Spin-a-Verse on Emor

SUMMARY

Laws regulating the lives and sacrifices of the priests are presented. (21:1-22:33)
The set times of the Jewish calendar are named and described: the Sabbath, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the Pilgrimage Festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot. (23:1-44)
God commands the Israelites to bring clear olive oil for lighting the sanctuary menorah. The ingredients and placement of the displayed loaves of sanctuary bread are explained. (24:1-9)
Laws dealing with profanity, murder, and the maiming of others are outlined. (24:10-23)

(ט) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (י) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כִּֽי־תָבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֔ם וּקְצַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־קְצִירָ֑הּ וַהֲבֵאתֶ֥ם אֶת־עֹ֛מֶר רֵאשִׁ֥ית קְצִירְכֶ֖ם אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (יא) וְהֵנִ֧יף אֶת־הָעֹ֛מֶר לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לִֽרְצֹנְכֶ֑ם מִֽמָּחֳרַת֙ הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת יְנִיפֶ֖נּוּ הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (יב) וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֕ם בְּי֥וֹם הֲנִֽיפְכֶ֖ם אֶת־הָעֹ֑מֶר כֶּ֣בֶשׂ תָּמִ֧ים בֶּן־שְׁנָת֛וֹ לְעֹלָ֖ה לַיהוָֽה׃ (יג) וּמִנְחָתוֹ֩ שְׁנֵ֨י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֜ים סֹ֣לֶת בְּלוּלָ֥ה בַשֶּׁ֛מֶן אִשֶּׁ֥ה לַיהוָ֖ה רֵ֣יחַ נִיחֹ֑חַ וְנִסְכֹּ֥ה יַ֖יִן רְבִיעִ֥ת הַהִֽין׃ (יד) וְלֶחֶם֩ וְקָלִ֨י וְכַרְמֶ֜ל לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֗וּ עַד־עֶ֙צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה עַ֚ד הֲבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם אֶת־קָרְבַּ֖ן אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם חֻקַּ֤ת עוֹלָם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם בְּכֹ֖ל מֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃ (ס) (טו) וּסְפַרְתֶּ֤ם לָכֶם֙ מִמָּחֳרַ֣ת הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת מִיּוֹם֙ הֲבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם אֶת־עֹ֖מֶר הַתְּנוּפָ֑ה שֶׁ֥בַע שַׁבָּת֖וֹת תְּמִימֹ֥ת תִּהְיֶֽינָה׃ (טז) עַ֣ד מִֽמָּחֳרַ֤ת הַשַּׁבָּת֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔ת תִּסְפְּר֖וּ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים י֑וֹם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֛ם מִנְחָ֥ה חֲדָשָׁ֖ה לַיהוָֽה׃

Leviticus 23:9-16

(9) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: (10) Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving to you and you reap its harvest, you shall bring the first sheaf of your harvest to the priest. (11) He shall elevate the sheaf before the LORD for acceptance in your behalf; the priest shall elevate it on the day after the sabbath. (12) On the day that you elevate the sheaf, you shall offer as a burnt offering to the LORD a lamb of the first year without blemish. (13) The meal offering with it shall be two-tenths of a measure of choice flour with oil mixed in, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the LORD; and the libation with it shall be of wine, a quarter of a hin. (14) Until that very day, until you have brought the offering of your God, you shall eat no bread or parched grain or fresh ears; it is a law for all time throughout the ages in all your settlements. (15) And from the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering—the day after the sabbath—you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete: (16) you must count until the day after the seventh week—fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the LORD.

אורח חיים תצ״ג:א׳

דינים הנוהגים בימי העומר. ובו ד' סעיפים:
נוהגים שלא לישא אשה בין פסח לעצרת עד ל"ג בעומר מפני שבאותו זמן מתו תלמידי ר' עקיבא אבל לארס ולקדש שפיר דמי ונשואין נמי מי שקפץ וכנס אין עונשין אותו: הגה מיהו מל"ג בעומר ואילך הכל שרי (אבודרהם וב"י ומנהגים):

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 493:1

It is customary not to get married between Pesach and Shavuot, until Lag BaOmer (the 33rd day), because during that time, the students of Rabbi Akiva died. However, to do "erusin" and "kiddushin" (engagement and betrothal) is OK. And even for "nisuin" (marriage), if someone did so, we do not punish him. Rema: however, from Lag Ba'Omer onwards, all this is permitted (Abudraham, Beit Yosef & Minhagim).

