Eighteen times in Tanach we have the phrase “mikra kodesh” (in the singular or plural) used as a description of the holidays. Only one of those 18 times (Leviticus 23: 3) is it used as a description of Shabbat. We recite this phrase regularly in our liturgy, e.g., Friday night kiddush. What exactly does it mean? It first appears at Exodus 12:16, in connection with Pesach.

The root קרא has meanings like “read” and “call” in Tanach, but it also has other meanings. The meaning of the word “kodesh” here is ambiguous as well.

Here are some translations that I have seen:

• Rav Saadiah: “The days will be called ‘mekudash.’” (Translation from the Arabic, on Ex. 12:16.)
• Rashi: “Call the first day ‘kodesh’ through eating, drinking and dress.” Rashi, Exodus 12:16, basing himself on the Mechilta. (See also Sifrei Pinchas 147.)
• Rashbam (Leviticus 23:2): “Designated times of kodesh.” He writes that the verb קרא in the context of the holidays means “designated,” citing Eicha 1:15.
• Daat Mikra: “Hachrazat kodesh—Declaration that this day is holy.” (Commentary to Exodus 12:16 and Leviticus 23:2, first interpretation in both. For their second interpretation, see below.)

The Complete ArtScroll Siddur (page 361): “The festivals are described as (“mikraei kodesh”) because they come about as a result of the months which are proclaimed by the courts of Israel.”

• The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus: “Sacred occasion.” (But the word “occasion” is not a good fit for the root קרא. It would be a better fit if “mikra” was spelled מקרה.)

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Now, I will present what I think are the better approaches. The better approaches realize that “mikra” can mean “a gathering place” in Tanach. It has this meaning in Isaiah 4:5. Here, we are told that God will create a cloud and smoke by day … “Al kol mechon har Tziyon veal mikraeha—over the entire habitation of Mount Zion and her gathering places.” It also has a “gathering” meaning at Isaiah 1:13 (see below.) In Tanach, the word מקרא only has a meaning related to “reading” at Nechemiah 8:8.

• Nachmanides (Leviticus 23:2): “A day when everyone gathers to sanctify the day in public with tefillah, hallel and clean garments, and making it a ‘yom mishteh.’” (He cites the festive verse Nechemiah 8:10 to explain the meaning of “kodesh.”) For the “gathering” meaning, he cites Isaiah 4:5, and also Numbers 1:16: “kruei haedah” and Samuel 1, 9:13: “hakeruim.”
• Seforno (Leviticus 23:2): A gathering of the nation for matters of kodesh, citing Isaiah 4:5. He also cites Isaiah 1:13: “Bring no more vain meal offerings … New moons, Sabbaths, ‘kero mikra,’ I cannot (endure) iniquity along with עצרה (assembly).” “Kero mikra” refers to gatherings on new moons and the Sabbath. Note that it is parallel to עצרה.
• Samuel David Luzzatto (Exodus 12:16): Citing Isaiah 1:13, he writes that “mikra” means a gathering of the people to celebrate a “chag,” and “mikra kodesh” means a “chagigah veasifah” of “kedusha” for the honor of God. (This is as opposed to Rashi and some others, who implied that you were to do actions that made the day holy to you.)

Luzzatto also cites Isaiah 31:4 for the “gathering” meaning of the root קרא. He also cites occasions where the roots צעק and זעק (similar to קרא—call out) mean “gathering.” (E.g., Judges 4:13.) Also, in Leviticus 23:2, he again cites Isaiah 1:13, and defines “mikraei kodesh” as “yemei kibbutz lekedusha.”

