English translation — משפטים ב

Sicha on <pg>109</pg>

A.

"The Festival of Matzot you shall keep; seven days you shall eat matzot, as I commanded you, at the appointed time of the month of Aviv"<sup>1</sup>,

and Rashi explains "the month of Aviv" — "that the grain is filled in it in the spring,

Aviv<sup>2</sup>

language of father, firstborn and first to ripen of fruits".

And we need to understand: In Parshat Bo<sup>3</sup>

it is already said "Today you are going out in the month of spring,"

and there Rashi does not explain the word "spring"

[He only explains the virtue of this month regarding the exodus from Egypt — "And were we not<sup>4</sup>

knowing in which month they went out? Rather, thus He said to them: See the kindness that He bestowed upon you, that He took you out in a month that is fit to go out, neither heat nor cold nor rains, and so it says<sup>5</sup>

He brings out prisoners into prosperity, a month that is fit to go out"],

and it is perplexing,

why did Rashi not explain the word "

(month)

of spring" the first time.

And one cannot say that he relied on what he explained earlier in the end of Parshat Va'eira<sup>6</sup>

"for the barley was spring" — "it had already ripened and stood in its stalk,"

"the barley was spring — it stood in its ripeness, language of 'in the ripeness<sup>7</sup>

of the stream'" — for in addition to this, if so, why did Rashi need to explain it here in our parshah and not rely on his explanation in Parshat Va'eira

(and superficially it is forced to say that this is because of the interruption of several parshiot),

behold it is impossible to explain that "the month of spring" stated in Parshat Bo has its explanation like the word "spring" in the end of Parshat Va'eira,

for in Parshat Va'eira it refers to the time of the plague of hail,

and behold each plague lasted one month

(and as Rashi wrote<sup>8</sup>

that the plague served for a quarter of a month and for three parts he would warn and admonish them),

and if so,

(even if you say that because of the plague of the firstborn, which was at one moment at midnight, its warning was not for three parts of a month<sup>9</sup>,

behold)

it is found that the time of the plague of hail is close to the end of Tevet<sup>10</sup>

and the month of Shevat,

for after the plague of hail there were still two plagues

(besides the plague of the firstborn),

locusts and darkness.

Also needs clarification:

a)

Why did Rashi need in our parshah in the explanation of the word "aviv" to add<sup>11</sup>

"aviv language of av,

firstborn and first to ripen fruits",

and he was not satisfied with his beginning explanation "that the grain fills in it in aviv",

and like the matter that is said in the end of Parshat Va'eira "it ripened and stood in its stalks..

stood in aviv language of aviv of the stream" — and he did not write that "aviv is language of av firstborn etc.".

<pg>110</pg>

b)

Later in Parshas Tisa¹²

Rashi explains again "month of spring" — "month of ripening,

that the produce ripens in its cooking",

And it is puzzling: even if you say that after the interruption of the portions Rashi needed to explain again

(in brief)

the explanation of "spring",

why did he specifically use these expressions,

in which the connection to the word "spring" is not so emphasized,

and why did he not write "that the produce fills in it in spring",

and also why did he add at the beginning of his explanation the word "month

(of ripening)

" that is stated in the verse?

2.

And one can say the explanation of all this:

According to the simple meaning of the verse,

the explanation of "the month of spring" is — the name of the month,

and it is the way of Rashi in his commentary on the Torah,

that generally¹³

he does not explain the meaning of names¹⁴.

And even if you will say that there is a connection¹⁵

between the content of the name and the thing named by it,

behold here the connection is understood simply,

for this month is "the beginning of months, it is the first for you of the months of the year"¹⁶,

therefore it is called "the month of spring",

for "spring" is "the language of father",

which is father¹⁷

and head of the months.

But in our parshah Rashi needed to resolve a difficulty that arises in these verses:

In these verses it speaks about "the three pilgrimage festivals"¹⁸,

but the determination of the festivals in this section is connected with the produce of the field,

"the Festival of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors which you sow in the field,

and the Festival of the Ingathering at the outgoing of the year, when you gather in your labors from the field"¹⁹.

[And the reason is understood simply,

because the warning about the festivals in our section is in connection with the matter of the Sabbatical year,

as Rashi explains on the verse²⁰

"Three times etc." — "Because the subject speaks about the Sabbatical year, it was necessary to say that the three pilgrimage festivals will not be uprooted from their place."

And therefore the verse emphasizes that the festivals are connected to the produce of the field, because due to this there was a possibility to think that this is only in the six years that "you will sow your land and gather its produce",

but not in "the Sabbatical year

(when then)

you shall release it and forsake it"²¹,

the three pilgrimage festivals will be uprooted,

and therefore it was necessary to say that they will not be uprooted etc.].

