ויקרא, פרק כ״ג, פסוק ל״ז

Serving as a summary for the festival cycle, this conclusion acts as a bridge between the preceding holidays and the specific commandments of Sukkot that follow. Sukkot itself carries a dual nature: it serves as the spiritual continuation and conclusion to the solemn period of atonement, while simultaneously celebrating the agricultural joy of the harvest [ברכת אשר על התורה, אלשיך]. The overarching declaration of God’s appointed times encompasses all the festivals that require sacrifices [אבן עזרא]. The concept of a holy convocation extends its sanctity beyond the primary festival days to include the intermediate days of the holiday as well. Consequently, these intermediate days share restrictions on regular work and carry an obligation to be honored with festive food, drink, and proper clothing [תורה תמימה, אור החיים, פירושי רד צ הופמן]. Another perspective categorizes the appointed times into two distinct groups: days of absolute holy convocation, such as the Sabbath and primary festival days, and days designated specifically for bringing sacrifices, like the intermediate days [ביאור יש״ר].

A subtle textual nuance regarding the declaration of these times reveals a profound principle about human authority. The phrasing allows the text to be read as "you," emphasizing that the power to determine the festival dates and sanctify the new moon rests entirely in the hands of the earthly court. Even if the court makes an error in its calculations, the holiday legally falls on the exact day they declare [מלבי״ם].

The communal offerings for each holiday involve specific components that are further expanded upon in the Book of Numbers [רש״י, שפתי חכמים]. The sequence of these offerings is highly deliberate, dictating both the practical procedure and its underlying philosophy. The completely consumed burnt offering must always precede its accompanying plant-based meal offering; reversing this order renders the meal offering invalid [מלבי״ם, אדרת אליהו, רלב״ג]. Symbolically, the burnt offering represents the total dedication of a person's body and soul to God, whereas the meal offering represents the dedication of one's property. The required sequence teaches that an individual must first commit themselves entirely to God before offering their material possessions [רש ר הירש]. Furthermore, this meal offering is not an independent act of worship, but rather a necessary accompaniment to the primary animal sacrifice [משכיל לדוד, גור אריה].

Similarly, the wine libations can only be sanctified and poured on the altar after the animal itself has been slaughtered. Pouring the wine beforehand invalidates the libation [תורה תמימה, צפנת פענח]. This order also carries deep symbolism: the physical sacrifice embodies self-nullification before God, and only through this profound surrender can the true joy of life, represented by the wine, be properly expressed [רש ר הירש].

Commentators explore the exact nature of the "sacrifice" mentioned in this sequence, as the term typically refers to peace offerings, which are generally absent from the communal festival roster outside of Shavuot. Some suggest it refers to the festival sin offerings, since their meat is consumed by the priests much like a peace offering [חזקוני, ביאור יש״ר]. Others explain that it refers to the burnt offering itself, with the text simply dividing the process into two stages: the burning of the portions on the altar and the initial act of slaughtering and sprinkling the blood [העמק דבר, רלב״ג]. A third view proposes that this reflects an earlier era when only burnt and peace offerings were brought, or a time in the wilderness when peace offerings were substituted for sin offerings [פירושי רד צ הופמן].

Finally, a strict timeframe governs these communal offerings. While the sacrifices may be brought at any point during the daylight hours [תורה תמימה, אדרת אליהו], they belong exclusively to their designated day. If the day passes without the communal offering being brought, the obligation is permanently lost and cannot be fulfilled the following day [רש״י, מזרחי, רלב״ג]. This stands in sharp contrast to individual festival offerings, which can be made up over a seven-day period [מזרחי, רש ר הירש]. The single exception to this strict daily deadline is the wine libation. If the animal sacrifice was completed on time but the accompanying libations were missed, they may still be brought during the night or even on subsequent days [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, אדרת אליהו].