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PROJECT OF THE WEEKLY OF HOUSTON TORAH CENTER PUBLICATION

Emor יב אייר, תשע”ט May 17, 2019

Does the Day Begin at many examples. We’ll discuss bring the Korban Omer, as well as Night? the two that relate to our Parsha. the correct day to start counting He writes that even though Sefira is the 16th of Nissan. Asher Yurowitz traditionally, it is known that The second question Rav Jewish days begin the night Yaakov answers in our Parsha Parshas always falls out before, this was only the case using this rule is asked later during the period between starting from Matan Torah, when in the Parsha when discussing Pesach and Shavuos when we received the Torah on Har . The Passuk says ועניתם את נפשתיכם בתשעה we count the Omer. This is Sinai after leaving Egypt. Until appropriate, as the verses then, Jewish calendar days always And you shall pain ,לחדש בערב dealing with the Omer began in the morning and lasted yourselves on the 9th day of the as well as the commandment through the following night. to count these days and month in the evening (23:32). The weeks are in this Parsha. The Korban Pesach is brought Gemara in Brachos (8b) asks, isn’t on the 14th of Nissan and eaten Yom Kippur on 10th of Tishrei? When telling us when the that night. The first Pesach was Why does the Torah write the Korban Omer is to be brought, observed while the Bnei Yisroel 9th? The Gemara answers, it which is also the time to start were still in Egypt, which was comes to teach us that one who counting towards Shavuos, before Matan Torah. Following the eats on the 9th is considered as if the Torah uses a curious above principle, the night when he fasted on the 9th and the 10th. the that year’s Korban Pesach was ,ממחרת השבת :terminology day after Shabbos (23:11&15). The question is that there’s eaten was still the 14th of Nissan, another time Torah uses the “The day after Shabbos” would as the 15th didn’t start until the literally mean Sunday, so it same terminology and we don’t next morning. Rav Yaakov cites find the Gemara asking about would seem that the Omer must multiple proofs that the name always be brought on a Sunday. it. In Parshas Bo the Passuk says בארבעה עשר יום בערב תאכלו מצות Pesach” refers to the time when“ Rashi tells us, however, that this the sacrifice was eaten. Being on the 14th day (of Nissan) in the is not the case. Mimacharas that the Pesach was eaten on the evening, you shall eat . But HaShabbos does not mean 14th of Nissan that year, the day don’t we eat Matzah on the night day after Shabbos Bereishis after Pesach would be the 15th of the 15th? Why does the Torah (what we call Shabbos), rather of Nissan. The following years, write the 14th? And why don’t it means the day after Yom however, were after the Torah we find the Gemara asking about Tov—referring to the day was already given and the new this as it did by Yom Kippur? after the first day of Pesach. day begins at nightfall. Therefore, the Pesach was eaten the night Rav Yaakov answers, Yom Kippur The Meforshim ask, why couldn’t of the 15th making the day after was always after Matan Torah, so the Torah be more explicit in Pesach the 16th. So if the Torah the day always began the night teaching us which day to bring would have written Mimacharas before. Therefore the night of the korban? It could’ve written HaPesach, they wouldn’t have Yom Kippur is the 10th of Tishrei. straight out “Mimacharas known if this meant the day In Parshas Bo, however, Hashem HaPesach” and I would know after Pesach of Mitzrayim (the was commanding the to it means the day after Pesach? 15th) or the day after Pesach of observe Pesach for the first time Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky, in his the ensuing years (the 16th). which was before Matan Torah. sefer Emes LeYaakov, answers Therefore, the Torah wrote Therefore the correct time to eat this question based on a Mimacharas HaShabbos which Matzah was the 14th of Nissan principle he writes about in means the day after the holy day— in the evening because the 14th multiple places throughout referring to the Yom of Pesach didn’t end until the next morning. the Torah. He mainly writes which was always the 15th. Now continue on back... about this in Parshas Bo, citing we know that the correct day to

KOLLEL OF HOUSTON TORAH CENTER 7823 LUDINGTON DR, HOUSTON, TX 77071 • 713.330.6424 • KOLLELHOUSTON.ORG Question of the Week the gadol? pleasure? He loves us, He In truth, however we explain cares for us, and He created Rabbi Shlomo Littman the order of the first pasuk, an entire universe for our Rosh Kollel benefit. we need to understand the reason for changing that Why do we keep Yom Tov? To get a little extra vacation? , 21:2 order when it comes to the Ki im l’sh’eiro hakarov eilav, To give ourselves an excuse kohen gadol. to take some time off from l’imo u’l’aviv... work? Or do we use it as Parshas Emor an opportunity to remind The Torah tells us that ourselves that G-d is involved Andy Serotta despite the general in our lives, He has not gone prohibition for kohanim to “. . . Hashem’s appointed off to do something else, festivals that you are to He has not forgotten about become tamei by contact designate as holy convocations us, but rather He is involved with a corpse, there is an – these are My appointed in running the world every exception for burying one’s festivals. For six days, work single day, He is involved in mother, father or several may be done, and the seventh our lives, and He directs the other close relatives. day is a day of complete rest. . world for our benefit all the .” (Vayikra 23:2-3) time. Rabbi Berel Wein used The Ramban comments on a beautiful analogy this past the fact that in enumerating Rashi on this possuk comments: “Why is the idea of Shabbos Shabbos, he said “G-d runs those relatives, the mother placed next to the festivals? the world like Waze. He has is mentioned before the To teach you that whoever your destination in mind, and father. He says that this is desecrates the festivals, it is as He’s going to get you there. if he desecrated Shabbos; and Whether you take the first because typically women right, like Waze suggests, or die at a younger age than whoever upholds the festivals, it is as if he upheld Shabbos.” you decide to take the long men and therefore a kohen It seems to me that at this detour, so Waze has to reroute is likely to lose his mother time of year, in between the you through downtown and before his father. [Until the wonderful holidays of Pesach other scenic parts of the city, and Shavuous, it is worth either way He will eventually 20th century, women’s life get you to your destination.” expectancy was shorter reminding ourselves what lessons Shabbos and Yom Tov Cholent is wonderful. Naps than men’s, today that has teach us. are too. But let us please changed.] Please focus (I’m talking to remind ourselves that we are The Torah continues by myself here): here for much bigger things, telling us that the kohen we have bigger things to -- Shabbos teaches us that gadol may not become accomplish. I’m sure there is Hashem created the world. plenty of time to nap and eat tamei even to his closest -- Yom Tov reminds us that cholent in Olam Haba relatives. In so stating, He still runs the world. the pasuk (21:11) reads Why do we keep Shabbos Good Shabbos! “l’aviv u’l’imo lo yitama” - each week? Because of the to his father and mother good cholent? Because we he shall not defile himself. worked hard during the week According to the Ramban’s and now we need a good nap? explanation above, how Or do we take the opportunity to remind ourselves that the do we explain the Torah’s Creator of the Universe had putting the father before in mind to create a wonderful the mother in the case of world, for our benefit and our

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