[Par-reg] Shvii shel Pesach - Questions for self study

Mon Apr 13 13:01:31 EDT 2009

**********************************************************
***
     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
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***

  for SHVII SHEL PESACH -  Questions  for self study

1.  Even though the last day of 'Passover' is often
referred
to as "shvii shel Pesach", in Chumash - that name never
appears.   Before you prepare the following questions
(that
will point you to every instance when this holiday is
described in the Torah), attempt to answer the following:
  To the best of your recollection, why is [what we call]
Passover a SEVEN day holiday?  Does Chumash itself give a
reason why the holiday last seven days, and why on the
final
day all work is forbidden?
     If so, where, and what is that reason?
     If not, can you explain why no reason is given?
     Are there any other holidays mentioned in Chumash
that
last for seven days?  If so, does Chumash explain why
those
holidays last for specifically seven days?
  To the best of your recollection, where is the FIRST
mention
of the seven days of 'Passover' in Chumash?
     Was it before or after Bnei Yisrael leave Egypt?
     Was it before or after Bnei Yisrael crossed the Red
Sea?

2.  Next, quickly review Shmot 12:1-20, paying careful
attention to 12:14-20, noting how this section describes
the
instructions that God had given Moshe.
  Then, quickly review from 12:21-13:10, paying careful
attention to 13:3-8, and noting how that it is only after
they
leave Egypt that Bnei Yisrael hear this mitzvah to eat
matza
for seven days (and celebrate the seventh day as a
holiday).
     According to these sources, what seems to be the
primary
mitzvah (or mitzvot) that must be kept for these seven
days?
Be sure that you can explain Shmot 12:17 (noting its
tense)!
     In these sources, does Chumash provide a reason for
why
we must keep these mitzvot relating to matza & chametz?
Does
it include an explanation why these mitzvot must be kept
for
seven days?

3. Review Shmot 23:14-17, and in its context (beginning
from
Shmot 23:10 thru 23:19).
     Is this the same chag ha'matzot as mentioned in
chapter
12?
     [What does "ka'asher tziviticha" in 23:15 refer to?]
     If so, can you explain why this law is repeated here
in
Parshat Mishpatim? [Is there a new context?]
     In your answer, relate this to the topic of "knisah
la'aretz" - that begins in 23:20 and the original plan
that
Bnei Yisrael were about to enter the land immediately
after
they received God's mitzvot at Har Sinai.

4. Next, review Shmot 34:18-26, and its context within
chapter
34.  In what manner is this similar to 23:14-19, and in
what
manner are these laws different?
     Can you explain why (based on chet ha'egel)?
     [Relate to the addition of "kedushat bchor" in 34:19.
     Relate this as well to Shmot 13:1-14!]

5. Review Vayikra chapter 23 (Parshat Emor), especially
the
laws of chag ha'matzot in 23:4-8, and the laws of the Omer
in
23:9-15.
     Are these the same laws that were already mentioned
in
Sefer Shmot?  If so, can you explain why they are
repeated?
     Are there any 'new' laws in Vayikra chapter 23
concerning
Pesach and chag ha'matzot that were not mentioned in Sefer
Shmot.  If so, what are they?  Can you explain why they
are
recorded specifically at this point in Sefer Vayikra?  In
your
answer, relate to the topic of chapter 23, and its context
within Sefer Vayikra.

6. Next, review Bamidbar 28:15-25, i.e. laws of Pesach in
Parshat Pinchas.  [What we read for the last aliyah every
day
of Pesach.]
     As above, what laws are added, and what laws are
repeated
in this section?
     Relate this to the context of Bamidbar chapters
28->29!

7. Finally, see Devarim 16:1-8, regarding the laws of
Pesach.
     Once again, what laws are added, and what laws are
the
same as were found in Shmot, Vayikra, and Bamidbar?
     Relate your answer to primary topic of Devarim
chapter
16, i.e. "aliyah la'reglel la'Makom asher Yivchar Hashem".
     Note how this "parshia" puts an emphasis on the need
to
offer the korban Pesach ONLY in the "makom asher yivchar
Hashem"?  [Relate this as well to the primary topic of
Devarim
chapter 12.]
     Can you explain why it would be logical to think
otherwise, based on Shmot 12:1-14 and 13:3-8!  Relate to
how
the "korban Pesach" is different than all other "korbanot"
(in
relation to how and why it was first offered, and the
punishment warned for those who do not offer it!

8. Note Devarim 16:8. Can you recall any other pasuk (or
psukim) in Chumash that sound similar?  If so, can you
explain
the nature of this parallel?
  [If you give up, try Vayikra 23:1-3 and Shmot 35:1-4!]
  Attempt to explain how this parallel may relate to WHY
chag
  ha'matzot is celebrated for SEVEN days?

     Would this have anything to do with the agricultural
time
of the year of Pesach? [Note again Shmot 13:3-5 and
Devarim
16:1!]
     Why would this time of year also relate to the SEVEN
days
of Creation?  [Relate this to the fact that God 'created'
'nature' and how man himself usually relates to nature?!]

9. Review once again Devarim chapter 16, this time noting
how
often the number SEVEN is found in this presentation of
the
"shalosh regalim".
     Note also the dates of the "shalosh regalim" - are
they
lunar days or 'solar' dates (i.e. are the dates based on
the
agricultural seasons)?
     Note also the agricultural mitzvot related to the
chagim
in Vayikra chapter 23.  In what manner to they relate to
SEVEN?
     Can you explain why?
     Is there a holiday in Chumash that doesn't relate in
some
manner or other to the number SEVEN?

10.  Where else in Chumash (beginning with the SEVEN days
of
Creation in Sefer Breishit until Sefer Devarim), do we
find
that the number SEVEN significant?
     Do you think that this is simply coincidental, or is
it
significant?  If so, can you explain why?   [What
vessel(s) in
the Mishkan relate to the number SEVEN? Can you explain
why?]

11. Finally, review Shmot 23:10-19, noting especially the
transition from 23:13 to 23:14, and the relationship of
this
entire parshia to 23:20-24!
     What would be the connection between "shem elohim
acharim
lo tazkiru" in 23:13 and the mitzva of "shalosh regalim
tachog
li" in 23:14?
     How would this relate to the spiritual dangers of
"knisa
la'aretz" [entering the land] as described in Shmot
23:20-32?!

12. Based on all of the above, what would you say is the
PRIMARY purpose of the "shalosh regalim"?
     Can this mitzvah be fulfilled (at least partially)
today,
even without a Bet ha'Mikdash?  If so, explain how!!
  [See for example Mesechet Succah 27b (middle) re:
mitzvah
  l'kabel pnei rabo b'moed..."]

13.  In the Midrash, we find an alternate explanation for
seven days of chag ha'matzot based on the calculation that
the
miracle of "kriyat yam suf"  took place on the seventh day
after Yetziat Mitzraim. Does this reason contradict any of
your conclusions above, or does it complement them?
     In general, can one find both historical reason as
well
as an agricultural purpose in each of the "shalosh
regalim"?
If so, bring examples.

                         b'hatzlacha,
                         & chag samayach
                         menachem

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