שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה יֵרָאֶה כָּל זְכוּרְךָ אֶת פְּנֵי הָאָדֹן ה' אֱ-לֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (שמות לד, כג).
שָׁלוֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה יֵרָאֶה כָל זְכוּרְךָ אֶת פְּנֵי ה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחָר בְּחַג הַמַּצּוֹת וּבְחַג הַשָּׁבֻעוֹת וּבְחַג הַסֻּכּוֹת וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה אֶת פְּנֵי ה' רֵיקָם (דברים טז,טז).
In this week's parsha we find a repeat (from parshat Ki Tisa) of the mitzva of עֲלִיָּה לָרֶגֶל on the שְׁלֹשֶׁת הָרְגָלִים. In our parsha this commandment is chapter 16, verse 16. The gematria of 16 is הַחַג. How wondrous is our Torah and how vast are its intricate connections.
Pilgrimage to Yerushalayim on Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot was a family affair, involving the husband, wife and children. If someone is elderly, ill or disabled, they are פָּטוּר from this mitzva.
The Rambam (הלכות חגיגה פרק א) describes in more detail what this mitzva entails. According to the Rambam, the עִיקַּר of going up to the Beit HaMikdash on the three festivals, Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot was to bring the following three korbanot – עוֹלַת רְאִיָּה, שַׁלְמֵי חֲגִיגָה, שַׁלְמֵי שִׂמְחָה.
עוֹלַת רְאִיָּה – The psukkim above say "יֵרָאֶה כָּל זְכוּרְךָ" and the Gemara (Chagiga 7a) says that this is referring to the korban רְאִיָּה, which is an Olah, meaning that the korban is burned in its entirety. The purpose of bringing this korban is primarily "to show up", יֵרָאֶה, to be present, but the passuk continues "וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה אֶת פְּנֵי ה' רֵיקָם", to not show up "empty handed" and also bring a korban.
There is a machloket between the Yerushalmi (חגיגה, פרק א, הל' א) and the Bavli (חגיגה ד, ע"א) whether the mitzva of יֵרָאֶה applies to both men and women or only to men. The Yerushalmi says that although women are not obligated to bring this korban, they are required to be present. The Bavli says only males are obligated in the mitzva of רְאִיָּה. The halacha (Rambam, ibid.) is like the Bavli.
Regarding the males and from what age they are obligated, this is a machloket between Shamai and Hillel (Mishna Chagiga 1,1). According to Beit Shamai, if the child is old enough to ride on his father's shoulders, he must attend. According to Beit Hillel, only if the child is old enough to hold his father's hand (and walk on his own), must he attend. There is a machloket between Rashi and Tosfot (Chagiga 2a) if this child is obligated to bring a korban רְאִיָּה of his own (separate to his father's) or not.
According to the Rambam, this korban may be either an animal or a bird. According to Rabbeinu Chananel, it is only an animal and not a bird.
The עִיקַּר of this mitzva was on the first day of chag. If for some reason you could not bring it on the first day (for example, if the 1st day was Shabbat – this mitzva is not דּוֹחֶה Shabbat), you could still bring it on any of the remaining days of the chag (and on Shavuot – also during the six days following Shavuot).
שַׁלְמֵי חֲגִיגָה – as it says in the passuk תָּחֹג לַה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר (דברים טז, טו). The korban Shelamim may be either an ox, a sheep or a goat, male or female. The עִיקַּר of this mitzva was on the first day of chag. If for some reason you could not bring it on the first day, you could bring it on the remaining days of chag (as above).
Unlike the עוֹלַת רְאִיָּה which was completely burned on the mizbeach, the חֲגִיגָה was partially sacrificed on the mizbeach (אֵמוּרִים, innards – חֵלֶב, כְּלָיוֹת, אֶצְבַּע הַכָּבֵד) and partially eaten. The חָזֶה וְשׁוֹק יָמִין were the Truma to the Kohen and eaten by him and his family and the remainder of the animal was eaten by the עוֹלֶה לָרֶגֶל and his family. It could be eaten anywhere in the city of Yerushalayim and was shared with the poor and needy.
As with the עוֹלַת רְאִיָּה, women are פְּטוּרוֹת from bringing the חֲגִיגָה.
