Esnoga Bet Emunah
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America © 2007
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Triennial Cycle
(Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
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Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
Fourth Year of the Reading Cycle |
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Tishri 15-23, 5768
– Sept. 26 – Oct. 5, 2007 |
Seventh Year of the Shmita Cycle |
Chag Sameach Sukkoth
5768
Part II
We wish all of our
readers a most happy, blessed and joyous time over the holidays of Tabernacles
together with loved ones and welcome daily most Distinguished guests at your
Sukkah,
together with all
of most noble brethren of
Candle Lighting
and Havdalah Times
San
Antonio, Texas, U.S. Brisbane, Australia:
Wednesday
Oct. 3, 2007 – Candles at 7:00 PM Wednesday
Oct. 3, 2007 – Candles at 5:31 PM
Thursday
Oct. 4, 2007 – Candles at 7:52 PM Thursday
Oct. 4, 2007 – Candles at 6:24 PM
Friday
October 5, 2007 – Candles at 6:58 PM Friday
October 5, 2007 – Candles at 5:32 PM
Saturday
October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 7:50 PM Saturday
October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 6:25 PM
Atlanta,
Georgia, U.S. Singapore, Singapore
Wednesday
Oct. 3, 2007 – Candles at 7:02 PM Wednesday
Oct. 3, 2007 – Candles at 6:39 PM
Thursday
Oct. 4, 2007 – Candles at 7:56 PM Thursday
Oct. 4, 2007 – Candles at 7:27 PM
Friday
October 5, 2007 – Candles at 6:59 PM Friday
October 5, 2007 – Candles at 6:38 PM
Saturday
October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 7:53 PM Saturday
October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 7:27 PM
Cebu, Philippines Jakarta,
Indonesia
Wednesday Oct. 3, 2007 –
Candles at 5:27 PM Wednesday
Oct. 3, 2007 – Candles at 5:29 PM
Thursday Oct. 4, 2007 –
Candles at 6:16 PM Thursday
Oct. 4, 2007 – Candles at 6:18 PM
Friday
October 5, 2007 – Candles at 5:26 PM Friday
October 5, 2007 – Candles at 5:29 PM
Saturday
October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 6:15 PM Saturday
October 6, 2007 – Havadalah 6:18 PM
For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Hol HaMoed Sukkoth III - Intermediate Day of
Tabernacles (3rd Day)
Tishri 19, 5768 – September 30 / October 1, 2007
For instruction on the meaning and
significance of this day see:
http://www.betemunah.org/succoth.doc
http://www.betemunah.org/birth.doc
Torah: Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:23-28
Psalm 133
N.C. 1 Tsefet (Peter) 2:11-17
Torah Reading:
Reader 1 – Bemidbar 29:23-25
Reader 2 – Bemidbar 29:26-28
Reader 3 – Bemidbar 29:29-31
Reader 4 – Bemidbar 29:23-28
Hol HaMoed Sukkoth IV - Intermediate Day of
Tabernacles (4th Day)
Tishri 20, 5768 – October 1/2, 2007
For instruction on
the meaning and significance of this day see:
http://www.betemunah.org/succoth.doc
http://www.betemunah.org/birth.doc
Torah: Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:26-31
Psalm 133
N.C. Ephesians 3:14-21
Torah Reading:
Reader 1 – Bemidbar 29:26-28
Reader 2 – Bemidbar 29:29-31
Reader 3 – Bemidbar 29:32-34
Reader 4 – Bemidbar 29:26-31
Hol HaMoed Sukkoth V - Intermediate Day of Tabernacles
(5th Day)
Tishri 21, 5768 – October 2/3, 2007
Hoshana Raba
For instruction on
the meaning and significance of this day see:
http://www.betemunah.org/hoshana.doc
Torah: Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:29-34
N.C. Colossians 3:12-17
Torah Reading:
Reader 1 – Bemidbar 29:22-29
Reader 2 – Bemidbar 29:29-31
Reader 3 – Bemidbar 29:32-34
Reader 4 – Bemidbar 29:22-31
SHEMINI ATSERET
FEAST OF THE EIGHTH DAY OF TABERNACLES
Tishri 21, 5768 – October 3/4, 2007
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Torah |
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כָּל-הַבְּכוֹר |
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“Kol
HaB’khor” |
Reader
1 – Debarim 15:19-23 |
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“All
the firstling males” |
Reader
2 – Debarim 16:1-3 |
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“todo
primerizo macho” |
Reader
3 – Debarim 16:4-8 |
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Debarim (Deut.) 15:19 – 16:17 B’Midbar (Numbers) 29:35 – 30:1 |
Reader
4 – Debarim 16:9-12 |
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Ashlamatah: Zekharyah I Kings 8:54-66 |
Reader
5 – Debraim 16:13-17 |
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Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 and 12:1-14 |
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Maftir – B’Midbar 29:35 – 30:1 |
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N.C.: Matityahu 21:1-9 |
I Kings 8:54-66 |
For instruction on
the meaning and significance of this day see:
http://www.betemunah.org/shemini.doc
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 land of Mizraim; that you may remember the day of your out going from the land of Mizraim all the days of your life. Take heed that in the beginning of the pascha there be no leaven seen among you within all your borders for seven days; and that none of the flesh which you sacrifice in the evening of the first day remain till the morning. It will not be allowed you to eat the pascha in (any) one of your cities which the Lord your God gives to you; but in the place which the Lord your God will choose to make His Shekinah to dwell, there shall you sacrifice the pascha; and in the evening at the going down of the sun you may eat it until the middle of the night, the time when you began to go out of Mizraim. And you shall dress and eat it in the place which the Lord your God will choose, and in the early morn (if need be) you may return from the feast, and go to your cities. On the first day you shall offer the omer, and eat unleavened cakes of the old corn; but in the six remaining days you may begin to eat unleavened cakes of the new corn, and on the seventh day you shall assemble with thanksgiving before the Lord your God; no work shall you perform.
