Shavuoth Insights 2007 #4

How many holidays are there? The laining on the second day of shavuoth seems to think there are three Pesach, Shavuoth, & Sukkoth
שָׁלוֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה יֵרָאֶה כָל-זְכוּרְךָ אֶת-פְּנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחָר--בְּחַג הַמַּצּוֹת וּבְחַג הַשָּׁבֻעוֹת, וּבְחַג הַסֻּכּוֹת; וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה אֶת-פְּנֵי יְהוָה, רֵיקָם.
Of course, the frum mind is used to shrugging off this particular verse. It will reflexively point out of course, that while aliyah liregel is only a chiuv three times a year, the holidays of rosh hashanah and yom kippur do in fact exist. But, is that so? Consider the following:
1. The holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are never mentioned outside of P
2. In JE & D, the number of three holidays seems to be a feature. See the passuk mentioned above. See also Ex 23:14.
שָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים, תָּחֹג לִי בַּשָּׁנָה.
And while aliyah liregel is mentioned later in the chapter and indeed the word 'Regel" may be connected with the concept of aliya liregel, it is curious that the number 3 is so stressed. Likewise in Ex 34:23
שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים, בַּשָּׁנָה--יֵרָאֶה, כָּל-זְכוּרְךָ, אֶת-פְּנֵי הָאָדֹן יְהוָה, אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

However, when we look to P, we notice 5 (or 6 or 7maybe) holidays. And, we don't even hear anymore of this idea that the three Pesach, Shavuoth, and sukkoth, are special. In Nu 28 we hear of all the holidays, including Pesach, Shavuoth, Sukoth, R"H, YH"K R"CH, Shabboth, and shmini atzeres. But, nothing is mentioned of the specialness of the three regalim. The same goes for Lev 23, again, in that chapter we find Rosh Hashanah and Yom kippur as equals alongside the other holidays.

i can't say this is a contradiction. One can easily say that there is a concept of aliyah liregel that only applies to three holidays and a concept of of a yuntuf that applies to more. i can say that it's a little suspicious that consistently, every time we are in P we see all the holidays as equals and every time we are outside of P we don't see R"H and Y"K at all. And, no where do we see this concept that there are 5 holidays with 3 of them having the special status of aliya liregel.