An Extraordinary Question

This is a reply to an extraordinary question, by Yosef: "According to the chart, Yovel years have had absolutely no relevance vis a vis Jewish historical events.... until the last century? Seems like a stretch to suddenly accord two coincidences out of three millennia with such significance."

The secret is in what we have dubbed the count of Chesed. There are three contributors to the count of Chesed. First, there is a cycle of 12 years, then there is a cycle of 19 years, then there is a cycle of 49 years. What follows is a summary.

When does the cycle of 19 years start? In 5309, after a Tikkun of the Arizal, and after which the secular breakthrough started. This breakthrough had many scientific consequences, but its ultimate political consequence was the estabishment of the Jewish State, the secular Jewish State. This is a Tikkun, because in the centuries before the Churban, Israel had a State, but it was steeped in Avodah Zarah. The Avodah Zarah was the real reason for the Churban, though this reason is never mentioned. Still, it had the teachings of Moshe as basis, uniquely so, and the long exile was a consequence, a positive consequence.

After the Tikkun of the secular Jewish State, the cycle of 49 years started as years of Chesed, in the year 5727. That year, 499 and 500 were thus reached, in other words, in the terms of the GR"A, טצ"ץ of the right was reached. There are three טצ"ץ counts, and you can read about them here. In the year 5776, the value 507, of the right, is reached. It is the beginning of a process of clarification regarding the nature of the Jewish State, which will avoid the trap of Avodah Zarah, but which will, of course, not stay secular.

Avodah of Aharon

The text of this week's Parasha, which is being read next week, is quite likely one of the latest to have entered the Divine document, authored by J. It has J's protest, the actions of Moshe, against the Avodah of Aharon. However, Aharon merely adapted himself to the nation, to its desire for a natural religion.

Therefore, he, P, took "gold" from various sources, from Edom, from Mitzraim, from Bavel, and constructed a religion that was acceptable to the nation, based on the writings of Moshe, which were altered a little, by "Moshe." Aharon did this Avodah in a reversible fashion, with great Chochmah. This is the work of P and the redactor R, the sons of Aharon, and is encoded by J, in our Parasha.

ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור להעלת נר תמיד

It is a tradition by now to mention the first Pasuk of Parshat Tetzaveh in the week that it is read. Let me do it a bit differently this time, and start with a different Pasuk, which we also saw, Bereshit 15:9.

This Pasuk mentions three sacrifices, the Eglah Meshuleshet, the Ez Meshuleshet, and the Ayil Meshulash, which correspond to three three-fold "wars" in our time.

The first instance of this, the war of independence, was "predicted" to be related to טצ"ץ, in the sense that the gematria of the date is 999. Indeed, year 5708 is the year that 999/2 was reached by the exile count.

Likewise, the other great wars, the six-day war of 5727, and the Yom Kippur war of 5734 were טצ"ץ wars.

In short, all of the above wars were in the years in which the three counts, the exile count, the count of Din, and the count of Chesed, reached the value 999/2. This is Eglah Meshuleshet.

The three counts reach 507 in accordance with the first Pasuk of this week's Parasha. It contains the number 507, ז"ך, along side three numbers כ"ת, י"ת, זי"ת. These numbers, seen as years that elapsed since the year 5366, exactly fit the years in which 507 is reached by the three counts. This is Ez Meshuleshet.

Regarding Ayil Meshulash, see this post.

A Masoretic Note

The document of the Torah has 26000 words, 26*1000. May they be One in the Hands of HaShem. Out of the 26000 words, 400 are paragraph markers. That leaves 25600 real words, or 100*2^8. May they be One in Your Hands.

Glaring Differences

E stresses the plagues in Mitzraim, J does not know about these plagues. J stresses the wanderings through the Desert, E does not know about these wanderings. J has the people eat Manna, but E has them eat only cakes from Mitzraim. Do E and J agree on anything? They agree that Moshe went up to Har Sinai, the mountain of G-d. They agree that there was a calamity before that, but then again, they differ regarding the details. J says there was a calamity from HaShem; E has a calamity through human actors, the Bnei Levi. Both agree, that they came from Mitzraim, and both agree that Moshe could not handle the people alone, although they differ on the details of that. J says that there was a Divine command to institute the Sanhedrin; E has Yitro coming along with his human advice.