And based on this it is not understood,

now all this is well regarding Shavuot and Sukkot,

that their entire essence is in connection with grain,

"the Festival of the Harvest" and "the Festival of the Ingathering",

but what is the matter of the month of Aviv with the produce of the field,

and what is the connection and the possibility to think regarding the Festival of Matzot?

And therefore Rashi explains that "the month of spring" here is not just a name of a month

(as in Parshat Bo),

but rather it also relates to the produce of the field,

"that the produce is filled

[in it]

in the spring",

and it is found that also the time of the Festival of Matzot relates to the produce.

But Rashi is not satisfied with this,

for it is difficult to him,

since the main festivals connected with the produce of the field are the Festival of Harvest and the Festival of Ingathering,

that only they are called by this name,

the verse should have preceded the Festival of Harvest and the Festival of Ingathering before the Festival of Matzot which is only "in the season of the month of spring",

and therefore Rashi adds "in spring, language of spring, firstborn and first<pg>111</pg>

to cook the fruits",

that not only does the holiday of Matzos also belong to grain,

but furthermore,

that it is the first and foremost to cook fruits<sup>22</sup>,

and therefore also when the festivals are counted in Scripture as they pertain to the produce of the field,

the first of them is the holiday of Matzos,

which is "in the season of the month of spring".

3.

Based on the above it can be said,

that in his aforementioned commentary on Parshas Tisa, Rashi's intention is also to explain the verses there:

Also in the Writings, in Parshat Tisa, it speaks about the three festivals in connection with the produce of the field,

And thus it requires explanation: after the verse "The Festival of Matzot you shall keep, seven days you shall eat matzot which I commanded you, at the appointed time of the month of spring, for in the month of spring you went out of Egypt,"

there are further explained several commandments<sup>23</sup>

— "Every first issue of the womb is Mine, and every firstling of your cattle you shall remember, the firstling of ox and sheep, and the firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a sheep, etc., every firstborn of your sons you shall redeem, etc., six days you shall work and on the seventh day you shall rest, in plowing and in harvesting you shall rest,"

"And the Festival of Weeks you shall make for yourself, the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering at the turn of the year."

And it is not understood: that which it added within the three festivals regarding "in plowing and in harvesting you shall rest" is understood according to Rashi's explanation<sup>24</sup>

"Why is plowing and harvesting mentioned"

(or it refers "to plowing of the eve of the Sabbatical year that enters into the Sabbatical year, and harvesting of the Sabbatical year that goes out into the afteryear of the Sabbatical year, etc.",

or it is in connection with "the harvesting of the Omer which is a commandment and overrides the Shabbat",

for the Omer's time is on the Festival of Matzot),

but why did the commandment regarding the first issue of the womb come here?

And even though the commandment of the first issue of the womb was stated in the end of Parshat Bo<sup>25</sup>

in connection with the Exodus from Egypt<sup>26</sup>,

as is explicit in the verse there<sup>27</sup>

"And it was when Pharaoh was stubborn to send us out, and the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, etc.",

behold, ostensibly this is not a sufficient reason to insert it within the section of the festivals in connection with the produce of the field

(and especially since there are other commandments that are a memorial to the Exodus from Egypt,

and as is explicit in Parshat Bo there in continuation of the above regarding the commandment of tefillin<sup>28</sup>,

"And it shall be a sign upon your hand and a frontlet between your eyes, for with a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt").

And therefore Rashi explains there "the month of spring²⁹

— the month of the first-ripening that the produce ripens in its cooking",

to emphasize that the holiday of this month is not<pg>112</pg>

(only)

because of the produce that ripens early, but that the month is called by the name "the month of the first-ripening",

and therefore the connection here of the commandments that depend on the firstborn is well explained.

D.

And one must say,

that the difference between Rashi's commentaries in Parshat Bo and in our parshah is connected with the difference in the content of the commandments discussed in these portions:

In Parshat Bo it speaks primarily about the remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt,

as it is written in the verse before this³⁰

"Remember this day on which you went out of Egypt"

[And likewise in the verses after this the emphasis is not

(so much)

on the fixing of the festival,

but on various actions that recall the Exodus from Egypt,

"And you shall serve³¹

this service..

Seven days you shall eat matzot..

Matzot shall be eaten for the seven days..

And you shall tell your son..

Because of this etc.'

(as Rashi explains³²

"Because I will fulfill His commandments such as Passover, matzah, and maror" which recall the Exodus from Egypt³³)

"And it shall be for you a sign etc.'" — "The Exodus from Egypt shall be for you a sign"³⁴],

whereas in our parshah it speaks about the fixing of³⁵

the festivals

(for generations in the Land of Israel)

at the three times of the year,

"Three³⁶

pilgrimage festivals you shall celebrate for Me in the year: the Festival of Matzot you shall keep etc. as I commanded you at the appointed time of the month of Aviv."

