Friday, July 10, 2009

olas shabbos b'shabbato: each Shabbos is special

I do not want to end the week with a rant, so one quick idea on the parsha. Rashi comments that the words "olas Shabbos b'Shabbato" (28:10) teach that each Shabbos has its own musaf obligation and the korban missed one Shabbos cannot be made-up next week. The Sifsei Chachamim asks why this lesson is taught just with regards to the korban of Shabbos -- why is there no pasuk to teach that there is no makeup for the korban of Yom Tov on the next Yom Tov?

Sifsei Chachamim answers that it is obvious that the korban of Pesach is out of place on Shavuous, and the korban of Shavuos is out of place on Sukkos. Each Yom Tov has its own identity and needs to be celebrated in its own time, therefore there can be no make-ups. However, I might have thought that Shabbos is Shabbos -- there is no harm in offering the korban meant for this Shabbos a week later. Therefore, the pasuk tells us "olas Shabbos b'Shabbato" but not the next week.

The lesson in conclusion may simply be that although all Shabbosos are alike, we must respect the time boundary of korbanos. However, I think the conclusion is meant to tell us that in fact just like every Yom Tov is distinct, so too, every Shabbos is distinct. Shabbos Parshas Pinchas has a unique character that Shabbos Parshas Chukas-Balak or Shabbos Matos-Masei do not have. "Olas Shabbos b'Shabbato" -- you can't miss a Shabbos and make it up next week because the lessons and torah of that particular Shabbos are unique and special and belong only to that point in time.

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