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 Israel with a loud voice, saying:
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 Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.
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 Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.
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 Israel His people.
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 Israel (1 Kgs. 8:56). You gave security to Daniel and so he blessed you: Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God (Dan. 2:20)
[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 Israel, if you give one of them a male child, he counts eight days and circumcises him. If he was a firstborn, he redeems him after thirty days. When he grows up, he brings him to synagogues and study houses and blesses you every day: Blessed be the Lord who is to be blessed.
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 Israel, if you give them festival days, they eat, drink, rejoice, go to synagogues and school houses, increase their praying and increase their prayers for additional offerings and other 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: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 Israel, who eat and say a blessing.
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 Hama bar Guria in the name of Rab: "Fasting is as good for a dream as fire for stubble." Said R. Joseph, "That is so if it is done on the same day [as the dream], even if that is the Sabbath [on which it is ordinarily forbidden to fast]."
... 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 Zion (Is. 33:14), be among those who see and not among those who are seen. Be among the spectators and not among the ones who fight the lions. Be among those concerning whom it is written, They shall go forth and look on the carcasses of the men who rebelled against me (Is. 66:24), and not among those of whom it is written, Their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire {be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh] (Is. 66:24)."
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 Israel only these two religious duties alone, their merit would be such as to justify rain.' R. Nehemiah said, "Give a portion to seven refers to the generation of Moses, which practiced circumcision on the seventh day, or even to eight refers to the generation of Joshua, which practiced circumcision on the eighth day. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him, 'Moses, your lord, circumcised them on the seventh day, and you circumcise them on the eighth.' At that time said the Lord to Joshua, 'Prepare for your use flint knives [and again circumcise the children of Israel a second time] (Josh. 5:2). "A second time do you circumcise them, a third time you do not circumcise them.” R. Joshua said, said, "Give a portion to seven refers to the seven days of Passover, or even to eight refers to the eight days of The Festival. And when it says, or even, it means to encompass the eighth day of the Solemn Assembly, the New Year, and the Day of Atonement."
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 Israel. ... He adorns the humble with salvation, and salvation refers only to offerings in line with this verse: And the Lord looked upon [thus: accorded salvation to] Abel and his offering (Gen. 4:4)."
"For the Lord takes pleasure in his people: The Holy One, blessed be He, takes pleasure in the offerings of Israel. Therefore Moses admonishes Israel: 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: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 Israel, saying to them, 'Ask for rain from the Lord.’ You may know that that is the fact, for lo, on the second day [it is stated], and their drink-offerings (Num. 29:19), so too on the sixth, and its drink-offerings (Num. 29:31), and on the seventh, in accord with the rule applying to them (Num. 29:33). [We shall now explain how the Torah counsels Israel to pray for rain on that occasion. The cited words make use of the letters] M, Y, and M, which spell, in Hebrew, water. On that basis we derive proof that the rite of pouring a water libation on the altar [as a prayer for rain] derives from the rules of the Torah and is to be recited on The Festival. But because the Israelites did not look into the matter, the Torah itself secured for them an additional day of celebration: Therefore it was necessary for the Torah to state, 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: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 Israel, 'My children, I know that through the seven days of The Festival you have been taken up with making offerings for the nations of the world. But now I and you - we shall celebrate on our own, together. And I shall not make a lot of trouble for you, but prepare one ox and one ram.' Now when the Israelites heard this, they began to praise the Holy One, blessed be He, saying, This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it (Ps. 118:24)."
[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 Israel, saying to them, 'Other days [are coming].'"
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 Israel, saying to them, 'Other days [are coming]."
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).
SIMCHAT TORAH
REJOICING OF THE TORAH
Tishri 23, 5768 – October 4/5, 3007
For instruction on
the meaning and significance of this day see:
http://www.betemunah.org/simchat.doc
Evening Service October 4:
Torah: Debarim (Deuteronomy) 33:1-26
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 October 5:
Torah: Debarim (Deuteronomy) 33:1 – 34:12;
Beresheet (Genesis) 1:1 – 2:3;
Bemidbar (Numbers) 29:35 – 30:1
Ashlamatah: Yehoshua 1:1-9
Psalm: 1+2
N.C. 1 John 3:1-24
Torah Reading:
Reader 1 – Debarim 33:1-7
Reader 2 – Debarim 33:8-12
Reader 3 – Debarim 33:13-17
Reader 4 – Debarim 33:18-21
Reader 5 – Debarim 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.
Chag Sameach Sukkoth
5768!
Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai