דבר אל בני ישראל אין לכהנים עסק בענין המועדות יותר מאשר לישראל בהם על כן לא הזכיר בפרשה הזאת אהרן ובניו רק "בני ישראל" שיכלול את כולם כאחד כי לא יפרש קרבנות המוספים בפרשה הזאת אבל הזכיר המועדים כאן בתורת כהנים בעבור שהם ימי הקרבנות וירמוז אליהם כמו שאמר "והקרבתם אשה לה'" ואמר בסוף הפרשה (ויקרא כ״ג:ל״ז) אלה מועדי ה' אשר תקראו אותם מקראי קדש להקריב אשה לה' עולה ומנחה זבח ונסכים אבל לא האריך לבאר המוספים שלא רצה שינהגו להם במדבר ואחרי שמנה באי הארץ בחומש הפקודים וצוה לאלה תחלק הארץ (במדבר כו נג) ביאר המוספים כולם בפרשת פינחס שיעשו אותם בארץ מיד ולדורות ועל כן אמר ביום הכפורים (ויקרא ט״ז:ל״ד) ויעש כאשר צוה ה' את משה שעשה כן במדבר והזכיר בפרשה הזו כבש העומר וכבשי עצרת כי בידוע שלא ינהגו אלא בארץ שהן באים בגלל הלחם שאמר בו (ויקרא כ״ג:י׳) כי תבאו אל הארץ וקצרתם את קצירה וגו' אבל הימים עצמם נוהגים מיד והזכיר השבת במועדי ה' אשר תקראו אותם מקראי קדש שגם הוא יום מועד נקרא אותו מקרא קדש ואחר כן הבדיל שאר המועדות ממנו ואמר אשר תקראו אותם במועדם כלומר באי זה יום מן השבוע שיגיעו בו כי השבת קבוע הוא ביומו יבא לא נצטרך לקרוא אותו במועדו ועל דעת רבותינו (ת"כ פרשה ט ה) "אשר תקראו אותם במועדם" רמז לעבורים שתקראו אתם להם מועדים והנכון בעיני כי פירוש מועדי ה' אשר תקראו אותם מקראי קודש אלה הם מועדי על הנזכרים למטה בפרשיות בחדש הראשון וגו' ולכן חזר שם פעם אחרת אלה מועדי ה' בעבור שהפסיק בענין השבת והנה אמר מועדי ה' אשר תקראו אותם מקראי קדש אלה הם מועדי במלאכת עבודה אבל השבת תשמרו לעשות אותה שבת שבתון מכל מלאכה שבעולם כי יזהיר בשבת פעמים רבות וירמוז עוד בכאן כי גם בבואו באחד מן המועדים לא תדחה לעשות בה אוכל נפש וכמוהו אלה הדברים אשר צוה ה' לעשות אותם (שמות לה א ב) על המשכן וכליו אשר יזכיר בפרשה השניה והפסיק בשבת ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה וגו' (ויקרא כ״ג:ב׳-ג׳) וחזר ואמר (שם פסוק ד) זה הדבר אשר צוה ה' קחו מאתכם תרומה והיא המצוה הראשונה בעבור שהפסיק בה הוצרך לחזור ולהתחיל בראשונה וראיה לפירוש הזה שלא הזכיר בשבת "והקרבתם אשה לה'" כאשר יזכיר בכל מועד ומועד ואמר בסוף הפרשה (ויקרא כ״ג:ל״ז-ל״ח) אלה מועדי ה' וגו' מקראי קדש להקריב אשה לה' וגו' מלבד שבתות ה' שאין השבתות בכלל מועדי ה' וראיה עוד כי לא אמר בפרשה השניה "וידבר ה' אל משה לאמר" כאשר אמר בכל מועד ומועד כי הדבור הראשון הוא היה מצות המועדים אלא שהזכיר להם השבת לשלול ממנו דין המועדים לא לבאר מצותיו ותורותיו ולכן לא אמר בו "והקרבתם אשה לה'" כאשר אמר במועדים והזכירה בסוף (ויקרא כ״ג:ל״ח) עם הנדרים והנדבות שלא נזכרו כאן כאשר פירשתי וזהו מדרש חכמים שאמרו (תו"כ פרשה ט ז) מה ענין שבת אצל המועדות וכו' כי אין השבת בכלל מועדי ה' כלל רק סמכו הכתוב להם וטעם מקראי קדש שיהיו ביום הזה כולם קרואים ונאספים לקדש אותו כי מצוה היא על ישראל להקבץ בבית האלהים ביום מועד לקדש היום בפרהסיא בתפלה והלל לאל בכסות נקיה ולעשות אותו יום משתה כמו שנאמר בקבלה (נחמיה ח י) לכו אכלו משמנים ושתו ממתקים ושלחו מנות לאין נכון לו כי קדוש היום לאדונינו ואל תעצבו כי חדות ה' היא מעוזכם והנה "מקרא קדש" מלשון קרואי העדה (במדבר א טז) אחרי כן יאכלו הקרואים (שמואל א ט יג) וכן על כל מכון הר ציון ועל מקראיה (ישעיהו ד ה) המקומות שנקראים שם שיתקבצו בהם קרואי העדה ואונקלוס (תרגום אונקלוס על ויקרא כ״ג:ב׳) עשאו מלשון אשר יקרא אתכם באחרית הימים (בראשית מט א) לשון מאורע בכל יום שיארעו תעשו אותם קדש ורבותינו ז"ל אמרו (ספרי פנחס קמז) ארעם במאכל ובמשתה ובכסות נקיה כלומר שלא יהא חוקם אצלך כחק שאר הימים אבל תעשה להם מקרא של קדש לשנותם במאכל ובמלבוש מחול לקדש וגם זה דעת אונקלוס: SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. The priests have no greater duties with regard to the festivals than the Israelites, therefore He did not admonish Aaron and his sons in this section, but the children of Israel, a term which includes all of them together, since He did not explain the Additional Offerings [for the festivals] in this section.166These are found in Numbers beginning with 28:9 up to the