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Three and 1/2 year Lectionary
Tishri 12, 5766 – October 14/15, 2005
First Year of the
Fourth Year of the Shemittah Cycle
FESTIVAL OF SUKKOT (Tabernacles)
Eve
of First day Sukkot (Tabernacles)
Monday,
October 17, 2005 Light Candles at: 6:44 PM
Eve
of Second day Sukkot (Tabernacles)
Tuesday,
October 18, 2005 Light Candles after: 7:37 PM
Wednesday,
October 19, 2005
For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
For
further studies on this festival see:
http://www.betemunah.org/succoth.html
http://www.betemunah.org/hoshana.html
http://www.betemunah.org/birth.html
http://www.betemunah.org/shemini.html
http://www.betemunah.org/wicked.html
http://www.betemunah.org/shofar.html
October 17/18, 2005
Sukkoth I
Tabernacles (day One) – Tabernáculos (Primer Día)
Torah: Vayikra (Leviticus) 22:26 – 23:44; Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:12-16
Ashlamatah: Zekharyah (Zechariah) 14:1-21
N.C. Yochanan 14:1-14
Torah
Reader 1 – Vayikra 22:26-33
Reader 2 – Vayikra 23:1-8
Reader 3 – Vayikra 23:9-14
Reader 4 – Vayikra 23:15-32
Reader 5 – Vayikra 23:33-44
Maftir – Bemidbar 29:12-16
- Zekharyah 14:1-21
For
instruction about this festival see: http://www.betemunah.org/succoth.html
Targum Pseudo Jonathan on Leviticus 22:26 – 23:44
When a
bullock, or a lamb, or a kid is brought forth according, to the manner of the
world, it shall be seven days after its dam, that there may be evidence that it
is not imperfect; and on the eighth day and thenceforth, it is acceptable to be
offered an oblation to the Name of the Lord. Sons of
[
XXIII. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying: Speak with the sons of Israel, and say to them, The orders of the time of the Festivals of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as holy convocations, these are the orders of the time of My festivals. Six days shall you do work, and the seventh day (shall be) a Sabbath and a rest, a holy convocation. No manner of work may you do; it is a Sabbath to the Lord in every place of your habitations.
These are the times of the Festivals of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim in their times: In the month of Nisan, on the fourteenth day of the month, between the suns (shall be) the time for the sacrifice of the Pascha to the Name of the Lord. And on the fifteenth day of this month the feast of unleavened cakes to the Name of the Lord. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day of the feast a holy convocation shall be to you; ye shall do no work of labor, but offer the oblation to the Name of the Lord seven days; in the seventh day of the feast shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no work of labor.
And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying: Speak with the sons of Israel, and say to them: When you have entered into the land which I give you, and you reap the harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest; and he shall uplift the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for you. After the first festal day of Pascha (or, the day after the feast-day of Pascha) on the day on which you elevate the sheaf, you shall make (the sacrifice of a lamb of the year, unblemished a burnt offering unto the Name of the Lord: and its mincha, two tenths of flour, mingled with olive oil, for an oblation to the Name of the Lord, to be received with acceptance; and its libation, wine of grapes, the fourth of a hin. But neither bread nor parched corn (of the ripe harvest) nor new ears may you eat until this day, until the time of your bringing the oblation of your God: an everlasting statute unto your generations in all your dwellings
And number to you after the first feast day of Pascha, from the day when you brought the sheaf for the elevation, seven weeks; complete they shall be. Until the day after the seventh week you shall number fifty days, and shall offer a mincha of the new bread unto the Name of the Lord. From the place of your dwellings you are to bring the bread for the elevation; two cakes of two tenths of flour, which must be baked with leaven, as first fruits unto the Name of the Lord. And with that bread you are to offer seven lambs of the year, unblemished, and a young bullock without mixture (of color), the one for a sin offering, and two lambs of the year for a sanctified oblation. And you shall make (a sacrifice) of a young goat without mixture, the one for a sin offering and two lambs of the year for a sanctified oblation. And the priest shall uplift them with the bread of the first fruits, an elevation before the Lord, with the two lambs; they shall be holy to the Name of the Lord, and shall be for the priest. And you shall proclaim with life and strength that self-same day, that at the time of that day there shall be to you a holy convocation: you shall do no work of labor: it is an everlasting statute in all your dwelling for your generations.
And when you reap the harvest of the ground, you shall not finish one corner that is in your field at thy reaping nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest, but leave them for the poor and the strangers: I am the Lord thy God.
And the
Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying: Speak with the children of Israel, saying: In
Tishri, which is the seven month, shall be to you a festival of seven days, a
memorial of trumpets, a holy convocation. No work of labor may you do, but
offer an oblation before the Lord unto the Name of the Lord. And the Lord spoke
with Mosheh saying: But on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of
Atonement; a holy convocation shall it be to you, and you shall humble your
souls, (abstaining) from food, and from drink, and from the use of the bath,
and from anointing, and the use of the bed, and from sandals; and you shall
offer an oblation before the Lord, and do no work on this same day; for it is
the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. For
every man who eats in the fast, and will not fast that same day, shall be cut
off by death from among his people. [
And the
Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying: Speak with the sons of
Ashlamatah
for Sukkot 1st Day
Zechariah
14:1-21
1 ¶ Behold, a day of the LORD comes, when your spoil shall be divided in your midst.
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, but the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fights in the day of battle.
4 And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleft in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, so that there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
5 And you shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azel; yes, you shall flee, like as you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and the LORD my God shall come, and all the holy ones with You.
6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that there shall not be light, but heavy clouds and thick;
7 And there shall be one day which shall be known as the LORD’S, not day, and not night; but it shall come to pass, that at evening time there shall be light.
8 ¶ And it shall come to pass in
that day, that living waters shall go out from
9 And the LORD shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall the LORD be One, and His name one.
10 All the land shall be turned
as the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of
11 And men shall dwell therein,
and there shall be no more extermination; but
12 And this shall be the plague
wherewith the LORD will smite all the peoples that have warred against
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor.
14 And
15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in those camps, as this plague.
16 ¶ And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And
it shall be, that whosoever of the families of the earth goes not up unto
18 And
if the family of
19 This
shall be the punishment of
20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses: HOLY UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’S house shall be like the basins before the altar.
21 Yea,
every pot in
Sukkoth II
Tabernacles (day Two) – Tabernáculos (Segundo Día)
Torah: Vayikra (Leviticus) 22:26 – 23:44; Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:12-16
Ashlamatah: Melakhim Alef (1 Kings) 8:2-21
N.C. Yochanan 15:1-17
Torah
Reader 1 – Vayikra 22:26-33
Reader 2 – Vayikra 23:1-8
Reader 3 – Vayikra 23:9-14
Reader 4 – Vayikra 23:15-32
Reader 5 – Vayikra 23:33-44
Maftir – Bemidbar 29:12-16
- Melakhim Alef 8:2-21
For
instruction on this festival see: http://www.betemunah.org/succoth.html
Midrash
Pesiqta deRab Kahana
Pisqa
Twenty-Seven
[On the fifteenth day of the seventh month. when
you have gathered in the produce of the land. you shall keep the feast of the
Lord seven days...] And you shall take on the first day [the fruit of
goodly trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of
the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. You shall
keep it as afeast to the Lord seven days in the year; it is a statute for ever
throughout your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month. You shall
dwell in booths for seven days; all that are native in
XXVII:I
R. Abba bar Kahana commenced [discourse by citing the
following verse]: Take my instruction instead of silver and knowledge rather
than choice gold (Prov. 8:10)." Said R. Abba bar Kahana, 'Take the
instruction of the Torah instead of silver. "Take the instruction of
the Torah and not silver. “Why do you weigh out money? [Because there is no
bread] (Is. 55:2). "Why do you weigh out money to the sons of Esau [
R. Berekhiah and R. Hiyya, his father, in the name of R. Yose b. Nehorai: "It is written, I shall punish all who oppress him (Jer. 30:20), even those who collect funds for charity [and in doing so, treat people badly], except [for those who collect] the wages to be paid to teachers of Scripture and repeaters of Mishnah traditions. "For they receive [as a salary] only compensation for the loss of their time, [which they devote to teaching and learning rather than to earning a living]. "But as to the wages [for carrying out] a single matter in the Torah, no creature can pay the [appropriate] fee in reward."
It has been taught on Tannaite authority: On the New Year, a person's sustenance is decreed [for the coming year], except for what a person pays out [for food in celebration] of the Sabbath, festivals, the celebration of the New Month, and for what children bring to the house of their master [as his tuition]. If he deducts [from what he should give], [in Heaven] they deduct [from his wealth], but if he adds [to what is originally decreed], [in Heaven] they add to his [resources]. [Margulies, Vayyiqra Rabbah, p. 688, n. to 1.5, links this statement to Prov. 8:10.]
