Metzoraim are from Saturn

Throughout the discussion of the Metzorah, the Rishonim make note of the similarity between it and the Parah Adumah and it and the goat sent to Azazel on Yom Kippur. Like the Parah Adumah, cedar wood, crimson wool and hyssop is used in the service. Additionally, the impurity periods last for seven day increments with regard to both the Metzorah and the one who is purifying via the Parah Adumah. Rabbeinu Bachye also compares the following aspect: the Parah Adumah makes the impure pure and the pure impure, tzaraas has the same effect. If one were impure due to tzaraas and then it spread to his entire body he becomes pure due to the tzaraas. The Metzorah's sacrifices are like those of the goat sent on Yom Kippur as both this goat and the bird that is sent away are not offered in the Temple rather they are sent to a distance. They both also have a companion that is offered in the Temple.

The Parah Adumah and the goat sent to Azazel are considered to have similar meaning the Ramban mentions that both symbolize our purification from the evil forces associated with Eisav and Mars. The goat is sent to the vast wilderness and appears as if it is coming to appease the evil force of Mars which is considered to have affect over this region. The Parah Adumah is red and this color is symbolic of the red planet and the goat is symbolic of the se'irim (demons) that are considered to be controlled by the planet Mars. All these ideas of the underworld and death (for which the Parah purifies) are considered to be the domain of Eisav.

Rabbeinu Bachye points out that the Metzorah's sacrifices are coming for this same idea but not as extreme. The bird is sent away, but not all the way to the wilderness. Perhaps, this concept is expressed by the fact that the impurity for which the Metzorah is receiving forgiveness is not as extreme as death itself. It is for tzaraas which makes the individual separate from humanity and renders him like he is dead, but he is not physically dead.

Interestingly, there are two planets that are considered to have evil influence. The first is Mars and that is the one mentioned with Parah Adumah and the goat of Yom Kippur. The other is Saturn. Saturn is associated with all sorts of physical ailments and the Ibn Ezra specifies tzaraas specifically with regard to this planet. (See Reishis Chachma) Perhaps, these purification processes display the prescribed service to free oneself of the influences of these malevolent planets.

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Pesach is in the Winter This Year (Rambam)

Many are familiar that Pesach is supposed to begin the spring. The way the Rambam clearly defines spring has this year's Pesach occurring one day too early and in direct conflict with the biblical directive. In earlier times Pesach has even occurred prior to the scientific definition of spring. I recently wrote a paper that discusses this topic. It is a very non-technical (in terms of scientifc definitions and mathematical equations) paper, it mainly focuses on the talmudic and rishonic discussions and also the historical development of the standardized calendar. It is available for free download here.

Adar, Moshe Rabbeinu and Purim

Although the names of the months are Babylonian in nature, Chazal still analyze them and display hidden meanings that are encoded into these names. Adar is from the word Adir which means mighty and this month's name displays this quality since it was in this month that Moshe Rabbeinu was born.(See Torah Sheleimah Miluim Parshas Bo P.177)

I find it interesting that the meaning that the Midrash gives is based on what many would consider a secondary aspect of this month. When asked, most people respond that the defining feature of this month is Purim (obviously this year there are two Adars, see previous post regarding which one is the true Adar)! Although at first glance the choice of the Midrash seems confusing, perhaps, it really is nothing of the sort. We know that the reason Haman was happy when his lottery fell on Adar was because he thought that the month brought with it bad luck to Bnai Yisrael. Moshe Rabbeinu died on 7 Adar and this, thought Haman, showed that Bnai Yisrael have misfortune in this time. Of course, Haman's mistake was that he did not focus on the fact that Moshe was born in this month (7 Adar), as well.

Although this month did bring with it the sadness of the passing of Moshe, because he lived we received the Torah and are able to keep Hashem's mitzvos. The goodness that was bestowed upon us due to this month is more of the focus than the tragedy that later befell. As we are taught, it was the lack of adherence to specific mitzvos in the Torah that caused the initial decree of destruction of the Jews by Achashveirosh. Later, it was their repentance and determination to come back to the Torah that brought about salvation.

When one looks at Adar he can either see tragedy or reason for celebration. The difference in perspective is dependent on whether one views the Torah and its mitzvos as something important. To Haman who did not, he only saw the tragedy that came to Klal Yisrael because Moshe died in this month. In Haman's mind, had Moshe not died he would still be ruling the Jews and no other nation would be able to conquer them. It was only because Moshe died that Bnai Yisrael found themselves under Achashveirosh's rule and now susceptible to annihilation. Moshe's birth had become insignificant in his eyes because his impact, thought Haman, was no longer felt.

