Don Isaac Abravanel, sometimes spelled Abarbanel (1437-1508) was a probing and penetrating Jewish thinker, as well as a prolific
Biblical commentator. Leviticus 23 pertains to the major Jewish festivals. In addition to Passover,
Shavuot, and Succot, this includes Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Why observe them, Abravanel asks?
“And God spoke unto Moses, saying. Speak unto all the Children of
Israel, and say unto them: The appointed seasons of God, which you
shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed
seasons.”
Abravanel’s response takes Bible students through a short breakdown of the last several Torah sections,
and may be viewed as the culmination of them.
- God cautions the priests to sanctify themselves, as well as preserve His honor. In that context,
we refer to those verses that banned priests from occupying themselves with the dead. - Priests, next, learned of those physical blemishes that nixed their service in the Tabernacle.
- When priests had contracted spiritual defilement, they could not partake of sacrificial foods.
- Turning to sacrificial animals, the Torah lays out those animal blemishes that precluded them
from being brought to the altar. - An additional animal disqualification was age. Calves and ewes less than seven days old were
deemed too young to sacrifice.
Tying these various regulations together, an exhortation and rationale emerge: “And you shall not
profane My holy Name, but I will be hallowed among the Children of Israel. I am God Who sanctifies
you.” The Creator spells things out: Hebrews shall not tarnish His glory, to cheapen Him.
Where is Abravanel leading us here in our chapter, one that covers the major Jewish festivals in the
Bible? In a word, we segue into the underlying rationale guiding the holidays: remembrance. Jews
get trained in the calendar’s holiest days, through which they take time out every year to honor the
Creator, by reflecting upon His Egyptian and desert miracles and wonders.
Thus, God commands Moses to teach his brethren about the major Jewish festivals. Jews are meant
to rejoice in celebration. When the Temple stood, men made pilgrimages. Before the Almighty, they
ascended, and prostrated themselves on Jerusalem’s holy mount. There, they opened their hearts
and purse strings, distributing charity and gifts to the poor. Moreover, the giving spirit spilled over
and Hebrews lavished priests with presents, so they too could celebrate the holidays in good cheer.
Indeed, the Biblical festivals underscore and reinforce a major Jewish tenet: the Exalted One
watches over and shepherds His nation, His portion.
Abravanel’s World offers Bible students a classic and priceless treatment of each of the festivals.