R. Yohanan was going up from Tiberias to Sepphoris. R. Hiyya bar Abba was supporting him. They carne to a field. He said, "This field once belonged to me, but I sold it in order to acquire merit in labor in the Torah." They carne to a vineyard, and he said, "This vineyard once belonged to me, but I sold it in order to acquire merit in labor in the Torah." They carne to an olive grove, and he said, "This olive grove once belonged to me, but I sold it in order to acquire merit in labor in the the Torah." R. Hiyya began to cry. Said R. Y ohanan, "Why are you crying?" He said to him, "It is because you left nothing over to support you in your old age." He said to him, "Hiyya, my disciple, is what I did such a light thing in your view? I sold something which was given in a spell of six days [of creation] and in exchange I acquired something which was given in a spell of forty days [of revelation]. The entire world and everything in it was created in only six days, as it is written, For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth (Ex. 20:11). But the Torah was given over a period of forty days and forty nights, as it was said, And he was there with the Lord for forty days and forty nights (Ex. 34:28). [Leviticus Rabbah adds: And it is written, And I remained on the mountain for forty days and forty nights (Deut. 9:9).]"
When R. Yohanan died, his generation recited concerning him [the following verse of Scripture]: If a man should give all the wealth of his house for the love (Song 8:7), with which R. Yohanan loved the Torah, he would be utterly destitute (Song 8:7). When R. Abba bar Hoshaiah of Tiria died, they saw his bier flying in the air. His generation recited concerning him [the following verse of Scripture]: If a man should give all the wealth of his house for the love, with which the Holy One, blessed be He, loved Abba bar Hoshaiah of Tiria, he would be utterly destitute (Song 8:7). When R. Eleazar b. R. Simeon died, his generation recited concerning him [the following verse of Scripture]: Who is this who comes up out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, [perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the powders of the merchant?] (Song 3:6). What is the meaning of the clause, With all the powders of the merchant? [Like a merchant who carries all sorts of desired powders,] he was a master of Scripture, a repeater of Mishnah traditions, a writer of liturgical supplications, and a poet.
Another interpretation of the verse, Take my
instruction instead of silver, {and knowledge rather than choice gold] (Prov.
8:10): Said R. Abba bar Kahana, "On the basis of the reward paid for one
act of taking, you may assess the reward for [taking] the palm branch
[on the festival of Tabernacles]. There was an act of taking in
XXVII:II
You show me the path of life, [in your presence there is fullness of joy] (Ps. 16:11). Said David before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Lord of the ages, show me the open gateway to the life of the world to come." R. Yudan and R. Azariah: R. Yudan said, "David said before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Lord of the ages, show me the path of life.' "Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to David, 'If you seek life, look for fear, as it is said, The fear of the Lord prolongs life (Prov. 10:27)." R. Azariah said, "[The Holy One, blessed be He], said to David, 'If you seek life, look for suffering (YYSWRYN), as it is said, The reproofs of discipline (MWSR) are the way of life (Prov. 6:23)." [Leviticus Rabbah adds: Rabbis say, "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to David, 'David, if you seek life, look for Torah,' as it is said, It is a tree of life to those that hold fast to it (Prov. 3: 18)." R. Abba said, "David said before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Lord of the ages, Show me the path of life.' Said to him the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Start fighting and exert yourself! Why are you puzzled? [Lieberman, in Margulies, Vayyiqra Rabbah, p. 880, to p. 692]. Work and eat: Keep my good deeds and live (Prov. 4:4)."']
The fullness (SWB ') of joy in your presence (Ps. 16:11): Satisfy (SB'NW) us with five joys in your presence: Scripture, Mishnah, Talmud, Supplements, and Lore.
Another matter: In your presence is the fullness of joy (Ps. 16: 11): Read not fullness (SWB') but seven (SB'). These are the seven groups of righteous men who are going to receive the face of the Presence of God. And their face is like the sun, moon, firmament, lightning, stars, lilies, and the candelabrum that was in the house of the sanctuary. How do we know that it is like the sun? As it is said, Clear as the sun (Song 6:10). How do we know that it is like the moon? As it is said, As lovely as the moon (Song 6:10). How do we know that it is like the firmament? As it is said, And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament (Dan. 12:3). How do we know that it is like the lightning? As it is said, Their appearance is like torches, they run to and fro like lightning (Nah. 2:5). And how do we know that it is like the stars? As it is said, And they that turn the many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever (Dan. 12:3). How do we know that it is like lilies? As it is said, For the leader: upon the lilies (Ps. 69:1). How do we know that it will be like the candelabrum of the house of the sanctuary? As it is said, And he said to me, What do you see? And I said, I looked and behold [there was] a candelabrum all of gold (Zech. 4:2).
At your right hand is bliss for evermore (Ps. 16:11). Said David before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Lord of the ages, now who will tell me which group [among those listed above] is the most beloved and blissful of them all?" There were two Amoras [who differed on this matter]. One of them said, "It is the group that comes as representative of the Torah and commandments, as it is said, With a flaming fire at his right hand (Deut. 33:2)." And the other said, "This refers to the scribes, the Mishnah repeaters, and those who teach children in their fear, who are going to sit at the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He. "That is in line with the following verse of Scripture: I keep the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved (Ps. 16:8)."
Another matter concerning the verse You show me the path of life, in your presence there is fullness of joy, in your right hand are pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16:11): In your presence there is fullness (SWB') of joy (Ps. 16:11): [Leviticus Rabbah adds: Read only "seven (SB ') joys."] These are the seven religious duties associated with the Festival [Tabernacles]. These are they: the four species that are joined in the palm branch, [the building of] the Tabernacle, [the offering of] the festal sacrifice, [the offering of] the sacrifice of rejoicing.
If there is the offering of the sacrifice of
rejoicing, then why is there also the offering of the festal sacrifice? And if
there is [the offering of] the festal sacrifice, then why also is there [the
offering of] the sacrifice of rejoicing? Said R. Abin, "The matter may be
compared to two who came before a judge. Now we do not know which one of them
is the victor. But it is the one who takes the palm branch in his hand who we
know to be the victor. So is the case of
XXVII:III
He will regard the prayer of the destitute [and will not despise their supplication] (Ps. 102:17): Said R. Reuben, "We are unable to make sense of David's character. Sometimes he calls himself king, and sometimes he calls himself destitute. How so? When he foresaw that righteous men were going to come from him, such as Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah, he would call himself king as it is said, Give the king your judgments, O God (Ps. 72:1). When he foresaw that wicked men would come forth from him, for example, Ahaz, Manasseh, and Amon, he would call himself destitute, as it is said, A prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint [and pours out his complaint before the Lord] (Ps. 102:1)."
R. Alexandri interpreted the cited verse He will
regard the prayer of the destitute [and will not despise their supplication] (Ps.
102:17) to speak of a worker: "[Margulies, ad loc., explains: The
one afflicted is the worker. The word for faint, 'TP, bears the meaning, cloak
oneself, hence in prayer. The worker then has delayed his prayer, waiting
for the overseer to leave, at which point he can stop and say his prayer. So he
postpones his prayer.] [So Alexandri says], "Just as a worker sits and
watches all day long for when the overseer will leave for a bit, so he is late
when he says [his prayer], [so David speaks at Ps. 102:1: Hear my prayer, O
Lord; let my cry come to you]." That [interpretation of the word 'TP]
is in line with the use in the following verse: And those that were born
late belonged to Laban (Gen. 30:42)." What is the meaning of those
that were born late? R. Isaac bar
Haqolah said, "The ones that tarried."
[Another interpretation: lie will regard the
prayer of the destitute [and will not despise their supplication] (Ps.
102:17);] Said R. Simeon b. Laqish, "As to this verse, the first half of
it is not consistent with the second half, and vice versa. If it is to be, 'He
will regard the prayer of the destitute [individual],' he should then have
said, 'And will not despise his supplication.' But if it is to be, 'He
will not despise their supplication: then he should have said, 'He will
regard the prayer of those who are destitute.' But [when David wrote] He
will regard the prayer of the individual destitute, this [referred to] the
prayer of Manasseh, king of
R. Isaac interpreted the verse He will regard the prayer of the destitute [and will not despise their supplication] (Ps. 102:17) to speak of these generations which have neither king nor prophet, neither priest nor Urim and Thummim, but who have only this prayer alone. Said David before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Lord of the ages, "Do not despise their prayer. Let this be recorded for a generation to come' (Ps. 102:19). On the basis of that statement, [we know that] the Holy One, blessed be He, accepts penitents. "So that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord (Ps. 102:19). For the Holy One, blessed be He, will create them as a new act of creation.
