The commandment of celebration on the festivals: To celebrate on the festivals; and that is that we have been commanded to come up for the festival to the Temple three times a year — and they are [before] Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot, in order to celebrate there, as it is stated (Exodus 23:14), “Three festivals shall you celebrate for Me in the year.” And the matter of celebration is that we should go up there with a sacrifice and we slaughter it as peace-offerings (shelamim) in honor of the festival. And this commandment is repeated twice in the Torah. And they, may their memory be blessed, said in Tractate Chagigah 6b [that] three commandments were Israel commanded on the holiday — celebration, being seen and joy.
It is from the roots of this commandment [that it is] because it is not appropriate to come in front of Him, blessed be He, with empty hands. And even though the truth is that He does not need a thing from our hands, as it is written (Psalms 50:12), “Were I hungry, I would not tell you” — nonetheless in the imagination of our thoughts, we see [it] as if we were standing in front of Him. And the truth is that the souls are closer to the good in that place than in other places and [that] the light of the face of [the] King shines upon them there. And therefore it is fit for us to do the act of sacrifice at that time. As through the action of the sacrifice, we become prepared for receiving the good and our souls rise ever higher — as we shall write, with God’s help.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Peah 1:1 at the beginning) that these sacrifices do not have a measure — that even one would suffice, whether it be an animal or whether it be a bird, a dove or a chick. And that he needs to go up to Jerusalem regardless with a sacrifice in his hand, or with money to buy the sacrifice in Jerusalem. But he is not exempted with [an object that has] the value of money. And [that] if he did not sacrifice his sacrifice on the first day, he is able to make it up for seven full days (Chagigah 9a) — so long as he be there on the first days. And the rest of its details are [all] elucidated in Tractate Chagigah. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Festival Offering 1.)
And [it] is practiced at the time of the Temple by males, but not by females. And it is not all males [that are obligated]. As anyone who is lame or blind — even in one of his eyes — or sick or old or very pampered, such that he could not go up by foot is exempt; and so [too, those the sex of which is in doubt] and slaves. But all other males are obligated, and even if they have an ugly trade, such as a manure collector, a smith and a tanner (Chagigah 4a). They clean their bodies and clothes and go up in front of God, may He be blessed, and are accepted like the rest of Israel. As a dirty soul is that which is disgusting about people in front of the Omnipresent, and not a craft — so long as it is done honestly. And one who transgresses it and appears in the courtyard on the first day of the festival and does not bring a sacrifice has violated a positive commandment. And he has also violated a negative commandment, as it is stated about this (Exodus 23:15), “and they shall not see My face empty-handed.”
מִצְוַת חֲגִיגָה בָּרְגָלִים – לָחֹג בָּרְגָלִים, וְהוּא שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּינוּ לַעֲלוֹת לָרֶגֶל לַמִּקְדָּשׁ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה, וְהֵן סָמוּךְ לְפֶסַח וְשָׁבוּעוֹת וְסֻכּוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁנָּחֹג שָׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג יד) שָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים תָּחֹג לִי בַּשָּׁנָה. וְעִנְיַן הַחֲגִיגָה הוּא שֶׁנַּעֲלֶה שָׁם בְּקָרְבָּן וְנַקְרִיבֵהוּ שְׁלָמִים לִכְבוֹד הֶחָג. וְנִכְפְּלָה מִצְוָה זוֹ פַּעֲמַיִם בַּתּוֹרָה, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּמַסֶּכֶת חֲגִיגָה (ו ב), שָׁלֹשׁ מִצְוֹת נִצְטַוּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּרֶגֶל חֲגִיגָה, רְאִיָּה, שִׂמְחָה.
The commandment of celebration on the festivals: To celebrate on the festivals; and that is that we have been commanded to come up for the festival to the Temple three times a year — and they are [before] Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot, in order to celebrate there, as it is stated (Exodus 23:14), “Three festivals shall you celebrate for Me in the year.” And the matter of celebration is that we should go up there with a sacrifice and we slaughter it as peace-offerings (shelamim) in honor of the festival. And this commandment is repeated twice in the Torah. And they, may their memory be blessed, said in Tractate Chagigah 6b [that] three commandments were Israel commanded on the holiday — celebration, being seen and joy.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי מִצְוָה זוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּדִין לָבֹא בְּיָדַיִם רֵיקָנִיּוֹת לְפָנָיו בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָאֱמֶת כִּי אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ דָּבָר מִיָּדֵינוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים נ יב) אִם אֶרְעַב לֹא אֹמַר לָךְ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן בְּדִמְיוֹן מַחְשַׁבְתֵּנוּ אֲנַחְנוּ רוֹאִים כְּאִלּוּ נַעֲמֹד לְפָנָיו. וְהָאֱמֶת שֶׁהַנְּפָשׁוֹת קְרוֹבוֹת אֶל הַטּוֹב בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁאָר מְקוֹמוֹת וְאוֹר פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ נוֹגֵהַּ עֲלֵיהֶם שָׁם. וְעַל כֵּן רָאוּי לָנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה הַקָּרְבָּן בָּעֵת הַהִיא, כִּי בִּפְעֻלַּת הַקָּרְבָּן נְתֻכַּן לְקַבָּלַת הַטּוֹבָה וְתִתְעַלֶּה נַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ מַעְלָה מַעְלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּכְתֹּב בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם.
