Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 23

33And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,   לגוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
34Speak to the children of Israel, saying: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month, is the Festival of Succoth, a seven day period to the Lord.   לדדַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֜ר י֗וֹם לַחֹ֤דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי֙ הַזֶּ֔ה חַ֧ג הַסֻּכּ֛וֹת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
35On the first day, it is a holy occasion; you shall not perform any work of labor.   להבַּיּ֥וֹם הָֽרִאשׁ֖וֹן מִקְרָא־קֹ֑דֶשׁ כָּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשֽׂוּ:
a holy occasion [This expression mentioned in connection with Yom Kippur, means that you are to] sanctify it [the day] through [wearing] clean garments and through prayer, while [this expression mentioned in connection] with the other holy days, [means] sanctify it with food and drink, through [wearing] clean clothes and through [their own special] prayers. — [See Torath Kohanim 23:186] [Note that this Rashi belongs on verse 27. Therefore, it is obvious that it is referring to Yom Kippur, and the words, בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרים are completely unnecessary. Since the copyists believed it to be on verse 35, which deals with Succoth, they found it necessary to insert those words. See Divrei David.]   מִקְרָא־קדשׁ  קַדְּשֵׁהוּ בִכְסוּת נְקִיָּה וּבִתְפִלָּה, וּבִשְׁאָר יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּמַאֲכָל וּבְמִשְׁתֶּה וּבִכְסוּת נְקִיָּה וּבִתְפִלָּה (עי' ספרא):
36[For] a seven day period, you shall bring a fire offering to the Lord. On the eighth day, it shall be a holy occasion for you, and you shall bring a fire offering to the Lord. It is a [day of] detention. You shall not perform any work of labor.   לושִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים תַּקְרִ֥יבוּ אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֡י מִקְרָא־קֹ֩דֶשׁ֩ יִֽהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֜ם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֨ם אִשֶּׁ֤ה לַֽיהֹוָה֙ עֲצֶ֣רֶת הִ֔וא כָּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשֽׂוּ:
It is a [day of] detention [i.e., God says to Israel,] “I have detained you [to remain] with Me.” This is analogous to a king who invited his sons to feast with him for a certain number of days, and when the time came for them to leave, he said: “My sons! Please, stay with me just one more day, [for] it is difficult for me to part with you!” [Similarly, after the seven days of Succoth, God “detains” Israel for one extra holy day.]   עֲצֶרֶת הִוא  עָצַרְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אֶצְלִי; כְּמֶלֶךְ שֶׁזִּמֵּן אֶת בָּנָיו לִסְעוּדָה לְכָךְ וְכָךְ יָמִים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ זְמַנָּן לִפָּטֵר, אָמַר, בָּנַי בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִכֶּם עַכְּבוּ עִמִּי עוֹד יוֹם אֶחָד, קָשָׁה עָלַי פְּרֵדַתְכֶם:
[you shall not perform] any work of labor [I.e.,] even such work that is considered labor for you, that, if not done, would cause a monetary loss [is prohibited].   כָּל־מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה  אֲפִלּוּ מְלָאכָה שֶׁהִיא עֲבוֹדָה לָכֶם, שֶׁאִם לֹא תַעֲשׂוּהָ יֵשׁ חֶסְרוֹן כִּיס בַּדָּבָר.