But Moshe went up, both agree. To meet HaShem.

This seems to be somewhat different in Sefer Bereshit. Regarding Yosef, for instance. Both E and J agree that Yosef was brought to Mitzraim, that he rose to a position of power, that he tested his brothers, and that they were reunited. The same basic story is told, seen through different glasses.

The point is that the editor of the combined "work" of E and J was not bothered by the differences. To the contrary, it seems that the editor loved them. Moshe went up, and from up there, there are no differences. But from down here, the differences proved too glaring to be tolerated. Hence P came, "Aharon," and covered it all up, with his editing pen, and with his Avodah Zarah, the molten calf.

They exclaimed: "This is your god, Israel, which brought you up from the land Mitzraim." And Aharon called out and said: "A festival to HaShem tomorrow!" Moshe said to Aharon: "What did this people do to you, that you brought a grievous sin upon it." Aharon said: "Let not my master's anger flare up. You know that the people is disposed towards evil." That is, towards a natural religion. So I said to them, "Who has gold?" Golden stories, which they want to believe. "I threw it in the fire, and this calf emerged."

Numberless Multitude

How many people were standing at Har Sinai? The answer is hidden from us. According to J, the nation was originally 600,000 people, but afterwards, yet before Har Sinai, died Am Rav, a large multitude, from Israel. According to E, the disaster was less, 3000 people died, but no number is given from which to subtract it. A mixed multitude was among them, according to E. And E tells us that the nation was still Rav, a multitude, in the eyes of Moav. However, if one would want a number, there is no answer. Israel was a numberless multitude, but, according to J, substantially fewer than 600,000 people.

Another Move/Merge

This paragraph, from BaMidbar 21, is not in its proper place:

וַתִּקְצַר נֶפֶשׁ-הָעָם, בַּדָּרֶךְ. וַיְדַבֵּר הָעָם, בֵּאלֹהִים וּבְמֹשֶׁה, לָמָה הֶעֱלִיתֻנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר: כִּי אֵין לֶחֶם, וְאֵין מַיִם, וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ קָצָה, בַּלֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵל. וַיְשַׁלַּח יְהוָה בָּעָם, אֵת הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים, וַיְנַשְּׁכוּ, אֶת-הָעָם; וַיָּמָת עַם-רָב, מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וַיָּבֹא הָעָם אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמְרוּ חָטָאנוּ, כִּי-דִבַּרְנוּ בַיהוָה וָבָךְ--הִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל-יְהוָה, וְיָסֵר מֵעָלֵינוּ אֶת-הַנָּחָשׁ; וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה, בְּעַד הָעָם. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף, וְשִׂים אֹתוֹ, עַל-נֵס; וְהָיָה, כָּל-הַנָּשׁוּךְ, וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ, וָחָי. וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה נְחַשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת, וַיְשִׂמֵהוּ עַל-הַנֵּס; וְהָיָה, אִם-נָשַׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ אֶת-אִישׁ--וְהִבִּיט אֶל-נְחַשׁ הַנְּחֹשֶׁת, וָחָי

And this paragraph needs it:

