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Parashas Matos and Kol Nidre

Posted: 20 Jul 2009 12:51 PM PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Aspaqlaria/~3/ntMMKHJ38M4/matos-kol-nidre.shtml


My neighbor, R Eli Radinsky, recently drew the following similarity to my  
attention.

There is an obligation to begin add time to Yom Kippur, an obligation true  
of Shabbos and every holiday, but happens to be derived from a verse about  
Yom Kippur. (You shall afflict yourselves on the ninth of the month in the  
evening, from evening to evening, you shall rest on your day of rest  
-Vayiqra 23:32, which implies that Yom Kippur is observed starting at a  
point in the evening when its still the ninth.)

What do we do with this extra time, how do begin Yom Kippur? Kol Nidre, a  
declaration anulling the oaths of the past year, and/or pre-empting those  
of the year to come. (There are textual variants in the past tense, the  
future tense, and one that has the chazan saying both.)

We generally think of Moshes repetition of the Torah, Mishnah Torah or in  
Latin, Deuteronomy, as being identical to the last book of the chumash, the  
one we call today by the second word in the book, Devarim.

However, Rashi cites a Chazal that says differently.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה ה֖ אֶת־ 
מֹשֶֽׁה׃
And Moshe said to the children of Israel, like everything which Hashem  
commanded Moshe.
- Bamidbar 30:1
ויאמר משה אל בני ישראל: להפסיק הענין דברי רבי ישמעאל לפי שעד כאן דבריו של  
מקום ופרשת נדרים מתחלת בדבורו של משה הוצרך להפסיק תחלה ולומר שחזר משה ואמר  
פרשה זו לישראל שאם לא כן יש במשמע שלא אמר להם זו אלא בפרשת נדרים התחיל  
דבריו חסלת פרשת פינחס.

And Moshe said to the children of Israel: To end the subject, is the words  
of Rabbi Yishmael. Because until here were the words of the Omnipresent,  
and the section on oaths begins the speech of Moshe. [Therefore,] it has to  
stop first and say that Moshe reviewed and said this section to Israel. For  
if not so, it would sound like he didnt tell them this [everything up to  
this verse] and only with the section on oaths did his words begin, at the  
end of parashas Pinchas [this verse].
- Rashi ad loc.


The tanna, Rabbi Yishmael, writes that Moshes repetition of the Torah  
begins with parashas Matos and the laws of oaths. He then uses this to  
explain the need for the last verse of Pinchas, that it is to let us know  
that everything G-d told him directly was also taught to the Jews.

Now he gathers the heads of the tribes, and begins the process of mishnah  
torah, of the repetition of Torah from mentor to follower down the ages.

How does Moshe begin? With a preface before the actual book, and starting  
with the laws of oaths. Did we consciously follow this model when  
establishing the custom of saying Kol Nidrei? And if so, what does that  
tell us?

Notably, Hashem describes Moshes teaching as hadevarim, the words. The  
significance being words makes the possibility of anulling an oath or vow,  
of undoing words, is even more startling. It is very much the theme of Yom  
Kippur, this entire concept of being able to repair the effects of the past.

With respect to the book of Devarim, this connection is harder to explain,  
and Im not sure I am satisfied with any of the answers I thought about.  
Perhaps Moshe is opening the chain of tradition with an admonition to  
future teachers. Dont be too proud to admit a faulty teaching and correct  
yourself.

As I said, while the connection between the opening of parashas Matos and  
Kol Nidrei seems compelling, Im not clear what the connection is supposed  
to mean.

Feel free to suggest something in the comments section.



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