The Torah did not specify a minimum monetary value for the korban רְאִיָּה or חֲגִיגָה, as it says אִישׁ כְּמַתְּנַת יָדוֹ כְּבִרְכַּת ה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָךְ (דברים טז, יז), but Chazal did. It is a machloket between Shamai and Hillel משנה חגיגה א, ב)). Shamai says that the רְאִיָּה has a minimum value of 2 מָעָה of silver (a מָעָה is 1/6 of a dinar) and the חֲגִיגָה has a minimum of 1 מָעָה. Hillel switches it the other way round, רְאִיָּה = 1 מָעָה and חֲגִיגָה = 2 מָעָה. There is no upper limit.
שַׁלְמֵי שִׂמְחָה - as it says in the passuk וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְּחַגֶּךָ אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ וְעַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתֶךָ וְהַלֵּוִי וְהַגֵּר וְהַיָּתוֹם וְהָאַלְמָנָה אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ (דברים טז, יד).
Both men and women are obligated to bring this korban (Rambam, ibid.), although the ראב"ד says that women are not obligated and that the husband/father is obligated to bring it also for his wife and daughters.
Unlike the above two korbanot, the שַׁלְמֵי שִׂמְחָה have to be eaten every day of the chag, not just on the first day (or whichever day they were brought). שַׁלְמֵי שִׂמְחָה are not דּוֹחֶה Shabbat. A person can be מְקַיֵּם this mitzva by eating meat from any of the other korbanot brought during chag, even if they were not specifically designated as שַׁלְמֵי שִׂמְחָה.
As with the חֲגִיגָה, this korban is shared with the poor and needy.
Preparations for the עֲלִיָּה לָרֶגֶל already began a month and a half before Pesach. The Bet Din would send workers to repair any roads and mikvaot damaged during the rainy season and also to signpost the graves so that the olim would not become טָמֵא on their journey to Yerushalayim (משנה שקלים, א, א). Similarly, they would prepare areas for stopover on the journey to rest, eat and sleep.
The עֲלִיָּה לָרֶגֶל was a tremendous celebration. The Mishna (ביכורים, ג) paints a magical picture of people dressing up in their fanciest clothes, decorating their korbanot and bikkurim, all the time dancing and singing in a procession, all the way to Yerushalayim.
So important was this mitzva, that if in any specified year the damage done to the roads by rain was excessive, the Sanhedrin would decree to make that year a leap year, adding an additional 30 days before Pesach, to complete repairs to the roads and allow the korban Pesach ovens to fully dry out (Sanhedrin 11a). Similarly, if the olim from faraway countries travelling to Israel were delayed for any reason, this was cause to decree a leap year.
In Eretz Yisrael we only begin asking for rain (וְתֵן טַל וּמָטָר) two weeks after Sukkot in order that the olim will have time to return home before the rains begin (משנה תענית א, ג).
Another indication of the importance of this mitzva is that Chazal made a special תַּקָּנָה called פַּסֵּי בִּירָאוֹת (ערוך השולחן סימן שסה, סעיף יז) that permits moving something from one רְשׁוּת to another on Shabbat, in order to allow drawing water from a roadside well to give the animals of the olim to drink.
The mitzva of עֲלִיָּה לָרֶגֶל applies only to those who live and own land in Eretz Israel (תוספות פסחים ג, ע"ב). However, innumerable Jews spread throughout the Diaspora during the period of the Beit HaMikdash, made a special effort to travel to Israel perform this mitzva three times each year.
Opinions differ as to the number of olim on each chag, but it undoubtedly numbered in the millions. All these masses required lodgings in the city of Yerushalayim for the duration of their stay (the korbanot had to be eaten in the city of Yerushalayim). There also had to be enough place for everyone to fit in the Beit HaMikdash, e.g. to bring the korban Pesach.
When you examine archeological evidence of the physical boundaries of the ancient city of Yerushalayim during Bayit Rishon and Bayit Sheini and the dimensions of the Mikdash detailed in the Gemara (Masechet Midot), the math just doesn't add up – it is impossible that so many people could fit into such a small space. The Mishna (אבות ה, ה) listing 10 miracles that occurred in connection with the Beit HaMikdash, explains how the Mikdash and the city of Yerushalyim miraculously "expanded" to accommodate everyone עוֹמְדִים צְפוּפִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים רְוָחִים, וְלֹא אָמַר אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ צַר לִי הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁאָלִין בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם.
The question is – "Why was this mitzva of עֲלִיָּה לָרֶגֶל so important that it receives such emphasis in the psukkim? That it allows for special dispensation regarding the yearly calendar and leniencies in halacha? That it necessitated special miracles to be performed in order to facilitate it?"
The answer is embedded in the fourth word of our passuk above שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה יֵרָאֶה. We are commanded - יֵרָאֶה, to be "seen", to be physically present in the Mikdash on the three festivals.
HKB"H wants to "see" us there. He wants us to make the physical effort to physically be there, to stand and be counted. By making pilgrimage to Yerushalayim three times a year, we are "recharging" our physical connection with HKB"H. Simply by being there in person, we soak up the kedusha that permeates the Beit HaMikdash and recharge our spiritual "batteries".
By making the physical effort to travel to Yerushalayim, rather than lounge in a comfortable hotel in Northern Italy (or our own air-conditioned living room) we are also making a statement – a declaration of allegiance and subservience to HKB"H.
However, perhaps the most important reason to perform this mitzva, is not that we will be "seen", but rather that we will "see". "Sight" is the crux of the Beit HaMikdash.
If I could have a shekel for every person who asks me why I "waste my time" on the Beit HaMikdash, rather than devoting my energies to "more important" things, things that are relevant today – even when we don't have the Beit HaMikdash – I would be a very rich guy!
The answer is that our purpose in life is to serve HKB"H – avodah. The blueprint for Avodat Hashem is the Beit HaMikdash. If we want to know how to serve HKB"H we first have to examine the blueprint.
Embedded in every facet of the Beit HaMikdash are all the components of Avodat Hashem. Each and every component of the Mikdash is a "visual aid", that simply by seeing it, you instantly understand the lesson it is trying to teach you.
When someone observes a korban being brought in the Azara, it is a jarring experience. Even today, after the "dulling of the senses" that is Hollywood, lowering our sensitivity to violence, debauchery, etc. in every movie we watch – when someone physically goes today to a slaughter house to watch how they slaughter animals for meat – it is a jarring experience. It is one thing to see blood on a screen with suspenseful music in the background. It is another experience entirely to physically see the blood spurting from the carotid/jugular and the animal convulsing.
It is jarring, to such a degree, that many who witness it become vegetarians. Seeing a korban being offered in the Mikdash has a similar effect. It leaves no room for doubt what the lesson is – "That should be me there on the altar! Only because HKB"H has mercy on me does He allow me to substitute an animal sacrifice instead". It drives home the severity of sin in a direct way that is unparalleled.
When someone physically sees the Lechem HaPanim being taken out of the Heichal on Shabbat of the Shloshet HaRegalim, the lesson embedded within it is instantly obvious. Twelve loaves (tribes) on the Shulchan, shaped like a smile, smiling at one another in perfect harmony. They see the Lechem HaPanim, which is the pipeline for parnasa in the world, in the shape of a smile and they instantly grasp the lesson - אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ.
They see the Kohen giving the Lechem HaPanim a "kvetch" to show that it is still soft and fresh a week later and they instantly understand the lesson – just like the bread remains fresh by a miracle, so to is our parnasa a miracle, performed daily by HKB"H.
And so on – with every single part (and participant) in the Beit HaMikdash.
It is the entire library of all the sifrei halacha and musar – right there, in your face!
It is not enough to read about it, even see pictures of it – in a book, in a Youtube video. Only when you are physically there and see it with your own eyes does it have the required effect.
The whole experience is like a "recharge". When you leave and return home after the עֲלִיָּה לָרֶגֶל, your batteries have been filled enough to keep you going until the next chag, the next "recharge", and so on.
You see, the Mikdash is not some "ivory tower" on a hill. It is a spiritual "recharging station" for all of Am Yisrael, so that when we return home, we apply the blueprint to ourselves, to the מִקְדָּשׁ שֶׁבְּתוֹכֵנוּ, so that we serve HKB"H according to the same blueprint in our private homes, in our private lives.
What about today (hopefully by the time you read this Mashiach will have already arrived, which will make the next paragraph irrelevant) when we do not have the physical Beit HaMikdash? Are we still obligated to perform the mitzva of עֲלִיָּה לָרֶגֶל?
Chazal (שיר השירים רבה פרשה ח, ג) teach us - אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, לֹא בִּטְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל פַּעֲמֵי רְגָלִים שֶׁלָּהֶם ג' פְּעָמִים בְּשָׁנָה, even though we do not have the Beit HaMikdash (yet), we are still obligated by this mitzva.
We are still obligated to keep the Beit HaMikdash a living, throbbing reality in our lives. For this reason (הר"ן על הרי"ף, תענית ב, ע"א), we still wait until the 7th of Cheshvan to begin saying וְתֵן טַל וּמָטָר even though there are no longer any olim returning home from Jerusalem after Sukkot.
If the Beit HaMikdash is no longer relevant today, then why do millions of Jews from all over the world still flock to its last remnant, the Kotel? Even Reform Jews, who do not believe the Beit HaMikdash is still relevant – they still want to have their kids' barmitzvahs at the Kotel? Why?
The answer is simple. Because the Beit HaMikdash still lives and breathes within each and every one of us, even if we don't call it by its real name. Today we call it תְּפִלָּה or as the so-called "cultural Jews" call it - "part of our culture". Whether we like it or not, whether we are willing to admit it or not, the blueprint is embedded in our genetic makeup and there is no escaping it (however hard some may try).
When someone studies Gemara, they are studying the blueprint of the Beit HaMikdash. When someone studies Mesilat Yesharim, they are studying the blueprint of the Beit HaMikdash. When someone studies Tur/Shulchan Aruch, they are studying the blueprint of the Beit HaMikdash – no more or less than yours truly studying the Lechem HaPanim. It is all part and parcel of the same blueprint - each of us simply connects to it in a different way, from a different direction, according to the pull of our neshama (Vilna Gaon, Mishlei 16, 4).
The reason that we do עֲלִיָּה לָרֶגֶל and "recharge" only three times a year, on the Shloshet HaRegalim, is because by doing so we are reconnecting with the three Avot – Avraham (Pesach לוּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂי עֻגוֹת), Yitzchak (Shavuot קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה בְּשׁוֹפָר מֵאֵיל הָעֲקֵדָה) and Yaakov (Sukkot וּלְמִקְנֵהוּ עָשָׂה סֻכֹּת).
That is also why they are called שְׁלֹשֶׁת הָרְגָלִים, because they are like three legs of a table, that if one is missing the table is not grounded and topples over. Similarly, with an electric plug, if it only has two prongs, it is not grounded and you can get electrocuted by it. HKB"H wanted our "recharger" to be grounded, to have three "prongs", that our עֲלִיָּה לָרֶגֶל would be a "recharge" of the blueprint, and not simply a recharge, but a "grounded" recharge, with a firm connection to the three Avot from whom we are descended.
Each of us must follow our neshama and connect with the part of the blueprint that is in our genes. It doesn't matter if your heart pulls you in the direction of Halacha, Daf Yomi, Musar, Kabbalah, … Lechem HaPanim. As long as you understand what it is you are studying – you are studying the blueprint of the Beit HaMikdash - that is the blueprint for Avodat Hashem.
We are approaching the Month of Elul. The gematria of אֱלוּל is - בַּהֵיכָל, הַמִּזְבֵּחָה, הָאַבְנֵט, and … יִבָּנֶה. There is a close connection between the month of Elul and the Beit HaMikdash, because Elul too is a time to reconnect, to recharge. Let us not waste a second of this precious opportunity, when הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה, when HKB"H is closer to us than any other time of the year (Yitzchak Avinu also called the Beit HaMikdash שָּׂדֶה). Let us reach the new year with a recharged connection to HKB"H, a recharged connection between all members of Am Yisrael and let us go from אֱלוּל directly to יִבָּנֶה and the Geulah. בבי"א.
Shabbat Shalom
Eliezer Meir Saidel
Machon Lechem Hapanim
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