Yehoshua - Perek 5: “National Sacrifice”
Part 1: The National Circumcision and Korban Pesach (5:1-12)
Summary
Points to Ponder
Why are Bris Mila and Korban Pesach mentioned together?
Bris mila and korban pesach seem to have a lot in common. They often appear in similar contexts in Torah. For instance, they are the only two positive commandments in the Torah for which fHa’ailure to do leads to a punishment of kareis - excommunication. Additionally, an uncircumcised male cannot eat the korban pesach.
At the seder, we quote the verse saying: "vo'erHa’aich misboseses b'domHa’aiyich va’omar lach b’domHa’ai’ich chayi va’omar lach b'domHa’aiich chayi" – “I passed over to you languishing in your bloods and I declared you live through your bloods” The two bloods referred to in the verse are the korban pesach and bris mila because before the original korban pesach in Egypt, the children of Israel needed to circumcise themselves. The same pattern is true here when the nation enters the Land of Israel, they circumcise themselves before sacrificing and eating the korban pesach.
How could it be that the nation had fHa’ailed to perform bris mila for so many years?
The verses in our chapter make it clear that the nation of Israel did not circumcise their children for the forty years they were in the desert. How could a commandment so central to Israel’s identity be forsaken so easily? The mefarshim explHa’ain that during most of the stay of the nation of Israel in the desert, they lacked a Northerly wind in the desert (which was critical to healing wounds) and therefore it would have been dangerous to do circumcise their offspring. That being the case, it would also mean that they were not able to bring the korban pesach for thirty-eight years during the desert experience. That revelation is a rather shocking one to consider. That would mean this bris mila and korban pesach in our chapter is truly a watershed moment.
Why is the bris here described with such detHa’ail?
The second verse in the chapter describes something unusual about this particular bris mila. It seems to indicate that Yehoshua circumcised them twice. What could that possibly mean? The mefarshim explHa’ain that up until now, the mitzva of bris mila had only entHa’ailed removing the foreskin, and that is what Avraham Avinu was commanded by Hashem in parshas Lech Lecha, but Yehoshua was instructed in regard to an additional level of the mitzva. This is next level is called “pria,” removing the thinner membrane which is underneath the foreskin. Today, mohalim usually remove both of them together. However, in those days, they knew how to differentiate between the two layers of skin. Up till the times of Yehoshua, only the outer layer was removed. Yehoshua now added an extra level to the commandment of bris mila. The verses here provide a lot of detHa’ail because at this juncture in history the commandment gHa’ained an additional level of complexity.
What is the significance of the people eating of the produce of the Land?
This is the first time that the commandments regarding grHa’ain of the land of Israel were adhered to. The commandment at hand in particular is that of yoshon and chadash. That means literally old and new grHa’ain. The Torah commands that any grHa’ain which takes root from the 2nd day of Pesach may not be eaten until the next 2nd day of Pesach when the first barley grHa’ain of the land was brought as the korban ha’omer. After that sacrifice all the ‘new’ grHa’ain of the past year becomes ‘old’ an is permissible to be eaten. Essentially, they were now eating from the new grHa’ain of the land and this allowed all that had grown up until now in the land of Israel. The finer detHa’ails of what they could and could no eat and how these restrictions ceased is a major discussion within the topic dealing with yoshon and chadash. As with many commandments, this is the first expression of the idea as it appears in the Torah expressing itself in practice.
Part 2: Yehoshua’s encounter with an angel (5:13-15)
Summary
Who was this angel?
There is a lot of ink spilled on the topic of who this man is and why he came. Rashi explHa’ains that this was the angel Micha'el who came to help Yehoshua in the upcoming wars. Israel was about to begin the battle of Yericho, which is why the apparition appears with his sword out, since his mission is to provide military assistance. In the Torah, there are times when a leader is offered an angelic assistant when it comes to conquering the land. In Parshas Ki Tisa, Hashem offers Moshe Rabbeinu angelic assistance throughout the desert as protection, or as the one to bring them into the land. Moshe declined this offer in favor of having Hashem’s direct involvement. Yehoshua in turn does accept this divine assistance in the form of this apparition of Micha'el.
There are alternative possibilities as to what this angel was doing. The gemara suggests that this was an angel criticizing the fact that Yehoshua had suspended Torah learning in lieu of the upcoming battle, even when his troops had down time. This idea speaks to the angel as being a critical force, not just supportive of Yehoshua.
Summary
- Yehoshua circumcises all the men in the nation. They use sharp stones to carry out this procedure. The nation have not performed circumcision during their years in the desert.
- Yehoshua then tells the people that through this national bris mila, Hashem has removed the disgrace of Mitzrayim from upon them.
- Having crossed the Jordan on the 10th of Nissan, they now have the first korban pesach in the land of Israel.
- They eat from the grHa’ain of the land for the first time.
Points to Ponder
Why are Bris Mila and Korban Pesach mentioned together?
Bris mila and korban pesach seem to have a lot in common. They often appear in similar contexts in Torah. For instance, they are the only two positive commandments in the Torah for which fHa’ailure to do leads to a punishment of kareis - excommunication. Additionally, an uncircumcised male cannot eat the korban pesach.
At the seder, we quote the verse saying: "vo'erHa’aich misboseses b'domHa’aiyich va’omar lach b’domHa’ai’ich chayi va’omar lach b'domHa’aiich chayi" – “I passed over to you languishing in your bloods and I declared you live through your bloods” The two bloods referred to in the verse are the korban pesach and bris mila because before the original korban pesach in Egypt, the children of Israel needed to circumcise themselves. The same pattern is true here when the nation enters the Land of Israel, they circumcise themselves before sacrificing and eating the korban pesach.
How could it be that the nation had fHa’ailed to perform bris mila for so many years?
The verses in our chapter make it clear that the nation of Israel did not circumcise their children for the forty years they were in the desert. How could a commandment so central to Israel’s identity be forsaken so easily? The mefarshim explHa’ain that during most of the stay of the nation of Israel in the desert, they lacked a Northerly wind in the desert (which was critical to healing wounds) and therefore it would have been dangerous to do circumcise their offspring. That being the case, it would also mean that they were not able to bring the korban pesach for thirty-eight years during the desert experience. That revelation is a rather shocking one to consider. That would mean this bris mila and korban pesach in our chapter is truly a watershed moment.
Why is the bris here described with such detHa’ail?
The second verse in the chapter describes something unusual about this particular bris mila. It seems to indicate that Yehoshua circumcised them twice. What could that possibly mean? The mefarshim explHa’ain that up until now, the mitzva of bris mila had only entHa’ailed removing the foreskin, and that is what Avraham Avinu was commanded by Hashem in parshas Lech Lecha, but Yehoshua was instructed in regard to an additional level of the mitzva. This is next level is called “pria,” removing the thinner membrane which is underneath the foreskin. Today, mohalim usually remove both of them together. However, in those days, they knew how to differentiate between the two layers of skin. Up till the times of Yehoshua, only the outer layer was removed. Yehoshua now added an extra level to the commandment of bris mila. The verses here provide a lot of detHa’ail because at this juncture in history the commandment gHa’ained an additional level of complexity.
What is the significance of the people eating of the produce of the Land?
This is the first time that the commandments regarding grHa’ain of the land of Israel were adhered to. The commandment at hand in particular is that of yoshon and chadash. That means literally old and new grHa’ain. The Torah commands that any grHa’ain which takes root from the 2nd day of Pesach may not be eaten until the next 2nd day of Pesach when the first barley grHa’ain of the land was brought as the korban ha’omer. After that sacrifice all the ‘new’ grHa’ain of the past year becomes ‘old’ an is permissible to be eaten. Essentially, they were now eating from the new grHa’ain of the land and this allowed all that had grown up until now in the land of Israel. The finer detHa’ails of what they could and could no eat and how these restrictions ceased is a major discussion within the topic dealing with yoshon and chadash. As with many commandments, this is the first expression of the idea as it appears in the Torah expressing itself in practice.
Part 2: Yehoshua’s encounter with an angel (5:13-15)
Summary
- Yehoshua encounters a man with a drawn sword, Yehoshua asks whether he is on their side or that of their enemies.
- The man reveals himself to be an angel.
- He tells Yehoshua to remove his shoe (reminiscent of Moshe at the burning bush), Yehoshua bows to him.
Who was this angel?
There is a lot of ink spilled on the topic of who this man is and why he came. Rashi explHa’ains that this was the angel Micha'el who came to help Yehoshua in the upcoming wars. Israel was about to begin the battle of Yericho, which is why the apparition appears with his sword out, since his mission is to provide military assistance. In the Torah, there are times when a leader is offered an angelic assistant when it comes to conquering the land. In Parshas Ki Tisa, Hashem offers Moshe Rabbeinu angelic assistance throughout the desert as protection, or as the one to bring them into the land. Moshe declined this offer in favor of having Hashem’s direct involvement. Yehoshua in turn does accept this divine assistance in the form of this apparition of Micha'el.
There are alternative possibilities as to what this angel was doing. The gemara suggests that this was an angel criticizing the fact that Yehoshua had suspended Torah learning in lieu of the upcoming battle, even when his troops had down time. This idea speaks to the angel as being a critical force, not just supportive of Yehoshua.