וַיָּרֶב הָעָם, עִם-מֹשֶׁה, וַיֹּאמְרוּ, תְּנוּ-לָנוּ מַיִם וְנִשְׁתֶּה; וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם, מֹשֶׁה, מַה-תְּרִיבוּן עִמָּדִי, מַה-תְּנַסּוּן אֶת-יְהוָה. וַיִּצְמָא שָׁם הָעָם לַמַּיִם, וַיָּלֶן הָעָם עַל-מֹשֶׁה; וַיֹּאמֶר, לָמָּה זֶּה הֶעֱלִיתָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, לְהָמִית אֹתִי וְאֶת-בָּנַי וְאֶת-מִקְנַי, בַּצָּמָא. וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר, מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָעָם הַזֶּה; עוֹד מְעַט, וּסְקָלֻנִי. וַיַּעֲמֹד מֹשֶׁה, בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּחֲנֶה, וַיֹּאמֶר, מִי לַיהוָה אֵלָי; וַיֵּאָסְפוּ אֵלָיו, כָּל-בְּנֵי לֵוִי. וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם, כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שִׂימוּ אִישׁ-חַרְבּוֹ, עַל-יְרֵכוֹ; עִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ מִשַּׁעַר לָשַׁעַר, בַּמַּחֲנֶה, וְהִרְגוּ אִישׁ-אֶת-אָחִיו וְאִישׁ אֶת-רֵעֵהוּ, וְאִישׁ אֶת-קְרֹבוֹ. וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי-לֵוִי, כִּדְבַר מֹשֶׁה; וַיִּפֹּל מִן-הָעָם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, כִּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אַלְפֵי אִישׁ. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, מִלְאוּ יֶדְכֶם הַיּוֹם לַיהוָה, כִּי אִישׁ בִּבְנוֹ, וּבְאָחִיו--וְלָתֵת עֲלֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם, בְּרָכָה. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הָעָם, וְקַח אִתְּךָ, מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וּמַטְּךָ, אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת-הַיְאֹר--קַח בְּיָדְךָ, וְהָלָכְתָּ. הִנְנִי עֹמֵד לְפָנֶיךָ שָּׁם עַל-הַצּוּר, בְּחֹרֵב, וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר וְיָצְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מַיִם, וְשָׁתָה הָעָם; וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן מֹשֶׁה, לְעֵינֵי זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם, מַסָּה וּמְרִיבָה: עַל-רִיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל נַסֹּתָם אֶת-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר, הֲיֵשׁ יְהוָה בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ, אִם-אָיִן

And here is the result of the merge. It is naturally divided into three sections, one from J, one from E, one from E and an editor of the combined text. The bold marks the text coming from the above "BaMidbar 21".

וַיָּרֶב הָעָם, עִם-מֹשֶׁה, וַיֹּאמְרוּ, תְּנוּ-לָנוּ מַיִם וְנִשְׁתֶּה; וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם, מֹשֶׁה, מַה-תְּרִיבוּן עִמָּדִי, מַה-תְּנַסּוּן אֶת-יְהוָה. וַיְשַׁלַּח יְהוָה בָּעָם, אֵת הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים, וַיְנַשְּׁכוּ, אֶת-הָעָם; וַיָּמָת עַם-רָב, מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וַיָּבֹא הָעָם אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמְרוּ חָטָאנוּ, כִּי-דִבַּרְנוּ בַיהוָה וָבָךְ--הִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל-יְהוָה, וְיָסֵר מֵעָלֵינוּ אֶת-הַנָּחָשׁ; וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה, בְּעַד הָעָם. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף, וְשִׂים אֹתוֹ, עַל-נֵס; וְהָיָה, כָּל-הַנָּשׁוּךְ, וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ, וָחָי. וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה נְחַשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת, וַיְשִׂמֵהוּ עַל-הַנֵּס; וְהָיָה, אִם-נָשַׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ אֶת-אִישׁ--וְהִבִּיט אֶל-נְחַשׁ הַנְּחֹשֶׁת, וָחָי

וַתִּקְצַר נֶפֶשׁ-הָעָם, בַּדָּרֶךְ. וַיִּצְמָא שָׁם הָעָם לַמַּיִם. וַיְדַבֵּר הָעָם, בֵּאלֹהִים וּבְמֹשֶׁה; וַיֹּאמֶר, לָמָּה זֶּה הֶעֱלִיתָנוּ, לְהָמִית אֹתִי וְאֶת-בָּנַי וְאֶת-מִקְנַי, בַּמִּדְבָּר: כִּי אֵין לֶחֶם, וְאֵין מַיִם, וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ קָצָה, בַּלֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵל. וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר, מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָעָם הַזֶּה; עוֹד מְעַט, וּסְקָלֻנִי. וַיַּעֲמֹד מֹשֶׁה, בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּחֲנֶה, וַיֹּאמֶר, מִי לַיהוָה אֵלָי; וַיֵּאָסְפוּ אֵלָיו, כָּל-בְּנֵי לֵוִי. וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם, כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שִׂימוּ אִישׁ-חַרְבּוֹ, עַל-יְרֵכוֹ; עִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ מִשַּׁעַר לָשַׁעַר, בַּמַּחֲנֶה, וְהִרְגוּ אִישׁ-אֶת-אָחִיו וְאִישׁ אֶת-רֵעֵהוּ, וְאִישׁ אֶת-קְרֹבוֹ. וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי-לֵוִי, כִּדְבַר מֹשֶׁה; וַיִּפֹּל מִן-הָעָם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, כִּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אַלְפֵי אִישׁ. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, מִלְאוּ יֶדְכֶם הַיּוֹם לַיהוָה, כִּי אִישׁ בִּבְנוֹ, וּבְאָחִיו--וְלָתֵת עֲלֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם, בְּרָכָה

