A Thought On Parshas Pinchas
A Thought on Parshas Pinchas
"...u'sa'ir echad l'chatos la'HaShem..."
"...and one goat as a sin offering to HaShem..." (28:15)
Our parsha highlights the array of offerings which are brought throughout the year. There are offerings specific to each festival and occasion. Obviously, these are brought forth for one reason only: HaShem has commanded us that the sacrificial rite is a means of serving Him.
It seems curious that with the many verses instructing us about the range of offerings, it is only our above verse which adds that these are to be brought "for HaShem." It seems very obvious that this is the sole motivation for bringing any and all offerings. Why does the Torah single out this verse with the qualification that this goat must be brought for HaShem?
The Rambam (Moreh HaNevuchim III:46) attends to this. He notes that this verse refers to the offerings brought on the New Moon, Rosh Chodesh. At the start of every month, the nation would offer the sacrifice designated for that occasion. These new moon, or new month, observances were different than other festivals and holy days. The other set times of the year are really Divine decrees where we are told that a time or a season has some theological significance. For example, Sukkos, Pesach, Yom Kippur are important moments in our Jewish calendar year yet their importance is not rooted to anything material or even celestial. They happen when they happen, and HaShem has told us when they are to happen.
Rosh Chodesh is different. The Torah has fixed the new month observance with the new moon. (Even our English word month is derived from the English word moon.) We Jews did not "discover" the concept of a lunar month. Both civilized and pagan cultures use the new moon to signify the beginning of a new time frame such as a month. There is a sick mind, writes the Rambam, which has led people to believe that they must make sacrifices to the celestial bodies such as the moon and the sun. People do that. People at one time even worshipped the sun (Sunday) and the moon (Monday).
We cannot do that. In fact, it is so essential that we know that our rosh chodesh offering has nothing to do with the moon that the Torah spells out "la'Hashem" - this is all done in the service of HaShem. (Elsewhere I have mentioned that this may be one reason that we say Aleinu following kiddush levana, to demonstrate that we are saying these prayers to HaShem and not, Heaven forfend, as some bizarre ritual focused on the moon).
* * * * *
The Rosh also writes that we need to consider rosh chodesh a spiritual observance rather than a chronological event. He notes that Chazal assigned special Torah readings to the many festivals and occasions which mark our Jewish calendar. He suggests that a verse which lends support to this Rabbinic practice can be found in VaYikra 23:4 - eleh moa'dae HaShem mikrae kodesh asher tik'ra'u osom b'mo'adam. "These are the times designated by HaShem as Sacred Events which you should announce at their set time."
The Rosh sees in the term asher tik'ra'u an allusion to the word kriah which can mean "to read." He then notes that we read the Torah portion on the holy days but also on rosh chodesh. Nowhere in the Torah, however, do we have a reference for rosh chodesh as a mo'ed festival. The verse which we use as a reference to these readings is referring to moadim yet rosh chodesh does not seem to be considered a moed! Curious.
The Rosh reminds us that in Eichah 1:15 the verse says "kora alay moed" - they have declared a moed. Chazal (Ta'anis 29a) see in this term a reference for the months of Tamuz and Av. Therefore, rosh chodesh is more than just an event associated with the moon in the sky. It is a day made auspicious and important for us because HaShem has declared it so. This parallels the reasoning of the Rambam who also urges us to remember that the marking of time through the demarcation of the months is a spiritual process to help us accept the unequivocal majesty of HaShem.
As we prepare for the moed spanning the Three Weeks, through the Ninth of Chodesh Av, I wish you a good Shabbos and better times ahead. D Fox
"...u'sa'ir echad l'chatos la'HaShem..."
"...and one goat as a sin offering to HaShem..." (28:15)
Our parsha highlights the array of offerings which are brought throughout the year. There are offerings specific to each festival and occasion. Obviously, these are brought forth for one reason only: HaShem has commanded us that the sacrificial rite is a means of serving Him.
It seems curious that with the many verses instructing us about the range of offerings, it is only our above verse which adds that these are to be brought "for HaShem." It seems very obvious that this is the sole motivation for bringing any and all offerings. Why does the Torah single out this verse with the qualification that this goat must be brought for HaShem?
The Rambam (Moreh HaNevuchim III:46) attends to this. He notes that this verse refers to the offerings brought on the New Moon, Rosh Chodesh. At the start of every month, the nation would offer the sacrifice designated for that occasion. These new moon, or new month, observances were different than other festivals and holy days. The other set times of the year are really Divine decrees where we are told that a time or a season has some theological significance. For example, Sukkos, Pesach, Yom Kippur are important moments in our Jewish calendar year yet their importance is not rooted to anything material or even celestial. They happen when they happen, and HaShem has told us when they are to happen.
Rosh Chodesh is different. The Torah has fixed the new month observance with the new moon. (Even our English word month is derived from the English word moon.) We Jews did not "discover" the concept of a lunar month. Both civilized and pagan cultures use the new moon to signify the beginning of a new time frame such as a month. There is a sick mind, writes the Rambam, which has led people to believe that they must make sacrifices to the celestial bodies such as the moon and the sun. People do that. People at one time even worshipped the sun (Sunday) and the moon (Monday).
We cannot do that. In fact, it is so essential that we know that our rosh chodesh offering has nothing to do with the moon that the Torah spells out "la'Hashem" - this is all done in the service of HaShem. (Elsewhere I have mentioned that this may be one reason that we say Aleinu following kiddush levana, to demonstrate that we are saying these prayers to HaShem and not, Heaven forfend, as some bizarre ritual focused on the moon).
* * * * *
The Rosh also writes that we need to consider rosh chodesh a spiritual observance rather than a chronological event. He notes that Chazal assigned special Torah readings to the many festivals and occasions which mark our Jewish calendar. He suggests that a verse which lends support to this Rabbinic practice can be found in VaYikra 23:4 - eleh moa'dae HaShem mikrae kodesh asher tik'ra'u osom b'mo'adam. "These are the times designated by HaShem as Sacred Events which you should announce at their set time."
The Rosh sees in the term asher tik'ra'u an allusion to the word kriah which can mean "to read." He then notes that we read the Torah portion on the holy days but also on rosh chodesh. Nowhere in the Torah, however, do we have a reference for rosh chodesh as a mo'ed festival. The verse which we use as a reference to these readings is referring to moadim yet rosh chodesh does not seem to be considered a moed! Curious.
The Rosh reminds us that in Eichah 1:15 the verse says "kora alay moed" - they have declared a moed. Chazal (Ta'anis 29a) see in this term a reference for the months of Tamuz and Av. Therefore, rosh chodesh is more than just an event associated with the moon in the sky. It is a day made auspicious and important for us because HaShem has declared it so. This parallels the reasoning of the Rambam who also urges us to remember that the marking of time through the demarcation of the months is a spiritual process to help us accept the unequivocal majesty of HaShem.
As we prepare for the moed spanning the Three Weeks, through the Ninth of Chodesh Av, I wish you a good Shabbos and better times ahead. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 6:58 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home