פנחס, שביעי

ומנחתם ונסכיהם לפרים. פָּרֵי הֶחָג שִׁבְעִים הֵם כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים אֻמּוֹת, וּמִתְמַעֲטִים וְהוֹלְכִים, סִימָן כְּלָיָה הִיא לָהֶם, וּבִימֵי הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיוּ מְגִנִּים עֲלֵיהֶם מִן הַיִּסּוּרִין (סוכה נ"ה):

Their meal-offerings and their libations for the bulls. There were seventy festival bulls, representing the seventy nations, which were progressively diminishing, symbolizing their destruction. During the time of the Sanctuary, [however,] These sacrifices shielded them from suffering.

ולכבשים. כְּנֶגֶד יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ "שֶׂה פְזוּרָה" (ירמיהו נ'), וְהֵם קְבוּעִים, וּמִנְיָנָם תִּשְׁעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה, לְכַלּוֹת מֵהֶם תִּשְׁעִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה קְלָלוֹת שֶׁבְּמִשְׁנֵה תוֹרָה; בַּשֵּׁנִי נֶאֱמַר וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם עַל שְׁנֵי תְמִידֵי הַיּוֹם, וְלֹא שִׁנָּה הַלָּשׁוֹן אֶלָּא לִדְרֹשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִ"לִ (ספרי; שבת ק"נ) בַּשֵּׁנִי וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם, בַּשִּׁשִּׁי וּנְסָכֶיהָ, בַּשְּׁבִיעִי כְּמִשְׁפָּטָם, מֵ"ם יוֹ"ד מֵ"ם הֲרֵי כָאן מַיִם, רֶמֶז לְנִסּוּךְ הַמַּיִם מִן הַתּוֹרָה בֶּחָג:

And the lambs. Representing Israel, which is called “the dispersed lamb.” Their numbers are constant, and they total ninety eight, to nullify the ninety eight curses in Mishneh Torah. On the second day, וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם, “and their libations,” is said, in relation to the day’s two constant-offerings. The change in language was intended for exposition, as the Rabbis, of blessed memory, remarked: On the second day, וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם, “and their libations,” is said, on the sixth, וּנְסָכֶיהָ, “and her libations,” on the seventh, כְּמִשְׁפָּטָם, “according to ‘their’ requirement.” מ"ם, יו"ד, מ"ם . which spells מַּיִם, “water,” and is an allusion that the water libation, during the Festival is Scriptural.

עצרת תהיה לכם. עֲצוּרִים בַּעֲשִׂיַּת מְלָאכָה; דָּ"אַ, עצרת — עִצְרוּ מִלָּצֵאת, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁטָּעוּן לִינָה; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ בַאַגָּדָה לְפִי שֶׁכָּל יְמוֹת הָרֶגֶל הִקְרִיבוּ כְנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים אֻמּוֹת, וּבָאִין לָלֶכֶת, אָמַר לָהֶם הַמָּקוֹם בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִכֶּם עֲשׂוּ לִי סְעוּדָה קְטַנָּה כְּדֵי שֶׁאֵהָנֶה מִכֶּם (סוכה נ"ה):

Shall be a [day of] restraint for you. Restraint from doing work. Another interpetation [of] restraint, restrain yourselves from leaving. This teaches that they were required to remain overnight. According to the Aggadic Midrash, because, throughout the entire holiday, they brought offerings which represented the seventy nations. When they were going to leave, the Omnipresent said to them, ‘I request of you, make a small repast for me, so that I may enjoy your company.’

פר אחד איל אחד. אֵלּוּ כְנֶגֶד יִשְׂרָאֵל, הִתְעַכְּבוּ לִי מְעַט עוֹד, וּלְשׁוֹן חִבָּה הוּא זֶה, כְּבָנִים הַנִּפְטָרִים מֵאֲבִיהֶם וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לָהֶם קָשָׁה עָלַי פְּרֵדַתְכֶם, עַכְּבוּ עוֹד יוֹם אֶחָד, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה סְעוּדָה כוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְמַסֶּכֶת סֻכָּה (שם); וּבְמִדְרַשׁ רַבִּי תַנְחוּמָא: לִמְּדָה תוֹרָה דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אַכְסְנַאי יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן יַאֲכִילֶנּוּ פְּטוּמוֹת, לְמָחָר יַאֲכִילֶנּוּ דָּגִים, לְמָחָר בְּשַׂר בְּהֵמָה, לְמָחָר מַאֲכִילוֹ קִטְנִית, לְמָחָר מַאֲכִילוֹ יָרָק, פּוֹחֵת וְהוֹלֵךְ כְּפָרֵי הֶחָג:

One young bull, one ram. These represent Yisroel [which is singular to the Holy One, Blessed is He] — ‘Remain with Me a little longer’. This denotes affection, as when children take leave of their father, and he says to them, ‘Your departure distresses me, remain yet another day’. This is compared to a king who made a repast, etc., as stated in tractate Succah. Midrash R’ Tanchumah interprets: The Torah teaches proper conduct. Someone who entertains a guest should, on the first day, feed him fattened fowl, the next day fish, the next beef, the next day he should feed him grains, and the next, vegetables. Progressive diminishment, like the festival bulls.

אלה תעשו לה' במועדיכם. דָּבָר הַקָּצוּב לְחוֹבָה:

These you shall make to Adonoy on your festivals. Those things designated as obligations.

לבד מנדריכם. אִם בָּאתֶם לִדּוֹר קָרְבָּנוֹת בָּרֶגֶל, מִצְוָה הִיא בְּיֶדְכֶם, אוֹ נְדָרִים אוֹ נְדָבוֹת שֶׁנְּדַרְתֶּם כָּל הַשָּׁנָה, הַקְרִיבוּם בָּרֶגֶל, שֶׁמָּא יִקְשֶׁה לוֹ לַחֲזֹר וְלַעֲלוֹת לִירוּשָׁלַיִם וּלְהַקְרִיב נְדָרָיו וְנִמְצָא עוֹבֵר בְּבַל תְּאַחֵר:

Aside from your vows. If you should decide to vow offerings during the holiday, this will be credited to you as a commendable act. Or, the vows and gifts which you pledged throughout the year, bring during the holiday, as it may be difficult for you to make the return pilgrimage to Jerusalem to offer up your pledges, and you may thus ultimately violate the prohibition of “. . .do not delay [fulfilling your pledge].”

ויאמר משה אל בני ישראל. לְהַפְסִיק הָעִנְיָן, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, לְפִי שֶׁעַד כָּאן דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם וּפָרָשַׁת נְדָרִים מַתְחֶלֶת בְּדִבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, הֻצְרַךְ לְהַפְסִיק תְּחִלָּה וְלוֹמַר שֶׁחָזַר מֹשֶׁה וְאֲמָרָהּ פָרָשָׁה זוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁאִם לֹא כֵן, יֵשׁ בְּמַשְׁמַע שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר לָהֶם זוֹ, אֶלָּא בְּפָרָשַׁת נְדָרִים הִתְחִיל דְּבָרָיו:

Moshe spoke to Bnei Yisroel. This concludes the subject, comments R’ Yishmael. Because, up until this point, we have the words of the Omnipresent, and the chapter of vows begins with the words of Moshe, it is necessary to conclude the subject by saying that Moshe reviewed this parshah with the Israelites. Otherwise, the implication would be that he (Moshe) did not tell them this, but began his discourse with the chapter of vows.