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Chumash
 

Summary:
 (5734) Explanation of Rashi: (Lev.23:24) "a remembrance of Israel through the shofar blast On this Rosh Hashanah day
 

Translation:

1. On the verse in our Parsha (Lev.23:24):

“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first of the month, it shall be a Sabbath for you, a remembrance of (Israel through) the shofar blast a holy occasion”.

     בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם שַׁבָּתוֹן-זִכְרוֹן תְּרוּעָה, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ

Rashi cites the words:

“A remembrance of (Israel through) the shofar blast” (Zichron Teruah/זכרון תרועה)

and states:

“A remembrance (evoked through the recitation of Scriptural verses which relate to) (Divine) Remembrances, and Scriptural verses (which relate to the) Shofar--- to remember for your sake the binding of Yitzchak for whom a ram was brought in his stead”

(זכרון פסוקי זכרונות ופסוקי שופרות, לזכור לכם עקידת יצחק שקרב תחתיו איל)

One must understand:

The phrase “Zichron Teruah” (זכרון תרועה) is common in Lashon Kodesh (the holy tongue) and does not need explanation.

There are some commentators who state that these words are problematic to Rashi (which is why he explains them):

Further on, in Parshat Pinchas it states:

“A day of shofar sounding” (Yom Teruah)”

Yet here Scripture changes and states:

“A remembrance of Teruah” (“Zichron Teruah”)?

Therefore, Rashi explains that the intent of the verse, here, refers to the ‘Verses of Remembrances’ and ‘Verses of Shofar’.

 However, it is difficult to explain so.

For,

(In addition to that which according to this, Rashi should have delineated the question in his comment by stating:

Zichron Teruah, yet in Parshat Pinchas it state a Yom Teruah etc.” For we have not yet learned the verse of Parshat Pinchas).

as has been mentioned many times, Rashi’s style is to explain the question that arises in the study of the simple meaning of the verse, at its place (על אתר). Alternatively, to resolve the contradiction that arises to the student, from a verse that he has learned previously.

However, in our case, if Rashi’s intent is to answer a question from that which is stated in Parshat Pinchas, he should have explained it there. For then, the contradiction would have arisen from what was stated previously (in our Parsha).

On the other hand, one must understand:

In the simple meaning of the verse, how does Rashi know that “Zichron Teruah” is through reciting Verses of Remembrances and Shofar etc.?

2. In the essence of Rashi’s comment, one must understand:

The simple explanation of Rashi’s comment is that Remembrance/Zichron means ‘Verses of Remembrances’, and “Teruah” means ‘Verses of Shofar’.

However, this is not understood, for:

The simple meaning of “Zichron Teruah”

(“Zichron”/זִכְרוֹן- the Kaf with the vowelization of a Sheva (:) – next to the word “Teruah”)

implies that it is a “Remembrance” of Teruah. In other words, “Zichron” is adjacent (סמוך) and applicable to Teruah. There is solely a command to remember, “Teruah” – Verses of Shofar.

Yet Rashi explains that the word “Zichron” is an independent command that refers to “Verses of Remembrances”; and that “Teruah” is an independent command that refers to “Verses of Shofar”.

  1. After Rashi cites the words, “Zichron Teruah” from the verse, why does Rashi cite, again (in the body of his comment) the word “Zichron” to explain that this refers to “Verses of Remembrances”. If he cites it to inform us that it is derived from the word “Zichron”, Rashi should have stated afterward the word, “Teruah”, to inform us that “Verses of Shofar” is derived from it?
  2. Rashi continues and explains the reason for the reciting of these verses,

“To remember for your sake the binding of Yitzchak for whom a ram was brought in his stead”.

Seemingly, it is not Rashi’s style, in the simple meaning of the verse, to explain the reason for the Torah’s laws and commands (For according to Pshat, there is no requirement that there be a reason for the commands of the Torah).

3. The explanation of all this is:

Rashi’s main intent is not to explain the words, “Zichron Teruah”, but rather to explain and illuminate the essence and aspect of, “shall be a for you . . a remembrance of Teruah”, that requires explanation:

The words of the verses, “Shall be (a Sabbath) for you, a remembrance of Teruah, (a holy occasion)” implies that this is a command to Bnei Yisroel that they should have (“(a Sabbath) for you, a remembrance of Teruah”). In other words, that they should remember Teruah.

Plainly – this command is obtuse. For it does not explain what the essence and aspect of this remembering is?

Therefore, Rashi explains:

“A Remembrance/Zichron of (Verses of Remembrances) and Verses of Remembrances etc.

His intent is:

This command is not a command of general remembering (זכרון בעלמא), but rather a command for a specific aspect (עניו מסוים) - the reciting of Verses of (Remembrances and) Shofar.

This is alluded to in the explanation of the words, “Zichron Teruah”:

For the aspect of “remembering” is a special attention (“taking heart”) (שימת לב מיוחדת), as Rashi explains on the verse “Remember the Shabbat day”, “Take heed to constantly remember the Shabbat day, so that if you happen upon (specially appetizing food set it aside for Shabbat)”

In other words, that this is not a general remembering, that one should remember the day of Shabbat in his heart. Rather, it is a command to take heed to the remembering of the Shabbat day, that is expressed in a unique manner, with a unique deed – “if you happen upon etc.”.

Similarly, in our case:

“It shall be a for you . . a remembrance of Teruah” meaning that that one should direct his heart with the remembrance of the “Teruah” – that it should come to deed – reciting verses of Shofar.