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הָעָם, וְקַח אִתְּךָ, מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וּמַטְּךָ, אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת-הַיְאֹר--קַח בְּיָדְךָ, וְהָלָכְתָּ. הִנְנִי עֹמֵד לְפָנֶיךָ שָּׁם עַל-הַצּוּר, בְּחֹרֵב, וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר וְיָצְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מַיִם, וְשָׁתָה הָעָם; וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן מֹשֶׁה, לְעֵינֵי זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם, מַסָּה וּמְרִיבָה: עַל-רִיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל נַסֹּתָם אֶת-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר, הֲיֵשׁ יְהוָה בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ, אִם-אָיִן

I left the third section like it is, although it is clear that originally מַסָּה was the name of the place described in the first section, and מְרִיבָה was the name of the place described in the second section.

Note that this is the fourth serious edit of adjacent parts of the Torah.

Direct Trip To Moav

Unlike what we said in the previous post, "BaMidbar 11" is usually considered part of E. Why? Because, I guess, the reference to the Manna. It says in "BaMidbar 11":

וְעַתָּה נַפְשֵׁנוּ יְבֵשָׁה, אֵין כֹּל--בִּלְתִּי, אֶל-הַמָּן עֵינֵינוּ. וְהַמָּן, כִּזְרַע-גַּד הוּא; וְעֵינוֹ, כְּעֵין הַבְּדֹלַח. שָׁטוּ הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ וְטָחֲנוּ בָרֵחַיִם, אוֹ דָכוּ בַּמְּדֹכָה, וּבִשְּׁלוּ בַּפָּרוּר, וְעָשׂוּ אֹתוֹ עֻגוֹת; וְהָיָה טַעְמוֹ, כְּטַעַם לְשַׁד הַשָּׁמֶן. וּבְרֶדֶת הַטַּל עַל-הַמַּחֲנֶה, לָיְלָה, יֵרֵד הַמָּן, עָלָיו

However, in the beginning of Parshat Vayisu, the E-source says:

וַיִּסְעוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵרַעְמְסֵס, סֻכֹּתָה. וְגַם-עֵרֶב רַב, עָלָה אִתָּם, וְצֹאן וּבָקָר, מִקְנֶה כָּבֵד מְאֹד. וַיֹּאפוּ אֶת-הַבָּצֵק אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, עֻגֹת מַצּוֹת--כִּי לֹא חָמֵץ: כִּי-גֹרְשׁוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ, וְגַם-צֵדָה, לֹא-עָשׂוּ לָהֶם

The question is which עֻגוֹת are the better fit to the E-source text:

וַיְדַבֵּר הָעָם, בֵּאלֹהִים וּבְמֹשֶׁה, לָמָה הֶעֱלִיתֻנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר: כִּי אֵין לֶחֶם, וְאֵין מַיִם, וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ קָצָה, בַּלֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵל

What is לֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵל, the miserable bread? It must refer to the bread that they brought from Mitzrayim. From our point of view, it is obvious. It could not refer to the Manna, because of what we said about Pesach, that the Manna is a notion of J.

