[Par-reg] Rosh' ha'shana - questions for self study

Sun Sep 5 15:29:44 EDT 2010

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     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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      QUESTIONS FOR SELF STUDY:

       for shiur on ROSH HASHANA

1. In Chumash, there are only a very few psukim that
describe

the holiday that we refer to as Rosh Hashana:

  a) In Parshat Emor / Vayikra 23:23-25

     b) In Parshat Pinchas / Bamidbar 29:1-6

After reviewing those psukim, and based on them alone,
answer

the following questions:

  What is the biblical name of (what we call) Rosh
Hashana?

  On what day is this holiday to be celebrated?

  What are the special 'mitzvot' of this holiday?

    Which of these mitzvot are common to all of the other

  holidays in Emor and Pinchas, and which of these mitzvot

  are unique for Rosh Hashana?

Based on these sources alone, is there any reason why this

holiday should be called 'rosh hashana' [the New Year}?

2. Based on these psukim alone, does the Torah provide any

reason for celebrating this holiday.  Is there any
apparent or

implied reason for this holiday, or for any of its
mitzvot?

  Does Parshat Emor (or Parshat Pinchas) provide a reason
for

the celebration of any of the other holidays?  If not, are

there any apparent or implied reasons for their
celebration?

    [If so, explain what they are.]

  In Parshat Emor, we told that this holiday should be a

'zichron tru'a', while Parshat Pinchas tells us that it
should

be a 'yom tru'a'.  Can you explain what these terms imply?
In

your answer, relate to Bamidbar 10:1-10, noting especially

10:9.

  In your opinion, does zichron tru'a imply the same
concept

as yom tru'a?

     Is there any obvious reason why this day should be a
yom

tru'a?

     Assuming that these psukim (in Pinchas & Emor) were
the

only sources for how to celebrate this holiday; based on
them

alone, how would you celebrate this holiday?

3. Next, review the next set of psukim in Emor & Pinchas
that

describe Yom Kippur. i.e.

  a) Vayikra 23:26-32 and

  b) Bamidbar 29:7-11.

Based on these sources alone, does there appear to be any

obvious or implied connection between the holidays of Rosh

Hashana and Yom Kippur?

  In your answer, relate to the words 'ach' and 'zeh' in

Vayikra 23:27, and  Bamidbar 29:7.  [Note as well the
Torah's

use of the word zeh in 23:34, and the word ach in 23:39.
If

there is a relationship, what would that be?]

  Is there any explicit or assumed reason for why Yom
Kippur

is celebrated specifically on the tenth of Tishrei?

4.  Next, review the Torah's presentation of both Sukkot
and

Shmini Atzeret in Parshat Pinchas (Bamidbar 29:12-19),
paying

attention to the different korban mussaf on each holiday.

  Then, compare those korbanot to the korban mussaf of
Rosh

Hashana and Yom Kippur (see 29:1-11).  Do any of these

holidays share the same or similar korban mussaf?  If so,
can

you explain why?

  If certain holidays share a similar korban mussaf, would

this suggest a thematic relationship between them?  If so,

what would that relationship be?

  Is the any obvious reason for why there is a need for so

many holidays in the 'seventh month'?

5.  In any of the above sources, is 'Rosh Hashana' ever

referred to as the new year?  If not, what is it called,
and

why?

  Review Shmot 12:1-3.  How do these psukim explain the

'calendar' used to define the holidays in Emor and
Pinchas?

6.  The 'shalosh regalim' are first presented as a unit in

Shmot 23:14-17.  Review those psukim, noting the names of

those holidays, and the reason for their celebration.

  Note how (what we call) Sukkot is referred to as 'chag
ha-

asif' [a fruit gathering festival] which is to be
celebrated

'be-tzet ha-shana' [when the year goes out] / see 23:16.

  Can you explain what 'year' is ending with the fruit

harvest?

  What can we infer from this pasuk in regard to when the

agricultural year begins?

  What is the logic behind considering this the beginning
(or

end) of a year?

7.  See Devarim 11:10-12.  Read these psukim carefully,
noting

how it relates to importance of rain for the agriculture
in

the Land of Israel (in contrast to the Nile River
supplying

water for the fields in Egypt).

  With that in mind, explain what the Torah refers to by
the

phrase 'mi-reishit ha-shana' [from the beginning in the
year]

in the last pasuk that describes how God 'oversees' the
rain

in this Land (see 11:12).

  Based on those psukim, what year does 'reishit ha-shana'

refer to?  Relate this to the topic that follows 11:13-17!

  Based on these psukim, explain the connection between
the

'rainy season', the 'beginning of the agricultural year',
and

the first day of the seventh month.

  In your opinion, could the fact that the rainy season in
the

Land of Israel begins in the autumn relate to any other

holidays that the Torah tells us to celebrate in the
seventh

month?

  If so, explain why.

  In what manner does the 'rainy season' determine the
fate of

the forthcoming agricultural year?  Why would (or should)
this

carry religious significance?

8.  Review once again Bamidbar 10:1-11.  First of all,
explain

why this short 'parshia' about the 'chatzotzrot' is
located at

this point in Sefer Bamidbar?  [i.e. How does it relates
to

the fact the Bnei Yisrael now prepare to leave Har Sinai
and

begin their journey to conquer the land of Israel?]

  According to this parshia, what is the difference
between a

'teki'a' and tru'a.  [Note the verb used for each, and
which

action each 'note' relates to.]

  In your opinion, why is specifically a tru'a sounded
when

going to war (see 10:9), and a teki'a sounded on the
holidays

(see 10:10)?  See the commentators on these psukim
(10:8-10),

especially the Ibn Ezra & Ramban!

9.  For additional insight, study the following sources,

noting

how they can help us understand what a yom tru'a (or
hearing

a shofar blowing) meant to people during the time of the

Tanach:

  Tzfania 1:12-16,  Amos 3:6,  Yoel 2:1-3,11-14 & 2:15-17

  Based on these psukim, can you suggest an explanation
for

what the Torah means when it instructs us to make a
'zichron

tru'a' (see Vayikra 23:24) or a yom tru'a (see Bamidbar
29:1)

on the first day of the seventh month?

     Can you explain why?

10.  Review Vayikra 25:1-11, noting how these laws discuss
the

laws of 'shmitta' and 'yovel'.  Then pay special attention
to

25:9, noting the connection between shofar, tru'a and the

'seventh month'!  In your opinion, why does the seven year

shemitta cycle increment specifically in the seventh month

(i.e. on Yom Kippur)?  Is there an agricultural reason for

this?

  Relate this pasuk to the above questions?

  Then, see the Mishna - Masechet Rosh Hashana 33b, and
the

gemara a few lines from the bottom (tanu rabbanan...)
until

the bottom of 34a.  Based on that gemara, explain how
Chazal

learn the laws of shofar from the psukim quoted above.

11.  Based on the above, can you suggest a thematic
connection

between Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur?

  Is the date of Yom Kippur significant?  What important
event

in the history of Am Yisrael took place on that day?

  How would this relate to the forthcoming rainy season?

12.  Note as well the time of year for the mitzva of
Hakhel in

Devarim 31:11-12.  What does 'mo'ed shnat ha-shmitta'
refer

to, and why is it during 'chag ha-Sukkot'?

  Which 'calendar' (i.e. solar or lunar) does this relate
to?

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