I
INTRODUCTION
During each of four of the five (or six - see below) Shabbatot surrounding the month of Adar, a second Sefer Torah is taken out of the Aron, from which a special reading is added to the regular Parashat haShavua, as follows:
a) On or before Rosh Hodesh Adar, the section known as *Shekalim* (Sh'mot 30:11-16) is read; b) On the Shabbat immediately before Purim, the section known as *Zakhor* (D'varim 25:17-19) is read; c) On the Shabbat after Purim (except when Purim falls on a Friday or Thursday - see below), *Parah* (Bamidbar 19:1-22) is read; and d) On or before Rosh Hodesh Nisan, *haChodesh* (Sh'mot 12:1-20) is read.
Although some scholars maintain that these four were the earliest instance of a public Torah reading on Shabbat (see e.g. Elbogen "HaTefillah b'Yisra'el" p. 119; he notes that nowhere in Tannaitic literature is there mention of a "conflict" between these Parashiot and the "regular" reading, implying that there was no "regular" reading as yet; indeed, these four Shabbatot were the springboard from which the weekly readings were launched), the Rishonim, by and large, agreed that a regular Torah reading as established by Mosheh Rabbenu (see, e.g.. Mishneh Torah Hilkhot Tefillah 12:1).
Resolving this issue is beyond the scope of this shiur; in any case, the questions raised by the ordinance of these readings are troubling according to either approach.
Before presenting the questions, here is the basic Mishnaic source for this ordinance:
If Rosh Hodesh Adar falls on Shabbat, the portion of *Shekalim* is read.. If it falls in the middle of the week, it is read on the Shabbat before and on the next Shabbat there is a break. On the second, *Zakhor* is read, on the third, the portion of the *Parah Adumah*, on the fourth, *HaHodesh haZeh Lakhem*. (M. Megillah 3:4)
The Gemara (BT Megillah 30a) explains:
Our Rabbis taught: Which is the "third Shabbat"? The one which follows Purim. It was stated: R. Hama b. Hanina said: The Shabbat next to Rosh Hodesh Nisan. There is no conflict [between these two statements]; the one refers to where Rosh Hodesh Nisan falls on Shabbat, and the other to where it falls in the middle of the week.
This Baraita is addressing a problem alluded to in the opening paragraph of this essay: The four "special Shabbatot" are spread over five or six weeks, based on the considerations mentioned above. The scheme works out as follows:
a) If Rosh Hodesh Adar falls on Shabbat, then *Shekalim* is read on that day (1 Adar), *Zakhor* is read the next week (8 Adar), the next week is skipped (15 Adar), *Parah* is read on the next Shabbat (22 Adar) and haChodesh is read on the next Shabbat (29 Adar). b) If Rosh Hodesh Adar falls on Monday (it cannot fall on Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday), Shekalim is read on the Shabbat beforehand (29 Sh'vat), the next Shabbat is skipped (6 Adar), and the next three weeks are all special readings (Zakhor - 13 Adar; Parah - 20 Adar; haHodesh - 27 Adar); c) If Rosh Hodesh Adar falls on Wednesday, Shekalim is read on the Shabbat beforehand (27 Sh'vat), the next Shabbat is skipped (4 Adar), and the next three weeks are all special readings (Zakhor - 11 Adar; Parah - 18 Adar; haHodesh - 25 Adar); d) If Rosh Hodesh Adar falls on Friday, Shekalim is read on the Shabbat beforehand (25 Sh'vat), the next Shabbat is skipped (2 Adar), Zakhor is read on the next Shabbat (9 Adar), the next Shabbat is again skipped (16 Adar), then Parah (23 Adar) and haHodesh (1 Nisan) are read on consecutive Shabbatot.
[note: this is the only scenario where the readings are stretched over six weeks].
Besides the informative value, I included this intercalating device to demonstrate that each of the readings seems to have a unique role which defines its timing.
The Gemara (BT Megillah 29) cites the Mishnah (M. Shekalim 1:1) which rules that "On Rosh Hodesh Adar the announcements regarding Kila'yim and Shekalim are made" as support for the timing of the first of these readings. Shekalim is the Torah portion which commands us to bring a half-Shekel to the Mishkan/Beit haMikdash every year. Since the communal Beit haMikdash fund, made up of these half-Sh'kalim, had to be renewed every year (based on Bamidbar 28:14) - and that year begins anew on Rosh Hodesh Nisan, the announcement reminding everyone to prepare their donations was made a month in advance in order to give everyone ample opportunity to bring their half-Shekalim on time. It therefore stands to reason that this Torah reading must be made on the Shabbat of or immediately before Rosh Hodesh Adar.
