Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 28

1God spoke to Moses, saying:   אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2“Command the Israelites and say to them: ‘You must watch over My offering, My food for My Altar-fire, which you offer up to please Me. You are to offer it up to Me at its appointed time.’   בצַ֚ו אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֶת־קָרְבָּנִ֨י לַחְמִ֜י לְאִשַּׁ֗י רֵ֚יחַ נִֽיחֹחִ֔י תִּשְׁמְר֕וּ לְהַקְרִ֥יב לִ֖י בְּמֽוֹעֲדֽוֹ:
צַו אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - Command the Israelites. What is stated above? “Let God appoint.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: “Before you instruct Me regarding My children, instruct My children regarding Me.” This is comparable to a princess who was about to leave this world and was instructing her husband about her children’s care(He said to her: before you instruct me about my children, instruct them regarding me, that they not rebel against me or disparage me), as stated in Sifrei.   צַו אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.  מָה אָמוּר לְמַעְלָה? יִפְקֹד ה', אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַד שֶׁאַתָּה מְצַוֵּנִי עַל בָּנַי, צַוֵּה אֶת בָּנַי עָלַי, מָשָׁל לְבַת מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיְתָה נִפְטֶרֶת מִן הָעוֹלָם וְהָיְתָה מְפַקֶּדֶת בַּעְלָהּ עַל בָּנֶיהָ וְכוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְסִפְרֵי:
קָרְבָּנִי - My offering. This refers to the blood.   קָרְבָּנִי.  זֶה הַדָּם:
לַחְמִי - My food. This refers to the portions designated to be burned, and so it says: “The priest must burn them up on the Altar as food for the fire.” 1   לַחְמִי.  אֵלּוּ אֵמוּרִין, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ויקרא ג') "וְהִקְטִירָם הַכֹּהֵן הַמִּזְבֵּחָה לֶחֶם אִשֶּׁה" (ספרי):
לְאִשַּׁי - For My fire - means: which are placed on the fire of My Altar.   לְאִשַּׁי.  הַנִּתָּנִין לְאִשֵּׁי מִזְבְּחִי:
תִּשְׁמְרוּ - You must watch - i.e., there must be priests, Levites, and Israelites standing nearby as it is offered up. From here our sages derived the imperative to institute maamadot (rotating weekly groups of stationed representatives).   תִּשְׁמְרוּ.  שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כֹּהֲנִים וּלְוִיִּם וְיִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹמְדִין עַל גַּבָּיו, מִכָּאן לָמְדוּ וְתִקְּנוּ מַעֲמָדוֹת (תענית כ"ו):
בְּמֽוֹעֲדֽוֹ - At its appointed time - i.e., each individual day is a separate appointed time for the continual offerings, so a missed offering cannot be made up on another day.   בְּמֽוֹעֲדֽוֹ.  בְּכָל יוֹם הוּא מוֹעֵד הַתְּמִידִים:
3You must say to them, ‘This is the fire-offering that you must offer up to God: two unblemished, one-year-old lambs each day as a continual ascent-offering.   גוְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ לָהֶ֔ם זֶ֚ה הָֽאִשֶּׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּקְרִ֖יבוּ לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה כְּבָשִׂ֨ים בְּנֵֽי־שָׁנָ֧ה תְמִימִ֛ם שְׁנַ֥יִם לַיּ֖וֹם עֹלָ֥ה תָמִֽיד:
וְאָֽמַרְתָּ לָהֶם - You must say to them. This is an instruction to the court to make sure these details are carried out.   וְאָֽמַרְתָּ לָהֶם.  אַזְהָרָה לְבֵית דִּין (ספרי):
שְׁנַיִם לַיּוֹם - Two each day - its meaning as its plain sense implies. However, its main purpose in being stated is to teach us that they are slaughtered opposite the day, i.e., the sun: the morning continual offering in the western part, and the afternoon offering in the eastern part of the slaughtering area, where the rings are located.   שְׁנַיִם לַיּוֹם.  כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ, וְעִקָּרוֹ בָא לְלַמֵּד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִשְׁחָטִין כְּנֶגֶד הַיּוֹם — תָּמִיד שֶׁל שַׁחַר בַּמַּעֲרָב וְשֶׁל בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם בְּמִזְרָחָן שֶׁל טַבָּעוֹת (ספרי; יומא ס"ב):
