Parshat Emor

The Festivals

Sefer VaYikra deals with aspects of Jewish law from the vantage point of holy or unholy and clean or unclean. And so, when the festivals are taught in this week's parsha, it begins by calling them "mikraei kodesh" – "holy occasions".

The instructions begin with the introduction: "Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: The Lord's appointed [holy days] that you shall designate as holy occasions. These are My appointed [holy days]:…" (VaYikra 23:2).

The Torah then lists all the holy occasions, beginning with Shabbat, then Pesach, followed by the Omer, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and finally Sukkot.

Then the Torah summarizes: "These are God's appointed [holy days] that you shall designate them as holy occasions, [on which] to offer up a fire offering to the Lord… (ibid 37).

One would expect the Torah to then move onto the next subject. But it doesn't. It starts again to teach us about Sukkot, again! "But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gather in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the festival of the Lord for a seven day period; the first day shall be a rest day, and the eighth day shall be a rest day…" (ibid 39).

Once, the Torah completes its second account of Sukkot, it then describes Moshe's execution of the task: "Moses told the children of Israel [these laws] of the Lord's appointed [holy days]" (ibid 44).

What's going on? Did the Torah forget something about Sukkot that it needed to add, or is something else going on?

There are two types of Biblical festivals: the Pilgrimage Festivals (Shalosh Regalim or Hag) and the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim).

Sukkot belongs to both. Sukkot closes the series of pilgrimage festivals: Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot, and it also closes the Days of Awe series: Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Sukkot.

Sukkot, therefore has a dual identity. It has the complete joy of the pilgrimage festivals, and yet has the fear of judgment. Indeed, in modern day Jewish practice, Sukkot fulfils both these requirements: We have the commandment of pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and yet we do the "hoshana" ceremony and prayer and prayers for rain, as if it were a day of judgment.

For that reason Sukkot appears twice. Indeed the commandments associated with pilgrimage appear in the first account of Sukkot, while the commandments associated with judgment appar in the second account.

Last years' Sedra Short on Parshat Emor, entitled: "Priestly Defects" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2008/05/parshat-emor-priestly-defects-just-as.html

Another Sedra Short on Parshat Emor, entitled: "Say it with love" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2007/05/parshat-emor-say-it-with-love-all.html

Another Sedra Short on Parshat Emor, entitled: "The Tale of the Blasphemer" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2006/05/parshat-emor-tale-of-blasphemer-sefer.html

Parshat Emor

Say it with Love

All parshiyot get their name get their name by a major word that appears at the beginning of the parsha.

Our parsha, Emor, is no exception.

"The Lord said (ויאמר) to Moshe: Say (אמור) to the kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and say (ואמרת to them (VaYikra 21:1).

What is interesting an exceptional however, is that the root "אמר" – "say", appears three times in the opening passuk. Even more exceptional is the change from the regular "וידבר" – "He spoke" to "ויאמר" – He said, which appears ten times in the parsha.

Is there any significance to the use of "אמר" and how does it differ to "דבר"?

Rashi notes in Shemot 19:3, that the word: "אמר" is a "softer" form of instruction. Indeed, we often see the root used in non-halachik instructions and at times when God wants to establish a relationship, covenant with people, e.g. with Noach (Bereshit 9:5), Avraham (ibid 17:9) and Israel (Shemot19:3).

However, the word: "דבר" is a "harder" form of the expression, as Yoseph's brothers claimed: "the lord of the land spoke harshly with us".

When it comes to giving commandments, the Torah generall uses: "דבר" the people are being given instructions and have no choice but to accept the laws. However, a Moshe explained to Aharon, the Kohanim are closer to God (VaYikra 10:3) and "the bread of their God, they do offer" (ibid 21:6).

The Kohanim are being made to asked to make extra sacrifices, large burdens, that are not required of the regular Israelite. Our parsha begins with a prohibition for a Kohen to bury and even mourn his family. The chapter continues with other restrictions as to who he can marry. Furthermore these restrictions are so serious, that breaking them could lead to his death.

It is possible that because of the close relationship that God has with the Kohanim and because of these extra restrictions, He uses a softer tone, to express to them His desire to be close to them and show compassion to their sacrifice.

Last years' Sedra Short on Parshat Emor, entitled: "The Tale of the Blasphemer" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_archive.html