Another interpretation: Let this be recorded for a generation to come (Ps. 102:18): This refers to the generation of Hezekiah, [Leviticus Rabbah adds: which was tottering toward death]. So that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord (Ps. 102:18): for the Holy One, blessed be He, created them in a new act of creation.
Another interpretation: Let this be recorded for a generation to come (Ps. 102:18): This refers to the generation of Mordecai and Esther, which was tottering toward death. So that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord (Ps. 102:18): for the Holy One, blessed be He, created them in a new act of creation.
Another interpretation: Let this be recorded for a generation to come (Ps. 102:18): This refers to these very generations [in our own day], which are tottering to death. So that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord (Ps. 102:18): For the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to create them anew, in a new act of creation.
What do we have to take [in order to reach that end]? Take up the palm branch and citron and praise the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore Moses admonishes Israel, saying, [On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord seven days...] And you shall take on the first day [the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord seven days in the year; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days; all that are native in Israel shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 23:39-43).
XXVII:IV
Let the field exult and everything in it. [Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth] (Ps. 96:12-13): [Let the field exult] refers to the world, as it is said, And it came to pass, when they were in the field (Gen. 4:8) [and determined to divide up the world between them]. And everything in it refers to creatures. That is in line with the following verse of Scripture: The earth is the Lord's, and all that is in it (Ps. 24:1). Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy (Ps. 96:12). And there is the verse: Then shall all the trees of the forest shout for joy (1 Chron. 16:33). Said R. Aha, "The forest and all the trees of the forest. The forest refers to fruit-bearing trees. And all the trees of the forest encompasses those trees that do not bear fruit. Before whom? Before the Lord (Ps. 96:14). Why? For he comes on New Year and on the Day of Atonement. To do what? To judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth (Ps. 96:13).
XXVII:V
I wash my hands in innocence and go about your altar, O Lord, [singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and telling all your wondrous deeds] (Ps. 26:6-7): [What I require I acquire] through purchase, not theft. [Leviticus Rabbah adds:] For we have learned there: A stolen or dried up palm branch is invalid. And one deriving from an asherah or an apostate town is invalid (Mishnah Suk. 3:1A-B). And go about your altar, O Lord (Ps. 26:7). That is in line with what we have learned there: Every day they circumambulate, the altar one time and say, "We beseech you, O Lord, save now. We beseech you, O Lord, make us prosper now" [Ps. 118:25]. R. Judah says, "I and him, save now." On that day they circumambulate the altar seven times (Mishnah Suk. 4:5).
Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving (Ps. 26:7) - this refers to the offerings. And telling all your wondrous deeds (Ps. 26:7): Said R. Abun, "This refers to the Hallel Psalms [Ps. 113-118], which
contain [praise for what God has done] in the past,
also [what he has done] during these generations, as well as what will apply to
the days of the Messiah, to the time of Gog and Magog, and to the age to come. "When
XXVII:VI
And you will take [for yourselves] (Lev. 23:40): R. Hiyya taught, "The act of taking must be accomplished by each and every one of you." "For yourselves" - for every one of you. They must be yours and not stolen.
Said R. Levi, "One who takes a stolen palm branch - to what is he comparable? To a thief who sat at the cross roads and mugged passersby. One time a legate came by, to collect the taxes for that town. [The thug] rose before him and mugged him and took everything he had. After some time the thug was caught and put in prison. The legate heard and came to him. He said to him, 'Give back what you grabbed from me, and I'll argue in your behalf before the king.' He said to him, 'Of everything that I robbed and of everything that I took, I have nothing except for this rug that is under me, and it belongs to you.' He said to him, 'Give it to me, and I'll argue in your behalf before the king.' He said to him, 'Take it.' F. "He said to him, 'You should know that tomorrow you are going before the king for judgment, and he will ask you and say to you, "Is there anyone who can argue in your behalf," and you may say to him, "I have the legate, Mr. So-and-so, to speak in my behalf," and he will send and call me, and I shall come and argue in your behalf before him.' The next day they set him up for judgment before the king. The king asked him, saying to him, 'Do you have anyone to argue in your behalf?' He said to him, 'I have a legate, Mr. So-and-so, to speak in my behalf.' The king sent for him. He said to him, 'Do you know anything to say in behalf of this man?' He said to him, 'I do indeed have knowledge. When you sent me to collect the taxes of that town, he rose up before me and mugged me and took everything that I had. That rug that belongs to me gives testimony against him.' Everyone began to cry out, saying, 'Woe for this one, whose defense attorney has turned into his prosecutor.' So a person acquires a palm branch to attain merit through it. But if it was a stolen one, [the branch] cries out before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'I am stolen! I am taken by violence.' And the ministering angels say, 'Woe for this one, whose defense attorney has turned into his prosecutor!'"
XXVII:VII
[On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when
you have gathered the produce of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord
seven days;] on the first day [shall be a solemn rest] (Lev. 23:40). This
in fact is the fifteenth day, yet you speak of the first day! R. Mana of Sheab
and R. Joshua of Sikhnin in the name of R. Levi said, "The matter may be
compared to the case of a town which owed arrears to the king, so the king went
to collect [what was owing]. [When he had reached] ten mils [from the
town], the great men of the town came forth and praised him. He remitted a
third of their [unpaid] tax. When he came within five mils of the town,
the middle-rank people came out and acclaimed him, so he remitted yet another
third [of what was owing to him]. When he entered the town, men, women, and
children, came forth and praised him. He remitted the whole [of the tax]. Said
the king, 'What happened, happened. From now on we shall begin keeping books [afresh].' "So on
the eve of the New Year, the Israelites repent, and the Holy One, blessed be
He, remits a third of their [that is, Israel's] sins. On the ten days of
repentance from the New Year to the Day of Atonement outstanding individuals
fast, and the Holy One, blessed be He, remits most of their [that is, Israel's]
sins. On the Day of Atonement all
Said R. Aha, "For with you there is
forgiveness (Ps. 80:4). From the New Year forgiveness awaits you. Why so
long? So that You may be feared (Ps. 80:4). To put Your fear into
creatures. From the Day of Atonement to the Festival, all the Israelites are
kept busy with doing religious duties. This one takes up the task of building
his tabernacle, that one preparing his palm branches. On the first day of the
Festival, all
XXVII:VIII
On the first day (Lev. 23:40): By day and not by night. On the...day - even on the Sabbath. On the first day - only the first day [of the Festival] overrides the restrictions [of Sabbath rest. When the Sabbath coincides with other than the first day of the Festival, one does not carry the palm branch.]
[And you shall take...) the fruit of a goodly tree [branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook) (Lev. 23:40). R. Hiyya taught, "A tree: the taste of the wood and fruit of which is the same. This is the citron." Goodly (HDR): Ben Azzai said, "[Fruit] that remains [HDR] on its tree from year to year." Aqilas the proselyte translated [HDR] as, "That which dwells by water (Greek: hudor)." Branches of a palm tree (Lev. 23:40): R. Tarfon says, "[As to branch of palm tree (KPWT)], it must be bound. If it was separated, one has to bind (YKPWT) it up." Boughs of leafy trees: The branches of which cover over the wood. One has to say, "This is the myrtle." Willows of the brook: I know only that they must come from a brook. How do I know that those that come from a valley or a hill [also are valid]? Scripture says, "And willows of a brook." Abba Saul says, "'And willows of the brook' refers to the requirement that there be two, one willow for the palm branch, and a willow for the sanctuary." R. Ishmael says, "The fruit of goodly trees' indicates one; 'branches of palm tree' also one; 'boughs of leafy trees,' three; 'willows of the brook,' two. Two [of the myrtles] may have the twigs trimmed at the top, and one may not." R. Tarfon says, "Even all three of them may be trimmed."
XXVII:IX
R. Aqiba says, "The fruit of goodly (HDR) trees refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning whom it is written, You are clothed with glory and majesty (IIDR) (Ps. 104:1). "Branches of palm trees refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning whom it is written, The Righteous One shall flourish like a palm tree (Ps. 92: 13). "Boughs of leafy trees refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning whom it is written, And he stands among the leafy trees (Zech. 1:8). "And willows of the brook refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning whom it is written, Extol him who rides upon the willows, whose name is the Lord (Ps. 68:5)."
Another interpretation: The fruit of goodly (HDR) trees (Lev. 23:40): This refers to Abraham, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, honored (HDR) with a goodly old age, as it is said, And Abraham was an old man, [coming along in years](Gen. 24:1). [Leviticus Rabbah adds:] And it is written, And you will honor (HDR) the face of an old man (Lev. 19:32). Branches (KPWT) of palm trees (Lev. 23:40): This refers to Isaac, who was tied (KPWT) and bound upon the altar. And boughs of leafy trees (Lev. 23:40): This refers to Jacob. Just as a myrtle is rich in leaves, so Jacob was rich in children. Willows of the brook (Lev. 23:40): This refers to Joseph. Just as the willow wilts before the other three species do, so Joseph died before his brothers did.
Another interpretation: The fruit of goodly trees (Lev. 23:40): This refers to Sarah our mother, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, honored with a goodly old age, as it is said, And Abraham and Sarah were old (Gen. 18:11). Branches of palm trees (Lev. 23:40): this refers to Rebecca our mother. Just as a palm tree contains both edible fruit and thorns, so Rebecca produced a righteous and a wicked son [Jacob and Esau]. Boughs of leafy trees (Lev. 23:40): this refers to Leah our mother. Just as a myrtle is rich in leaves, so Leah was rich in children. And willows of the brook (Lev. 23:40): this refers to Rachel our mother. Just as the willow wilts before the other three species do, so Rachel died before her sister.
Another interpretation: The fruit of goodly trees (Lev. 23:40) refers to the great Sanhedrin of Israel, which the Holy One, blessed be He, honored (HDR) with old age, as it is said, You will rise up before old age (Lev. 19:32). Branches (KPWT) of palm trees (Lev. 23:40): this refers to disciples of sages, who compel (KWPYN) themselves to study Torah from one another. Boughs of leafy trees refers to the three rows of disciples who sit before them. And willows of the brook (Lev. 23:40): this refers to the court scribes, who stand before them, one on the right side, the other on the left, [and write down the opinions of those who vote to acquit and those who vote to convict].
Another interpretation: The fruit of goodly trees refers
to
XXVII:X
R. Berekhiah in the name of R. Levi: "[God
speaks], Through the merit [attained in fulfilling the commandment], And you
will take for yourself on the first day... (Lev. 23:40), lo, I shall be
revealed to you first; I shall exact punishment for you from the first one; I
shall build for you first; and bring to you the first one. I shall be revealed
for you first, refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, I the
Lord am first (Is. 41:4). I shall exact punishment for you from the first
one refers to the wicked Esau, as it is written, And the red one came forth
first (Gen. 24:24). And I shall build for you first [refers to the house of
the sanctuary], concerning which it is written, You throne of glory, on high
from the first (Jer. 17:12). And I shall bring to you the first one,
namely, the king messiah, concerning whom it is written, The first to
Ashlamatah
for Sukkot 2nd Day
I Kings 8:2-21
2 And all the men of
3 And all the elders of
4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; even these did the priests and the Levites bring up.
5 And king Solomon and all the
congregation of
6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto its place, into the Sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.
7 For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
8 And the staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen from the holy place, even before the Sanctuary; but they could not be seen without; and there they are unto this day.
9 There was nothing in the ark
save the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made
a covenant with the children of
10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
11 so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
12 ¶ Then spoke Solomon: The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick darkness.
13 I have surely built You a house of habitation, a place for You to dwell in for ever.
14 And the king turned his face
about, and blessed all the congregation of
15 And he said: ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth unto David my father, and has with His hand fulfilled it, saying:
16 Since the day that I brought
forth My people
17 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
18 But the LORD said unto David my father: Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was in your heart;
19 nevertheless you shall not build the house; but your son that shall come forth out of your loins, he shall build the house for My name.
20 And the LORD has established
His word that He spoke; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and
sit on the throne of
21 And
there have I set a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD,
which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the
October 19/20, 2005
Intermediate Day of Tabernacles (1st Day)
Día
Intermedio de la Fiesta de Tabernáculos (Primer Día)
Torah: Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:17-22
N.C. 1 Tsefet (Peter) 2:11-17
Torah
Reader 1 – Bemidbar 29:17-19
Reader 2 – Bemidbar 29:20-22
Reader 3 – Bemidbar 29:23-25
Reader 4 – Bemidbar 29:17-22
For
instruction on this festival see: http://www.betemunah.org/succoth.html
October 20/21, 2005
Intermediate Day of Tabernacles (2nd Day)
Dia
Intermedio de la Fiesta de Tabernaculos (Segundo Dia)
Torah: Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:20-26
N.C. Ephesians 3:14-21
Torah
Reader 1 – Bemidbar 29:20-22
Reader 2 – Bemidbar 29:23-26
Reader 3 – Bemidbar 29:26-28
Reader 4 – Bemidbar 29:20-26
For
instruction regarding this festival see: http://www.betemunah.org/succoth.html
October 21/22, 2005
Intermediate
Sabbath Day of Tabernacles
Sábado
Intermedio de la Fiesta de Tabernáculos
Torah: Shemot (Exodus 33:12 – 34:26)
Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:17-31
Ashlamatah: Ezekiel 38:18 – 39:16
N.C. Colossians 2:9-19
Torah
Reader 1 – Shemot 33:12-16
Reader 2 – Shemot 33:17-23
Reader 3 – Shemot 34:1-3
Reader 4 – Shemot 34:4-9
Reader 5 – Shemot 34:10-20
Reader 6 – Shemot 34:21-26
Reader 7 – Bemidbar 29:17-31
Maftir – Ezekiel 38:18 – 39:16
For
instruction regarding this festival see: http://www.betemunah.org/succoth.html
And: http://www.betemunah.org/birth.html
Targum
Pseudo Jonathan on Exodus 33:12 – 34:26
And Mosheh said before the Lord,
Lo, what have You said to me, Take this people up? but You have not made me to
know whom You will send with me. By Your Word You have said, I have ordained
you with a goodly name, and you have found favor before Me. But now I pray, if
I have found mercy before You, make me to know the way of Your goodness, to
understand Your mercy when in Your dealing with just men it falls to them as it
(falls) to the guilty, and to the guilty as to the just; but, on the contrary
how it (indeed) befalls the just according to their righteousness and the
guilty according to their guilt: that I may find mercy before You, and it be
made manifest by You that this people is Your people. And He said, Await, until
the face of My displeasure shall have gone away, and afterward I will give you
rest. And he said to Him, If Your wrath goes not from us, suffer us not to go
up from hence under the frown of Your displeasure. In what will it be known
that I have found mercy before You but in the converse of Your Shekinah with
us, that distinguishing signs may be wrought for us, in the withholding of the
Spirit of prophecy from the nations, and by Your speaking by the Holy Spirit to
me and to Your people, that we may be distinguished from all the peoples upon
the face of the earth? And the Lord said to Mosheh, This thing also which you
have spoken of, will I do; for you have found mercy before Me, and I have
ordained you with a goodly name. And he said, Show now unto me Your glory: but
He said, Behold, I will make all the measure of My goodness pass before you,
and I will give utterance in the good name of the Word of the Lord before you;
and I will have compassion upon whom I see it right to have compassion, and
will be merciful to whom I see it right to have mercy. [
XXXIV.
And the Lord said to Mosheh, Hew yourself two tables of stone, as the former,
and write upon the tables the words that were upon the former tables which you
did break; and be ready in the morning; and at morning ascend
And the
Lord revealed Himself in the cloud of the glory of His Shekinah, and Mosheh
stood with Him there; and Mosheh called on the Name of the Word of the Lord.
And the Lord made His Shekinah to pass by before his face, and proclaimed, The
Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and near in mercies,
abounding to exercise compassion and truth; keeping mercy and bounty for
thousands of generations, absolving and remitting guilt, passing by rebellions,
and covering sins; pardoning them who convert unto the law, but holding not guiltless
in the great day of judgment those who will not convert; visiting the sins of
fathers upon rebellious children upon the third and upon the fourth generation.
And Mosheh made haste and bowed himself upon the earth and worshipped. [
And he said, If now I have found mercy before the Lord let the Shekinah of the Glory of the Lord go among us; for it is a people of hard neck; but You pardon our guilt and our sin, and give us the inheritance of the land which You did covenant unto our fathers, and change us not to become an alien people. And He said, Behold, I make covenant that I will not change this people to become an alien people; nevertheless from you shall proceed a multitude of the righteous; and with all your people will I do wondrous things in the time when they go into captivity by the rivers of Bavel: for I will bring them up from thence, and make them dwell from within the river Sambation; and like wonders shall not be created among all the inhabitants of the earth, nor among any nation. And all the people among whom you will dwell shall see in that day the work of the Lord; for terrible is the thing that I will do with you.
Observe
that which I command you this day: behold, I Chase out from before you the
Amoraee, and Kenaanaee, and Hittaee, and Pherizaee, and Hivaee, and Jebusaee.
Take heed to yourself, lest you strike covenants with the inhabitants of that
land into which you are to enter; that it may not be a stumbling block unto
you. But you shall rather destroy their high places, and break their statues,
and cut down their groves; for it is not lawful for you to worship other gods;
for the Lord is zealous and vengeful; His Name is God, the Zealous and the
Avenger. Lest you strike covenant with the dwellers in the land, and they draw
you astray after their idols, and they sacrifice to their idols, and invite
you, and you eat of the sacrifices of their idols and you take of their
daughters for your sons, and when their daughters wander after their idols they
make your sons also go astray after their idols. [
You
shall observe the feast of the unleavened. Seven days you shall eat unleavened
(cakes), as I have commanded you, in the time of the month Abib; for in the
month of Abib you came out free from Mizraim. Whatever opens the womb is Mine;
and of all cattle you are to consecrate the males, of oxen, and of sheep. But
the firstling of an ass you may redeem with a lamb; but if you redeem him not,
you shall cut him off with the blade. And each firstborn of your sons you must
redeem; and they shall not appear before Me empty-handed [
Six
days shall you work, and in the seventh day have rest; in ploughing time and in
harvest time you shall rest. [
You
shall not sacrifice the victim of My passover before you have done away with
leaven; nor suffer the fat of the paschal sacrifice to remain about the altar
till the morning. [
Ashlamatah
for Shabbat Hol HaMoed Sukkoth
Ezekiel
38:18 – 39:16
18 And it shall come to pass in that day, when Gog shall
come against the
19 For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath have I
spoken: Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the
20 so that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep upon the ground, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at My presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, says the Lord GOD; every man’s sword shall be against his brother.
22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will cause to rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many peoples that are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
23 Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself, and I will make Myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
1 ¶ And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say: Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal;
2 and I will turn you about and lead you on, and will cause
you to come up from the uttermost parts of the north; and I will bring you upon
the mountains of
3 and I will smite your bow out of thy left hand, and will cause your arrows to fall out of your right hand.
4 You shall fall upon the mountains of
5 You shall fall upon the open field; for I have spoken it, says the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and on them that dwell safely in the isles; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 And My holy name will I make known in the midst of My people Israel; neither will I suffer My holy name to be profaned any more; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8 ¶ Behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord GOD; This is the day whereof I have spoken.
9 And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall make fires of the weapons and use them as fuel, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the hand-staves, and the spears, and they shall make fires of them seven years;
10 so that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests, for they shall make fires of the weapons; and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, says the Lord GOD.
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place fit for burial in Israel, the valley of them that pass through on the east of the sea; and it shall stop them that pass through; and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude; and they shall call it the valley of Hamon-gog. {That is, The multitude of Gog.}
12 And seven months shall the house of
13 Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them, and it shall be to them a renown; in the day that I shall be glorified, says the Lord GOD.
14 And they shall set apart men of continual employment, that shall pass through the land to bury with them that pass through those that remain upon the face of the land, to cleanse it; after the end of seven months shall they search.
15 And when they that pass through shall pass through the
land, and any sees a man’s bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the
buriers have buried it in the
16 And Hamonah {That is, Multitude.} shall also be the name of a city. Thus shall they cleanse the land.
For an interesting description of who is God and Magog please see the following Web Page:
Who is Gog from the
Taken from: http://gogumogog.com/html/gog_from_the_land_of_mogog.html
October 22/23, 2005
Hol HaMoed Sukkoth IV
Intermediate Day of Tabernacles (4th Day)
Día
Intermedio de la Fiesta de Tabernáculos (Cuarto Día)
Torah: Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:26-31
N.C. Colossians 3:12-17
Torah
Reader 1 – Bemidbar 29:26-28
Reader 2 – Bemidbar 29:29-31
Reader 3 – Bemidbar 29:32-34
Reader 4 – Bemidbar 29:26-31
For
instruction regarding this festival see: http://www.betemunah.org/succoth.html
October 23/24, 2005
The Great Hosanna
El Gran Hosanna
Torah: Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:29-34
N.C. Matityahu 21:1-9
Torah
Reader 1 – Bemidbar 29:29-31
Reader 2 – Bemidbar 29:32-34
Reader 3 – Bemidbar 29:35-38
Reader 4 – Bemidbar 29:29-34
For instruction regarding the meaning and significance of this day see:
http://www.betemunah.org/hoshana.html
;
October 24/25, 2005
Festival of the Eighth Day - Fiesta
Torah: Devarim (Deuteronomy) 15:19 – 16:17; Bemidbar 29:35 – 30:1
Haftarah: Melakhim Alef (1 Kings) 8:54-66
N.C. Yochanan 7:37-44
Torah
Reader 1 – Devarim 15:19-23
Reader 2 – Devarim 16:1-3
Reader 3 – Devarim 16:4-8
Reader 4 – Devarim 16:9-12
Reader 5 – Devarim 16:13-17
Maftir – Bemidbar 29:35 – 30:1
- Melakhim Alef 8:54-66
For instruction on the meaning and significance of this day see:
http://www.betemunah.org/shemini.html
http://www.betemunah.org/wicked.html
http://www.betemunah.org/shofar.html
Targum
Pseudo Jonathan on Deuteronomy 15:19 – 16:17
Every firstling male that comes out of your herd and flock you shall consecrate before the Lord your God. You shall not work with the firstlings of your herd, nor shear the firstlings of your flocks; you shall eat thereof before the Lord your God from year to year, in the place which the Lord will choose, you and the men of your houses. But if there be any spot in it, if it be lame or blind, or have any blemish, you shall not sacrifice it before the Lord your God: you may eat it in your cities; he who is unclean, (so) that he may not approach to holy things, and he who being clean may approach the holy, may alike (eat), as the flesh of the antelope or hart. Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out upon the ground like water.
XVI. Be mindful to keep the times
of the festivals, with the intercalations of the year, and to observe the
rotation thereof: in the month of Abib to perform the pascha before the Lord
your God, because in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of
Mizraim; you shall eat it therefore by night. But you shall sacrifice the
pascha before the Lord your God between the suns; and the sheep and the
bullocks on the morrow, on that same day to rejoice in the feast at the place
which the Lord will choose to make His Shekinah to dwell there. You shall not
eat leavened bread with the pascha; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread
unto His Name, the unleavened bread of humiliation; for with haste you went
forth from the
Seven weeks number to you; from the time when you begin to put the sickle to the harvest of the field after the reaping of the omer you shall begin to number the seven weeks. And you shall keep with joy the Festival of Weeks before the Lord your God, after the measure of the freewill offerings of your hands, according as the Lord your God shall have blessed you. And you shall rejoice with the joy of the feast before the Lord your God, you and your sons, your daughters, your servants and handmaids, the Levites who are in your cities, and the stranger, the orphan, and the widow who are among you, at the place which the Lord your God will choose where to make His Shekinah to dwell. Remember that you were servants in Mizraim; so shall you observe and perform these statutes.
The Feast of Tabernacles you shall make to you seven days, when you will have completed to gather in the corn from your threshing floors, and the wine from your presses. And you shall rejoice in the joy of your feasts with the clarinet and flute, you and your sons and daughters, your handmaids, the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, who are in your cities. Seven days you shall keep the feast before the Lord your God in the place which the Lord will choose, because the Lord your God will have blessed you in all your provision, and in all the work of your hands, and so shall you be joyful in prosperity.
Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place that He will choose; at the Feast of the Unleavened, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; nor must you appear before the Lord your God empty of any of the requirements; every one after the measure of the gifts of his hands, according to the blessing which the Lord your God hath bestowed upon you.
Ashlamatah
for Shemini Atzereth
I Kings 8:54-66
54 ¶ And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven.
55 And he stood, and blessed all
the congregation of
56 ‘Blessed be the LORD, that has given rest unto His people Israel, according to all that He promised; there has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised by the hand of Moses His servant.
57 The LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; let Him not leave us, nor forsake us;
58 that He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and His statutes, and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers.
59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that He maintain the cause of His servant, and the cause of His people Israel, as every day shall require;
60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD, He is God; there is none else.
61 Let your heart therefore be whole with the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His commandments, as at this day.’
62 ¶ And the king, and all
63 And Solomon offered for the
sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty
thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the
children of
64 The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD; for there he offered the burnt-offering, and the meal-offering, and the fat of the peace-offerings; because the brazen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt-offering, and the meal-offering, and the fat of the peace-offerings.
65 So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entrance Hamath unto the Brook of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.
