Positive Commandment 54 (Digest)
Rejoicing on the Festivals
"And you shall rejoice on your festival"—Deuteronomy 16:14.
The primary element of this mitzvah is the obligation to bring a Peace Offering (in addition to the Chagigah Peace Offering), known as the Simchah Peace Offering.
Also included in this mitzvah is the obligation to rejoice in a variety of ways. This includes eating meat, drinking wine (which is a paramount obligation), wearing new clothing, giving fruits and sweets to the women and children, and the Simchat Beit Hashoevah ("the Celebration of the Water Drawing") in the Temple that featured music and dancing.
The Torah requires us to include in our rejoicing the needy, the poor and the converts.
This is one of the three mitzvot associated with the festivals; the other two are Pilgrimage and offering the Festival Offering.
Unabridged English Text of this Mitzvah »
« Close
> And the 54th mitzvah is that we are commanded to rejoice on the festivals.
>
>
> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement;) (exalted be He), "You shall rejoice on your festival."
>
>
> It is the third of the commandments which are fulfilled on the festivals.;)
>
>
> The first obligation;) that is hinted to in this commandment is the obligation to bring a peace offering. These peace offerings are in addition to the Chagigah peace offerings. The Talmud;) calls them simchah peace offerings. It is regarding these peace offering that our Sages said,;) "Women are obligated in rejoicing."
>
>
> Scripture states,;) "You shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, rejoicing before G‑d."
>
>
> The details of this mitzvah too are explained in Tractate Chagigah.
>
>
> Included in G‑d's statement,;) "You shall rejoice on your festival," are the instructions of our Sages,;) "You shall rejoice with all types of joy," including eating meat on the festivals, drinking wine, wearing new clothing, giving fruits and sweets to the women and children, and Simchas Beis HaShoevah, i.e., the rejoicing with musical instruments and dancing in the Temple [on Sukkos]. All the above are included in the commandment, "You shall rejoice on your festival."
>
>
> The strictest obligation among them is drinking wine, since it is unique in [causing] joy. In the words of tractate Pesachim,;) "A man must bring joy to his children and household on the festival. How does he bring them joy? With wine." Our Sages also say there, "We learned, Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira says, 'When the Temple was standing, the only way to fulfill the commandment of rejoicing was with meat [of the offerings], as it is written,;) "You shall sacrifice peace offerings." Today, the only way to fulfill the commandment is with wine, as it is written,;) "Wine rejoices the heart of man." ' " Our Sages also say, "Men [rejoice] in what is appropriate for them, and women [rejoice] in what is appropriate for them.";)
>
>
> Scripture requires that one include in this rejoicing also the needy,;) the poor and converts, as G‑d said,;) "[You shall rejoice on your festival, you...] and the Levite, the convert, the orphan, and the widow."
>
>
>
> Footnotes
>
>
>
> 1.
>
> Deut. 16:14.
>
>
>
> 2.
>
> In addition to chagigah and re'iyah (P52, P53 above).
>
>
>
> 3.
>
> In addition to those enumerated below.
>
>
>
> 4.
>
> Chagigah 7b.
>
>
>
> 5.
>
> Ibid., 6a.
>
>
>
> 6.
>
> Deut. 27:7.
>
>
>
> 7.
>
> Ibid., 16:14.
>
>
>
> 8.
>
> Chagigah 8b.
>
>
>
> 9.
>
> 109a.
>
>
>
> 10.
>
> Deut. 27:7.
>
>
>
> 11.
>
> Psalms 104:15.
>
>
>
> 12.
>
> Therefore, the wine is what brings joy to the men, not the children.
>
>
>
> 13.
>
> This term comes to include the Levites. See Kapach 5731, note 8.
>
>
>
> 14.
>
> Deut. 16:14.
Negative Commandment 156 (Digest)
Arriving in Jerusalem Empty-Handed
"And none shall appear before Me empty"—Exodus 23:15.
It is forbidden to arrive in Jerusalem for the festival pilgrimage without sacrifices to offer in the Temple. At the very least, one must bring a Burnt Offering and a Festival Offering.
Unabridged English Text of this Mitzvah »
« Close
> And the 156th prohibition is that we are forbidden from going to the Temple to celebrate a festival without having a sacrifice to bring.
>
>
> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement;) (exalted be He), "Do not appear before Me empty-handed." It is obligatory that one has a burnt offering;) and peace offerings.;)
>
>
> The details of this mitzvah are explained in tractate Chagigah. This commandment does not apply to women.;)
>
>
>
> Footnotes
>
>
>
> 1.
>
> Ex. 23:15.
>
>
>
> 2.
>
> Olas re'iyah (see P53)
>
>
>
> 3.
>
> I.e., chagigah peace offerings (see P52). See, however, Hilchos Chagigah, 1:1, which only mentions the burnt offerings.
>
>
>
> 4.
>
> Although women are obligated in all prohibitions, here they are exempt, since they are anyway exempt from these two offerings. See sources quoted in Kapach, 5731, note 80 for further discussion.
Negative Commandment 229 (Digest)
Neglecting the Levite
"Be careful not to forsake the Levite"—Deuteronomy 12:19.
We are enjoined not to neglect the Levites, not to refrain from giving them the gifts due to them, and to invite them to join our celebration of the festivals.
