Rosh HaShana in Tammuz!?!?!? by Rabbi Asher Schechter Congregation Ohr Moshe

In the Medrash Yalkut Shimoni, towards the end of this week's Parsha, a startling revelation is made by Rabbi Levi.

ילקוט שמעוני תורה פרשת פינחס [ רמז תשעא ] אמר רבי לוי בכל חדש וחדש [שבקיץ] בקש הקב"ה ליתן לישראל מועד, בניסן נתן להם פסח, באייר נתן להם פסח קטן, בסיון נתן להם עצרת, בתמוז היה בדעתו ליתן להם מועד גדול ועשו העגל ובטל תמוז ואב ואלול, ובא תשרי ופרע להם ראש השנה ויום הכפורים והחג, א"ל הקב"ה לאחרים הוא פורע ושלו אינו נוטל תן לו יומו

Rabbi Levi taught that for every month of the Spring/Summer it was Hashem's intention to give Klal Yisrael a Yom Tov. During Nissan He gave them Pesach. During Iyar He gave them Pesach Kattan (Pesach Sheni). During Sivan He gave them Atzeres (Rabbinic term for Shavuos). For the month of Tamuz, it was His intention to give them a Major Yom Tov, but once they made the Egel (worshiped the Golden Calf) He cancelled the Yomim Tovim for Tammuz, Av & Elul. However, when Tishrei came along (and they were worthy or forgiveness) He paid them back (for the 3 missing Yomim Tovim for those 3 months) by giving them Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur and the Chag (Rabbinic term for Sukkos). Subsequesntly, Hashem said to them (Klal Yisrael) I have repaid for the missing 3 months, is it proper for Tishrei not to have it's own Yom Tov? Let it (Tishrei) also have its own Yom Tov (and Shmini Atzeres was instituted as the Yom Tov belonging to Tishrei).

Fascinating! The four Yomim Tovim that we celebrate in Tishrei really were intended to be spread out over 4 months. It was our sins regarding the Egel HaZahav that derailed them. So Rosh HaShana (or a similar type Yom Tov called a "Major Yom Tov" by the Medrash) would have been in Tammuz, Yom Kippur would have been in Av, Sukkos would have been in Elul and Shmini Atzeres alone would have been in Tishrei.

This concept can be used to explain an apparent contradiction in the Torah's description of the Yom Tov of Sukkos. In Parshas Mishpatim (23,16) the Torah tells us about Sukkos for the first time: שמות פרק כג פסוק טז וחג האסף בצאת השנה באספך את מעשיך מן השדה

And (you shall celebrate) the Yom Tov of ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in your produce from the field.

So Sukkos is supposed to be at the end of the year. However, a few Parshios later in Ki Sissa (34,22), Sukkos is mentioned again with just 4 words: שמות פרק לד פסוק כב וחג האסיף תקופת השנה

And (you shall celebrate) the Yom Tov of ingathering at the time of the cycling of the year.

the - בתחלת השנה הבאה :When is "the cycling of the year"? Rashi explains beginning of the next year. So which is it? Is Sukkos to be celebrated at the end of the year, or at the beginning of the next year? According to Rabbi Levi in the Yalkut Shimoni, the answer is simple. Originally, before the Chet (sin) of the Eigel, Sukkos was supposed to be during the month of Elul - the end of the year. Parshas Mishpatim was given before the Chet Ha'Egel took place, so it speaks about Sukkos being at the end of the year. However, Parshas Ki Sissa tells the whole story of the Egel and then afterward mentions the Yomim Yovim. By then everything had changed. Sukkos was now moved from Elul to Tishrei and hence it is now slated to be at the beginning of the year.

As mentioned above, Tamuz was supposed to have its own Yom Tov. When? It couldn't be during the first 16 days of Tamuz, because the Egel wasn't worshiped till the 17th day of Tamuz. If Hashem wanted to give us a Yom Tov before then, we were ready willing and able. So, it must be that this "Major Yom Tov" that Hashem had planned for us would have been given to Klal Yisrael on or after the 17th day of Tammuz. This makes sense since Moshe Rabbenu was scheduled to stay in Shomayim (up in heaven with Hashem) till the 17th day of Tammuz. It is not likely that Hashem would give Klal Yisrael a Yom Tov without Moshe Rabbenu being present. Therefore, had Klal Yisrael not worshiped the Egel, it is likely that Moshe Rabbenu would have been commanded to give Klal Yisrael that "Major Yom Tov" within a few days of his return from Shomayim. In addition, at that time Klal Yisrael was only 11 days travel from entering Eretz Yisrael, as the Posuk (Devorim 1, 2) says: דברים פרק א פסוק ב אחד עשר יום מחרב דרך הר שעיר עד קדש ברנע

(It was only) 11 days travel from Chorev (Har Sinai) through the mountain of Se'ir to reach Kadesh Barneya (a potential entry point into Eretz Yisrael).