4. However, it still requires explanation why the Torah writes the command for the reciting of Verses of Shofar using the word: “Zichron Teruah” (remembrance of Teruah):

The command to “remember”, is possible is a place where the opposite is applicable - forgetting. Therefore, one needs an exhortation that a person should pay attention to remember the matter.

Therefore, there must be the command: “Remember the Shabbat day”. For the essence of this command is to “constantly remember (even during the weekdays) the Shabbat day, so that if you happen upon a special article that you set it aside for Shabbat”

For, it is possible that on the weekdays, a person can forget this. Therefore, the Torah exhorts “Remember the Shabbat day” (and do not forget it) even in the days of the week, “that if you happen upon etc.”

(Similarly, this was with Yosef’s request of the wine-bearer (of which the student has already learned) where he states, “remember me when things go well with you etc.”. Since the request was on the future,

(after he is freed from prison and when he has the proper opportunity to speak with the king)

after, a great event and change in his life for all this burdens a person and causes him to forget. Therefore, it was necessary to exhort him to remember, to especially pay attention to “remember me”).

 However, in our case there is no need, at all, for a remembering and special attentiveness. For the command is only for one day (“In the seventh month, on the first of the month”). Accordingly, the verse should have expressly stated, “the reciting of Teruah” (אמירת תרועה)?

5. To answer this, Rashi explains that Scripture precisely states, “Zichron Teruah” to emphasize and to include

(In addition to the aspect of Shofar) also the aspect of remembrance (Zichron) – “Verses of Remembrances”.

In other words “Zichron”

(is not just a juxtaposition (סמיכות) and explanation of the word “Teruah” that comes after it. Rather, the change from “reciting” to “remembering”)

contains a special independent derivation (learning) – “Verses of Remembrances”.

 However, there is still lacking understanding:

Remembrance (“Zichron”) must be connected to a specific aspect. Namely, that through the deed of remembering, one remembers the aspect (as aforementioned with regard to Shabbat).

What is the aspect of the remembrance by reciting Verses of Remembrances?

To answer this Rashi adds:

“To remember for your sake the binding of Yitzchak”.

In other words, the aspect of the remembering

(That comes through Bnei Yisroel reciting of the Verses of Remembrances, in not to awaken the remembering and the attention of Bnei Yisroel, but rather)

is to awaken G-d’s remembering – “to remember for your sake (the merit of) the binding of Yitzchak”.

6. Rashi writes, “To remember for your sake the binding of Yitzchak” after “Verses of Shofar”. For even the reciting of Verses of Shofar is to awaken G-d’s remembering of Bnei Yisroel‘s merits. This is why he concludes, “to remember for your sake . . for whom a ram was brought in his stead”. For this emphasizes the connection between the Shofar to the binding of Yitzchak (as it states, “for whom a ram was brought in his stead” (from whose horn we make the shofar).

The explanation is:

It has been explained previously, that the vowelization of the word, “Zichron” shows that it is in juxtaposition to the word “Teruah” that comes after it (a remembering of Teruah).

From this it is understood that although the word “Zichron” (also) has the contains the independent aspect and specific derivation (ענין ולימוד מיוחד) – a directive to recite Verses of Remembrances

Nevertheless, it is simple that its “juxtaposition” is (also) related to that which is stated afterward. In other words, that even in the Teruah – (the Verses of Shofar) there is an aspect of remembering –“Zichron”.

This is what forces Rashi to explain that (even) the reciting of the Verses of Shofar is,

to remember for your sake the binding of Yitzchak for whom a ram was brought in his stead”.

Moreover, “Zichron” (remembering the Verses of Remembrances) comes to awaken G-d’s remembering to the Teruah (Verses of Shofar) – the “binding of Yitzchak for whom a ram was brought in his stead”

7. According to all the aforementioned, Rashi’s reason for again citing (in the body of his comment) the word “Zichron” and explaining that it refers to “Verses of Remembrances etc.”, is understood:

For with this, he is teaching us that the necessity to explain “Zichron” is an Independent aspect and not just an juxtaposed (מוסב) to the word, “Teruah” that comes afterward, is from the precise wording of the verse, that states, remembrance/“Zichron”, and not reciting/”Amirat” (as aforementioned Par. 4).

Therefore, he needs to explain it as “Verses of Remembrances”

(Whereas the Verses of Shofar – are derived from the simple explanation of the words, “(Zichron) Teruah”, and there is no.t need to cite them again, in his comment).

Rashi continues,

“(Verses of Remembrances) and verses of Shofar--- to remember for your sake etc.”

For since it states, “Zichron Teruah”, it proves that even in the Teruah there is an aspect of “remembering” (as aforementioned Par. 6).

From this, it is understood that both of them – Verses of Remembrances and Verses of Shofar are recited for the singular purpose, “to remember for your sake the binding of Yitzchak for whom a ram was brought in his stead”

According to this, one can say an additional explanation for the reason that Rashi prefaces to his comment the word “Zichron” and continues, “Verses of Remembrances and Verses of Shofar” – and he does not pause to cite the word “Teruah” between them. For with this, Rashi is emphasizing that even the reciting of the Verses of Shofar are for the purpose of “remembering”, “to remember for your sake the binding of Yitzchak for whom a ram was brought in his stead”.

MSichas Shabbat Parshat Behaalotecha , 5727

Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhRDxqYEZiU   R' Chananya Hoffinger  (Video)   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKDQuqfW0MY   R' Levi Wineberg  (Video)   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7HIjXiy8Hk   R' Fishel Oster  (Video)   

 
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