It is from the roots of this commandment [that it is] because it is not appropriate to come in front of Him, blessed be He, with empty hands. And even though the truth is that He does not need a thing from our hands, as it is written (Psalms 50:12), “Were I hungry, I would not tell you” — nonetheless in the imagination of our thoughts, we see [it] as if we were standing in front of Him. And the truth is that the souls are closer to the good in that place than in other places and [that] the light of the face of [the] King shines upon them there. And therefore it is fit for us to do the act of sacrifice at that time. As through the action of the sacrifice, we become prepared for receiving the good and our souls rise ever higher — as we shall write, with God’s help.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה, שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פאה רפ"א) שֶׁקָּרְבָּנוֹת אֵלּוּ אֵין לָהֶן שִׁעוּר, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ אֶחָד יַסְפִּיק, בֵּין בְּהֵמָה בֵּין עוֹף, תּוֹר אוֹ גּוֹזָל, וְשֶׁחַיָּב לַעֲלוֹת לִירוּשָׁלַיִם עַל כָּל פָּנִים בְּקָרְבָּן בְּיָדוֹ אוֹ בְּכֶסֶף שֶׁיִּקְנֶה בּוֹ קָרְבָּן בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, אֲבָל בִּשְׁוֵה כֶּסֶף אֵינוֹ פָּטוּר. וְאִם לֹא הִקְרִיב קָרְבָּנוֹ בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ תַּשְׁלוּמִין (חגיגה ט א) כָּל שִׁבְעָה, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הוּא שָׁם בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ מְבֹאָרִים בְּמַסֶּכֶת חֲגִיגָה [פ"א מהלכות חגיגה]
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Peah 1:1 at the beginning) that these sacrifices do not have a measure — that even one would suffice, whether it be an animal or whether it be a bird, a dove or a chick. And that he needs to go up to Jerusalem regardless with a sacrifice in his hand, or with money to buy the sacrifice in Jerusalem. But he is not exempted with [an object that has] the value of money. And [that] if he did not sacrifice his sacrifice on the first day, he is able to make it up for seven full days (Chagigah 9a) — so long as he be there on the first days. And the rest of its details are [all] elucidated in Tractate Chagigah. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Festival Offering 1.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת בִּזְכָרִים אֲבָל לֹא בִּנְקֵבוֹת, וְלֹא כָּל (שם ב א) הַזְּכָרִים, שֶׁחִגֵּר וְסוֹמֵא אֲפִלּוּ בְּאַחַת מֵעֵינָיו וְחוֹלֶה וְזָקֵן וְעָנֹג הַרְבֵּה שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲלוֹת בְּרַגְלָיו כֻּלָּם פְּטוּרִין, וְכֵן טֻמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס וַעֲבָדִים. אֲבָל כָּל שְׁאָר הַזְּכָרִים חַיָּבִים וַאֲפִלּוּ יֵשׁ לָהֶם אֻמָּנוּת מְכֹעָר כְּגוֹן (שם ד א) מְקַמֵּץ וּמְצָרֵף וְעַבְּדָן מְטַהֲרִין גּוּפָן וּמַלְבּוּשָׁן וְעוֹלִין לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְהֵם מְקֻבָּלִין לְפָנָיו כִּשְׁאָר יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁטִּנּוּף הַנֶּפֶשׁ הוּא הַמַּמְאִיס בְּנֵי אָדָם לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם וְלֹא הָאֻמָּנוּת כָּל זְמַן שֶׁעוֹשִׂין אוֹתוֹ בְּנֶאֱמָנוּת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְנִרְאָה בָּעֲזָרָה בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חַג וְלֹא הֵבִיא קָרְבָּן בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה, וְגַם עָבַר עַל לָאו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עַל זֶה (שמות כג טו) וְלֹא יֵרָאוּ פָנַי רֵיקָם.
And [it] is practiced at the time of the Temple by males, but not by females. And it is not all males [that are obligated]. As anyone who is lame or blind — even in one of his eyes — or sick or old or very pampered, such that he could not go up by foot is exempt; and so [too, those the sex of which is in doubt] and slaves. But all other males are obligated, and even if they have an ugly trade, such as a manure collector, a smith and a tanner (Chagigah 4a). They clean their bodies and clothes and go up in front of God, may He be blessed, and are accepted like the rest of Israel. As a dirty soul is that which is disgusting about people in front of the Omnipresent, and not a craft — so long as it is done honestly. And one who transgresses it and appears in the courtyard on the first day of the festival and does not bring a sacrifice has violated a positive commandment. And he has also violated a negative commandment, as it is stated about this (Exodus 23:15), “and they shall not see My face empty-handed.”