Parsha Emor: Leviticus 21:1-Leviticus 24:23

Parsha: Emor

Day#5: Leviticus 23:23-33

(Study Notes)

(Leviticus 23:23-25) High Holy Day: Rosh Hashanah

HaKadosh Baruch Hu next communicates to (and through) Moshe Rabbeinu about Rosh Hashanah. This High Holy Day is also called The Feast of Trumpets or Yom Teruah.

Hashem declares that this “fixed day” is to be celebrated every year in the 7^th month on the first Day of the month. In the Jewish Holy Day Calendar, the 7^th month is the month of Tishrei.

This High Holy Day is to be a day of complete rest, a sacred occasion, and is to be commemorated with “loud blasts”—meaning loud teruah from the ram’s horn. Along with these celebratory rituals, we are to bring a burnt offering by fire.

Though commanded, unlike many of the other Holy Days, HaKadosh Baruch Hu does not specify the type of animal we are to bring for the burnt offering. Seeing as this High Holy Day is set for the Rosh Chodesh of Tishrei, according to Numbers 28:11-15, the specific burnt Offerings of the New Moon festivals every month are to be:

Additionally, it is traditionally commanded that in preparation for this Holy Day of Rosh Hashanah, we are to hear the blast of the shofar every day of the preceding month of Elul. Along with these celebratory ritual shofar blast, we are to recite and/or hear Psalm 27 daily.

Furthermore, while there is not much detail about the exact meaning behind this High Holy Day, Rosh Hashanah is commonly celebrated as the Jewish New Year. As we have stated previously, there is a separate Holy Day calendar, which begins in the month of Nisan, when Pesach is celebrated. The New Year set by Rosh Hashanah is the normal calendar year in the Jewish tradition.

Tishrei is about 6 and 1/2 months after Pesach. When we look to Tanakh for reference of trumpet blasts and cause for celebration, there is not a direct correlation found. Several examples of trumpet blasts mentioned:

1. There was the trumpet blasts when HaKadosh Baruch Hu first gave the Torah on Mt. Sinai, but that occurred “on the 3^rd day of the 3^rd new moon” after we left Mitzrayim—so, about a month and a half after Pesach, which corresponds to Shavuot, not Rosh Chodesh Tishrei.

2. There was a trumpet blast when the tabernacle was first erected. However, this occurred on the first day of the first month (Exodus 40:2) after a year of being in the wilderness. So, following the Holy Day Calendar alone, this would mean Rosh Chodesh Nisan.

3. We have trumpet blasts with the victory at Jericho (Joshua 6).  While there is no specific day or month given for this victory, we do know that the victory occurred sometime after the celebrations of both Pesach and at least the beginning of the first Omer count (if not Shavuot as well).  The victory at Jericho was shrouded in the same mystery as this High Holy Day—victory came with six days of marching in silence and then a loud trumpet blasts with a shout on the seventh day. This victory marked the first conquest of the Jewish nation in our Jewish land—which is pretty amazing if you ask me, and definitely worth celebrating as a High Holy Day every year! Celebrating such a victory with a day of complete rest would also be fitting, since in the messianic age (when eternal Shabbat will exist) every Jew will be brought back to the land and secured in shalom, never to leave again—like Jericho’s victory en mass.

(Leviticus 23:26-32) High Holy Day: Yom Kippur

In last week’s Parsha, we studied the details of Yom Kippur at great length (Leviticus 16). Yet, here HaKadosh Baruch Hu again communicates the overview details of this sacred Day of Atonement, which is to be celebrated every year.

This High Holy Day is to be celebrated every year on the 10^th day of the 7^th month, so 10 Tishrei.

On this sacred occasion, we are to do no work—it will be a holy convocation and a day of complete self denial. This means that from the evening of the 9th of Tishrei to the evening of the 10^th of Tishrei we hold a 24 hour fast.

Leviticus 16 provides the specific offerings (of both sin and burnt offerings) that we should bring when the Temple stands. The sin offerings, in particular, are the means by which atonement and expiation is made on behalf of every Jew, as is mentioned here in Leviticus 23.

As we noted in our study of Leviticus 16, the astonishing fact is that national forgiveness, atonement, and expiation is granted with only two sacrifices: a priesthood bull, and a male-goat (the sacrifice ordained for a single chieftain). These two sacrifices are combined with a live he-goat, upon which the sins of the Jewish nation are placed. This ‘scapegoat’ is sent into the wilderness so that expiation and atonement can be granted in full.

HaKadosh Baruch Hu further communicates that anyone who does not practice self-denial for 24 hours will be cut off from the community. It should be noted, however, there are exceptions for birthing or expecting mothers, the sick, the very old and the very young—they can skip the fast if it would lead to the person becoming unwell.

(Leviticus 23:30)

Furthermore, HaKadosh Baruch Hu communicates that He will cause death to come upon anyone who does any work on Yom Kippur.

This punishment sounds severe, but not if we consider what Yom Kippur is all about. Yom Kippur is the day every year when all sins are removed from all of the Jewish people.

Toil and labor exists in the world only because sin exists in the world—toil came as a consequence of Adam and Havah’s sin in Genesis 3. So, since all of our sins are removed on Yom Kippur, so should all of our toil and labor cease on Yom Kippur.

Those who choose to work on Yom Kippur are essentially saying to HaKadosh Baruch Hu that they choose not have their sins forgiven. In that case, the consequence for sin is returning to the dust—I.e. death.

(Leviticus 23:32)

Finally, HaKadosh Baruch Hu repeats that Yom Kippur is to be:

1. A sabbath of complete rest.

2. A day of complete self-denial.

3. Is to be celebrated from the evening of 9^th Tishrei - the evening of 10^th Tishrei.

4. An observance of “your Sabbath”.

This final declaration seems innocuous until we compare it with the declaration that HaKadosh Baruch Hu previously made about the weekly Shabbat or other Shabbat-like days of rest during Holy days.

In all other cases, the Shabbat or Shabbat-like days of rest are called “a Shabbat of the LORD”—the day when He rested, or rests from the labor He created to do.

The rest on Yom Kippur is the day of “your Sabbath”—meaning a day of the Jews’ rest. It is the day we rest from all the we have created to do. As stated above, this seems a direct correlation with sin and the toil it brought as a consequence. Since the sins of Jews are completely removed on Yom Kippur, Yom Kippur becomes the day when all of the work we Hews have created to do (as a consequence of sin) is also removed.

This does not mean work is sinful. Rather, we only have to toil because sin exists. When sin will be eternally eradicated in the days of moshiach, Shabbat and rest will be eternal. This rest will be granted because the consequences of sin will also be removed. Thus, when only Hashem reigns, Torah too will reign. Keeping Torah is the key to all blessings. So when only Torah reigns, so too only blessings will come because keeping Torah’s mitzvot will also reign.

May all of these promises come to pass speedily in our days!

Am Yisrael Chai!

Kimberly Davis