Of course to those with proper perspective they realize that Moshe's impact was not lost because it was not just his leadership that was important. The Torah and mitzvos are eternal and therefore the focus of Adar is really Moshe's birth and reflecting on the Torah that was given through him and that impact still exists. Thus, so long as the Jews were seeing things in Haman's way they were subjected to the evils of Adar and the month displayed the death of Moshe. Once they came around to see things properly the month's nature itself changed. The focus was now on the birth and the month displayed good tidings.

Therefore, the Midrash's choice of Moshe's birth over Purim seems very logical. It was because of this birth that Purim was able to happen.

Yaakov's Lesson on Zemanei HaYom

Chazal teach that Yaakov actually traveled all the way to Haran and then decided to turn around. Upon reaching Haran he was remorseful that he had passed through Yerushalayim, the place where his forefathers had prayed, and that he had neglected to pray there. Therefore, he decided to turn around and head back. Hashem provided a miracle and Yaakov instantaneously arrived in Yerushalayim. After praying Yaakov was ready to begin traveling back to Haran, but Hashem wanted him to spend the night, so sunset occurred prior to its natural time and Yaakov had to stay the night. (Chullin 91b)

Elsewhere, the Gemara derives from this incident that Yaakov instituted Maariv. (Berachos 26b) Tosefos mention that it is clear from the storyline presented in Chullin that Yaakov davened Maariv prior to sunset. This, say Tosefos, supports the custom to daven prior to sunset and assume the halacha is like Rebbi Yehuda who maintains that one may daven Mincha until Plag HaMincha and Maariv from that point on; and not like the Rabbanan who maintain that one may daven Mincha until nightfall and Maariv from that point on. (Tosefos Berachos 26b) Tosefos do not show how the Rabbanan resolve this issue and that is something of note since in contemporary times we do not paskin with certainty like Rebbi Yehuda. (See Shulchan Aruch O.C. 233 and 235)

I would like to present the following theory to answer how the Rabbanan may read this passage, although I certainly would love to hear if anyone has a better answer. It is fairly clear from the Gemara that if one is traveling from point A to point B, but that he intends to return to point A on the same day, that he follows the Zemanim of point A. The case the Gemara discusses is if a tamei Kohen is on the top of Mt. Carmel and the sun is at eye level, he may descend the mountain to the sea, go to the mikvah and ascend the mountain. He will have been able to have gone to the mikveh prior to sunset and when he reaches the top it will be after twilight. Thus, this Kohain will now be pure and can eat Terumah. (Shabbos 35a; also see Rashba Shabbos 35a) Since the sun was at eye level when he began his descent, that means for people at the base of the mountain it was setting on the horizon. His immersion will be after sunset for those at the base, but prior to sunset for those above the mountain. The only way that this man can be considered to have immersed prior to sunset is if we give him the status of those on the top of the mountain even though he is currently at the base. It seems that this is due to the fact that he is on a quick round trip.

Similarly, Yaakov had reached his destination of Haran. However, he now wanted to make a round trip to Yerushalayim and back. Thus, he would have the status of one from Haran. Haran is assumed to be fairly close to the modern town of Harran and is almost exactly 4 degrees east of Yerushalayim. Although it is also approximately 5 degrees north, since Yaakov's event happened around the vernal equinox, this will not play much of a role in the following calculations. (See Rashi Bereishis 27:9)

The sun travels every degree of our planet in 4 minutes. That means that the sun will set 16 minutes in Haran prior to its setting in Yerushalayim. So, perhaps, Yaakov arrived miraculously in Yerushalayim and decided to pray at the first moment that he could have said Maariv, but based on the Zemanim of Haran and not those of Yerushalayim. It is reasonable that Yaakov would want to daven at the first possible moment since we know the Avos possessed this characteristic of Zerizus, and because it is appropriate to do so. (See Shulchan Aruch O.C. 235) After davening, Yaakov turned to go back to Haran, but Hashem made the sun finish its descent quickly. It was 16 minutes prior to sunset when Yaakov started davening, so there were only a few minutes that it need to shave off the day anyway.

Shabbos Finds a Shidduch

When discussing the practice of Ashkenazim to begin reciting selichos on Motzei Shabbos, the Leket Yosher cites an interesting midrash. When Klal Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael, the Torah dressed in sackcloth and cried out to Hashem. While in the wilderness her needs were taken care of but now that Klal Yisrael was to begin their new lifestyle in Eretz Yisrael she was going to be cast away. In the wilderness Hashem had provided food, shelter, and clothing to His people; thus, there was sufficient time to learn. Now, the people would need to work for these basic necessities and the Torah was concerned that Klal Yisrael would not have time to learn.

The midrash teaches us that Hashem pacified the Torah by telling her that she was lonely and Shabbos was lonely and that the two would be paired up and provide comfort for each other. Klal Yisrael has to refrain from working on this holy day and they would have time to study Torah. Therefore, on Motzei Shabbos, everyone is happy after a long day of learning productively.

The Maharal, and others, often mention that this world has a natural order of sevens. Therefore, often this number is used to symbolize a complete natural existence. If we assign a numerical value to each day of the week then every day has a pair that allows it to reach this completion. Sunday is the first day and therefore designated as being valued at one. When paired with the sixth day, Friday, they equal seven. Utilizing this system we see that the only day with no pair is Shabbos, thus allowing us to see that naturally it is a "lonely day."

This famous numerical pairing is only half of the picture, though. Each day of the week is assigned a celestial body that is considered to be the sign of that day. The seven days of the week (in order from Sunday) align with the sun, moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. Additionally, Chazal expressed the construct of the cosmos as being similar to an onion. From the perspective of mankind, the planets and stars appear to circle around our planet. Earth is expressed as a core and these outer layers of orbits are similar to our onion's layers. There seven lowest orbits are those of the sun, moon, and the planets visible to the naked eye. These are the same objects assigned to the days of the week.

The first orbit is that of the moon and if we pair it with the sixth we find that it is paired with Jupiter. Interestingly, the moon goes with Monday which is the second day and its pair would be Thursday which is Jupiter; these are the exact same objects! The second orbit is that of Mercury and that needs to be paired with the fifth orbit to equal seven. This has us pairing Mercury with Mars. In the days of the week, Mercury is Wednesday (4) and it would therefore pair with Mars, Tuesday (3).  The third orbit is that of Venus and pairs with the fourth which is the sun. Similarly, Sunday's sign is the sun (1) and that pairs with Venus which is designated as Friday's sign (6). (See Mishneh Torah Yesodai Hatorah 3:1 for the listing of orbits). The only planet left out is Saturn whose orbit is seven and whose day is Shabbos (7)! All the objects find the some object to pair with both when looking at the days of the week and the orbits of the associated planets!!! Shabbos was lonely and thus it is our job to make sure that she find her appropriate mate every week by utilizing this restful day to make time to learn Torah.

Even the Sages Had Difficulty Pronouncing "Ch"

Although the names of the months are of Babylonian origin, there is Midrashic literature that fleshes out the deeper meanings behind these names. One such Midrash is attributed to Rebbi Pinchas the talmid of the Kalir (Tosefos mention that the Kalir is the Tanna Rebbi Eliezer the son of Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai) and is referred to as "Kiddush Yerachim D'Rebbi Pinchas" ("The Sanctification of the Months by Rebbi Pinchas"). (See Torah Sheleimah Miluim Parshas Bo, 178)

Rebbi Pinchas mentions that Elul, the month we are beginning, is called Elul (אלול) because of the shofar that is blown throughout this month in preparation for Rosh Hashana. A shofar is a hollowed out instrument and can be referred to as being Chalul (חלול - meaning hollow). The root of this word חלל can be seen with a similar application when used to describe a flute, a Chalil (חליל).

Perhaps, the fact that a shofar is hollow is not just a random attribute, but personifies part of the nature of what it is displaying in this month. Elul is clearly the time when preparation for Tishrei, the next month, is happening. People repent and awaken early to say selichos in order to be meritorious in the judgment of Rosh Hashana. According to Rebbi Eliezer the world was created on 25 Elul, but Rosh Hashana is not until 1 Tishrei because that is when the days of Creation ceased and the world was ready to run appropriately with man at its helm. (See Rosh Hashana 10b) Thus, one sees directly that Elul is like a hollow tube; a mechanism that displays the concept of a conduit. Its sole purpose is to connect and prepare one for that which comes out the end of it, Tishrei.

Grammarians, please do not worry! There is precedent for the exchange of a ח for an א, so the change from חלול to אלול should not seem so scary. In Parshas VaYishlach we are taught of Yaakov Avinu's famous battle with an angel. The pasuk states, ",ויאבק איש עמו" which means, "And he wrestled with the man." (Bereishis 32:25) The word used for wrestle ויאבק (VaYeAvek) is not a common word and the Ramban mentions that this word's origins literally come from those that mean that the two became intertwined as if embracing. Continues the Ramban that the Sages had difficulty pronouncing the letter ח and often either swallowed it or expressed it as an א. (Ramban Bereishis 32:25) Apparently, this was common enough that the Torah itself recognizes this pronunciation regarding this battle and uses ויאבק instead of ויחבק (VaYeChavek) which means to embrace. Therefore, when discussing the names of the months which are Babylonian it stands to reason that these letters would be easily interchangeable.