4You must offer up one lamb in the morning, and you must offer up the other lamb in the afternoon,   דאֶת־הַכֶּ֥בֶשׂ אֶחָ֖ד תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה בַבֹּ֑קֶר וְאֵת֙ הַכֶּ֣בֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה בֵּ֥ין הָֽעַרְבָּֽיִם:
אֶת־הַכֶּבֶשׂ אֶחָד - One lamb. Although it was already stated in parashat VeAtah Tetzaveh: 2 “This is what you must offer up…,” that was an instruction only for the days of inauguration, but here He commanded it for all generations.   אֶת־הַכֶּבֶשׂ אֶחָד.  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּבָר נֶאֱמַר בְּפָרָשַׁת וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה "וְזֶה אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה" וְגוֹ' (שמות כט לח), הִיא הָיְתָה אַזְהָרָה לִימֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים וְכָאן צִוָּה לַדּוֹרוֹת:
5and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain-offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of crushed-olive oil.   הוַֽעֲשִׂירִ֧ית הָֽאֵיפָ֛ה סֹ֖לֶת לְמִנְחָ֑ה בְּלוּלָ֛ה בְּשֶׁ֥מֶן כָּתִ֖ית רְבִיעִ֥ת הַהִֽין:
סֹלֶת לְמִנְחָה - Fine flour for a grain-offering - i.e., the grain-offering of libations that usually accompanies a sacrifice.   סֹלֶת לְמִנְחָה.  מִנְחַת נְסָכִים:
6It will be a continual ascent-offering, offered up like the one at Mount Sinai, a fire-offering pleasing to God.   ועֹלַ֖ת תָּמִ֑יד הָֽעֲשֻׂיָה֙ בְּהַ֣ר סִינַ֔י לְרֵ֣יחַ נִיחֹ֔חַ אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
הָֽעֲשֻׂיָה בְּהַר סִינַי - (lit.) Offered up at Mount Sinai - means: like those continual offerings that were offered up during the days of inauguration at Mount Sinai. Another explanation: “offered up at Mount Sinai” Scripture links the continual ascent-offering to the ascent-offering of Mount Sinai, i.e., the one that was offered up before the Giving of the Torah, about which it is written: “and put it into bowls,” 3 and thus teaches us that the continual ascent-offering requires that its blood be received in a vessel when it is slaughtered.   הָֽעֲשֻׂיָה בְּהַר סִינַי.  כְּאוֹתָן שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בִּימֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים; דָּבָר אַחֵר — העשיה בהר סיני, הִקִּישׁ עוֹלַת תָּמִיד לְעוֹלַת הַר סִינַי — אוֹתָהּ שֶׁנִּתְקָרְבָה לִפְנֵי מַתַּן תּוֹרָה — שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהּ (שם כ"ד) "וַיָּשֶֹם בָּאֲגָנֹת", מְלַמֵּד שֶׁטְּעוּנָה כְּלִי (ספרי):
7Its libation: one-quarter of a hin for each lamb, to be poured on the holy Altar as a libation of strong wine to God.   זוְנִסְכּוֹ֙ רְבִיעִ֣ת הַהִ֔ין לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָֽאֶחָ֑ד בַּקֹּ֗דֶשׁ הַסֵּ֛ךְ נֶ֥סֶךְ שֵׁכָ֖ר לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
וְנִסְכּוֹ - Its libation - i.e., wine.   וְנִסְכּוֹ.  יַיִן:
בַּקֹּדֶשׁ הַסֵּךְ - Pour it (lit.) in the Sanctuary - i.e., they must be poured on the Altar.   בַּקֹּדֶשׁ הַסֵּךְ.  עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ יִתְנַסְּכוּ:
נֶסֶךְ שֵׁכָר - It is a libation of (lit.) intoxicating drink - i.e., intoxicating wine, thus excluding wine fresh from the winepress.   נֶסֶךְ שֵׁכָר.  יַיִן הַמְשַׁכֵּר, פְּרָט לְיַיִן מִגִּתּוֹ (בבא בתרא צ"ז):
8You must offer up the second lamb in the afternoon. You must offer it up with the same grain-offering and libation as the morning offering, a fire-offering pleasing to God.   חוְאֵת֙ הַכֶּ֣בֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה בֵּ֣ין הָֽעַרְבָּ֑יִם כְּמִנְחַ֨ת הַבֹּ֤קֶר וּכְנִסְכּוֹ֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה אִשֵּׁ֛ה רֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ - (lit.) A pleasing aroma - i.e., it gives Me satisfaction, that I said that something be done and My will was carried out.   רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ.  נַחַת רוּחַ לְפָנַי שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי וְנַעֲשָׂה רְצוֹנִי (ספרי):
9On the Sabbath day: two unblemished, one-year-old lambs, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain-offering, mixed with oil, and its libation.   טוּבְיוֹם֙ הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת שְׁנֵֽי־כְבָשִׂ֥ים בְּנֵֽי־שָׁנָ֖ה תְּמִימִ֑ם וּשְׁנֵ֣י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֗ים סֹ֧לֶת מִנְחָ֛ה בְּלוּלָ֥ה בַשֶּׁ֖מֶן וְנִסְכּֽוֹ:
10The ascent-offering of each Sabbath on its Sabbath, following the continual ascent-offering and its libation.   יעֹלַ֥ת שַׁבַּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ עַל־עֹלַ֥ת הַתָּמִ֖יד וְנִסְכָּֽהּ:
עֹלַת שַׁבַּת בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ - The ascent-offering of each Sabbath on its Sabbath - but not the ascent-offering of this Sabbath on another Sabbath – for if he did not offer up the sacrifice on this Sabbath, I might understand that he must offer up two on the following Sabbath. Scripture therefore states: “on its Sabbath,” telling us that if the offering’s designated day passed, the requirement to sacrifice the offering is cancelled.   עֹלַת שַׁבַּת בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ.  וְלֹא עוֹלַת שַׁבָּת זוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת אַחֶרֶת, הֲרֵי שֶׁלֹּא הִקְרִיב בְּשַׁבָּת זוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי יַקְרִיב שְׁתַּיִם לַשַּׁבָּת הַבָּאָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ", מַגִּיד שֶׁאִם עָבַר יוֹמוֹ בָּטֵל קָרְבָּנוֹ (ספרי):
עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד - (lit.) Besides the continual ascent-offering - i.e., these are additional offerings, besides the two lambs of the continual ascent-offering. This terminology tells us that they may only be offered between the two continual offerings. Similarly, regarding all additional offerings it says: “besides the continual ascent-offering,” in order to teach this law.   עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד.  אֵלּוּ מוּסָפִין, לְבַד אוֹתָן שְׁנֵי כְבָשִׂים שֶׁל עוֹלַת הַתָּמִיד, וּמַגִּיד שֶׁאֵין קְרֵבִין אֶלָּא בֵּין שְׁנֵי הַתְּמִידִין, וְכֵן בְּכָל הַמּוּסָפִין נֶאֱמַר עַל עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד לְתַלְמוּד זֶה:
11On your first days of the month, you must offer up an ascent-offering to God: two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old lambs, unblemished,   יאוּבְרָאשֵׁי֙ חָדְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם תַּקְרִ֥יבוּ עֹלָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה פָּרִ֨ים בְּנֵֽי־בָקָ֤ר שְׁנַ֨יִם֙ וְאַ֣יִל אֶחָ֔ד כְּבָשִׂ֧ים בְּנֵֽי־שָׁנָ֛ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה תְּמִימִֽם:
12and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain-offering for each bull, two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain-offering for each ram,   יבוּשְׁלשָׁ֣ה עֶשְׂרֹנִ֗ים סֹ֤לֶת מִנְחָה֙ בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשֶּׁ֔מֶן לַפָּ֖ר הָֽאֶחָ֑ד וּשְׁנֵ֣י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֗ים סֹ֤לֶת מִנְחָה֙ בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשֶּׁ֔מֶן לָאַ֖יִל הָֽאֶחָֽד:
וּשְׁלשָׁה עֶשְׂרֹנִים - And three-tenths - this being the prescribed libation for bulls, for so they are set in the passage regarding libations. 4   וּשְׁלשָׁה עֶשְׂרֹנִים.  כְּמִשְׁפַּט נִסְכֵּי פַר, שֶׁכֵּן הֵן קְצוּבִין בְּפָרָשַׁת נְסָכִים:
13and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain-offering for each lamb, an ascent-offering, a fire-offering pleasing to God.   יגוְעִשָּׂרֹ֣ן עִשָּׂר֗וֹן סֹ֤לֶת מִנְחָה֙ בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשֶּׁ֔מֶן לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָֽאֶחָ֑ד עֹלָה֙ רֵ֣יחַ נִיחֹ֔חַ אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
14And their libations: half a hin of wine for each bull, a third of a hin of wine for each ram, and a quarter of a hin of wine for each lamb. This is the ascent-offering of each month in its month throughout the months of the year.   ידוְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֗ם חֲצִ֣י הַהִין֩ יִֽהְיֶ֨ה לַפָּ֜ר וּשְׁלִישִׁ֧ת הַהִ֣ין לָאַ֗יִל וּרְבִיעִ֥ת הַהִ֛ין לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ יָ֑יִן זֹ֣את עֹלַ֥ת חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ בְּחָדְשׁ֔וֹ לְחָדְשֵׁ֖י הַשָּׁנָֽה:
זֹאת עֹלַת חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ - This is the ascent-offering of each month in its month - i.e., that if its designated day passed, the requirement to sacrifice its offering is cancelled, and it cannot be made up again.   זֹאת עֹלַת חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ.  שֶׁאִם עָבַר יוֹמוֹ בָּטֵל קָרְבָּנוֹ וְשׁוּב אֵין לוֹ תַשְׁלוּמִין:
15One young he-goat as a sin-offering to God, and its libation, must be offered up following the continual ascent-offering.   טווּשְׂעִ֨יר עִזִּ֥ים אֶחָ֛ד לְחַטָּ֖את לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה עַל־עֹלַ֧ת הַתָּמִ֛יד יֵֽעָשֶׂ֖ה וְנִסְכּֽוֹ:
וּשְׂעִיר עִזִּים וגו' - One young he-goat… All additional-offering goats are brought to atone for unwittingly entering the Temple or eating consecrated food while ritually defiled, all as is explained in Tractate Shevuot. 5 However, the goat of Rosh Chodesh is unique in that it says about it: לַה׳ “to God,” to teach you that that it atones for ritual defilement of which one remained unaware both before and after transgressing, for no one was aware of the sin except the Holy One, blessed be He – and the other goats, brought as sin-offerings on the festivals, are derived from it. And its aggadic explanation is: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “Bring an atonement for Me because I diminished the moon.”   וּשְׂעִיר עִזִּים וגו'.  כָּל שְׂעִירֵי הַמּוּסָפִין בָּאִין לְכַפֵּר עַל טֻמְאַת מִקְדָּשׁ וְקָדָשָׁיו, הַכֹּל כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּמַסֶּכֶת שְׁבוּעוֹת (דף ט'), וְנִשְׁתַּנָּה שְׂעִיר רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "לַה'"; לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁמְּכַפֵּר עַל שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ יְדִיעָה לֹא בַתְּחִלָּה וְלֹא בַסּוֹף — שֶׁאֵין מַכִּיר בַּחֵטְא אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִלְבָד, וּשְׁאָר הַשְּׂעִירִים לְמֵדִין מִמֶּנוּ; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ בָּאַגָּדָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָבִיאוּ כַפָּרָה עָלַי עַל שֶׁמִּעַטְתִּי אֶת הַיָּרֵחַ (חולין ס'):
עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד יֵֽעָשֶׂה - Must be offered up following the continual ascent-offering - i.e., this entire offering in all its constituent parts .   עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד יֵֽעָשֶׂה.  כָּל הַקָּרְבָּן הַזֶּה:
וְנִסְכּֽוֹ - and its libation. The word וְנִסְכּוֹ “and its libation” does not refer to the goat, for a sin-offering is not accompanied by libations.   וְנִסְכּֽוֹ.  אֵין "וְנִסְכּוֹ" מוּסָב עַל הַשָּׂעִיר, שֶׁאֵין נְסָכִים לְחַטָּאת: