Parashat Emor holds, among other topics, one of the descriptions the Torah presents about the holidays in the Hebrew calendar. This description begins with the verse that says: “These are the fixed times of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as sacred occasions.” In Hebrew, this last phrase is ‘aher tikreu otam’. However, a beautiful Talmudic story reads this verse in a different way and through it, teaches us something about the nature of the Jewish festivities.
Images of the phases of the moon were posted on the wall of Rabban Gamaliel’s upper story. He would show them to ordinary men and say, “Did you see something like this or like this?” Two came and said, “We saw it in the morning in the east and in the evening in the west.” Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri said, “They are false witnesses.” When they reached Yavneh, Rabban Gamaliel accepted them. Another pair of witnesses came and said, “We saw it when it was anticipated and the following night we did not see it.” Rabban Gamaliel accepted them. Rabbi Dosa ben Harcynus said, “They are false witnesses. How can there be testimony that a woman has given birth, and the next day her belly is between her teeth [the woman is still pregnant]?” Rabbi Yehoshua said, “I see your point.”