The Parashah of Zakhor includes the Mitzvah to always remember the enmity of Amalek, who attacked our rear flank (more on this later) on our way out of Egypt. The association between this event and Purim is plain to see. Whether the name *Haman ha'Agagi* means that Haman was literally a descendant of Agag, king of Amalek or that he was an ideological descendant of that evil tribe, Purim represents our miraculous salvation from the hands of Amalek. Since the Torah obligates us to "Remember...never forget" Amalek, we must not let more than 12 months go by without reminding ourselves of their hostility (Halakhically, 12 months of cognitive dissocation generates a complete lapse of awareness - witness the longest period of mourning in Halakhah). That being the case, the most reasonable time for us to fulfill this Mitzvah is in conjunction with the celebration of Purim.
The Parashah of *Parah* details the laws of the red heifer, which is to be used (under proper conditions) for the purification ritual which allows someone who has been contaminated by contact with death to return to full participation in the life of the Mikdash (including eating sancta and entering the Mikdash). Since the one offering in which every Jew is obligated to partake is the Korban Pesach, it makes sense that this Mitzvah should be publicized a few weeks before Pesach, to "remind Yisra'el that they should become purified in order to perform their Pesahim in a state of purity" (Rashi to BT Megillah 29a)
Parashat haHodesh looks like a concise *Shabbat haGadol D'rashah* - it includes the basic laws of the Korban Pesach, Matza and Maror, the prohibition of Hametz - as well as most of the unique features which accompanied that first Pesach (e.g. blood on the lintel and doorposts, eating with "bags packed"). Again, the timing of this reading is sensible - with a couple of weeks to go before Pesach, all of these preparations are highlighted in this special reading.
II
THE CHALLENGES (I): SHEKALIM AND ZAKHOR
Although the presentation of these four Parashiot and their timing seems reasonable, this ordinance is beset by several problems which all point to one central challenge, as follows:
1) The Parashah of Shekalim is temporarily theoretical; we do not presently have a Beit haMikdash and we do not donate a half-Shekel to any particular fund associated with the Beit haMikdash. Why would we then publicize this Mitzvah, which, instead of generating excitement about the upcoming new year and the opportunity for each of us to participate in the Avodah of the Mikdash, almost serves as a sad reminder of how things "should" be. One might be tempted to argue that this reading is an example of an act which is *Zekher l'Mikdash* (a commemoration of the Beit haMikdash); this, however, is an untenable position. Those acts which we fulfill as a Zekher l'Mikdash (e.g. shaking Lulav during Hol haMo'ed Sukkot, the two cooked items on the Seder plate) are all imitations of acts done in the Mikdash itself - not of preparatory acts or those which were used to remind everyone of their obligations towards the Mikdash.
2) The Parashah of Zakhor, in spite of its obvious associations to Purim, is still "out of place" here - indeed, it is unnecessary. Since the reading stems from the obligation to "remember...never forget" and, as pointed out above, a period of 12 months is considered enough time for memory to lapse, we must read about Amalek at least once every twelve months. The ordinance of reading Parashat Amalek would make sense if there were no other occasion when that reading took place - and we would be in danger of going twelve months without hearing about Amalek. That is, of course, not nearly the case. We read Parashat Zakhor every year at the end of the summer, at the end of Parashat Ki Tetze (we even read it twice, since it also functions as the Maftir of that Parashah. As an aside, the Hatam Sofer suggested that during a leap year, when there is longer than 12 months between one Shabbat Zakhor and the next, everyone must make sure to hear the reading of Zakhor on Shabbat Ki T etze and to intend to fulfill the Mitzvah of remembering Amalek at that time in order to avoid forgetting - we will revisit this approach below.) Unless we accept the approach of Elbogen et al., that the regular Torah reading was instituted after these four readings (such that there was no other opportunity to hear Zakhor), we need to find a clearer reason for the additional reading of Zakhor at this time of year. In other words, if there were no other opportunity to read Zakhor, ordaining it to be read just before Purim makes sense; but once we accept the notion of a regular weekly Torah reading on Shabbat, through which the entire Torah is read on an annual basis, there seems to be no reason to add another reading of Zakhor in Adar.
Two answers immediately spring to mind - neither of which is very satisfying.
A) We could argue that the ordinance of reading Zakhor was instituted in order to solve the "leap-year" problem - i.e. the inversion of the Hatam Sofer's approach. This suffers from the two challenges raised to the Hatam Sofer's formula: A1) When it comes to yearly celebrations and commemoration, we do not distinguish between a leap year and a regular year. We do not have a second Seder in the fall in order to fulfill *Zakhor et haYom haZeh* etc. - unlike the case with personal memory (e.g. a lost item, mourning), where 12 months is an actual *shiur*, fixed yearly commemorations have their set time, whether or not it is a leap year. A2) The Mitzvah of remembering Amalek can also be fulfilled through the reading of the account of their actual attack and our war against them (Sh'mot 17:8-16) - which is not only read on Shabbat B'Shalah, it is also read on Purim day itself. B) Alternatively, we could argue that the ordinance was established in Eretz Yisra'el where the custom was to complete the regular Torah reading over the course of three years. While it is very plausible to posit that it was ordained in Eretz Yisra'el, why would the Babylonian community have accepted it if the only reason for this special reading was to ensure a yearly reminder of Amalek - if the Babylonian custom was to complete the Torah every year? Conversely, this ordinance could have served as strong support for the custom of Eretz Yisra'el over that of Bavel.
