Tikkun Leil Shavuot, Kedushat Levi

I was asked in Lithuania, “Why do we call the festival of Shavuot ‘atzeret’ (to restrain or hold back, as in to keep people assembled)? Doesn’t the Torah only mention that name for Shemini-Atzeret? I responded in three ways:

First, a simple answer: Does it not appear, in all of the festivals, that there are two kinds of service of the Blessed Creator? The first is by doing mitzvot connected to that festival. For Pesah, it is eating matzah and the like. And the second is the prohibition of labor. But Shavuot is not like this. There is only only one mitzvah, that is, that we refrain/ne’etzarim from doing labor, and that is why it is called atzeret.

Second: As we understand it, all holidays are named because of what happens on them – in other words, by the mitzvot we practice – and so too the rest of the festive occasions. But this is not the case on Shavuot, which is not named by what happens, but rather by the mitzvah of counting. This we need to understand – why is this festival named based on a mitzvah which is finished? Because it is like the conclusion of a mitzvah, as our sages, of blessed memory, said: (Shabbat 118b) “May I receive a reward at the completion [of a tractate].” Just as in the completion of a tractate there is great joy and we make great feasts as we saw among those worthy men whose Torah is their faith. So for this joyous occasion [i.e., Shavuot], what does one do? The mitzvah has already passed, but it is an established custom, as Rashi explains (on Numbers 29:35) regarding Shemini Atzeret, that your departure is difficult for me. What is this like? Like a certain minister who invited the king and all the other ministers of the kingdom to a banquet. After the banquet, when the king wanted to go back home, then he said to the king, your departure is difficult for me. Therefore, hold yourself back here a little and do not leave your brother. The same thing applies here, and so it’s called Shemini Atzeret, because each day of the festival they offer many bulls and sheep, and we have an eighth day atzeret in order to hold onto more celebration. This is also the reason for the celebration of the conclusion of a tractate; and this is also the reason for the festival of Shavuot, which we make into a holiday for the conclusion of the mitzvah of counting, which the blessed creator awarded us. And that’s why it is called atzeret.

Third: According to Ramban, who explained based on the verse, “Do not wake or rouse love until it desires” [Song of Songs 2:7], explaining, when a person reaches some awakening of awe and love for the blessed Creator, he sees fit to immediately make a vessel. That is, he will immediately do a mitzvah, he will give tzedakah or sit and study or something like this, because it is known that awakening which comes to us all of the sudden is the light pouring down from above and is a type of soul. So we need to dress it in a body so it will have strength and a base that will not, God forbid, sink, as those with intelligence understand. And this is the explanation of the verse “Do not wake or rouse love until it desires;” desire refers to a vessel, and the awakening which comes to a person needs to immediately be placed in a vessel, and this is “until it desires.” [this is the end of the Ramban, paraphrased]. At the time of the giving of Torah, when Israel certainly experienced a great awakening, they didn’t yet have any mitzvah with which to make a vessel for the awakening, they needed to say that they enacted the mitzvah of making a boundary, as Moses, our teacher of blessed memory, warned them not to touch the mountain, so they held back from touching, and from this mitzvah they make a vessel for the awakening. Therefore, it is called atzeret/holding back.

(3) Moses went up to God. ה׳ called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob and declare to the children of Israel: (4) ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me. (5) Now then, if you will obey Me faithfully and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples. Indeed, all the earth is Mine, (6) but you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel.” (7) Moses came and summoned the elders of the people and put before them all that ה׳ had commanded him. (8) All those assembled answered as one, saying, “All that ה׳ has spoken we will do!” And Moses brought back the people’s words to Adonai. (9) And ה׳ said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and so trust you ever after.” Then Moses reported the people’s words to Adonai.

“Moses reported the people’s words to Adonai.” (Exodus 19:9)

See Rashi: We want to see our King! [Full Rashi: He said to God: “I have heard from them that their desire is to hear the commandments from You and not from me. One who hears from the mouth of a messenger is not the same as one who hears directly from the mouth of the King himself. It is our wish to see our King!]

We need to understand how this is implied by the verse. It appears, based on the plain meaning of verse, that it is clearly implied. Here is the explanation. “Moses reported the people’s words to God.” In other words, The people’s words, which they said to God, when they expressed their desire to be near God.

Take a look at what the Sages taught when they debated with the Sadducees (sic.; it is the Boethians in the Talmud, Mehachot 65a/b), and how R. Yohanan ben Zakkai responded regarding Shavuot, where the Sadducees claim that Shavuot must fall after Shabbat.

Now, it is known that the seven middot (divine qualities), the middot of love, fear and the rest, in truth actually are interconnected and interpenetrating. Love is bound up in fear, and fear is mixed into love, and so with all of the other middot. Nevertheless, the Apikorsim do not believe this way.

Now, the first day of the week points to love, and the second day to fear, and so all the rest of the days of the week, and so throughout the counting of the Omer, the Sephira. And, we are believers the descendants of believers, holding that all of the middot are made up of one another. So, even though Shavuot teaches about the middah of love – still, according to our belief, Shavuot can fall even on the second day of the week, or any other day, and not only on the first day as the Apikorsim say. Our belief is that Shavuot can fall on any day that is set; therefore, the first day of the Sephira can also fall on any day of the week. But, according to the way of the Saduccees (heaven forbid) the first day of the Sephira must only be on the first day of the week.

This is what is hinted at in their (the Boethians’) claim that Moses was a great lover of Israel – they do not believe that the middot are interpenetrating, and therefore love is not included in fear, or any middah with any other of those we have in mind. But, R. Yohanan ben Zakkai responded to them arguing that the middot must be blended together and included one in another – saying that Moses kept the people in the wilderness, proving that love is even included in fear.

~translation, Rabbi Jonathan Slater, Institute for Jewish Spirituality, https://www.jewishspirituality.org/; author of A Partner in Holiness: Deepening Mindfulness, Practicing Compassion and Enriching Our Lives through the Wisdom of R. Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev's Kedushat Levi—A Two-Volume Set http://www.jewishlights.com/page/product/978-1-58023-794-9

Another reason we recite Ruth on Shavuot is based on an explanation in the teachings of the sages, of blessed memory: There are three crown in the world – the crown of priesthood, the crown of sovereignty, and the crown of Torah. Aaron took the crown of priesthood. King David took the crown of sovereignty. Regarding the crown of Torah, [it is sitting and waiting to be acquired, and anyone who wishes to take it may come and take it and be crowned with the crown of Torah. Lest you say [it is inferior to the other two crowns and that is why nobody has taken it;] therefore, the verse states about the wisdom of Torah: “Through me kings will reign” (Proverbs 8:15) [Yoma 82b]. For this reason, we read Ruth on Shavuot, which is the time of the giving of Torah, because in it is written about the birth of King David who merited the crown of Sovereignty in order to teach that it is by means of the crown of Torah, about which is written “Through me kings will reign,” that David merited the crown of Sovereignty through it.

In the Talmud the sages teach: “Regarding atzeret, all agree that it is necessary to include personal enjoyment, as it says, ‘for you (lakhem)’” (Pesachim 68b).

On Pesah we rejoice; we rejoice in our bodies that we have come out from slavery. That is a physical boon. But, on Shavuot the joy is because God gave us the Torah. But, receiving the Torah is only a spiritual joy, and it is difficult for the body to rejoice.

Since the giving of the Torah is solely spiritual boon, the sages taught atzeret also requires personal enjoyment (lakhem) so that the body, too, will rejoice. In this way we will truly believe that Torah is lives of eternity (chayyei olam) – the life of the world to come and the life of this world. Scripture proves this: regarding the former it says, “In her right hand is length of days, [in her left, riches and honor]” (Prov. 3:16); regarding the latter, “It will be a cure for your body, [a tonic for your bones]” (ibid. 8). Therefore, the body will rejoice as well, exulting from bringing this awareness to heart.

~translation, Rabbi Jonathan Slater, Institute for Jewish Spirituality, https://www.jewishspirituality.org/; author of A Partner in Holiness: Deepening Mindfulness, Practicing Compassion and Enriching Our Lives through the Wisdom of R. Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev's Kedushat Levi—A Two-Volume Set http://www.jewishlights.com/page/product/978-1-58023-794-9

Our sages, of blessed memory, said: The Torah was given in black fire on top of white fire. It is possible to say, that this alludes to the idea that it is by means of the giving of Torah that Israel has power. As the sages said: You decree below, the Holy Blessed One confirms [above.] [Ta’anit 23a] White fire includes all colors because it receives all colors, and this alludes to the Blessed One, who includes everything. Black fire is not so, because it doesn’t include all colors, only the color black which is in it – and this alludes to human beings. It is by means of the giving of Torah that Israel merits that the black fire will be on top – meaning to say, above the the white fire. That is, Israel will be above, the words of Israel will be, as it were, above the words of the Holy Blessed One. As our sages said: The Holy Blessed One makes a decree, and the righteous one nullifies it. [Moed Katan 16b]

That which is asked: Why are all the festivals not called atzeret/time-to-stop, only Shavuot? Based on the simple meaning of the word, this is not a problem. Atzeret is used in the phrase ‘completion of labor.’ On Pesah and Sukkot there are intermediary days of the festival when it is permitted to work on something that would be ruined [if not done] – so how could this be called an atzeret/time-to-stop? This is not so on Shavuot, which is one day, and even work which would be ruined [if not done] is forbidden on it. It is called atzeret because all work stops.

Therefore, Israel didn't accept the Torah immediately after leaving Egypt, after the parting of the Reed Sea, because if they had accepted it after the parting of the Reed Sea, it would have appeared as if [they had been faithful only] in order to receive a reward – because of the great miracles which God did for them, they received the Torah. So the Blessed Holy One made them wait a bit and in the meantime, they forgot a bit about the miracles that God did for them, as it says, "There was no water for the community, and they complained." (Numbers 20:2). [Note: This is a strange proof-text. I wonder if the author is thinking of Exodus 15:22-17:17, where the Israelites complain about water, food, meat, and then water again.] After this, they received the Torah and said, "We will do and we will obey," proving that they accepted Torah only out of love of Torah [and not as the reward for obedience.]