And the question raises itself. If Israel had only bread from Mitzrayim, how long can the trip through the Desert have lasted? The answer of E is in its silence. It is silent about the Meraglim, and the punishment. It is silent about Edom, and the neccessity to go around it. It is silent about the wars with the Amorites (BaMidbar 22:2 is from the J-source; Balak is introduced in verse 4), and Sichon, et cetera. What we know is that it took too long for the bread to stay good. It seems that in E, Israel made a direct trip from the Mountain of G-d to Moav.

J's Number

To which author does "BaMidbar 11," which we restored in its proper place, before Parshat Yitro, belong?

Parshat Yitro belongs to E, and rightly so. Only E could write that Yitro came to Har HaElohim, and there are many instances of "Elohim" in this Parasha. Yitro says: "For this matter is too hard for you, you will not be able to do it alone," and he suggests that Moshe appoint leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens.

On the other hand, in "BaMidbar 11" it says: "Gather to Me seventy men from the elders of Israel" and "I will increase some of the spirit that is upon you and place it upon them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, and you shall not bear it alone." See, the problem has been solved already, and much more spiritually!

Therefore, in my opinion, "BaMidbar 11" must be attributed to J. Then, both E and J address, successively, the same problem: Moshe cannot do it alone. Both indicate a solution to the problem. In E, it says that the original suggestion was from Yitro, and J claims that HaShem came up with a solution, the Sanhedrin. Both solutions are mentioned because both have merits.

And the implication is that the number 600,000 for the initial size of Israel, is J's number.

Damim: Blood and Currency Flow

See this, from Rabbi Nachman Kahana.

שֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי, הָעָם

Here is the formulation of the 600,000 Pasuk, which we restored to its original position

וַיֹּאמֶר, מֹשֶׁה, שֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי, הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי בְּקִרְבּוֹ

It "replaces" the phrase

כְּשֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי הַגְּבָרִים, לְבַד מִטָּף

which, in my understanding, P borrowed from the original Pasuk, and added to the first Pasuk here. There is an important difference between the two formulations. The original Pasuk has that the nation started out as 600,000 people; the copy version has 600,000 men, excluding women, and excluding children. We take it that the change is indicative of an agenda.

הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא

On Pesach we recite,

הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא

the bread of affliction, and celebrate it. But the bread of affliction has a background. There were some who said, "give us meat," and their were others who said, "give us water," and it was a source of great strife in Israel.

Know that this is what will be in the financial crisis that awaits us.

Another Move

In between these two edits, I added another one. A whole chapter from Parshat Behaalotcha, BaMidbar 11, was moved to just after the mention of Chag HaMatzot. The reason is the mention of 600,000 men and the Manna in "BaMidbar 11", which fit naturally in the "new" location. The 600,000 men fit P's description of the 600,000 men on foot early on in the Parasha, the mention of the Manna comes just after its introduction. The people complain about the lack of meat in "BaMidbar 11" and also that fits nice. It is moved to just before the people complain about water, and the Levi'im kill 3,000 men. It is assumed that the move to Behaalotcha was done by the same "late" priestly editor that moved the killing of the 3,000 men, and moved Chag HaMatzot. The editor left the mention of 600,000 men on foot, in the beginning of the Parasha, which therefore must be removed once "BaMidbar 11" is restored to its original place.

Passover

Pesach is a Chag for both E and J, especially this year.

E will celebrate that the problems that will affect the world, will not affect us. Moreover, we will note the evil which the nations of the world wanted to do to Israel. They will be forced to back out, because of their problems. The evil will pass-over us, so to say.

And J will celebrate how that will happen, and celebrates the Manna, the food in the Desert. It is through the Divine sustenance in the Desert period, that the hunger will pass-over us.

Trust in HaShem

Pesach as seen by J is the celebration of Divine sustenance, especially in the Desert, i.e., at times that the nations of the world go through a crisis. We know that crises generate progress, through Divine guidance, as the history of life teaches, and as we celebrate on Shabbat. How provident it is, therefore, that the seventh day of Pesach, according to J, is always on Shabbat. So, when you see the financial storm coming, coming close, there is no reason to despair. To the contrary, trust in HaShem!

