Parshat Emor-Some comments on the Festival of Sukkot

(based on the shiurim of R.Isaac Bernstein zal, given in London in 1993)

The Mabit (Moses ben Joseph di Trani :d.1585) asks the following question: If Sukkot is a reminder of the miracle of the ‘ananei hakavod/clouds of glory, which went with us in the desert for almost 40 years, why is there no festival to commemorate the miracle which came in the merit of Moshe-the manna; or in the merit of Miriam-the well of water. Why did the miracle which came in the merit of Aaron become the only one commemorated by a yearly festival, Sukkot?

The Tur (Yaakov ben Asher: d.1340) asks a famous question in his introduction to Hilchot Sukka. If the ‘yetziat Mitzraim’/Exodus took place in Nissan, then why don’t we celebrate the festival of Sukkot in Nissan(a housewife’s nightmare)?Surely this is when the clouds of glory began to protect the Jewish people and deserves to be celebrated according to  the time of the beginning of this phenomenon, in our yearly cycle of Chagim.

The answer to both questions is found in a comment by the Vilna Gaon (d.1797)on Shir Hashirim(1:4). He explains that when the Jews committed the sin of the Golden Calf, the clouds of glory went away. Moshe went up the mountain to God, to beg forgiveness and he descended on Yom Kippur with the news that God had forgiven the sin. He also began the building project of the Mishkan which would signify God’s return to the Jewish people. On the 11th Tishrei he announced the Mishkan to the people, and began the collection of money, gold etc to begin the project. The pasuk says that the people came ‘baboker, baboker’ which means that they donated for the next 2 days. This takes us to the 13th Tishrei. On the 14th  Tishrei the money was counted and on the 15th the project began(obviously with actions which were permitted on Yom tov). At this moment the clouds of glory returned and it is the return of the clouds that we commemorate with the festival of Sukkot on the 15th Tishrei every year. This explains why the festival is in Tishrei and also explains why the miracle of the clouds of glory is  the only miracle which is remembered by a festival , as it is not the actual miracle which is remembered but the return of the miracle, in this special instance, after the forgiveness of the Golden Calf episode, which is commemorated on Chag HaSukkot.

The Mabit asks a further question as to whether the Jews actually sat in Sukkot/booths, as we know them, in the desert? He answers that it is likely that they did not do so, since the clouds of glory were like a Sukka, there is a rule that one does not sit in a Sukka which is under another Sukka. The Rambam(in Moreh Nevuchim) asks whether the Jews fulfilled the mitzvah of arba minim/4 species in the desert? He argues also that this is not likely, as the arba minim are connected to the experience of being in Israel and celebrating the harvest season. This was clearly not feasible or practical in the desert.

On the basis of these 2 observations, the  Imrei Chen(contemp.) makes a wonderful observation on the commandment of Sukkot ,as found in our parsha.

When observing the command to keep Pesach the verse says:

ו  וּבַחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה, חַג הַמַּצּוֹת לַיהוָה:  שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, מַצּוֹת תֹּאכֵלוּ.

6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread.

The date of the holiday is given and then the unique features of the holiday are explained (“you shall eat Matzah”) and then the generic law of ‘not doing work is added on, which applies to all Festivals.

For the other Chagim the same format is used, such as:

כד  דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר:  בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם שַׁבָּתוֹן—זִכְרוֹן תְּרוּעָה, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ.

24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial proclaimed with the blast of horns, a holy convocation.

After this introduction, mentioning the special Mitzvah of Yom Teruah/shofar, the prohibition to work is mentioned, as it is with the festival of Passover.

When we look at the festival of Sukkot, we find a different format. The first reference to Sukkot is in ch.23 v. 34:

לד  דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר:  בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם, לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה, חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, לַיהוָה.

34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.

לה  בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ; כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ.

35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.

Here we find no reference to the special Mitzvot of the day, the Sukka or the arba minim. Later in verse 39, this is rectified:

לט  אַךְ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי, בְּאָסְפְּכֶם אֶת-תְּבוּאַת הָאָרֶץ, תָּחֹגּוּ אֶת-חַג-יְהוָה, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים; בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן שַׁבָּתוֹן, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי שַׁבָּתוֹן.

39 Howbeit on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruits of the land, ye shall keep the feast of the LORD seven days; on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.

מ  וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים, וַעֲנַף עֵץ-עָבֹת, וְעַרְבֵי-נָחַל; וּשְׂמַחְתֶּם, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם--שִׁבְעַת יָמִים.

40 And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook, and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.

The date of the holiday is repeated and also there is mention of the harvest and the special Mitzvot of Chag HaSukkot ,which were missed out previously. Why the change in format?

The Imrei Chen answers that all is explained with our introductory remarks as to whether the Jews kept the special Mitzvoth of Chag HaSukkot in the desert. We showed that they neither sat in the traditional Sukka/booth nor did they take the arba minim in the desert. Only after the harvest in Israel (as seen in verse 40) do we find the arba minim being commanded. This is precisely because these Mitzvot were only kept once the Jews arrived in Eretz Yisrael and not before (and this applied to sitting in the Sukka as well, which started once the clouds departed at the end of the 40 years).

The amazing ‘diyuk/inference for this interpretation is back in verse 34, where the Torah refers to ‘this ‘ 15th day of the 7th month. Why is the word ‘hazeh’ added? The answer is because in the situation as it was in the desert, none of the ‘regular’ Mitzvot of Chag HaSukkot were kept and it was unique to this Chag HaSukkot in the desert, but not to Chag HaSukkot as it will be kept once we are in the Land of Israel.

Even when we think we know everything about a section of Torah which we read a number of times each year, we can see that there are many novellae to be learned. ”Open my eyes and I will see the wonders of Your Torah”.

Rabbi Ian Shaffer                             Iyar 5775/May 2015