Parshiot Behar-Bechukotai: Time management

By Rabbi Avi Billet

Issue of May 15, 2009 / 21 Iyar 5769

As we close the book of Vayikra, a book with surprisingly sparse narrative, it is interesting to note the span of time that has passed since the end of the book of Shmot.

Shmot 40:17 says: “On the first day of the first month the Mishkan was erected.” The first verse in the book of Bamidbar describes how G-d spoke to Moshe on the first day of the second month. Vayikra spans one month. As Bereishit spans over 2,000 years, Shmot spans a little over 200 years, Bamidbar spans 39 years, and Devarim spans about 67 days (including the 30 days the nation spent mourning for Moshe), Vayikra covers the shortest span of time.

Rashi and Ramban have a longstanding debate over the rules of the order of the Torah. Rashi says the Torah’s narrative does not come in any particular order, while Ramban says the Torah’s narrative follows the chronological order of events.

While the debate is mostly felt in the sequence of events surrounding the building of the Mishkan and the Golden Calf, it is raised in Bamidbar 9 when an event that should have been recorded in Vayikra is mentioned: the observance of Pesach in the desert.

Regardless of whether the time span of the book is an important issue, why leave out the second Pesach from Vayikra when a. It would have fallen into the themes of Vayikra very nicely (sacrificial offerings and dealing with Tumah, eg Pesach Sheni), and b. Vayikra takes place in the month of Nissan? (The offerings of the princes upon the dedication of the Tabernacle in Bamidbar 7 are written in the past tense, negating a seemingly obvious similar question.)

Rashi has a simple answer. The Torah is not written or presented to us in order of events.

Ramban, on the other hand, has to explain the time discrepancy. He says the Torah bunched together one-time commandments in the beginning of Bamidbar, to show a small snippet of life in the desert, because the people were supposed to enter the land of Canaan shortly after the book of Vayikra.

A number of verses in the book of Shmot (12:25, 13:5) indicate Pesach was to be celebrated next in the chosen Land.

But life got in the way, between the Golden Calf and the construction of the Mishkan, and later the spies in Bamidbar 13-14, and the generation of the Exodus never made it to the land. The Talmud suggests the second Pesach was the only Pesach observed in the wilderness.

Which brings us back to our question: Why leave the second Pesach story out of a storyline where it would fit so perfectly?

Vayikra is mostly about the laws of tamei and tahor, fit for holy use and activity, or unfit. It deals with kosher and non-kosher animals, tzara'at, and kosher and non-kosher behavior between man and man and between man and woman.

The narrative is primarily limited to two instances where people did the wrong thing and were punished with death: Nadav and Avihu (Shmini) and the blasphemer (Emor).

The second Pesach includes narrative about people who were tamei at the time, wanted to make up their missed opportunity, and did so during the main time frame of the book of Bamidbar, on 14 Iyar of the second year. Some say they carried Yosef’s bones, other’s say they had dealt with a “meis mitzvah” –– they had come across a dead body and buried it.

The circumstances are not important to our point, which is this.

The tone of the book of Vayikra focuses directly on the task at hand, a vision focused on learning to use our Mishkan, and preparing for life in Canaan – distinguishing between Israelite/G-dlike behavior and the abominable behaviors of the people of Canaan.

Aside from the laws needed to function in the Mishkan/mikdash, it only includes narrative episodes of people making one-time mistakes from which the people were meant to learn and never repeat.

The story of the second Pesach includes a mitzvah which is long-term, which is meant for people who have done nothing wrong, or may have even been involved in a tremendous mitzvah.

Vayikra covers such a short time period, because how much time do people actually need to prepare for an event which is highly anticipated? Thirty days? Fifty days? [Interestingly, sefirat ha’omer takes 50 days, and the people started to travel towards the Land on 20 Iyar (Bamidbar 10:11), 50 days after the dedication of the Mishkan.]

It is a lesson in time management. Learn the most in a limited preparation time, without getting sidetracked. Then move on with your life.