66 On the eighth day he sent the
people away, and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and
glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown unto David His
servant, and to
Midrash
Pesiqta deRab Kahana
Pisqa
Twenty-Eight
On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. [You shall do no laborious work, but you shall offer a burnt-offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the Lord...These you shall offer to the Lord at your appointed feasts in addition to your votive-offerings and your freewill-offerings, for your burnt-offerings and for your cereal-offerings and for your drink-offerings and for your-peace offerings] (Numbers 29:35-39).
XXVIII:I
1. A. On the eighth day you shall have a
solemn assembly. [You shall do no laborious work, but you shall offer a
burnt-offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the Lord...These you
shall offer to the Lord at your appointed feasts in addition to your
votive-offerings and your freewillofferings, for your burnt-offerings and for
your cereal-offerings and for your drink-offerings and for your
peace-offerings] (Numbers 29:35-9): But you have increased the nation, O
Lord, you have increased the nation; [you are glorified; you have enlarged all
the borders of the land] (Is. 17 :25): You gave security to the wicked
Pharaoh. Did he then call you "Lord"? Was it not with blasphemies and
curses that he said, Who is the Lord, that I should listen to his voice (Ex.
5:2)! You gave security to the wicked Sennacherib. Did he then call you
"Lord"? Was it not with blasphemies and curses that he said, Who
is there among all the gods of the lands... (2 Kgs. 18:35). You gave
security to the wicked Nebuchadnezzar. Did he then call you "Lord"?
Was it not with blasphemies and curses that he said, And who is God to save you
from my power (Dan. 3:15). ...you
have increased the nation; you are glorified: You gave security to David
and so he blessed you: David blessed the Lord before all the congregation (1
Chr. 29:10). You gave security to his son, Solomon, and so he blessed you: Blessed
is the Lord who has given rest to his people
[But you have increased the nation, O Lord, you have increased the nation; you are glorified;] you have enlarged all the borders of the land (Is. 17:25): Said R. Levi, "You have examined those who are near you and you have examined those who are distant from you. Draw near those who are near you, and send distant those who are distant from you. Draw near those who are near you: The Lord is near those who call upon Him (Ps. 145:18). ...and send distant those who are distant from you: The Lord is distant from those who do wickedly (Prov. 15:29)."
Another interpretation of the verse But you have
increased the nation, [O Lord, you have increased the nation; you are
glorified; you have enlarged all the borders of the land] (Is. 17:25): In
the case of the nations of the world, if you give them a male child, he draws
forward his foreskin and grows a lock [that is cut off in the honor of the
idol.] When he grows up, he brings him to the temple of his idol and outrages
you. But in the case of
Another interpretation of the verse But you have
increased the nation, [O Lord, you have increased the nation; you are
glorified; you have enlarged all the borders of the land] (Is. 17:25): The
nations of the world, if you increase the number of festivals for them, they
eat and drink and carouse and go to theaters and circuses and outrage you with
their words and deeds. But in the case of
XXVIII:II
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, [but the righteous is generous and gives; for those blessed by the Lord shall possess the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off] (Ps. 37:21-22):Said R. Isaac, "There are three who are regarded as wicked: one who raises his hand against his fellow, one who borrows and does not pay back, and a contentious person. ...one who raises his hand against his fellow: He said to the wicked man, Why do you hit your fellow? (Ex. 2:13).” Said R. Zeora, "It is not the end of the matter that he actually hit him, but even if one raised his hand to hit him but did not hit him, he is regarded as wicked, as it is said, He said to the wicked person, why do you hit your fellow? (Ex. 2:13). What it says is not why did you hit your fellow, but why do you hit him. He wanted to hit him but up to that point he had not done so." Said R. Samuel bar Tanhum, "I said this before R. Tanhuma and he said, 'Even if he merely looked impudently at the other, he is regarded as wicked, as it is said, A wicked man looks impudently (Prov. 21:29)." “...one who borrows and does not pay back: The wicked borrows and does not pay back. ...and a contentious person: with reference to the party of Korach, Depart, I ask, from the tents of these wicked men (Num. 16:26)."
R. Judah, when he would impose an oath on someone, would recite this verse: Depart, I ask, from the tents of these wicked men (Num. 16:26).
Another comment on the verse The wicked borrows
and cannot pay back, [but the righteous is generous and gives; for those
blessed by the Lord shall possess the land, but those cursed by him shall be
cut off] (Ps. 37:21-22): These refers to the nations of the world who eat
and drink but do not recite a blessing. ...but the righteous is generous and
gives: this refers to
Said R. Simeon b. Laqish, "You find that, when the Holy One, blessed be He, gives to a righteous man what he asks from Him, he goes and shows grace to Him even more. That is in line with this verse: but the righteous is generous and gives. The righteous one of the world is generous and gives."
Said R. Levi, "It entered the mind of the Holy One, blessed be He, to assign to Israel a festival day for each month during the summer, in Nisan, Passover, in Iyyar, the minor Passover, in Sivan, Pentecost, but because of the transgressions and bad deeds for which they were responsible, he took festivals from them for the three month period of Tammuz, Ab, and Elul [which are marked by the breach of the wall of Jerusalem on the 17th of Tammuz, the destruction of the Temple on the ninth of Ab, and the month of penitence through Elul. During those months there is no occasion for a festival.] Then Tishri came along and made it up for all three of those months. The New Year makes up for the festival that is lacking in Tammuz, the Great Fast for the festival missing in Ab, and the seven days of The Festival for what is missing in Elul. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, 'The month of Tishri makes up for what is lacking in the other months, will it not compensate also for itself? Give it what is coming to it, and let the month come and task what is coming to it. Therefore it was necessary for Scripture to say, On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. [You shall do no laborious work, but you shall offer a burnt-offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the Lord...These you shall offer to the Lord at your appointed feasts in addition to your votive-offerings and your freewill-offerings, for your burnt-offerings and for your cereal-offerings and for your drink-offerings and for your peace-offerings] (Numbers 29:35-9)."
XXVIII:III
In a day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; [God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him] (Qoh. 7:14): Said R. Abba bar Kahana, "If an occasion for doing a good deed comes your way, do it right away, as it is written, on a day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him (Qoh. 7:14). And if a bad day comes your way, consider how to repent and to be saved from it."
R. Yudan in the name of R. Eleazar: "Three
things annul an evil decree [that is foreseen by astrology], and these are
they: prayer, acts of charity, and repentance. And all three of them may be
located in a single verse of Scripture: If my people, upon whom my name is
called, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their
evil ways, then I will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chr. 7:14).
If my people, upon whom my name is called, shall humble themselves and pray refers
to prayer. ... and seek my face refers to acts of charity, in line with
this verse: In justice I shall behold your face (Ps. 17:15). [Justice
is the same word as acts of charity.] ... and turn from their evil ways refers
to repentance. Then what is written? I will hear from heaven and forgive
their sin. R. Huna in the name of R.
Joseph: "Also changing one's name and the doing of a different sort of
deed will have the same effect. We know that changing a name makes a difference
from the case of Abraham: And your name will no longer be called Abram but
your name will be Abraham (Gen. 17:5). Abram did not produce a son, but
Abraham did. And along these same lines, Sarai your wife (Gen. 17:5). Sarai
did not produce a son, but Sarah did. We know that the doing of a different
sort of deeds makes a difference from the case of the men of Nineveh, as it is
said, And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil ways (Jonah
3:10). Some say, "Also changing one's place of domicile, as it is said, And
the Lord said to Abram, Get you out of your country, the land of your birth (Gen.
12:1). And then: I shall make you a great nation (Gen. 12:1).” R. Mana
said, "Also fasting [has the same effect], as it is said, The Lord answer
you in the day of distress [interpreted here to mean the day of fasting] (Ps.
20:20).” Raba bar
... God has made the one as well as the other, so
that man may not find out anything that will be after him (Qoh. 7:14): The
Holy One, blessed be He, made both the righteous and the wicked. That is in
line with this verse of Scripture: And afterward his brother came out, and
his hand was holding on to the heel of Esau (Gen. 25:26). R. Phineas, R.
Hilqiah in the name of R. Simon: There was scarcely a membrane between them,
and yet this one came forth as a righteous, and the other as a wicked person. On
what account has the Holy One, blessed be He, made both the righteous and the
wicked? So that these should atone for those, in line with this verse: God
has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that
will be after him (Qoh. 7:14).
Another interpretation of the verse In a day of prosperity be joyful, [and in the day of adversity consider; God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him (Qoh. 7:14): Said R. Tanhum bar Hiyya, "On a day on which something good happens for your fellow, be with him in his rejoicing, and on a day on which something bad happens, pay attention...and in the day of adversity consider, meaning, see how you may do a deed of mercy with him to save him from his misfortune.