Mikdash in Space-Time

Regarding the ten commandments, we can read the Pasuk

זָכוֹר אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, לְקַדְּשׁו; וְעָשׂוּ לִי, מִקְדָּשׁ; וְשָׁכַנְתִּי, בְּתוֹכָם

as referring to the Mikdash in "time and space," וְשָׁכַנְתִּי, בְּתוֹכָם, in "them," in "four dimensions." How can this be done? By remembering the Shabbat in the dimension of time, זָכוֹר אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, לְקַדְּשׁו and by building the Mishkan, וְעָשׂוּ לִי, מִקְדָּשׁ, in three dimensions. That is why the commandment is "plural" and "singular" at once; it refers to the Mikdash in "space-time."

This connection between זָכוֹר אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, לְקַדְּשׁו and וְעָשׂוּ לִי, מִקְדָּשׁ lies behind the Melachot that are forbidden on Shabbat, the time to think about how, indeed, all things and all beings, during all of time, are the Mikdash of יְהוָה.

Pesach and Chag HaMatzot

Did you ever wonder about the relation between Pesach and the Matzot we eat all week? It is clear now: Pesach proper is an E Chag, while Chag HaMatzot is a J Chag. According to J, the Chag lasts a week, a specific week, a week of celebration of the Divine sustenance, in general, and specifically in the Desert. The Matzot resemble the Manna, according to J. According to E, the Chag is one day, when we reenact the Pesach sacrifice. It seems that E also intended the eating of Matzot, as "they could not be leavened" (Shemot 12:34,39), as we cite on Seder Night. There is no explicit date for this day, in E, but it makes sense to have it in the beginning of Chag HaMatzot, either on the first day, or the day before, the zeroth day. Anyway, this is how we end up with "Pesach" lasting one week, with a Chag to HaShem on the last day, and a Chag on the first day. The importance of the last day of Pesach is not clear to many, as the first day takes all the attention. However, know that the "Halacha" is according to J.

J-stamps of Approval

How are the following Pesukim related?

כִּי-עָצֹר עָצַר יְהוָה, בְּעַד כָּל-רֶחֶם לְבֵית אֲבִימֶלֶךְ, עַל-דְּבַר שָׂרָה, אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָהָם

וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה, מִן-הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַיֹּאמֶר, אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם; וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּנִי. וַיֹּאמֶר, אַל-תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֶל-הַנַּעַר, וְאַל-תַּעַשׂ לוֹ, מְאוּמָה

וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָהָם שֵׁם-הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא, יְהוָה יִרְאֶה, אֲשֶׁר יֵאָמֵר הַיּוֹם, בְּהַר יְהוָה יֵרָאֶה. וַיִּקְרָא מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה, אֶל-אַבְרָהָם, שֵׁנִית, מִן-הַשָּׁמָיִם. וַיֹּאמֶר, בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי נְאֻם-יְהוָה

וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ, וְכָל-צְבָאָם, בְּיוֹם, עֲשׂוֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים--אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם

They are all Pesukim with the name יְהוָה in a context of a E-story, with the name אֱלֹהִים, that is being adopted into what must be described as the story of J, the Torah. In the first case, it makes an "inclusio" with the words אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָהָם, which confirms our conclusion regarding its proper position. The second and third cases are Pesukim that change the Pshat of the story, such that now it has become acceptable to J. The fourth case connects the preceding E-text to the J-text that follows. It also is a J-stamp of approval, for a text of E.

Two Edits

I made two changes to the Parasha. One change is that the description of Chag Matzot is moved to after the description of the Mannah. It is thus moved from E context to J context. My assumption is that a "late" editor moved it up, to right after

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. קַדֶּשׁ-לִי כָל-בְּכוֹר פֶּטֶר כָּל-רֶחֶם, בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--בָּאָדָם, וּבַבְּהֵמָה

where it is only hindering the flow of thought. In addition, the famous

מִי לַיהוָה אֵלָי

exclamation of Moshe, and the ensuing text about the Levite action, is moved from here to Massah uMerivah, that is, to right after the new position of Chag HaMatzot. Again, my assumption (based on Devarim 33:8,9; אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתוֹ בְּמַסָּה תְּרִיבֵהוּ עַל-מֵי מְרִיבָה etc.) is that was moved by a "late" editor, likely the same one that moved Chag Matzot.