And therefore,

In every place Rashi explains the main obligating and causing factor:

In Parshat Bo he wrote — "See the kindness that He bestowed upon you that He took you out in a month that is fit to go out",

that this is the reason that obligates remembering the Exodus from Egypt,

the greatness of the kindness of God that He bestowed upon them.

And one should add,

that this is also the reason for remembering the Exodus from Egypt not only at the time of the Exodus from Egypt,

in the month of spring,

but the entire year entirely,

as Rashi explains there&lt;sup&gt;30&lt;/sup&gt;

"Remember this day,

teaches that one mentions the Exodus from Egypt every day".

And the three pilgrimage festivals as the establishment of a holiday,

each one at a fixed time of the year,

are connected with the times of the produce of the field,

which are considered "spring",

"harvest" and "ingathering" of the produce.

5.

And one must bring a proof for the above distinction,

that Rashi in his commentary on the Torah on the verse in Parshat Bo "Today you are going out in the month of spring" does not refer to the determination of the festival of Passover,

unlike the verse in our parshah

(and likewise that of Parshat Tisa)

"at the appointed time of the month of spring" — Rashi explains later in Parshat Re'eh³⁷

on the verse "Keep the month of spring" — "before its coming, keep it so that it should be fit for spring to offer on it the omer offering, and if not, intercalate the year."

For in the Gemara³⁸

it is stated "For three things they intercalate the year: for spring, for the fruits of the tree, and for the equinox",

behold that for three things they intercalate the year,

and why did Rashi write that the main thing is "that it should be fit for spring to offer on it the omer offering",

for simply that is that the ripening of the grain should be³⁹,

behold they intercalate the year

(also)

for the equinox⁴⁰,

so that Passover should come at the time<pg>113</pg>

the spring,

and just as we learn⁴¹

from "Observe the month of the spring,

observe the spring of the season that it should be in the month of Nissan"?

[And as explained in the Rambam⁴²

that this is the main point,

"And why do they add this month? Because of the time of the spring, so that Passover should be at that time, as it is said: Observe the month of the spring, that this month should be in the time of the spring, etc.",

"By three signs they intercalate the year: by the season, and by the spring, and by the fruit of the trees,

how? The court calculates and knows if the spring equinox of Nissan will be on the sixteenth of Nissan or after this time, they intercalate that year and make that Nissan into a second Adar so that Passover should be in the time of the spring, and on this sign they rely and intercalate, and they do not pay attention to another sign"

(And afterwards he continues in a separate halacha: "And likewise if the court sees that the spring has not yet arrived, but it is still dark, etc.")].

But Rashi according to his method,

that the determination of the holiday of Matzot as a holiday in the month of spring,

is not because it must come in the spring season&lt;sup&gt;43&lt;/sup&gt;,

but rather because of the spring of grain as explained in our parshah&lt;sup&gt;44&lt;/sup&gt;,

and therefore in the command "Guard the month of spring" he explains "Guard that it should be fit for spring to offer on it the omer meal-offering",

that his intention simply,

that the ripening of the grain should be sufficient to offer the omer.

6.

And behold the matter of the Exodus from Egypt

(and the remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt)

is "a great foundation and a strong pillar in our Torah and in our faith"&lt;sup&gt;45&lt;/sup&gt;.

And it can be said that one of the matters that we learn from the Exodus from Egypt and the remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt regarding all matters of the Torah and its commandments is the matter stated in the two sections

(Parshat Bo and our parshah),

how much the matter of remembrance is great,

and even that remembrance is not only in thought but also comes in speech and in actual deed in the offering of a sacrifice and eating matzah&lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;,

behold all this is not sufficient and in order for the matter to have permanence it is only when it has connection and effect also in the entire world outside of man.

For in Parshat Bo where it speaks primarily about the remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt,

and even that remembrance comes in deed as above,

behold still the determination of the name of a holiday did not apply to this,

and only in our parshah where it speaks about how the holidays are connected to the produce of the field they became fixed holidays.

And so it is in "our faith and our Torah": the measure of the strength and permanence of faith and trust in the soul of man in a manner that all matters of the world do not &lt;pg&gt;114&lt;/pg&gt;

weaken him and do not affect him even the slightest movement,

is — that his faith and trust in God will also influence the children of Israel around him.

And likewise in "our Torah" — that when are the Torah and commandments fixed in a person in a manner that they will never be moved forever — when his Torah and commandments also affect outside of him,

and in the children of Israel themselves — that he influences also those who for now are not connected to Torah and commandments.

And by means of that he affects upon each and every Jew from his surroundings to instill in him faith in God and that he unite with the Torah and commandments of God,

by which he goes out from Egypt,

as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said⁴⁶

"In every generation and every day a person is obligated to see himself as if he went out today from Egypt",

to go out from his straits and boundaries⁴⁷,

by this they hasten the exodus of the entirety of Israel from all the straits and boundaries,

in the true and complete redemption speedily in our days actually.

(From sichos of Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim and Shabbos Parshas Terumah 5740)