Unabridged English Text of this Mitzvah »
« Close
> And the 229th prohibition is that we are forbidden from abandoning the Levites by not giving them their complete portions and not bringing them joy on the festivals.;)
>
>
> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,;) "You must be careful lest you abandon the Levite all your days." The Sifri says, "The expression, 'you must be careful,' indicates a negative commandment. The expression, 'lest,' indicates a negative commandment."
>
>
>
> Footnotes
>
>
>
> 1.
>
> "It is the greatest mitzvah to invite a Levite, because he has no portion, no inheritance and no gifts of meat [as the priest does]. One must invite Levites to one's table and to bring them joy or to give them gifts of meat together with their ma'aser in order that they have everything they need." Hilchos Chagigah 2:14.
>
>
>
> 2.
>
> Deut. 12:19.
Positive Commandment 16 (Digest)
Assembling the Jewish People
"Gather the people together, men, women, and children"—Deuteronomy 31:12.
On the second day of Sukkot on the year following the Sabbatical Year, it is a mitzvah for the entire nation to be gathered, and that verses from the Book of Deuteronomy be read before them.
Unabridged English Text of this Mitzvah »
« Close
> The 16th mitzvah is that we are commanded to gather the entire nation on the second day of Sukkos following each Shemittah year, and to read before them certain verses from the Book of Deuteronomy.
>
>
> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement;) (exalted be He), "You must gather together the people: the men, women, and children." This is the mitzvah of Hakhel.
>
>
> In the beginning of Kiddushin;) our Sages say, "Women are exempt from all positive commandments which are time-bound." The Talmud then asks, "But Hakhel is a time-bound positive commandment,;) and women are obligated?!" The conclusion at the end of the discussion is, "One cannot learn from general principles.";)
>
>
> The details of this mitzvah, i.e., how one reads, who reads and what is read, are explained in the seventh chapter of tractate Sotah.;)
>
>
>
> Footnotes
>
>
>
> 1.
>
> Ibid., 31:12.
>
>
>
> 2.
>
> 34a.
>
>
>
> 3.
>
> From here we see that Hakhel counts as a positive commandment.
>
>
>
> 4.
>
> Because sometimes there are exceptions (Rashi, ibid.). See Encyclopedia Talmudis, Vol. 1, p. 633.
>
>
>
> 5.
>
> 41a. There it is explained that the King reads from a wooden podium in the women's courtyard of the Temple. He reads Deuteronomy 1:1-6:9, 11:13-21, 14:22-28:69
Positive Commandment 79 (Digest)
Sanctifying Kosher Firstborn Animals
"Sanctify to Me every firstborn, every one that opens the womb among the children of Israel among man and among animals"—Exodus 13:2.
We are commanded to sanctify all male firstborn kosher cattle and livestock – i.e., to separate and designate them to do with them as commanded in the Torah.
The kosher firstborn is given to the priest. The animal is sacrificed in the Temple, its blood sprinkled on the altar, its fats offered thereon, and its flesh consumed by the priests.
Only a firstborn in the land of Israel can be brought as a sacrifice. Outside of Israel, the animal is still holy, but can only be eaten by a priest if it becomes blemished [as it is unfit for sacrifice].
Levites are exempt from this mitzvah.
Unabridged English Text of this Mitzvah »
« Close
> The 79th mitzvah is that we are commanded to sanctify the firstborn, i.e., to separate them and set them aside for whatever we are obligated to do with them.
>
>
> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement;) (exalted be He), "Sanctify to Me every firstborn that opens the womb among the Jewish people; among both man and animal." Scripture dictates that the "animal," referred to includes only cattle, sheep and donkeys. The commandment is repeated regarding the firstborn of kosher species, which is the commandment we are talking about now, in G‑d's statement,;) "You must consecrate to G‑d every firstborn male born among your cattle and sheep."
>
>
> The law regarding this firstborn kosher animal is that it must be given to the priests, who sacrifice the fat and blood and consume the remaining meat.
>
>
> The details of this mitzvah have been completely explained in tractate Bechoros.
>
>
> It is explained at the end of tractate Challah;) that this commandment applies only in Israel. In the words of the Sifri,;) "One might think that a person is obligated to bring his firstborn [animals] from outside Israel to Israel. The Torah therefore says, 'You must eat before G‑d your L‑rd...the [second] tithe of your grain, wine, and oil, as well as the firstborn of your cattle and sheep.';) [Only] from the place you bring the [second] tithe of your grain do you bring your firstborn. But from outside Israel, from where you do not bring the [second] tithe of your grain, you do not bring [from there] your firstborn."
>
>
> It has been explained to you that this commandment applies only in Israel, but a firstborn animal born outside Israel is not sacrificed. However, it remains holy until it acquires a blemish and then may be eaten. This applies both when the Temple was standing and as it is now [i.e., after its destruction], just like the [second] tithe of grain.
>
>
> (Levites are exempt from this commandment.);)
>
>
>
> Footnotes
>
>
>
> 1.
>
> Ex. 13:2.
>
>
>
> 2.
>
> Deut. 15:19.
>
>
>
> 3.
>
> 4:11.
>
>
>
> 4.
>
> Deut. 14:23.
>
>
>
> 5.
>
> Ibid.
>
>
>
> 6.
>
> Kapach, 5731 places this in parentheses, claiming that it is a transcription error, and belongs at the end of the next mitzvah, N80. In Hilchos Bechoros 1:7, Rambam in fact writes that Levites are obligated.