In sum, the "extra" reading of Parashat Zakhor seems inexplicable.
III
THE CHALLENGES (II): PARAH AND HAHODESH
3) The Parashah of Parah may be challenged in the same manner: Why notify the public of their obligation to purify themselves via a method which is not presently operative for an offering which we cannot bring at this point in time?
4) In a sense, the Parashah of haHodesh is the oddest member of this group. We find no other holiday which is preceded by a special Torah reading designed to inform/remind everyone of the Halakhot related to that holiday - indeed, the Mishnah at the end of the third chapter of Megillah records that famous D'rashah: " 'And Mosheh related the appointed times of Hashem to the B'nei Yisra'el' - the Mitzvah is to read each one in its proper time", which, as Rashi notes, is the obligation to publicly read from a section in the Torah relating to each holiday ON that day (not in advance of it). Why then is the Parashah of haHodesh read at this time?
5) The "granddaddy" question is, therefore: These are the only Shabbatot which are otherwise "mundane" (i.e. not overlapping with another holy day, such as Yom Tov or Rosh Hodesh) when a second Sefer Torah is taken out for an independent and disassociated reading. What so distinguishes these four selections? Do we need to explain each ordinance independently, or can we find a common thread which binds them to each other - and to this season?
IV
THE FOUR PARASHIOT AND THE FOUR CUPS
Before attempting a response, I'd like to raise two more brief questions. In the Yerushalmi, R. Levi proposes an easy signal for remembering which Shabbatot may be interrupted (as per above, between Shekalim and Zakhor and/or between Zakhor and Parah) and which must always be consecutive (Parah and haHodesh)..
R. Levi said in the name of R. Hiyya b. Hanina: We do not break between *Parah* and *haHodesh*. R. Levi said: the indicator of these Parashiot is: Between these cups, one may drink, but between the third and fourth one may not drink. (JT Megillah 3:5)
R. Levi is borrowing a Mishnaic dictum from the description of the Seder (M. Pesahim 10:7), wherein the Mishnah rules that you may drink wine between the first and second cups (i.e. during Maggid) and between the second and third cups (during the meal) but not between the third and fourth (during Hallel). The reason for this prohibition is clear - we are afraid that imbibing additional wine at this point will cause the celebrant to fall asleep without completing the Seder.
The Halakhah of the Seder seems to link up well with the Arba Parashiot: There may be an interruption between the first and second (cups/Shabbatot) or between the second and third (cups/Shabbatot) but not between the third and fourth.
There is, however, a "disconnect" in the analogy. Whereas at the Seder the issue under discussion is adding wine (continuity), in our case, the issue at hand is a break (discontinuity). Since the analogy doesn't fully obtain, we must investigate R. Levi's motives for using the Seder as a model for the Four Parashiot.
V
B'KHOL SHANAH V'SHANAH
Our final question:
As we all know, the miracle of Purim was only fully realized on 13 Adar (and 14 Adar in Shushan) - so we celebrate on the 14th (15th) of Adar. Unlike any other month, however, celebrations and commemorations related to Adar are beset by confusion on a regular basis. Whenever the lunar year, which is 11 days short of a solar year, threatens to calendar Pesach in the winter, we add an extra month of Adar - the leap month - thus ensuring that Pesach will come out during the spring (see Ramban, Devarim 16:1). In our present fixed-calendar system (dating back to Hillel II), we have a leap year every two or three years (7 every 19 years). Every year that there are two months of Adar, the questions abound - when does a boy, born in Adar, become Bar Mitzvah? When is a Yahrzeit commemorated? etc.
The question of which Adar should host the celebration of Purim was debated by Tannaim of the second century: Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel maintaining that we should celebrate Purim in the second Adar and R. Eliezer b. R. Yossi holding that Purim should be celebrated in the first Adar. Here is a reconstruction of their dispute:
[both utilize the last three words: *b'khol shanah v'shanah*, of this verse: enjoining them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same month, year by year] R. Yohanan said: Both of them [R. Shimon b. Gamliel and R. Eliezer b. R. Yossi] based their opinions on the same text, *b'khol shanah v'shanah*. R. Eliezer b. R. Yossi reasoned: "year by year"; just as in most years Adar is the month which adjoins Sh'vat, so here [we keep the precepts] in the Adar which adjoins Sh'vat. R. Shimon b. Gamliel again reasoned: Just as in most years Adar is adjoining Nisan, so here [we keep the precepts] in the Adar which adjoins Nisan. Now we understand R. Eliezer b. R. Yossi taking the view he did, because it is inherently probable, it being a rule that we do not postpone the performance of religious precept. |
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