is His saying, "two a day as a regular burnt offering" (Numbers 28:3) And the order and process of their offering has already been explained in Yoma and in Tractate Tamid. (See Parashat Pinchas; Mishneh Torah, Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 1.)

That is that He commanded to offer a sacrifice on every Shabbat in addition to the regular offering of every day. And that is His saying, "two one-year old lambs" (Numbers 28:9). And the order of their offering has already been explained in the second chapter in Yoma and in Tamid. (See Parashat Pinchas; Mishneh Torah, Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 4)

That is that He commanded to offer a sacrifice on every Rosh Chodesh (first day of the month) in addition to the regular offering of every day. And that is His, may He be exalted and may His name be blessed, saying, "And on the beginnings of your months, etc." (Numbers 28:11). (See Parashat Pinchas; Mishneh Torah, Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 7.)

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.)

That is that He commanded to also offer an additional sacrifice on the fiftieth day from the offering of the omer, [the latter being on] the 16th of Nissan. And that is the additional sacrifice of Atzeret (Shavuot) mentioned in the Book of Numbers. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying, "On the day of the first fruits, when you offer" (Numbers 28:26). (See Parashat Pinchas; Mishneh Torah, Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 8)

That is that He commanded us that all of that which we offer Him be consummate for its type - flawless from blemishes that appear in Scripture and those that they pronounced as such from tradition. And this is His saying, "it must, to be acceptable, be flawless" (Leviticus 22:21). And the language of the [Sifra] (Sifra Emor, Section 7:9) is, "'It must, to be acceptable, be flawless' - is a positive commandment." And they already brought a proof that the wines of the libations and their oils and the fine flour must be the best and clean from any corruption - from His saying, "flawless for you, with their libations" (Numbers 28:31). And the regulations of this commandment have already been explained in Chapter 8 of Menachot. (See Parashat Pinchas; Mishneh Torah, Things Forbidden on the Altar 6.)