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Friday

י"ט אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

Friday
י"ט אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

חיפוש בארכיון

Mitzvah 299) The commandment to bring an additional offering on all seven days of Passover

Parshas Emor

“And you shall bring a fire-offering to Hashem for seven days!” (Vayikra 23:7)

It is a positive commandment to bring an additional offering on all seven days of Passover, as it says “And you shall bring a fire-offering to Hashem for seven days!”, and this offering is like the additional offering at the beginning of each month and consists of two bulls, one ram and seven lambs, all of which are burnt offerings (besides for one goat as a sin-offering which is then eaten).

Amongst the roots of this commandment is an idea similar to that which we mentioned earlier when explaining the idea behind all offerings, and that is that a person is affected by his actions, as since he is a physical object, his thoughts are only tested by his actions. Hashem therefore commanded us to perform a special act for the special day, so that by doing this we will think about the magnitude of the day and its holiness, together with the miracles and kindnesses that Hashem gave us at that time.

Amongst the laws of this commandment are that the offering of the daily sacrifice does not affect the additional sacrifice, nor does each additional sacrifice affect the other.

Tis commandment applies to priests when the temple is standing. If the priests did not bring the additional offering at its time, they have transgressed this commandment. The rest of Klal Yisrael, however, are innocent, as the obligation is incumbent on the priests. If other members of Klal Yisrael noticed when there was still time, they are also considered guilty, for all the laws applying to the temple (especially the daily and additional offerings), are incumbent upon the whole nation.