The mother of R. Tanhum bar Hiyya would do things
this way. When she (mother) would buy a litra of meat from the market
for him, she would purchase two, one for him, the other for the poor. When she
would buy a bundle of vegetables from the market, she would buy two, one for
him, and one for the poor. Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, create poor and
rich? So that one should support the other. This was on the count of this verse
God has made the one as well as the other, meaning both the poor and the
rich. It is so that the one may attain merit through supporting the other, so
that each may provide the other with the occasion for attaining merit, in line
with the clause: God has made the one as well as the other.
Said R. Aha, "On a day of good fortune for the
Torah, be with it in its success, and in the day of adversity consider. When
the day comes of which it is written, Sinners will be afraid in
On what account did the Holy One, blessed be He, create both Gehenna and the Garden of Eden? It is so that they may afford assistance to one another. And what is the distance between them? R. Yohanan said, "A wall." R. Hanina said, "A handbreadth." Rabbis say, "Both of them are equivalent."
Said R. Levi, "Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel, 'My children, as to those offerings concerning which I wrote you in the Torah, be meticulous about them, for there is no better intercessor for the bringing of rain than offerings. Therefore it was necessary for Scripture to say, On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. {You shall do no laborious work, but you shall offer a burnt-offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the Lord...These you shall offer to the Lord at your appointed feasts in addition to your votive-offerings and your freewill-offerings, for your burnt-offerings and for your cereal-offerings and for your drink-offerings and for your peace-offerings] (Numbers 29:35-39)."
XXVIII:IV
Give a portion to seven or even to eight, [for you
do not know what evil may happen on earth. If the clouds are full of rain, they
empty themselves on the earth; and if a tree falls to the south or to the
north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. He who observes
the wind who will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap] (Qoh.
11:2-4): R. Eliezer, R. Nehemiah, and R. Joshua: R. Eliezer said, "Give
a portion to seven refers to the Sabbath, concerning which it is written, And
it came to pass on the seventh day (Ex. 16:27), and or even to eight refers
to circumcision. As it is written, And Elijah put his face between his knees
(1 Kgs. 18:42). Said Elijah before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Lord of
the ages, if there remained for
R. Simon interpreted the verse to speak of the leaders: "Give a portion to seven: On the seventh day the leader of the children of Ephraim (Num. 7:48). ... or even to eight: on the eighth day the leader of the children of Manasseh (Num. 7:54)."
R. Azariah in the name of R. Judah bar Simon interpreted the verse to speak of the consecration [of the priests for serving in the tabernacle]: "Give a portion to seven: For seven days he shall consecrate you (Lev. 8:33). or even to eight: And it came to pass on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron (Lev. 9:1)."
R. Judah bar. Simon in the name of R. Meir interpreted the verse to speak of the menstrual period: "Give a portion to seven refers to the seven days of the menstrual period. ... or even to eight refers to the eight days between birth and circumcision. Said thc Holy One, blessed be He, if a woman has properly observed the seven days of her menstrual period, I shall give her a male child and you will circumcise him on the eighth day (Lev. 12:3)."
R. Levi said, "Give a portion to seven refers to the seven days of The Festival [of Tabernacles], ... or even to eight: On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. [You shall do no laborious work, but you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the Lord...These you shall offer to the Lord at your appointed feasts in addition to your votive-offerings and your freewill-offerings, for your burnt-offerings and for your cereal-offerings and for your drink-offerings and for your peace offerings] (Numbers 29:35-39)."
XXVIII:V
For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He
adorns the humble with salvation. [Let the faithful exult in glory; let them
sing for joy on their couches] (Ps. 149:4-5). R. Joshua of Sikhnin in the
name of R. Levi: "The Holy One, blessed be He, takes pleasure in the
offerings of
"For the Lord
takes pleasure in his people: The Holy One, blessed be He, takes pleasure in the offerings of
XXVIII:VI
R. Yohanan, "The Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly constitutes a festival day unto itself [and not a continuation of The Festival of Tabernacles], requiring a priestly selection by itself [to choose by lottery which priests will conduct the rite and get the priestly portions of the sacrifices], an offering by itself, a blessing by itself, thus: a festival by itself." Said R. Bun, "In the case of all of them it is written, And on the day, but here it is written, On the day. On that basis we know that The Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly constitutes a festival day unto itself [and not a continuation of The Festival of Tabernacles]." ...requiring a priestly selection by itself: For we have learned in the Mishnah: “On the eighth day they reverted ,to draw lots on the festivals” [Mishnah Suk. 5:9].
"...an offering by itself: an ox, a ram." ... a blessing by itself: Said R. Ila, "On the basis of that allegation, we learn that [in reciting the blessing over the wine, we must include the blessing,] ... who has kept us in life and sustained us and brought us to this season."
XXVIII:VII
As to the conduct of the seven days of the Festival, [with respect to dismantling of the tabernacle on the seventh day,] how is the matter carried out? When one has finished eating [the final meal for the seven days of The Festival,] he should not dismantle the tabernacle. But from dusk onward he brings down [from the roof to the house] the dishes [in which he has eaten in the tabernacle, since he will not eat his evening meal, on the Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly, in the tabernacle]. That [postponement of the dismantling of the tabernacle] is on account of the honor owing to the final festival day [of The Festival] [Mishnah Suk. 4:8]. R. Abba bar Kahana, R. Hiyya bar Ashi in the name of Rab: "It is necessary while it is still day [before dark, inaugurating the Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly] to render his tabernacle no longer valid." Said R. Joshua b. Levi, "It is necessary for a person to recite in his house [and not in the tabernacle] the sanctification [of the wine] for the night of the last festival day." R. Jacob bar Aha in the name of R. Samuel said, "If one has recited the sanction of the wine in one house and changed his mind and decided to eat in another, it is necessary to recite the sanctification a second time." R. Aha, R. Hinena in the name of R. Hoshaiah: "He whose tabernacle is particularly pleasing to him, lo, such a one on the festival night of the last day of the Festival says the sanctification in his house and then goes up to the roof and eats in his tabernacle and he does not have to recite the sanctification a second time." Said R. Abun, "The opinion of Samuel accords with the view of R. Hiyya, and the opinion of R. Joshaiah accords with the position of R. Joshua b. Levi." Said R. Mana, "But there is no real disagreement between them. What Samuel has said applies to a case in which a person had determined in advance to eat in a particular room, and the opinion of R. Joshua b. Levi applies when one has not determined in advance to eat in a particular room."
Said R. Joshua b. Levi, "The Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly was appropriate to have been set fifty days after The Festival itself [as Pentecost comes fifty days after Passover]. The matter has been stated as a parable. To what is it comparable? It is to be compared to the case of a king who had married daughters, some of them living nearby, others living at a distance. Those that were living nearby could come and go in one day, while those living at a distance could not come and go in one day. So too in the case of Passover, since the Israelites pass from winter [when it rains] to summer, and the bother of making a trip is not much [for the roads are dry and in good repair], therefore the festival of Pentecost is fifty days after [Passover], since people can make the trip in one day. But in the case of The Festival, since at that season the Israelites are going from summer to winter [when the rainy season starts], on account of which the trip is difficult [and the roads impassable], therefore [the Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly] is not set at a spell of fifty days [from The Festival], since people cannot make the trip in one day. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, 'I and you - we shall rejoice on a single day.' Therefore it was necessary to say: On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. [You shall do no laborious work, but you shall offer a burnt-offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the Lord...These you shall offer to the Lord at your appointed feasts in addition to your votive-offerings and your freewill-offerings, for your burnt-offerings and for your cereal-offerings and for your drink-offerings and for your peace offerings] (Numbers 29:35-39).
XXVIII:VIII
R. Yudan in the name of R. Isaac, "All the time that the Israelites delay [and observe an extra festival] in their synagogues and study houses, the Holy One, blessed be He, delays [and leaves] his Presence with them. What is the verse of Scripture that indicates it? "May we urge you to stay? Let us prepare a kid for you (Judges 13:15)."
R. Haggai in the name of R. Isaac: "So long as the Israelites join together in synagogues and school houses, the Holy One, blessed be He, joins his Presence together with them. What is the verse of Scripture that indicates it? "I have most assuredly joined together with [interpreting in a different way the letters usually translated, hoped in] the Lord and he turned to me (Ps. 40:2)."