end of Chapter 29. However, He mentioned the festivals here in Torath Kohanim (i.e. Book of Leviticus) because they are days of offerings, and He alludes to them, just as He said, And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal,167Further, Verse 8, etc. and at the end of this section He states, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal, a burnt-offering, and a meal-offering, a peace-offering, and drink-offerings.168Ibid., Verse 37. He did not, however, prolong the subject by explaining the Additional Offerings, since He did not want them to be binding upon the children of Israel when in the desert, and after He had counted [at the end of the desert period] those who were to come into the Land, as narrated in the Book of Numbers,169Numbers 1:1-47. Literally: “the fifth of the census,” meaning that one [of the Five Books of Moses] which begins with the census [taken in the second year after the exodus]. and He commanded, Unto these the Land shall be divided,170Numbers 26:53. He then explained all the Additional Offerings in the section of Pinchas, which they were to offer in the Land immediately and throughout the generations. Therefore He said [here in this Book of Leviticus] with reference to [the Service on] the Day of Atonement, And he [i.e., Aaron] did as the Eternal commanded Moses,171Above, 16:34. meaning that he did so in the desert [but the Additional Offerings for the other festivals were not binding in the desert].
Now He mentioned in this section the “he-lamb of the sheaf”172Further, Verse 12. and the two lambs of the Festival of Shevuoth,173Ibid., Verse 19. because it is well-known that they were binding only in the Land, since they are brought on account of the bread [of the first-fruits]174Ibid., Verse 20. So also the he-lamb of the sheaf came on account of the meal-offering of the omer (Verse 12) which was binding only in the Land of Israel. concerning which He said, When ye are come into the Land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof,175Ibid., Verse 10. but the observance of the days themselves [as festivals] was binding immediately.
He mentioned the Sabbath176Verse 3. among the appointed seasons which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations,177In Verse 2 before us. [although the Sabbath is not proclaimed by the children of Israel, since its sanctity has been affirmed by G-d and is fixed throughout the generations], because it is also “an appointed day” [invariably fixed by G-d as the holy day] and we may thus refer to it as “a holy convocation.” Afterwards, He separated the rest of the festivals from the Sabbath, saying of them which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season,178Verse 4. meaning on whatever day of the week they happen to fall, but the Sabbath is fixed and occurs [always] on the same day, hence it is not necessary that we proclaim it in its season.179Hence in Verse 2 before us which includes the Sabbath among “the appointed seasons,” it says only which shall ye proclaim to be holy convocations, but does not add the expression “in their season,” for this means on whatever day they may happen to fall, whereas the Sabbath is always on a fixed day of the week. And in the opinion of our Rabbis,180Torath Kohanim, Emor 9:5. which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season alludes to the intercalations [of an extra month in a leap year] so that you proclaim them as festivals.181That is to say, if for any reason the Great Court decided that the year be intercalated with an extra month, it admits of no doubt, and the appointed seasons of the Eternal are shifted accordingly.
