Mimáchárát hásábát

ממחרת השבת ON THE MORROW AFTER THE DAY OF REST [THE PRIEST SHALL WAVE IT] — This must mean on the morrow of the first day of the Passover festival (on the 16th of Nisan); for if you say that it means on the morrow of the weekly Sabbath (i. e. on a Sunday) you do not know which particular Sabbath Scripture is referring to (Menachot 66a).

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ממחרת השבת, “on the day following the rest-day.” The meaning of this expression is: “on the day following the first day of Passover.” The word שבת here does not mean: “a week,” as it does in verse 15 in שבע שבתות “seven weeks.” The reason the Torah refers to a week by the name of שבת is that each unit of seven successive days includes a “Sabbath,” and seeing that that is the central day of the week as far as Jews are concerned, it is not surprising to hear a “week” also referred to as a “Shabbat.” In any reference to the Jewish calendar, each day of the week is identified by its relation to the Sabbath, i.e. “the first day of the Sabbath”, “the second day of the Sabbath,” etc. Nachmanides writes that there is no problem even if we were to call the expression ממחרת השבת as “the day following the week,” as the day on which the omer is waved for the first time is the 16th day of Nissan, the day on which the counting of the seven new weeks begins. It follows that that day is the day following the completion of the previous week. Seeing that the first day of Passover is on the fifteenth of Nissan, the Torah quite correctly describes the sixteenth as the day following the week that had just expired.

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ON THE MORROW AFTER THE SABBATH. The sages said that on the morrow after the sabbath means on the morrow after the festival. Those who contradict the sages say that the word Sabbath is be taken literally. Those who believe in the Rabbinic tradition offer proof from the Sabbatical year, the Jubilee, the great fast, and the day of shofar sounding, for the word shabbaton (a solemn rest) is employed with regard to them. Scripture similarly employs shabbaton with regard to Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret. They also say that the meaning of sheva shabbatot (v. 15) is seven weeks. The same is true of ba’eh shabbat im yotze’eh shabbat (those that were to come in on the sabbath, with those that were to go out on the sabbath) (II Kings 11:9). The same word is employed with two meanings in one verse. Note, we find a similarity in sheloshim ayarim (thirty ass colts) (Jud. 10:4). They offer proof from the word complete (v. 15). A wise man in Rome offered proof from on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes and parched corn (Josh. 5:11). He did not know that it cost him his life, for the Passover falls on the 14th and the morrow following it is on the 15th. Scripture similarly reads, And they journeyed from Rameses in the first month (Num. 33:3). The eating of parched corn is prohibited until the waving of the omer. The Gaon says that there are two Passovers, a Passover of the Lord and a Passover of Israel. The Passover of God is on the night of the 15th. Now, the day after the Passover in Joshua refers to the 16th day. It follows from this that the interpretation of on the morrow after the passover (Num. 33:3), is on the morrow following the sacrifice of the Passover. What he said has no value. The festival is called Passover only because God skipped over the houses. Its morrow is the morning of the 15th. Scripture similarly writes, all that day, and all the night, and all the next day (yom ha-mochorat) (Num. 11:32). The Gaon further states that the unleavened cakes and the parched corn were from the old grain. This is not far-fetched, for Scripture says that the waving of the omer should begin from the time the sickle is first put to the standing corn (Deut. 16:9). If the omer was waved on the 15th when did they harvest and make unleavened bread? Furthermore, there was no harvest, for the omer is brought from the first of the barley harvest. There is also what appears to be proof of the Gaon’s opinion, for Scripture states, of the produce (meavur) of the land (Josh. 5:11). It is possible that the term avur refers to the produce of the year that has passed. The meaning of the produce of the land is the produce of the land of Sihon and Og. The fact that Scripture afterwards states, of the fruit of the land of Canaan (Josh. 5:12), is proof. Furthermore, kaluy (parched corn) (Josh. 5:11) is not the same as kali (parched com) (Lev. 23:14). Now, Scripture says, And ye shall eat neither bread nor parched corn (kali), nor fresh ears (v. 14). The verse which reads kaluy ba-esh (parched with fire) (Lev. 2:14) cannot serve as an argument to the contrary, for it describes the act since corn in the ear parched in fire is called kaluy. We can also ask: From where do we know that the kohen waved the omer on the other side of the Jordan, for the verse states, which I give unto you (v. 10)? However, the land was not yet given to them. Scripture mentions matzot and corn only because the manna ceased. This is the meaning of the entire verse. The Gaon further says: If the word Sabbath is to be taken literally then from which Sabbath shall we start to count? Joshua answers that there are 18 days aside from the Sabbath whereon sacrifices are offered. These days are called mo’adim (festivals). Now, since there is a sacrifice on the day that the omer is offered it is a sign and a witness that the waving takes place on one of the days of the spring festival. Note, he forgot the sacrifices that are offered on the new moon, which are not mentioned. Furthermore, Scripture states, After this manner ye shall offer daily, for seven days (Num. 28:24). Scripture should have stated, aside from the offering of the omer. This too is no argument against us, for we rely on tradition when it comes to the commandments. Now, Scripture does not state “aside from the he-lambs brought for a peace offering,” when it lists in the Torah portion Pinechas the offerings to be brought on the festival of Shavu’ot. It states above, and one young bullock, and two rams (v. 18). However, Pinechas reads, two young bullocks, one ram, seven he-lambs of the first year (Num. 28:27). The believer can also answer that Moses prophetically knew the day that the omer would be waved. He knew that the first day of the month would be established on the Sabbath. The arrangement of the bread which took place on the Sabbath is proof of this. Scripture notes how they calculated the first year. They then brought the peace offerings and the burnt offerings which are mentioned [in our Torah portion] and then the ones mentioned in the Torah portion Pinechas. Scripture then goes on to say, in your feast of weeks (Num. 28:26) and seven weeks (Deut. 16:9); it does not state Sabbaths. There is no proof that the beginning of the week starts with the first day. In fact, then she shall be unclean two weeks (Lev. 12:5) shows that this is not the case. Look, I will hint at a secret. All the festivals are contingent on a specific day of the month. Scripture does not give a date for the festival of Shavu’ot because of the counting, which is a commandment. The rabbis, of blessed memory, transmitted the tradition that the Torah was given on the festival of Shavu’ot and that it is concerning this day that Scripture states, for we must hold a feast unto the Lord (Ex. 10:9).

