B"H
Tuesday, Iyar 11, 5780 / May 5, 2020 (26th day of the Omer)
In this week’s Parsha, Emor, the Torah speaks about all the holidays which we celebrate during the year. “And G-d spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: The appointed holidays of G-d, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed holidays. Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a Shabbat of rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any manner of work. It is a Shabbat unto G-d in all your dwellings.”
After mentioning the observance of Shabbat, the Parsha goes on to mention all the holidays; Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret and the mitzvot (commandments) associated with each holiday.
Q.Why does the Torah begin with the Pesach holiday and not with Rosh Hashana (New Year)?
A. In tribute to the Exodus, which took place in the month of Nissan, it was given the honor to be called, “The first month.” Thus, Pesach which is in the month of Nissan, is the first holiday.
Also, remembering the Exodus is a daily mitzvah. The Torah sets Pesach as the first holiday and all other holidays are dependent on Pesach.
Shavuot is fifty days after Pesach; Rosh Hashana is the first day of the seventh month(from Nissan-Pesach); Yom Kippur, the tenth day of the seventh monthand Sukkot, the fifteenth day of the seventh month. We count all the holidays from Pesach, thus, always remembering the Exodus.
If one wants to know on which day of the week the holidays will come out, one just has to know the days of the week in which Pesach fell out. It works as follows:
Tisha B’Av(the day of the destruction of the Temples) is the same day as the firstday of Pesach.
Shavuot(when we received the Torah) will be on the same day as the secondday of Pesach.
Rosh Hashana, First day of Sukkot & the day of Shmini Atzeret, are the same day of the week as the thirdday of Pesach.
Simchat Torahwill be on the same day as the fourthday of Pesach.
Yom Kippurwill be on the same day as the fifthday of Pesach.
Lag B’Omeris always on the same day as the sixthday of Pesach.
This year because the first day of Pesach was Thursday (commencing Wednesday night), as a result, Tisha B’Av will be Thursday; Shavuot on Friday; Rosh Hashana & Sukkot on Shabbat; Simchat Torah on Sunday; Yom Kippur on Monday and Lag B’Omer on Tuesday.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY