Emor: Chapter 25

Why there are not seven days to Shavuot

Synopsis

We learn why the day of Shavuot is the bond of Faith that bonds everything together, and why that day is not extended to seven days.

Seven Shavuot Shmini Atzeret Sukkot

140. Rabbi Yehuda said, This is well and assuredly it is so. I have already heard this another time this way but I forgot. Now I wish to know something else. We see that on Pesach THERE ARE SEVEN DAYS, and on Sukkot THERE ARE SEVEN DAYS, with the wholeness of joy OF SUKKOT on another day, SHMINI ATZERET. But why are there not seven days to Shavuot? It is worthy TO EXTEND SEVEN DAYS more than all others.

140. אָ"ל ר' יְהוּדָה, שַׁפִּיר הוּא, וְהָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי. וְהַאי זִמְנָא אָחֳרָא שְׁמַעְנָא לֵיהּ בְּהַאי גַּוְונָא, וְאַנְשֵׁינָא מִלֵּי. הַשְׁתָּא מִלָּה אָחֳרָא בָּעֵינָא לְמִנְדַּע, הָא חֲזֵינָא בַּפֶּסַח ז,' וּבְסֻכּוֹת ז,' וּשְׁלִימוּ דְּחֶדְוָותָא בְּיוֹמָא אָחֳרָא. בְּשָׁבוּעוֹת, אֲמַאי לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בֵּיהּ ז' יָמִים, וְהָא הָכָא אִתְחָזוּן יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא.

Chassadim Congregation Earth Faith Praise Samuel Zeir Anpin

141. He opened by quoting, "And what one nation in the earth is like Your people, like Yisrael" (II Shmuel 7:23). HE ASKS, What is the difference that here Yisrael are called one rather than in other places, AND HE ANSWERS, Since its purpose here is to specify Yisrael's praise, it called them 'one.' For the place of praise of Yisrael is one. The reason is that the whole bond of the upper and lower beings is in the place called Yisrael, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN CALLED YISRAEL, since it is connected with that which is above, THAT IS, ABOVE ITS CHEST, WHICH IS CHASSADIM, and is connected to that which is below, THAT IS, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD BELOW HIS CHEST, WHENCE THE PLENTY OF CHOCHMAH COMES. And it is connected with the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT, WHERE CHOCHMAH IS REVEALED. Therefore, SINCE IT CONNECTS THE THREE PLACES, all is called one. Faith is known in that place, MALCHUT, and the whole bond, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, and the supernal holy union IN THE FIRST THREE SFIROT.

141. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וּמִי כְעַמְּךָ כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ. וְכִי מַאי שְׁנָא הָכָא דְּאִקְרוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶחָד, יַתִּיר מֵאֲתַר אָחֳרָא. אֶלָּא, כֵּיוָן דִּשְׁבָחָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אַתְיָיא לְפָרְשָׁא, קָרָא לוֹן אֶחָד, דְּהָא בְּכָל אֲתַר שְׁבָחָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶחָד הוּא. מ"ט. בְּגִין דְּכָל קְשִׁירוּ דְּעִלָאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי, בְּהַאי אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִשְׁתְּכַח. דְּאִתְקְשַׁר בְּמָה דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְאִתְקְשַׁר בְּמָה דִּלְתַתָּא, וְאִתְקְשַׁר בכ"י. וְעַ"ד אִקְרֵי כֹּלָּא אֶחָד. וּבַאֲתַר דָּא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא מְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְקִשּׁוּרָא שְׁלֵימָא, וְיִחוּדָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא.

Faith Shavuot Tree Tree of Life Zeir Anpin

142. This is why this day OF SHAVUOT, THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT CORRESPONDS TO ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED YISRAEL, is the bond of Faith that bonds everything. Also, it is written, "She is a Tree of Life to those who lay hold on her" (Mishlei 3:18), SINCE THE TREE OF LIFE, ZEIR ANPIN, is a tree called one. Hence, since YISRAEL BELOW are attached AND HOLD to this place, THE TREE OF LIFE, ZEIR ANPIN, they are called ONE. For the Tree of Life is called one, since everything is attached to it, and its day, SHAVUOT, is assuredly one, bonding everything and being the center of everything, SINCE IT IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN.

142. וְעַ"ד, יוֹמָא דָּא, קִשּׁוּרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא הוּא, קִשּׁוּרָא דְּכֹלָּא. וּכְתִיב עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ אִילָנָא הוּא דְּאִקְרֵי אֶחָד. וְעַ"ד בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן מִתְקַשְּׁרֵי בַּאֲתַר דָּא, אִקְרֵי הָכִי. וְעֵץ חַיִּים אֶחָד הוּא וַדַּאי אִקְרֵי, בְּגִין דְּכֹלָּא בֵּיהּ אִתְקְשַׁר, וְיוֹמָא דִּילֵיהּ, אֶחָד וַדַּאי, קִשּׁוּרָא דְּכֹלָּא, וְאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּכֹלָּא.

Directions Faith Praise Shavuot Sukkot Torah Tree Tree of Life Zeir Anpin

143. This is the meaning of, "the Tree of Life also in the midst of the Garden" (Beresheet 2:9), AS ZEIR ANPIN CALLED THE TREE OF LIFE is actually inside, in the center and includes all directions, NAMELY, THE RIGHT AND LEFT COLUMNS, and is attached to them - hence, Pesach and Sukkot, and it, SHAVUOT, between them, SINCE PESACH IS THE RIGHT COLUMN, SUKKOT THE LEFT COLUMN, AND SHAVUOT THE CENTRAL COLUMN. For it is central to everything, which is why that day is to the praise of the Torah, BECAUSE THIS IS THE TIME OF THE GIVING OF OUR TORAH, and no more. FOR TORAH IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, THE CENTRAL COLUMN, and it is the praise of Faith, MALCHUT, and the bonding of everything, NAMELY THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, FOR ALL THOSE ARE CONNECTED TO THE CENTRAL COLUMN. Rabbi Yehuda said, Blessed is the Merciful One that I have asked and attained these matters.

143. הה"ד וְעֵץ הַחַיִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן, בְּתוֹךְ מַמָּשׁ, בִּמְצִיעוּת, וְאָחִיד בְּכָל סִטְרִין, וְאִתְקְשַׁר בֵּיהּ. וְעַ"ד פֶּסַח וְסֻכּוֹת, וְהוּא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא. בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּכֹלָּא, וְדָא הוּא שְׁבָחָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, וְלָא יַתִּיר, שְׁבָחָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְקִשּׁוּרָא דְּכֹלָּא. א"ר יְהוּדָה, בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּשָׁאִילְנָא, וְזָכֵינָא לְהָנֵי מִילֵּי.

Amen Congregation Praise Sanctification Singing

144. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Yisrael will praise the Holy One, blessed be He, with joy and song, as that praise Yisrael recite on Pesach's eve, when the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF NIGHT, is sanctified with the sanctification of the King. This is the meaning of, "You shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept" (Yeshayah 30:29). "The night when a holy solemnity is kept" is precise, such as that UNION ON PESACH'S EVE. Blessed is Hashem forever and ever. Amen and Amen.

144. א"ר יִצְחָק, חֶדְוָותָא וְשִׁירָתָא, זְמִינִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְשַׁבְּחָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּהַאי שְׁבָחָא דִּמְשַׁבְּחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּלֵילְיָא דְּפִסְחָא, דִּכ"י אִתְקַדְּשָׁת בִּקְדוּשָּׁה דְּמַלְכָּא. הה"ד הַשִּׁיר יִהְיֶה לָכֶם כְּלֵיל הִתְקַדֶּשׁ חָג. כְּלֵיל הִתְקַדֶּשׁ חָג דַּיְיקָא. בָּרוּךְ יְיָ.' לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן.

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