Now let's assume that Klal Yisrael didn't sin with the Egel, and Moshe Rabbenu returned on the 17th day of Tammuz with the Luchos HaBris (the 2 tablets Moshe Rabbenu received at Har Sinai with the 10 commandments etched upon them) intact. Hashem might have given us the "Major Yom Tov" (which would be a Rosh HaShana type Yom Tov - although not exactly at the beginning of the year) and we would have celebrated it on the 18th day of Tammuz (or shortly thereafter). If we then would have begun the 11- day journey towards Eretz Yisrael, we would have arrived there on the 29th day of Tammuz (or shortly thereafter). The next day would be Rosh Chodesh Av and we would be able to celebrate Yom Kippur - which was originally scheduled for the month of Av. Klal Yisrael's arrival in Eretz Yisrael would be a cleansing activity and certainly an appropriate day for Kippur Avonos (the cleansing away of sins) for future generations.

[According to this theory, there would be 11 days between the "Rosh HaShana" type "Major Yom Tov" and Yom Kippur. An alternative theory could be constructed where Klal Yisrael would have been instructed to travel three days first before celebrating the "Rosh HaShana" type "Major Yom Tov" on the 21st of Tammuz and then they would have had to travel only 8 days afterward to arrive in Eretz Yisrael - corresponding with the Aseres Yimei Teshuvah (the current 10 days of repentance between, and including, Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur). In addition, they didn't travel on Shabbos - although it is not clear if the 11 days of travel mentioned above is 11 travel days plus Shabbos or 11 days including the resting days of Shabbos...]

What would a "Rosh HaShana" type "Major Yom Tov" be doing in Tammuz? It is not the beginning fo the year, and not the Anniversary Day of the creation of the world (like the current Rosh HaShana commemorates) so what would its significance have been? The Maharal of Prague explains in a beautiful fashion. Several places in the Rosh HaShana davening we mention that Rosh HaShana is the Anniversary Day of the creation of the world. In truth, it is the Anniversary Day of the 6th day of creation - not the first day of creation. Why? Because until Adam HaRishon was created there was no real purpose for the world. Significant creation of the world began on the 6th day of creation - the day when Man was created. Chazal tell us that before the sin that Adam & Chava committed with the fruit of the Etz HaDaas, mankind was at its highest spiritual form - known as "Adam HaRishon Kodem Hachet". There was only one other time in history when mankind once again attained that Spiritual Height - Matan Torah. The Gemara in several places (including Yevamos 103b) teaches us in the name of Rabbi Yochanan:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת יבמות דף קג עמוד ב

א"ר יוחנן: בשעה שבא נחש על חוה

הטיל בה זוהמא, ישראל שעמדו על

הר סיני - פסקה זוהמתן

Rabbi Yochana taught: At the time that the Serpent sinned with Chava he inserted a Zuhama (spiritual impurity) into her (and it was propagated to all her descendants). Klal Yisrael, when they stood at Har Sinai (and accepted the Torah) had their Zuhama removed (at that time).

Rabbi Yochanan teaches us that the highest spiritual attainments of mankind happened exactly twice in world history - on the sixth day of creation and on the sixth day of Sivan - the day of Matan Torah. This dovetails nicely with the many Midrashim (many of which Rashi quotes in Parshas Bereishis) connecting Briyas Ha'Olam with Matan Torah. For example, the word Bereishis can be broken down to the letter Bais (numerically two) and the word Reishis - which represents the Torah and Klal Yisrael. When the two Reishis get together then the purpose of creation is accomplished, hence a Remez (hint) to Matan Torah. Another example is the words "Yom HaShishi" which the Medrash says is a Remez to Matan Torah which took place on the sixth day of Sivan, etc.

If Klal Yisrael would not have sinned at the Egel, then when Moshe Rabbenu descended from Har Sinai on the 17th day of Tammuz and brought us the brand new Luchos HaBris, we would have been riding high at the highest Spiritual Height humanly attainable. It would have been appropriate for a "Rosh HaShana" type "Major Yom Tov" representing the fact that we achieved the Spiritual Equivalent of Adam HaRishon Kodem HaChet. Unfortunately, we sinned with the Chet Ha'Egel and descended from that Spiritual Height so Hashem decided to wait with the Yomim Tovim until we repented and were deserving. Then Rosh HaShana was established on the Anniversary Day of the first human attainment of that Spiritual Height - The 1st day of Tishrei.

This time of the year, we begin the 3 weeks leading up to the saddest time of our yearly cycle - Tisha B'Av. We mourn all the many Averos (starting from the Chet Ha'Egel) and the punishments we received due to them throughout history. But it didn't have to be that way. Had we held on to the Spiritual Height of Matan Torah (and avoided the Chet Ha'Egel), we could have celebrated a "Rosh HaShana" type "Major Yom Tov" at this time of the year and this would be a time fo celebration of Spiritual Accomplishments instead of sadness and mourning. Unfortunately, we made the wrong decision as a nation, and "the rest is history".

So when if ever will be our next chance to reach that Spiritual Height of Adam HaRishon Kodem HaChet and of Matan Torah? We hope to be given one more chance speedily in our time with the Revelation of Moshiach. This will be our third (and final?) chance. Let us prepare for it and make sure that we are completely ready to embrace it when it comes BiMehaira BiYamenu...