Chumashחומש

דבר אל בני ישראל, מועדי ה'. עֲשֵׂה מוֹעֲדוֹת שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְֹרָאֵל מְלֻמָּדִין בָּהֶם, שֶׁמְּעַבְּרִים אֶת הַשָּׁנָה עַל גָּלֻיּוֹת שֶׁנֶּעֶקְרוּ מִמְּקוֹמָן לַעֲלוֹת לָרֶגֶל וַעֲדַיִן לֹא הִגִּיעוּ לִירוּשָׁלַיִם (ספרא):

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

ששת ימים. מָה עִנְיַן שַׁבָּת אֵצֶל מוֹעֲדוֹת? לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל הַמְחַלֵּל אֶת הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת מַעֲלִין עָלָיו כְּאִלּוּ חִלֵּל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּתוֹת, וְכָל הַמְקַיֵּם אֶת הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת מַעֲלִין עָלָיו כְּאִלּוּ קִיֵּם אֶת הַשַּׁבָּתוֹת (שם):

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

אלה מועדי ה'. לְמַעְלָה מְדַבֵּר בְּעִבּוּר שָׁנָה וְכָאן מְדַבֵּר בְּקִדּוּשׁ הַחֹדֶשׁ:

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

בין הערבים. מִשֵּׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת וּלְמַעְלָה (שם):

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

פסח לה'. הַקְרָבַת קָרְבָּן שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ פֶּסַח:

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

והקרבתם אשה וגו'. הֵם הַמּוּסָפִין הָאֲמוּרִים בְּפָרָשַׁת פִּינְחָס, וְלָמָּה נֶאֶמְרוּ כָאן? לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין הַמּוּסָפִין מְעַכְּבִין זֶה אֶת זֶה:

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

והקרבתם אשה לה'. מִכָּל מָקוֹם — אִם אֵין פָּרִים הָבֵא אֵילִים, וְאִם אֵין פָּרִים וְאֵילִים הָבֵא כְבָשִׂים (שם):

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

שבעת ימים. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שִׁבְעַת שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא — שָׁבוּעַ שֶׁל יָמִים, שטי"נא בְּלַעַז, וְכֵן כָּל לְשׁוֹן שְׁמוֹנַת שֵׁשֶׁת חֲמֵשֶׁת שְׁלוֹשֶׁת:

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

מלאכת עבדה. אֲפִלּוּ מְלָאכוֹת הַחֲשׁוּבוֹת לָכֶם עֲבוֹדָה וְצֹרֶךְ — שֶׁיֵּשׁ חֶסְרוֹן כִּיס בְּבַטָּלָה שֶׁלָּהֶן — כְּגוֹן דָּבָר הָאָבֵד, כָּךְ הֵבַנְתִּי מִתֹּ"כֹּ, דְּקָתָנֵי יָכוֹל אַף חֻלּוֹ שֶׁל מוֹעֵד יְהֵא אָסוּר בִּמְלֶאכֶת עֲבוֹדָה וְכוּ':

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

ראשית קצירכם. שֶׁתְּהֵא רִאשׁוֹנָה לַקָּצִיר (ספרא):

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

עמר. עֲשִׂירִית הָאֵיפָה כָּךְ הָיְתָה שְׁמָהּ, כְּמוֹ וַיָּמֹדּוּ בָעֹמֶר (שמות ט"ז):

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

והניף. כָּל תְּנוּפָה מוֹלִיךְ וּמֵבִיא מַעֲלֶה וּמוֹרִיד, מוֹלִיךְ וּמֵבִיא לַעֲצֹר רוּחוֹת רָעוֹת, מַעֲלֶה וּמוֹרִיד לַעֲצֹר טְלָלִים רָעִים (מנחות ס"ב):

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

לרצנכם. אִם תַּקְרִיבוּ כְּמִשְׁפָּט זֶה יִהְיֶה לְרָצוֹן לָכֶם:

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

ממחרת השבת. מִמָּחֳרַת יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל פֶּסַח, שֶׁאִם אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית אֵי אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ אֵיזֶהוּ (ספרא; מנחות ס"ו):

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

ועשיתם … כבש. חוֹבָה לָעֹמֶר הוּא בָא:

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

ומנחתו. מִנְחַת נְסָכָיו:

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

שני עשרנים. כְּפוּלָה הָיְתָה:

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

ונסכו יין רביעת ההין. אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁמִּנְחָתוֹ כְפוּלָה אֵין נְסָכָיו כְּפוּלִים:

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

וקלי. קֶמַח עָשׂוּי מִכַּרְמֶל רַךְ שֶׁמְּיַבְּשִׁין אוֹתוֹ בַּתַּנּוּר:

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

וכרמל. הֵן קְלָיוֹת, שֶׁקּוֹרִין גרניי"ליש:

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

בכל משבתיכם. נֶחְלְקוּ בוֹ חַכְמֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל, יֵשׁ שֶׁלָּמְדוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁהֶחָדָשׁ נוֹהֵג בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, וְיֵ"אֹ לֹא בָא אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַוּוּ עַל הֶחָדָשׁ אֶלָּא לְאַחַר יְרֻשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה, מִשֶּׁכִּבְּשׁוּ וְחִלְּקוּ (קידושין ל"ז):

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

ממחרת השבת. מִמָּחֳרַת יוֹם טוֹב:

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

תמימת תהיינה. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמַּתְחִיל וּמוֹנֶה מִבָּעֶרֶב, שֶׁאִם לֹא כֵן אֵינָן תְּמִימוֹת (ספרא; מנחות ס"ו):

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

השבת השביעת. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ שְׁבוּעֲתָא שְׁבִיעֵתָא:

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

עד ממחרת השבת השביעת תספרו. וְלֹא עַד בִּכְלָל, וְהֵן אַרְבָּעִים וְתִשְׁעָה יוֹם:

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

חמשים יום והקרבתם מנחה חדשה לה'. בַּיּוֹם הַחֲמִשִּׁים תַּקְרִיבוּהָ, וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי זֶה מִדְרָשׁוֹ, אֲבָל פְּשׁוּטוֹ עַד מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת הַשְּׁבִיעִת שֶׁהוּא יוֹם חֲמִשִּׁים תִּסְפְּרוּ, וּמִקְרָא מְסֹרָס הוּא:

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

מנחה חדשה. הִיא הַמִּנְחָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁהוּבְאָה מִן הֶחָדָשׁ, וְאִ"תֹּ הֲרֵי קָרְבָה מִנְחַת הָעֹמֶר אֵינָהּ כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַמְּנָחוֹת, שֶׁהִיא בָאָה מִן הַשְּׂעוֹרִים (מנחות י"ד):

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

ממושבתיכם. וְלֹא מִחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ (ספרא):

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

לחם תנופה. לֶחֶם תְּרוּמָה, הַמּוּרָם לְשֵׁם גָּבוֹהַּ, וְזוֹ הִיא הַמִּנְחָה הַחֲדָשָׁה הָאֲמוּרָה לְמַעְלָה:

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

בכורים. רִאשׁוֹנָה לְכָל הַמְּנָחוֹת, אַף לְמִנְחַת קְנָאוֹת הַבָּאָה מִן שְׂעוֹרִים לֹא תִּקְרַב מִן הֶחָדָשׁ קֹדֶם לִשְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם (שם):

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

על הלחם. בִּגְלַל הַלֶּחֶם, חוֹבָה לַלֶּחֶם (ספרא; מנחות מ"ה):

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

ומנחתם ונסכיהם. כְּמִשְׁפַּט מִנְחָה וּנְסָכִים הַמְפֹרָשִׁים בְּכָל בְּהֵמָה בְּפָרָשַׁת נְסָכִים, שְׁלוֹשָׁה עֶשְׂרוֹנִים לַפָּר וּשְׁנֵי עֶשְׂרוֹנִים לָאַיִל וְעִשָּׂרוֹן לַכֶּבֶשׂ, זוֹ הִיא הַמִּנְחָה, וְהַנְּסָכִים חֲצִי הַהִין לַפָּר וּשְׁלִישִׁית הַהִין לָאַיִל וּרְבִיעִית הַהִין לַכֶּבֶשׂ:

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

ועשיתם שעיר עזים. יָכוֹל שִׁבְעַת הַכְּבָשִׂים וְהַשָּׂעִיר הָאֲמוּרִים כָּאן הֵם ז' הַכְּבָשִׂים וְהַשָּׂעִיר הָאֲמוּרִים בְּחֻמַּשׁ הַפְּקוּדִים, כְּשֶׁאַתָּה מַגִּיעַ אֵצֶל פָּרִים וְאֵילִים אֵינָן הֵם, אֱמֹר מֵעַתָּה אֵלּוּ לְעַצְמָן וְאֵלּוּ לְעַצְמָן — אֵלּוּ קָרְבוּ בִּגְלַל הַלֶּחֶם וְאֵלּוּ לַמּוּסָפִין (שם):

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

והניף הכהן אתם, תנופה. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁטְּעוּנִין תְּנוּפָה חַיִּים, יָכוֹל כֻּלָּם, תַּ"לֹ "עַל שְׁנֵי כְבָשִֹים" (עי' מנחות ס"ב):

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

קדש יהיו. לְפִי שֶׁשַּׁלְמֵי יָחִיד קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים, הֻזְקַק לוֹמַר בְּשַׁלְמֵי צִבּוּר שֶׁהֵן קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים:

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

ובקצרכם. חָזַר וְשָׁנָה, לַעֲבֹר עֲלֵיהֶם בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוין; אָמַר ר' אַבְדִּימֵי בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵף, מָה רָאָה הַכָּתוּב לִתְּנָהּ בְאֶמְצַע הָרְגָלִים — פֶּסַח וַעֲצֶרֶת מִכָּאן וְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וְחַג מִכָּאן — ? לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל הַנּוֹתֵן לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה לֶעָנִי כָּרָאוּי, מַעֲלִין עָלָיו כְּאִלּוּ בָּנָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְהִקְרִיב קָרְבְּנוֹתָיו בְּתוֹכוֹ (ספרא):

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

תעזב. הַנַּח לִפְנֵיהֶם וְהֵם יִלְקְטוּ, וְאֵין לְךָ לְסַיֵּעַ לְאֶחָד מֵהֶם (פאה פ"ה):

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

אני ה' אלהיכם. נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר:

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