Said R. Alexandri, "The matter may be compared
to the case of a king who had an occasion for rejoicing. During all seven days
of banqueting, a noble lady counseled the members of the palace staff, saying
to them, 'While the king is taken up with his celebration, ask what you need.’ When
they did not grasp [her advice], the lady secured for them an additional day
[of celebration]. So throughout the seven days of The Festival, the Torah
counsels
XXVIII:IX
Said R. Alexandri, 'The matter may be compared to the
case of a king to whom an occasion for rejoicing came. All the seven days of
the banqueting, the prince was busy with the guests. When the seven days of
banqueting were over, said the king to his son, 'My son, I know that on an the
days of banqueting, you were busy with the guests. But now you and I may set
aside one day for rejoicing on our own. And I shall not make a lot of trouble
for you, but prepare one chicken and one litra of meat.’ So for all
seven days of the banqueting, the Israelites are busy with their offerings of
the nations of the world. For said R. Phineas, 'All those seventy oxen that the
Israelites offer on the Festival serve the seventy nations of the world, so
that the world will not be turned barren [on account of their sins]. What verse
of Scripture indicates it? In return for my love they accuse me, even as I
make prayer for them (Ps. 109:4). We rely on prayer. When the seven days of
The Festival are completed, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to
[With reference to the verse This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it (Ps. 118:24),] Said R. Abyun, "We do not know in what to rejoice, the day or the Holy One, blessed be He [since the Hebrew letters for the words in it may be read also in him]. But Solomon came along and spelled the matter out: We shall rejoice and be glad in You (Song 1:4) [and hence the sense here to is in Him]. "...in You (Song 1:4): in Your Torah." ...in You (Song 1:4): in Your salvation." [Since the word for in You contains the letters B and K], which bear the numerical value of twenty-two], said R. Isaac, "It is in the twenty-two letters of which you made use to write out Your Torah for us, the B stands for two, the K for twenty, [that we rejoice]."
XXVIII:X
1. A. These you shall offer to the Lord at your
appointed feasts in addition [to your votive-offerings and your
freewill-offerings, for your burnt-offerings and for your cereal-offerings and
for your drink-offerings and for your peace-offerings] (Numbers 29:35-39): R.
Haninah in the name of R. Tanhum bar Yudan: "What is written is not These
you have offered, but rather, These you shall offer to the Lord at your
appointed feasts [in addition to your votive-offerings and your
freewill-offerings, for your burnt-offerings and for your cereal-offerings and
for your drink-offerings and for your peace-offerings] (Numbers 29:35-9). The
Torah counsels
Said R. Berekhiah in the name of R. Abba bar Kahana,
"It is written, You shall keep this ordinance in its season (Ex.
13:10). The Torah counsels
Said R. Judah bar; Simon, "It is written, Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, [and bless your people Israel and the ground which you have given us as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey] (Deut. 26:15). What is written after that passage? This day the Lord your God commands you [to do these statutes and ordinances; you shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have declared this day concerning the Lord that he is your God and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his ordinances and will obey his voice; and the Lord has declared this day concerning you that you are a people for his own possession, as he has promised you; and that you are to keep all his commandments, that he will set you high above all nations that he has made, in praise and in fame and in honor, and that you shall be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he has spoken] (Deut. 26:16-19). Now what has one thing got to do with the other? So long as Israel carry out the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, and properly separate the tithes that they owe, so that they can say, I have removed holy things from the house (Deut. 13:13), the Holy One, blessed be He, counsels Israel, saying to them, 'Other days [are coming]' [as at Deut. 26:16-19]. But you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive this day (Deut. 4:4).
October 25/26, 2006
Rejoicing of the Torah – Regocijo de la Torah **
Evening Service:
Torah: Devarim (Deuteronomy) 33:1-26
Torah
Reader 1 – Devarim 32:1-7
Reader 2 – Devarim 32:8-12
Reader 3 – Devarim 32:13-17
Reader 4 – Devarim 32:18-21
Reader 5 – Devarim 32:22-26
Morning Service:
Torah: Devarim (Deuteronomy) 33:1 – 34:12; Beresheet (Genesis) 1:1 – 2:3;
Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:35 – 30:1
Haftarah: Yehoshua 1:1-9
N.C. 1 John 3:1-24
Torah
Reader 1 – Devarim 33:1-7
Reader 2 – Devarim 33:8-12
Reader 3 – Devarim 33:13-17
Reader 4 – Devarim 33:18-21
Reader 5 – Devarim 33:22-26
Chatan Torah: Devarim 33:27 – 34:12
Chatan Beresheet: Beresheet* 1:1-8
1:9-19
1:20 – 2:3
Maftir – Bemidbar 29:35 – 30:1
- Yehoshua 1:1-9
*Note: The Aliyah Chatan Beresheet can be shared between three or more persons.
** Note: that some Nazarean Jewish congregations may not want to celebrate Simhat Torah as that is a custom that originated with the Annual Cycle of Torah Reading, and thus those who follow a Shmittah Torah cycle of readings will only celebrate it twice every seven years, as was once the custom in Eretz Yisrael. However, for the sake of peace and shalom those who want to celebrate Simhat Torah to join with the rest of the Jewish Brethren who follow the Annual Cycle can do so, and blessings be upon them. However, those that prefer to celebrate this, twice in a Shmitah cycle do not sin either, as the Halakhic injunction only applies to those following the annual cycle. Our custom at Esnoga Bet Emunah is only to celebrate Simhat Torah twice every seven years at the end of each 3 and ½ year Torah reading Cycle.
On the fifteenth day of this seventh month, five days after Yom Kippur comes the Festival of Sukkoth, during which we are commanded to dwell in booths (Sukkoth) and to take the Four Species (including the Lulab and Ethrogh). By sitting in the Sukkah we commemorate the fact that our forefathers sat in Sukkoth, as it is written: "Kee Bassukkoth Hoshabti Eth Bene Yisrael" (because I made the Children of Israel dwell in booths). There is a difference of opinion as to whether these were real booths, or whether this refers to the Clouds of Glory that surrounded Bene Yisrael, on all four sides, above and below. Qiddush on the first night (and
second too, for those who live outside the It is made in the Sukkah and – on the first night – includes the Berakha (blessing) of Leesheb Bassukkah followed by Sheheheyanu. On the second night, the Berakha of Leesheb Bassukkah is recited last. The Berakha of Leesheb Bassukkah is recited standing during the Qiddush at night and one only sits after its completion. During the day, however, it is recited while seated. According to the Sepharadim, this Berakha should only be pronounced if one has the intention of eating bread, however, if one simply wishes to eat a piece of cake or something similar, it should not be recited. A special chair should be placed in the Sukkah for the seven Ushpizin (holy guests) who visit, one each night, over the seven nights of the holiday. A copy of the book Qeri-eh Mo'ed, a Tanakh or a Zohar should be placed on it and a fine piece of cloth should be draped over both the chair and the book. It is a fine Minhagh to send one meal every night to a poor person, in honor of the Ushpizin of that particular night. The seven Ushpizin are
represented in the Lulab and Ethrogh, as follows: the Myrtle (of which
we use three stems) represents our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The The Midrash explains that these four items of which the Lulab and Ethrogh are comprised, represent four types of people who are all joined together in rejoicing before the Creator. The Ethrogh – is a man who is learned in Torah (symbolized by its good taste) and the good smell is the good deeds which he performs. The Lulab – a learned man, but without good deeds. The Hadas (myrtle) – a man of good deeds (as in its good smell), but not learned. The 'Araboth (willow) – possessing neither smell nor taste, is a man of neither good deeds nor learning. When these four types of people are bound together with love and unity – and all feelings of jealousy and hatred banished – their prayers are accepted and all their sins are forgiven. There are certain differences between Sepharadim and Ashkenazim in the manner in which the Lulab and Ethrogh are used. The waving of the Lulab by Sepharadim is done by moving it, three times, to and from ones chest (as opposed to shaking it in front of one). The waving is done is this order: South, North, East, Up, Down and West. The order for Ashkenazim is different and, in addition, Ashkenazim face forward (East) at all times and change the direction in which the Lulab is pointing. Sepharadim physically turn around, so that the Lulab is always facing forward. On the first Shabbath of Sukkoth, Ashkenazim read the Meghillah of Qoheleth, prior to the reading of the Torah. Sepharadim do not have this Minhagh. The last night of Sukkoth is Leil Hosha'na Rabba. The period which commenced on Rosh Hodesh Elul, of Selihoth and supplications for forgiveness, reaches its end on this day with a final scaling of our judgement. On this night the men stay up reading the entire book of Debarim (Deuteronomy) and (time-permitting) various other prescribed readings. |
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Taken from the writings of
Hakham Ya'aqob Menashe. © Copyright Midrash BEN ISH
HAI. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. |
Chag Sameach Sukkoth!
Le-Shanah tovah tikkatevu ve-tehatemu - may you be inscribed and sealed for a good year!
