Sunday, May 26, 2019

Repeated Verse

The last possuk in Behar is a repeat of the verse in Kedoshim (19:30) את שבתתי תשמרו ומקדשי תיראו אני ה'. Why does the possuk have to be repeated?  The Ramban understands that the verse is said specifically in regard to the slave of the gentile to tell us he is obligated in Shabbot and aliyah laregel and we learn out from there to all mitzvot.  This follows in the path of Rashi that brings this interpretation from the Torat Kohanim (however, it is noteworthy that Rashi omits the part of mikdash.)

The Sforno understands that it isn’t just a teaching for a slave to a gentile, it is a message to the body of Klal Yisroel in exile.  Even though Shabbot is a symbol of our freedom and we are under the jurisdiction of the gentiles, we still must keep it.  The message of מקדשי תיראו is to respect the shuls and study halls in the exile.

A third approach is set forth by the Even Ezra and Chizkuni that שבתתי refers to the  שמיטה years and מקדשי refers to the year of יובל.  This interpretation is difficult for why would יובל be called מקדש and why would this be written at the end of the parsha and not immediately after the laws of shmittah and yovel?

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