Lessons from Layning

There are two different Torah reading “situations” that exist, which result in some differences between Eretz Yisrael and Chutz LaAretz. They are both results of the calendar, but we can also draw some lesson or message from them too.

First the facts. With 8 days of Pesach, 2 days of Shavuot, and 2 days of Shmini Atzeret (Simchat Torah), there are three more days of Yom Tov in Chutz LaAretz than there are here in Eretz Yisrael. The Torah reading of each of these three extra days is the same. That is, outside of Israel, on the 8th day of Pesach, the 2nd day of Shavuot, and on Shmini Atzeret, the end of Parshat R’ei, dealing with the cycle of the Festivals, is read. This reading does not exist in Israel (except for Shabbat Parshat R’ei, of course). The other fact: Sometimes, the 8th day of Pesach is on Shabbat. Sometimes, the second day of Shavuot is Shabbat. (Both cannot happen in the same year. And, there are years when neither happens.) In these two cases, Chutz LaAretz falls a week behind in Parshat HaShavua, and doesn’t catch up for either 6 weeks (in the case of Pesach in a 12-month year and Shavuot in either kind of year) or 15 weeks (in the case of pesach in a 13-month year).

Those are the facts. Without looking for a message, they produce some interesting situations. There have been Bar Mitzva boys from the States who have prepared, let’s say, Parshat Emor, and then come with their families to celebrate their simchas in Israel, only to find that we’ve read Emor the previous week. It happens. Can you imagine the upset.

And then there are the travelers who in one direction (Israel to the West) hear a sedra twice and those in the other direction (States to Israel, for example) where a person misses a Parsha.

There are answers and suggestions for the various situations that arise, but they are not the purpose of this Tidbit.

The purpose is, to hear a message or learn a lesson from the anomalies of the calendar of Torah readings.

Lesson #1, which we learn from many other practices as well, is that Eretz Yisrael is different from Chutz LaAretz, and to a certain extent, Jews who live in Eretz Yisrael are different from Jews who live elsewhere. Ben Eretz Yisrael. It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? Those who are, should appreciate that fact. Those who aren’t, should want to be.

Lesson #2, the differences do not split us for that long. Just enough to remind us that there are differences. On the other hand, the sedras do not catch up to each other immediately, even though they could do so earlier (except for the Pesach in a 2-Adar year that runs Shabbat to Friday (in Israel). In that case, there is no double sedra for us to split and let Chu”l catch up until Matot-Mas’ei). Even the week that we’re back together sometimes is significant. E.g. right before Rosh Chodesh Sivan, which was the day of greatest Jewish Unity. Or right before Tish’a b’Av, when we can use all the unity we can get.

Lesson #3, Chagim each have a religious significance, a historical element, and an agricultural aspect. It is specifically the agricultural dimen- sion of the Chagim that is presented in R’EI. That’s the reading for the extra Chutz LaAretz Yom Tov days. As if to say, outside of Eretz Yisrael, Chagim still have their religious and historical character, but they lack the connection to the Land. So that is exactly what is read - three times - on those days which say: You are not in Eretz Yisrael.

None of the above is claimed to be the reason for the different Torah readings. That happens becasue the calendar is the way it is. But when there is an oddity in the calendar, it often gives us pause to reflect and hear a message or learn a lesson. It’s all part of not taking anything for granted.