ON THE MORROW AFTER THE SABBATH. The sages said that on the morrow after the sabbath means on the morrow after the festival. Those who contradict the sages say that the word Sabbath is be taken literally. Those who believe in the Rabbinic tradition offer proof from the Sabbatical year, the Jubilee, the great fast, and the day of shofar sounding, for the word shabbaton (a solemn rest) is employed with regard to them. Scripture similarly employs shabbaton with regard to Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret. They also say that the meaning of sheva shabbatot (v. 15) is seven weeks. The same is true of ba’eh shabbat im yotze’eh shabbat (those that were to come in on the sabbath, with those that were to go out on the sabbath) (II Kings 11:9). The same word is employed with two meanings in one verse. Note, we find a similarity in sheloshim ayarim (thirty ass colts) (Jud. 10:4). They offer proof from the word complete (v. 15). A wise man in Rome offered proof from on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes and parched corn (Josh. 5:11). He did not know that it cost him his life, for the Passover falls on the 14th and the morrow following it is on the 15th. Scripture similarly reads, And they journeyed from Rameses in the first month (Num. 33:3). The eating of parched corn is prohibited until the waving of the omer. The Gaon says that there are two Passovers, a Passover of the Lord and a Passover of Israel. The Passover of God is on the night of the 15th. Now, the day after the Passover in Joshua refers to the 16th day. It follows from this that the interpretation of on the morrow after the passover (Num. 33:3), is on the morrow following the sacrifice of the Passover. What he said has no value. The festival is called Passover only because God skipped over the houses. Its morrow is the morning of the 15th. Scripture similarly writes, all that day, and all the night, and all the next day (yom ha-mochorat) (Num. 11:32). The Gaon further states that the unleavened cakes and the parched corn were from the old grain. This is not far-fetched, for Scripture says that the waving of the omer should begin from the time the sickle is first put to the standing corn (Deut. 16:9). If the omer was waved on the 15th when did they harvest and make unleavened bread? Furthermore, there was no harvest, for the omer is brought from the first of the barley harvest. There is also what appears to be proof of the Gaon’s opinion, for Scripture states, of the produce (meavur) of the land (Josh. 5:11). It is possible that the term avur refers to the produce of the year that has passed. The meaning of the produce of the land is the produce of the land of Sihon and Og. The fact that Scripture afterwards states, of the fruit of the land of Canaan (Josh. 5:12), is proof. Furthermore, kaluy (parched corn) (Josh. 5:11) is not the same as kali (parched com) (Lev. 23:14). Now, Scripture says, And ye shall eat neither bread nor parched corn (kali), nor fresh ears (v. 14). The verse which reads kaluy ba-esh (parched with fire) (Lev. 2:14) cannot serve as an argument to the contrary, for it describes the act since corn in the ear parched in fire is called kaluy. We can also ask: From where do we know that the kohen waved the omer on the other side of the Jordan, for the verse states, which I give unto you (v. 10)? However, the land was not yet given to them. Scripture mentions matzot and corn only because the manna ceased. This is the meaning of the entire verse. The Gaon further says: If the word Sabbath is to be taken literally then from which Sabbath shall we start to count? Joshua answers that there are 18 days aside from the Sabbath whereon sacrifices are offered. These days are called mo’adim (festivals). Now, since there is a sacrifice on the day that the omer is offered it is a sign and a witness that the waving takes place on one of the days of the spring festival. Note, he forgot the sacrifices that are offered on the new moon, which are not mentioned. Furthermore, Scripture states, After this manner ye shall offer daily, for seven days (Num. 28:24). Scripture should have stated, aside from the offering of the omer. This too is no argument against us, for we rely on tradition when it comes to the commandments. Now, Scripture does not state “aside from the he-lambs brought for a peace offering,” when it lists in the Torah portion Pinechas the offerings to be brought on the festival of Shavu’ot. It states above, and one young bullock, and two rams (v. 18). However, Pinechas reads, two young bullocks, one ram, seven he-lambs of the first year (Num. 28:27). The believer can also answer that Moses prophetically knew the day that the omer would be waved. He knew that the first day of the month would be established on the Sabbath. The arrangement of the bread which took place on the Sabbath is proof of this. Scripture notes how they calculated the first year. They then brought the peace offerings and the burnt offerings which are mentioned [in our Torah portion] and then the ones mentioned in the Torah portion Pinechas. Scripture then goes on to say, in your feast of weeks (Num. 28:26) and seven weeks (Deut. 16:9); it does not state Sabbaths. There is no proof that the beginning of the week starts with the first day. In fact, then she shall be unclean two weeks (Lev. 12:5) shows that this is not the case. Look, I will hint at a secret. All the festivals are contingent on a specific day of the month. Scripture does not give a date for the festival of Shavu’ot because of the counting, which is a commandment. The rabbis, of blessed memory, transmitted the tradition that the Torah was given on the festival of Shavu’ot and that it is concerning this day that Scripture states, for we must hold a feast unto the Lord (Ex. 10:9).