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the meaning of the verse The appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed seasons,177In Verse 2 before us. is that it refers [only] to the festivals mentioned further on in the sections: In the first month etc.182Verse 5. [but it does not refer to the Sabbath]. It is for this reason that He states there once again, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal,178Verse 4. because He had interrupted with the subject of the Sabbath. Thus He states, The appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed seasons,177In Verse 2 before us. meaning that no manner of servile work [be done on them], but the Sabbath you are to keep, making it a Sabbath of solemn rest176Verse 3. from all manner of work183See Ramban further in Verse 7 for the difference between “no manner of ‘m’lecheth avodah’ (servile work)” found in connection with the festivals, and “no manner of ‘m’lachah’ (work)” stated in connection with the Sabbath. whatsoever, for He admonishes concerning the Sabbath many times. He further alludes here [to the law that even] when the Sabbath falls on one of [the days of] the festivals, we must not suspend [the law of the Sabbath] so that the preparation of food be permitted on it [as it is on a festival day when it falls on a weekday, but instead it is prohibited]. A similar case [where the phrase these are refers to the continuation of a subject which had previously been mentioned, because in the middle Scripture interrupts with another subject], is the verse, These are the words which the Eternal hath commanded, that ye should do them,184Exodus 35:1. which refers to the Tabernacle and its vessels which he [Moses] will mention in the second section, and [in the next verses] he interrupts with the Sabbath: Six days shall work be done, and on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day etc.;185Ibid., Verse 2. and then he again says, This is the thing which the Eternal commanded … Take ye from among you an offering,186Ibid., Verses 4-5. this being the [same] command that Scripture had mentioned at the beginning, but because it was interrupted with another subject, Scripture had to start from the beginning again.
Proof for this interpretation is that He does not mention [here] in the case of the Sabbath, and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal as He mentions at each and every festival,167Further, Verse 8, etc. and at the end of the section He states, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal … beside the Sabbaths of the Eternal.187Further, Verses 37-38. [This shows] that the Sabbaths are not included within the terms of the appointed seasons of the Eternal. A further proof is that in the second section [i.e., in Verse 4 where He reverts to the festivals after having mentioned the Sabbath], He does not say, And the Eternal spoke unto Moses, saying, as He says in the case of each and every festival;188Ibid., Verse 9, etc. for the first communication [to Moses] was indeed concerning the commandments of the festivals, but He mentioned the Sabbath in order to exclude from it the law of the festivals [i.e., that when the Sabbath coincides with a festival, the preparation of food which is permitted on a festival day, is forbidden since it is also a Sabbath, as explained above], but not in order to explain its commandments and laws [and therefore there was no need to repeat the verse, And the Eternal spoke unto Moses, saying]. This is the reason why He does not state [here] about the Sabbath And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal, as He states concerning the festivals,189This is because His intention in mentioning the Sabbath was not to explain all its commandments and laws, but only to exclude etc. (as explained in the text). and He mentions it at the end together with the vow-offerings and the freewill-offerings190Further, Verse 38: beside the Sabbaths of the Eternal … and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill-offerings. which are not mentioned here, as I have explained [above]. And this is the intention of the interpretation of the Sages,191Torath Kohanim, Emor 9:7. who said: “What has the matter of the Sabbath to do with the festivals? etc.,” since the Sabbath is not included at all in the terms of the appointed seasons of the Eternal, but Scripture only put them in juxtaposition [for the reason mentioned above].
The meaning of ‘mikra’ei kodesh’ (holy convocations), is that all people should come together on that day and be assembled to sanctify it, for it is a commandment upon Israel to be gathered together in G-d’s House on the festival day to hallow it publicly with prayer and praise to G-d, and with clean garments, and to make it a day of feasting, as it is said in the tradition,192The Hebrew word is kabalah, and is here understood as referring to a Scriptural passage outside the Five Books of Moses. This usage of the word is found already in a Mishnah in Taanith 15 a. Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy unto our Lord; neither be ye grieved, for the joy of the Eternal is your strength.193Nehemiah 8:10. Thus the expression mikra kodesh (a holy convocation) is similar to: ‘kru’ei’ (those called) of the congregation;194Numbers 1:16. afterwards they eat ‘ha’kru’im’ (they that are called).195I Samuel 9:13. Similarly, over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over ‘mikra’eha’,196Isaiah 4:5. meaning the places where they are called to, and where those called of the congregation assemble. Onkelos, however, [in rendering the Hebrew mikra’ei kodesh as m’arei kadish — ”holy events”], understood [the word mikra’ei] as similar to the expression that which ‘yikra’ (shall befall) you in the end of days,197Genesis 49:1. an expression of “event,” meaning that whenever the festivals occur, you should make them holy. And our Rabbis of blessed memory have said:198Sifre, Pinchas 147. “Proclaim them with [special] food and drink and clean garments;” that is to say, the nature of these [festival] days should not be to you like that of other days, but instead you should make them occasions of holiness, changing them by food and dress from the common to the holy. This is also the opinion of Onkelos [who translated mikra’ei kodesh as “holy events”].
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