ויקרא כ״ד:י׳-ט״ז

(י) וַיֵּצֵא֙ בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֣ה יִשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית וְהוּא֙ בֶּן־אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּנָּצוּ֙ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה בֶּ֚ן הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית וְאִ֖ישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִֽי׃ (יא) וַ֠יִּקֹּב בֶּן־הָֽאִשָּׁ֨ה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֤ית אֶת־הַשֵּׁם֙ וַיְקַלֵּ֔ל וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְשֵׁ֥ם אִמּ֛וֹ שְׁלֹמִ֥ית בַּת־דִּבְרִ֖י לְמַטֵּה־דָֽן׃ (יב) וַיַּנִּיחֻ֖הוּ בַּמִּשְׁמָ֑ר לִפְרֹ֥שׁ לָהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (פ) (יג) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (יד) הוֹצֵ֣א אֶת־הַֽמְקַלֵּ֗ל אֶל־מִחוּץ֙ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְסָמְכ֧וּ כָֽל־הַשֹּׁמְעִ֛ים אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וְרָגְמ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ כָּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃ (טו) וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֥ישׁ אִ֛ישׁ כִּֽי־יְקַלֵּ֥ל אֱלֹהָ֖יו וְנָשָׂ֥א חֶטְאֽוֹ׃ (טז) וְנֹקֵ֤ב שֵׁם־יְהוָה֙ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֔ת רָג֥וֹם יִרְגְּמוּ־ב֖וֹ כָּל־הָעֵדָ֑ה כַּגֵּר֙ כָּֽאֶזְרָ֔ח בְּנָקְבוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם יוּמָֽת׃

Leviticus 24:10-16

(10) There came out among the Israelites one whose mother was Israelite and whose father was Egyptian. And a fight broke out in the camp between that half-Israelite and a certain Israelite. (11) The son of the Israelite woman pronounced the Name in blasphemy, and he was brought to Moses—now his mother’s name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan— (12) and he was placed in custody, until the decision of the LORD should be made clear to them. (13) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: (14) Take the blasphemer outside the camp; and let all who were within hearing lay their hands upon his head, and let the whole community stone him. (15) And to the Israelite people speak thus: Anyone who blasphemes his God shall bear his guilt; (16) if he also pronounces the name LORD, he shall be put to death. The whole community shall stone him; stranger or citizen, if he has thus pronounced the Name, he shall be put to death.

ספרא, אמור, פרק יט ה׳

[ה] "כי יקלל אלקיו" מה תלמוד לומר? לפי שנאמר "ונוקב שם ה' מות יומת", שיכול אין לי חייבים מיתה אלא על שם המיוחד בלבד. מנין לרבות את הכינוים? תלמוד לומר "כי יקלל אלקיו", דברי ר' מאיר. וחכמים אומרים על שם המיוחד במיתה ועל שאר כל הכינוים באזהרה.

Sifra, Emor, Chapter 19 5

5) "if he curse his G d": What is the intent of this? I might think, because it is written (Vayikra 24:16) "And he who blasphemes the name of the L–rd shall die," that he is killed only (if he curses) the ineffable Name (i.e., the tetragrammaton). Whence is the same derived for all of the epithets (for His Name): It is, therefore, written "if he curse his G d" (an epithet for His Name). These are the words of R. Meir. The sages say: Cursing the Name itself is punishable by death, (whereas cursing through) an epithet is a transgression of an exhortation.

מדרש תנחומא, אמור כ״ד:א׳

וַיֵּצֵא בֶּן אִשָּׁה יִשְׂרְאֵלִית. רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר, מִפָּרָשַׁת יוֹחֲסִין יָצָא. שֶׁכְּשֶׁבָּא לִיטַּע אָהֳלוֹ בְּמַחֲנֶה דָּן, דָּחוּהוּ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: בֶּן מִצְרִי אַתָּה, וּכְתִיב: אִישׁ עַל דִּגְלוֹ בְּאוֹתוֹת לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם (במדבר ב, ב), וְלֹא לְבֵית אִמּוֹתָם. מִיָּד הִתְחִיל לִנְקֹב אֶת הַשֵּׁם וּלְקַלְּלוֹ. רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר, מַמְזֵר בָּרוּר הָיָה. כֵּיצַד, נוֹגְשִׂים הָיוּ מִשֶּׁל מִצְרִים, וְהַשּׁוֹטְרִים מִשֶּׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. הַנּוֹגֵשׂ הָיָה מְמֻנֶּה עַל עֲשָׂרָה שׁוֹטְרִים, וְהַשּׁוֹטֵר הָיָה מְמֻנֶּה עַל עֲשָׂרָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. נִמְצָא, הַנּוֹגֵשׂ מְמֻנֶּה עַל מֵאָה וַעֲשָׂרָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. חַד זְמָן קִדְּמוֹ נוֹגֵשׂ לְשׁוֹטֵר. אָמַר לֵיהּ: זִיל כְּנֹשׂ עֲשִׂרִיּוֹתֶיךָ. כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָלַךְ הַשּׁוֹטֵר לְדַרְכּוֹ, נִכְנַס הַנּוֹגֵשׂ לְבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל שׁוֹטֵר וְקִלְקֵל עִם שְׁלוֹמִית אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל שׁוֹטֵר. חָזַר בַּעֲלָהּ, מוֹצְאוֹ יוֹצֵא מִבֵּיתוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ בּוֹ, הֲוָה מָחִי לֵיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא, וְאָמַר לֵיהּ: לֵיעַנּוֹת טַבְאוֹת, לֵיעַנּוֹת טַבְאוֹת. נִצְנְצָה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ בְּמֹשֶׁה. תָּלָה עֵינָיו לַמָּרוֹם, אָמַר, לֹא דַּי לְרָשָׁע זֶה שֶׁעִנָּה אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ, אֶלָּא חוֹזֵר וּמַכֶּה לְבַעֲלָהּ. מִיָּד וַיַּךְ אֶת הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחוֹל (שמות ב, יב). אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בַּעֲוֹנוֹת אַתֶּם נִמְסָרִין בְּיַד אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם. אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, וְהָיוּ מְלָכִים אֹמְנַיִךְ וְשָׂרוֹתֵיהֶם מֵינִיקֹתַיִךְ, אַפַּיִם אֶרֶץ יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לָךְ וַעֲפַר רַגְלַיִךְ יְלַחֵכוּ וְיָדַעְתְּ כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵבֹשׁוּ קֹוָי (ישעיה מט, כג).

Midrash Tanchuma, Emor 24:1

(Lev. 24:10:) “Now there went out the son of an Israelite woman, [whose father was Egyptian].” From where did he go out? R. Hiyya bar Abba said, “He went out from the Parashah on genealogies.¹⁰⁶Lev. R. 32:3; Sifra to Lev. 14:10 (242: Emor, Parashah 14). When he came to pitch his tent in the camp of Dan, they rejected him. Now they said to him, ‘You have an Egyptian father, but it is written (in Numb. 2:2), ‘each with his standard, under the banners of their fathers' houses,’ and not ‘of their mothers' houses.’ Immediately (according to Lev. 24:11), he began to utter the name [of God] and curse it.” R. Levi said, “He was clearly a bastard.¹⁰⁷See Enoch Zundel’s ‘Ets Yosef commentary on Tanchuma here, as such a case is not included in the legal definition of a bastard (mamzer). How so? Taskmasters were from Egypt, and the officers were from Israel.¹⁰⁸Exod. R. 1:28; Lev. R. 32:4. The taskmaster was in charge of ten officers, and the officer was in charge of ten Israelites. [Thus,] it turned out that the taskmaster was in charge of a hundred and ten Israelites. On one occasion a taskmaster met an officer. He said to him, ‘Go gather your groups of ten.’ When he had gone, he entered his house and sullied Shelomith, the officer's wife. [When] her husband returned, he found him leaving his house. When [the taskmaster knew that her husband] noticed him, he beat him every day and said to him, ‘Toil properly, toil properly.’ The holy spirit was kindled in Moses. He raised his eyes to the sky. He said, ‘Was it not enough for this wicked man to rape his wife, but that he should return and beat him?’ Immediately (according to Exod. 2:12), ‘he smote the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world you are delivered through sins into the hands of the nations of the world. However, in the world to come (according to Is. 49:23), ‘Kings shall be your guardians; their ladies, your wet nurses; they shall bow down before you, nose to the ground, and lick the dust of your feet; then you shall know that I am the Lord; those who trust Me shall not be ashamed.’”