A
thought regarding Shavuos: In this week’s Parsha 23:21 (וּקְרָאתֶם בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ
יִהְיֶה לָכֶם--כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ: חֻקַּת עוֹלָם
בְּכָל-מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם, לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם).
The phrase (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה
לָכֶם) appears numerous times
in Chumash. It is a day which is a day of Holiness. However, here there is a
verb that precedes it, (וּקְרָאתֶם
בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה,), and
you shall announce on this day (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) that it is a Holy day, (יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) it shall be for you. It doesn’t read properly. (וּקְרָאתֶם בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה,
מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) makes sense. (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) makes sense. But the reading of “You
shall call on this day a day of Holiness it shall be to you” seems to be
incorrect.
The
Tosafos Beracha explains that we find a few times in Tanach that words are
meant to be read in both directions. Therefore, he says (וּקְרָאתֶם בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ), that the words (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) are read with the beginning of the Posuk, “And on this day you
shall announce a day of Holiness”. In addition, (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם), the command that “This shall be a day of Holiness to you”. So that this is one of those words which are
read in both directions. The Tosafos Beracha brings a long list of such words.
This is what it says in the Sefer of the Tosafos Beracha.
Based on
that I would add an interesting Limud. We can ask why Dafka here on Shavuos
does the Torah present the words (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ
יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) in a way that
it is read twice, (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ
יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) appears in
regard other Yomim Tovim, in Parshas Pinchas for example and it is not read
twice.
To answer
that question as to why the Torah sets it up this way we look at Chazal. What
does (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) mean? We find 2 interpretations. In the
Toras Kohanim, we find in Parshas Emor, it says (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ)
by Achila, Shesi’a, and Chisus Nekia. Meaning, it is a day you shall call Holy
by eating special foods, drinking special drinks, and by wearing clean
clothing. Call it a Holy day, that is
one interpretation, the physical pleasures of the day.
The
Gemara in Maseches Shevuos 13 says (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) that it should be a special day of
Holiness in which we add blessings and prayers.
So there are 2 interpretations of the (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ)
Limud. We know that every Yom Tov is a day that has 2 aspects, Lachem (special
Mitzvos of the day that are pleasure driven for a person) and Lashem (parts
that are meant to create additional Ruchniyos and spiritual growth). The Gemara
says that Shevuos is a special Yom Tov in which all agree that you must add
Lachem.
On
Pesach, Sukkos, and certainly Rosh Hashana, Rav Eliezer holds that a person has
a choice and he is permitted to make it Kulo L’Hashem and does not have to make
it a day of any physical pleasure (Lachem). He can spend the whole day learning
and davening without adding physical pleasure. However, Rav Eliezer is Modeh
that on Shevuos uniquely, that all agree that you must add Lachem (physical
pleasure). Shevuos which is a day of Matan Torah, Torah and the enjoyment of
learning Torah is something which is not a contradiction to the physical
pleasures of the world. Therefore, on Shevuos everyone agrees that you need the
Achila, Shesi’a, and Chisus Nekia as well.
Based on
this we come back to this Posuk. (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) has two separate meanings. Lachem which
is Achila, Shesi’a, and Chisus Nekia and Lashem which is adding blessings and
prayers. There are 2 separate meanings which can apply to any Yom Tov. So in a
different Yom Tov when it says (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ
יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) you have a
choice. You can choose the meaning of Kulo Lachem or the meaning of Kulo Lashem.
Not so on Shevuos. Therefore on Shevuos we have (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ)
twice. Twice but it only says it once. Both meanings are merged into one
expression (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ), as if to say that on Shevuos uniquely
you need both (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ).
אין תגובות:
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