• 1917 Jewish Publication Society of America: “Holy convocation,” following the 17th century King James translation. (The Complete ArtScroll Siddur also uses the translation “holy convocations.” But from their comment in the note on page 361, I see that they do not mean the people gathering for the holidays.)
• Rabbi Dr. Joseph Herman Hertz (commentary on Exodus 12:16): “The term is no doubt derived from the fact that originally the worshippers were called together for the celebration of a festival.”
• The JPS Torah Commentary: Leviticus (23:2): “The verb קרא “may mean ‘to proclaim’ or “to summons, invite.” Accordingly, one could render ‘mikra kodesh’ as “a sacred assembly, convocation,” indicating that on an occasion so designated, the community is summoned for common worship and celebration.”
• Daat Mikra: Commentary to Exodus 12:16, second interpretation: “The people should gather for the service of God in kedusha.” See similarly Leviticus 23:2, second interpretation: “mikra” means an “asefah.” It cites Isaiah 1:13 and 4:5.
• The Even-Shoshan concordance, page 707, defines “mikra” in the phrase “mikra kodesh” as “an instruction to gather.”

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Now, I have an insight to share on our Friday night kiddush. The standard text today has: “Zikaron lemaaseh vereshit, ki hu yom techilah lemikraei kodesh, zeicher litziyat Mizrayim.”

At Leviticus 23:2, the Torah tells us that it is going to list “moadei Hashem,” but then it lists Shabbat first. One way to understand the above phrase in our kiddush that begins “ki hu yom” is that Shabbat is the first one of the holidays, and the holidays are “zeicher litziyat Mitrayim.” Several sources have mentioned this as a possible interpretation.

Of course, this interpretation is difficult. Why would we be making a point about the holidays in the Friday night kiddush? I am going to present more evidence for rejecting the above interpretation.

When we look at various editions of the kiddush, we see that “ki hu yom” is often in parenthesis. This suggests that these words were later additions. In fact, they are not in the siddur of Rav Saadiah. Most likely, the original text of the kiddush had: “Zikaron lemaaseh vereshit, techilah lemikraei kodesh, zeicher litziyat Mizrayim.” (Admittedly, this does not exactly match what is in the siddur of Rav Saadiah. But this is what is in the Seder Rav Amram and at Rambam, Hilchot Shabbat 29:2.) If this was the original text, most likely the kiddush was merely stating succinctly three simple things about Shabbat. The second is based on Leviticus 23:2-3, and the third is based on the reason for the Shabbat stated at Deuteronomy 5:15 (second Tablets).

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Although Shabbat is referred to as a “mikra kodesh” in Leviticus 23:3, I suspect that the term probably originated with the other holidays. This is the only time it is used to describe Shabbat. Note that The Complete ArtScroll Siddur, on page 361, translates, “techilah lemikraei kodesh,” as “the prologue to the holy convocations.” It did not want to translate it as “the beginning of …,” as it did not fit their definition of “mikra kodesh.” See above.

But one can explain “mikra kodesh” as fitting Shabbat as well. It all depends on how you define “mikra kodesh.” In our “gathering” interpretation, it fits. See, e.g., Daat Mikra to Leviticus 23:2, citing Kings 2, 4:23 which implies that gatherings took place on Shabbat.

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Rav S.R. Hirsch writes much on “mikra kodesh” and I cannot end this column without including some of what he wrote. He translates the phrase as “summons to the Sanctuary,” at Exodus 12:16 and “convocation to the Sanctuary,” at Leviticus 23:2. “Sanctuary” is his translation of “kodesh.”

Here are some of his profound comments on Leviticus 23:2: “So are the Jewish spring, summer and autumn festivals ‘mikraei kodesh,’ they really call us away just out of the realm of nature—away from the fields, from forests and meadows—call us up, towards, into, the temple of God’s Torah. They are really a loudly protesting truth, opposing a heathen worship of nature. They proclaim that it is not by grace of the spring, summer and autumn regulating power of the sun that the produce of our fields and orchards ripen and our barns become full, but that it is the free control of our God, judging the faithfulness of our duty towards His will … which grants or denies us the blossoming in our springs, the maturing in our summers and the abundance of our autumns.” He has profound comments on Exodus 12:16 as well.

Mitchell First can be called out at MFirstAtty@aol.com.