Shavuoth Insights 2007 #1

After getting a few requests, I’ve decided to bring back some of the old DH posts. I figured it would be great to start with a series on Shavuot. In the next few posts, I’ll be looking at the laining for the second day of Shavuot. The first post will be on contradictions in that laining.

The laining for the second day of Shavuot, from Deut 15:19-Deut 16:17 is just 24 verses long. Yet, it’s chock full of excellent DH fodder. Let’s start with the contradictions:
1. 16:1 כִּי בְּחֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב, הוֹצִיאֲךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִמִּצְרַיִם—לָיְלָה
But, according to Ex 12:51, the exodus took place in the day
וַיְהִי, בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה: הוֹצִיא יְהוָה אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם--עַל-צִבְאֹתָם
See also Ex 12:41
וַיְהִי, בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, יָצְאוּ כָּל-צִבְאוֹת יְהוָה, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם
Though, in fairness, the verses in Ex are not entirely clear and some speak of night as well.
2. 16:2 וְזָבַחְתָּ פֶּסַח לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, צֹאן וּבָקָר
But we know that one can not bring a korban pesach from baker. This is the codified Rabbinical position and is also a verse in Exodus
שֶׂה תָמִים זָכָר בֶּן-שָׁנָה, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם; מִן-הַכְּבָשִׂים וּמִן-הָעִזִּים, תִּקָּ
3.16:7 וּבִשַּׁלְתָּ, וְאָכַלְתָּ, בַּמָּקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בּוֹ;
But we know that one is not permitted to cook a korban Pesach. See Ex 12:9
אַל-תֹּאכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ נָא, וּבָשֵׁל מְבֻשָּׁל בַּמָּיִם: כִּי אִם-צְלִי-אֵשׁ, רֹאשׁוֹ עַל-כְּרָעָיו וְעַל-קִרְבּוֹ.
4. How many days does one eat the Matzah? Here the laining on shavut contradicts itself. 16:3 says
שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תֹּאכַל-עָלָיו מַצּוֹת לֶחֶם עֹנִי
But 16: 8 says
שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת

I hope to get a few more posts in between now and Shavuot when I can look at other aspects of how this portion relates to DH