3. They serve as a means for imparting essential religious truths; viz., Passover embodies the principle of the Existence of God, the Feast of Weeks that of Revelation, and the Feast of Tabernacles that of Divine Providence.
The Distinguished Sabbaths (ד׳ פרשיות).[56]
There are in the months Adar and Nisan four Sabbaths distinguished by the circumstance that on them additional sections are read from the Pentateuch and special lessons from the Prophets. Two of them are connected with the celebration of Passover.
1. שבת שקלים “Sabbath of the shekels;” i.e., on which the law concerning the half-shekel contribution is read from the Pentateuch (Exod. xxx. 11–16), and also the account of the gifts for the repair of the Temple in the reign of King Joash (2 Kings xii. [[370]]1–17). Every male Israelite, twenty years old or upward, had to contribute annually one half-shekel towards the maintenance of the Temple and the Temple Service. The year commenced the 1st of Nisan, when public sacrifices had to be bought with money of the new contributions.[57] Every one was therefore expected to send his contribution before the 1st of Nisan. On the 1st of Adar proclamations were made throughout the country that the half-shekel was due.[58] Hence the custom to read the above-named sections on the Sabbath before the 1st of Adar, or on the 1st, if this happens to be on a Sabbath.
2. שבת זכור “Sabbath Remember” is the Sabbath on which the paragraph concerning the enmity of Amalek is read from the Pentateuch (Deut. xxv. 17–19), and the defeat of Amalek by King Saul from the Prophets (I Sam. xv.). The Agagite Haman, one of the principal figures in the history of Purim, is believed to be a descendant of Agag, king of Amalek (ibid. ver. 8). And as the Law commands us to remember the hostilities of Amalek against Israel, it has been found appropriate to read the above sections on the Sabbath before Purim.
3. שבת פרה “The Sabbath of the Red Heifer,” i.e., the Sabbath on which the law concerning the sacrifice of the red heifer and the purification with its ashes is read from the Pentateuch (Num. xix.), and “the future purification of Israel” (Ezek. xxxvi. 17–38) from the Prophets. It is the Sabbath after Purim, or, when the 15th or 16th of Adar falls on Saturday, the second Sabbath after Purim. All Israelites had [[371]]to come to the Temple, and to offer the Passover-lamb on the 14th of Nisan, and this could not be done by any unclean person. By the reading of the above sections, all are, as it were, reminded to take the necessary steps for their purification, and thus prepare themselves for the celebration of Passover.
4. שבת החדש “The Sabbath of ha-chodesh,” i.e., the Sabbath before the 1st of Nisan, or on the 1st of Nisan if it falls on a Saturday, on which the law that fixes Nisan as the first month[59] and the commandment concerning Passover are read from the Pentateuch (Exod. xii. 1–20), and the description of the sacrifices of the 1st of Nisan, Passover, and other Festivals in the future Temple from the Prophets (Ezek. xlv. 16–xlvi. 18).
In addition to these four Sabbaths, the Sabbath preceding Passover is to be mentioned. It is not distinguished by any special lesson from the Pentateuch, but it has nevertheless received the title “the Great Sabbath,” שבת הגדול[60] on account of the importance of [[372]]the approaching Festival. The last part of Malachi (iii. 4–24) is read as the haphtarah of the day, in which the ultimate triumph of the God-fearing is described by the Prophet.
פסח Passover.
Passover is the first of the Three Feasts, and is kept eight days, from the 15th of Nisan to the 22nd; the four middle days being half-Holy-days, called chol ha-moëd (“the week-days of the festival”).