you shall not perform One might think that even during the intermediate days of the Festival, work of labor is [also] prohibited. Scripture, therefore says here, “ It [is a day of detention,” [i.e., only on this eighth day is work prohibited, and not on the preceding weekdays of the Festival, when such work, which, if postponed, would cause a monetary loss, is permitted]. — [Torath Kohanim 23:187]   לֹא תַֽעֲשֽׂוּ  יָכוֹל אַף חֻלּוֹ שֶׁל מוֹעֵד יְהֵא אָסוּר בִּמְלֶאכֶת עֲבוֹדָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "הִוא" (שם):
37These are God's appointed [holy days] that you shall designate them as holy occasions, [on which] to offer up a fire offering to the Lord burnt offering and meal offering, sacrifice and libations, the requirement of each day on its day;   לזאֵ֚לֶּה מֽוֹעֲדֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־תִּקְרְא֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם מִקְרָאֵ֣י קֹ֑דֶשׁ לְהַקְרִ֨יב אִשֶּׁ֜ה לַֽיהֹוָ֗ה עֹלָ֧ה וּמִנְחָ֛ה זֶ֥בַח וּנְסָכִ֖ים דְּבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ:
burnt offering and meal offering the libations meal offering that is offered up with the burnt offering (see Num. 15:1-16). - [Men. 44b]   עֹלָה וּמִנְחָה  מִנְחַת נְסָכִים הַקְּרֵבָה עִם הָעוֹלָה:
the requirement of each day on its day [I.e.,] according to the prescribed laws set out in the Book of Num. (chapter 29).   דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ  חֹק הַקָּצוּב בְּחֻמַּשׁ הַפְּקוּדִים:
the requirement of each day on its day But if its day passes, [and the prescribed sacrifice for that day had not been offered,] this sacrifice is canceled [i.e., it can no longer be brought on a later day]. — [Torath Kohanim 23:189]   דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ  הָא אִם עָבַר יוֹמוֹ בָּטֵל קָרְבָּנוֹ (עי' ספרא):
38apart from the Lord's Sabbaths, and apart from your gifts, and apart from all your vows, and apart from all your donations that you give to the Lord.   לחמִלְּבַ֖ד שַׁבְּתֹ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמִלְּבַ֣ד מַתְּנֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם וּמִלְּבַ֤ד כָּל־נִדְרֵיכֶם֙ וּמִלְּבַד֙ כָּל־נִדְבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּתְּנ֖וּ לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
39But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gather in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the festival of the Lord for a seven day period; the first day shall be a rest day, and the eighth day shall be a rest day.   לטאַ֡ךְ בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר י֜וֹם לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י בְּאָסְפְּכֶם֙ אֶת־תְּבוּאַ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ תָּחֹ֥גּוּ אֶת־חַג־יְהֹוָ֖ה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים בַּיּ֤וֹם הָֽרִאשׁוֹן֙ שַׁבָּת֔וֹן וּבַיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֖י שַׁבָּתֽוֹן:
But on the fifteenth day… when you gather in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the festive [by bringing] a peace offering as the [special] “Festival offering (חֲגִיגָה).” Now, one might think that this [Festival offering] overrides the Sabbath. Scripture, therefore, says here, “But (אַךְ)” [denoting an exclusion (see Rashi on verse 27 above; Torath Kohanim 23: 191), namely that this sacrifice may not be brought on the Sabbath], since it can be made up on any of the seven [days of the Festival].   אַךְ בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם תָּחֹגּוּ  קָרְבַּן שְׁלָמִים לַחֲגִיגָה, יָכוֹל תִּדְחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר אַךְ, הוֹאִיל וְיֵשׁ לָהּ תַּשְׁלוּמִין כָּל שִׁבְעָה:
when you gather in the produce of the land [This teaches us] that this seventh month must occur at the time of ingathering, [namely, in the fall]. From here, [we learn] that they were commanded to proclaim leap years [i.e., to add an extra, thirteenth month to the lunar year], for if there were no leap years, [the lunar years would eventually no longer coincide with the solar years, and] sometimes [the seventh month] would occur in midsummer or midwinter [not in the time of ingathering]. - [Torath Kohanim 23:192]   בְּאָסְפְּכֶם אֶת־תְּבוּאַת הָאָרֶץ  שֶׁיְּהֵא חֹדֶשׁ שְׁבִיעִי זֶה בָּא בִּזְמַן אֲסִיפָה, מִכָּאן שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ לְעַבֵּר אֶת הַשָּׁנִים, שֶׁאִם אֵין הָעִבּוּר, פְּעָמִים שֶׁהוּא בְאֶמְצַע הַקַּיִץ אוֹ הַחֹרֶף:
you shall celebrate [by bringing] the Festival peace offering (see the first Rashi on this verse),   תָּחֹגּוּ  שַׁלְמֵי חֲגִיגָה:
