Holidays

Found 21 Search results

1. The Two Dimensions of Yom Kippur

   Prof. Jonathan Grossman

   What is "mikra kodesh"? Why is the parasha of Yom Kippur written is dual form? What is the relationship between Yom Kippur in and outside of the Mishkan? What is the relationship between Yom Kippur and Shavuot?

2. The Mussaf Sacrifices

   Prof. Jonathan Grossman

   A close look at the Musaf Sacrifices reveals a general philosophy about the essence and order of the biblical holidays. This article attempts to uncover the hidden messages in the Musaf sacrifices of each holiday.

3. Of Space and Time (Audio)

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman |

   This shiur explores Sefer Vayikra's unique presentation of the Moadim. One may have thought that the various offerings (korbanot) would be central, but that is not the case. Rather, the Moadim highlight the opportunity to encounter God, which is what Vayikra is really about. Just as the Tent of Meeting is an example of sacred space, the Moadim are about sacred time.

4. "Each and Every Month, and Each and Every Shabbat" (Audio)

   Rabbi Amnon Bazak | 15 minutes

   What constitutes the special status of Rosh Chodesh? This shiur compares the festival sacrifices in Parshat Pinchas with "Parshat ha-Moadot" in Sefer Vayikra. Looking at references to Rosh Chodesh mentioned together with Shabbat throughout Tanakh and focusing on the distinct aspects of the Shabbat sacrifices will shed light on the unique nature of Rosh Chodesh and its aspects which relate to Shabbat and Moed.

5. "Each and Every Month, and Each and Every Shabbat"

   Rabbi Amnon Bazak

   Parashat Pinchas and Parasht Emor include Shabbat and Rosh Hodesh in the list of festivals. Shabbat and Rosh Hodesh are also appointed a special Musaf sacrifice, just like other festivals. Apparently, Shabbat should be considered a sanctified day and a day of rest despite the fact that technically it is not a holiday. The unique Musaf sacrifice offered on Shabbat indicates a unique status among the festivals. In contrast, Rosh Hodesh is not considered "Mikra Kodesh" - a sanctified day - but is nonetheless included in the list of festivals. The status of Rosh Hodesh is therefore somewhere between that of Shabbat and a regular day.

6. Macharat Hashabbat: Holiness and Time in Sefer Vayikra

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman

   תאריך פרסום: תש"ע | |

   What does the phrase "macharat hashabbat" mean? Many commentaries attempt to answer this question, which has important implications regarding the observance date of the holiday of Shavuot. However, by carefully examining the texts in Vayikra, we gain an understanding of the connection between Shavuot and the concept of Shabbat, signifying dependency on Hashem. We also gain deeper insights into the two aspects of meeting with Hashem - both in place and time. 

7. Sanctified Time

   Prof. Jonathan Grossman

   Parshat Emor deals with the sanctity of time, and with the important distinction between Shabbat and the rest of the festivals. 

8. The Parasha of the Festivals: Its Structure and Significance

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   The section dealing with the festivals in Parshat Emor raises a number of questions: What is the connection between Shabbat and the other festivals? Why does the Torah mention the commandments of leket and pe'ah in the middle of this section? Why is there a double conclusion for Sukkot? We can answer these questions by examining the structure of the parsha and its division into two parallel sections.

9. Of Space and Time

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman

   This shiur explores Sefer Vayikra's unique presentation of the Moadim. One may have thought that the various offerings (korbanot) would be central, but that is not the case. Rather, the Moadim highlight the opportunity to encounter God, which is what Vayikra is really about. Just as the Tent of Meeting is an example of sacred space, the Moadim are about sacred time.

10. Were Mussaf Sacrifices Offered in the Desert?

    Rabbi Yehuda Rock

    Were Mussaf sacrifices offered in the desert? The well-known opinion of the Ramban states that the mussaf (additional) sacrifices, which are listed in our parasha, were not offered in the desert; they were instituted only at the time when Bnei Yisrael entered the land.  In this shiur we shall examine this view and propose an approach according to which the mussaf sacrifices were indeed offered, but in a manner that was different from the custom fixed for future generations - with a focus on the integration of God in our lives. 

11. “Temidim in their order, and Musafim according to their laws”

    Doron Chitiz

12. Shmini Atzeret: An Independent Holiday or a Continuation of Sukkot?

    Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell

13. The Seventy Bulls of Sukkot

    Rabbi Meir Spiegelman

14. The Spiritual Process of the Holidays

    Rabbi Eliezer Melamed

15. Parashat HaShavua Emor - Regalim

    Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell

    תאריך פרסום: תשע"ו | | 23 minutes

    The festivals mentioned in the Torah are central and multifaceted, mentioned a number of times in key places. In our parasha, Parashat Emor, the element at the forefront appears to be the unique mitzvot of every moed(holiday). This shiur attempts to tie in that unique commandment of each regel to the element that seems to be missing from our parasha: how Am Yisrael relate to the Mikdash on the regalim. 

16. Holy Times

    Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

    There are five passages in the Torah dedicated to the festivals of the Jewish year. By examining them each individually, we notice that each contributes its own perspective and additions to our understanding of the holidays. Through a close analysis of the text, we can explore the uniqueness of the festival description in Parshat Emor, and its focus on the spiritual dimension of encounter, closeness, the meeting of the human and the divine. 

     

    This article is part of the Covenant & Conversation series.

    To read more from Rabbi Sacks or to subscribe to his mailing list, please visit http://www.rabbisacks.org/. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

17. Holy Times (Audio)

    Rabbi Jonathan Sacks | 13 minutes

    There are five passages in the Torah dedicated to the festivals of the Jewish year. By examining them each individually, we notice that each contributes its own perspective and additions to our understanding of the holidays. Through a close analysis of the text, we can explore the uniqueness of the festival description in Parshat Emor, and its focus on the spiritual dimension of encounter, closeness, the meeting of the human and the divine. 

     

    This lecture is part of the Covenant & Conversation series.

    To read more from Rabbi Sacks or to subscribe to his mailing list, please visit http://www.rabbisacks.org/. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

18. Rashi on Emor: Festivals and Fields

    Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 19 minutes

    We discuss Rashi on Parashat Emor.  One of Rashi’s comments touches upon the question of where our focus must be- on the Beit HaMikdash or on the foundation of a good society? In the midst of Parshat haMoadim (the section about the agricultural festivals), a  law about reaping fields reappears. Peah is an agricultural mitzva, and helping the poor is important, but what is this mitzva doing here? What accounts for the repetition after it appears in PArashat Kedoshim? What is the significance of its placement in the midst of the regalim (Pilgrimage Festivals)?

19. Re'eh: Caring for God's "Family" on the Festivals

    Rabbi David Silverberg

20. What Sabbath Is All About

    Parshat Emor

    Rabbi David Fohrman |

    In our Torah reading for holidays, we not only recite the laws of holidays, we include shabbat, and oddest of all, some laws about sacrificing animals. What do all these laws have to do with one another? In this video, Rabbi Fohrman makes a fascinating argument about how Shabbat works and shows that there are shabbatot in different realms.

     

    If you enjoyed this video, please visit AlephBeta.org to watch more.

21. The First Tablets and the Second Tablets - The Differences Between Mishpatim and Ki-Tisa

    Rabbi Dr. Yoel Bin Nun

    In this shiur, we will compare and contrast a number of parallel passages in Parshiyot Misphpatim and Ki Tisa, focusing on the differences resulting from the sin of the golden calf, which took place in the interim.