for a seven-day period If one did not bring it on one [day of the Festival], he may still bring it on another. Now, one might think that we are obliged to bring it all seven days. Scripture, therefore, says, “celebrate it” (verse 41 below) [employing the singular form,] thus denoting only one day and no more. But why does Scripture say “seven”? [To give seven days] for making it up [if one did not bring it on the first day]. - [Chag. 9a]   שִׁבְעַת יָמִים  אִם לֹא הֵבִיא בָזֶה, יָבִיא בָזֶה, יָכוֹל יְהֵא מְבִיאָן כָּל שִׁבְעָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וחגתם אתו — יוֹם אֶחָד בְּמַשְׁמָע וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, וְלָמָּה נֶאֱמַר שִׁבְעָה? לְתַשְׁלוּמִין (חגיגה ט'):
40And you shall take for yourselves on the first day, the fruit of the hadar tree, date palm fronds, a branch of a braided tree, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for a seven day period.   מוּלְקַחְתֶּ֨ם לָכֶ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הָֽרִאשׁ֗וֹן פְּרִ֨י עֵ֤ץ הָדָר֙ כַּפֹּ֣ת תְּמָרִ֔ים וַֽעֲנַ֥ף עֵֽץ־עָבֹ֖ת וְעַרְבֵי־נָ֑חַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים:
the fruit of the hadar tree [Scripture could have simply said, “ hadar fruit.” Since it adds the word “tree,” next to “fruit,” it teaches us that it is] a tree whose wood has the same taste as its fruit. — [Sukkah 35a] [Note that, according to Ramban, the fruit known in Aramaic as “ethrog,” is known in Hebrew as “ hadar.”   פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר  עֵץ שֶׁטַּעַם עֵצוֹ וּפִרְיוֹ שָׁוֶה (סכה ל"ה):
hadar [Refers to a fruit] “that resides (הַדָּר) ” on its tree from one year to the next, which is the ethrog. — [Sukkah 35a]   הָדָר  הַדָּר בְּאִילָנוֹ מִשָּׁנָה לְשָׁנָה, וְזֶהוּ אֶתְרוֹג (שם):
date-palm fronds Heb. כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים. [The word כַּפֹּת is written here with] a missing “vav” (ו) [thus implying the singular rather than the plural]. This teaches us that only one [date-palm frond is to be taken]. — [Sukkah 32a]   כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים  חָסֵר וי"ו, לִמֵּד שֶׁאֵינָהּ אֶלָּא אַחַת:
a branch of a braided tree [A tree] whose branches עֲנָפָיו are braided like cords עֲבוֹתוֹת and like ropes. And Scripture is referring here specifically to the הֲדַס (myrtle) tree, which is made in a braided-like form. — [Sukkah 32b]   וַֽעֲנַף עֵץ עָבֹת  שֶׁעֲנָפָיו קְלוּעִים כַּעֲבוֹתוֹת וְכַחֲבָלִים, וְזֶהוּ הֲדַס, הֶעָשׂוּי כְּמִין קְלִיעָה (שם ל"ב):
41And you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord for seven days in the year. [It is] an eternal statute throughout your generations [that] you celebrate it in the seventh month.   מאוְחַגֹּתֶ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ חַ֣ג לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים בַּשָּׁנָ֑ה חֻקַּ֤ת עוֹלָם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י תָּחֹ֥גּוּ אֹתֽוֹ:
42For a seven day period you shall live in booths. Every resident among the Israelites shall live in booths,   מבבַּסֻּכֹּ֥ת תֵּֽשְׁב֖וּ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים כָּל־הָֽאֶזְרָח֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יֵֽשְׁב֖וּ בַּסֻּכֹּֽת:
resident Heb. הָאֶזְרָח, [lit., “the resident.” The definite article here] signifies a resident [of the people of Israel, namely, a native Jew. Therefore, the next seemingly superfluous expression, namely,]   הָֽאֶזְרָח  זֶה אֶזְרָח:
among the Israelites Comes to include converts [in this commandment]. — [Sukkah 28b]   בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל  לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַגֵּרִים (ספרא):
43in order that your [ensuing] generations should know that I had the children of Israel live in booths when I took them out of the land of Egypt. I am the Lord, your God.   מגלְמַ֘עַן֘ יֵֽדְע֣וּ דֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם֒ כִּ֣י בַסֻּכּ֗וֹת הוֹשַׁ֨בְתִּי֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּהֽוֹצִיאִ֥י אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
I had the children of Israel live in booths [These were] the clouds of glory [with which God enveloped the Jewish people in the desert, forming a protective shelter for them against wild beasts and enemies.] [See Num. 10:34 and Rashi on that verse.]- [Sukkah 11b]   כִּי בַסֻּכּוֹת הוֹשַׁבְתִּי  עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד (שם; מכילתא י"ב):
44And Moses told the children of Israel [these laws] of the Lord's appointed [holy days].   מדוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר משֶׁ֔ה אֶת־מֹֽעֲדֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֑ה אֶל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: