Making up in the Mundane
Nasso
Just as the first Shabbos brought completion to the six days of Creation, so too each Shabbos brings completion to the days of the week that precede it. Being the Shabbos after Shavuos, this Shabbos brings perfection to the Yomtov of Shavuos and the Giving of the Torah.
This is true for the Shabbos following Shavuos every year. It is even more accented this year, when Shabbos falls on the 12th of Sivan.
When a person went to the Beis Hamikdash for the Shalosh Regalim, they had to bring certain private Korbanos. If they did not bring the Korbanos on the first day of Pesach or Sukkos, they could make up for it during the remaining days of the festival. This ‘making-up’ is called Tashlumin.
Even though Shavuos is only a one day festival, the sages derive that like on Pesach, one could perform Tashlumin and bring the Korbanos for an entire week, concluding on the 12th of Sivan.
For this reason, the Alter Rebbe writes in the Siddur that we do not say Tachanun up-and-to and including the 12th day of Sivan, as these are the days of Tashlumin for the Yomtov of Shavuos.
There is a major difference between the days of Tashlumin for Pesach and Sukkos and those of Shavuos. The Korbanos of Pesach and Sukkos are brought on days that are still part of the Yomtov itself. In contrast, the days of Tashlumin for Shavuos are regular mundane weekdays.
In Torah Ohr, the Alter Rebbe explains that Pesach and Sukkos are seven day festivals (plus Shemini Atzeres) because they relate to the seven Sefiros. In the soul, these represent the conscious levels of the soul, particular our emotions (Middos).
Shavuos is only one day because it is connected to the level of Kesser, G-dliness that is beyond the divisibility of the seven Sefiros. In the soul this is the revelation of the Yechidah which means oneness. This is the essence of the soul that was manifest on Shavuos when the Jewish people accepted the Torah with absolute surrender.
This difference also explains why the other Yomim Tovim have specific, unique Mitzvos. Mitzvos represent an external and specific expression of connecting to Hashem through something that we do.
Shavuos has no specific Mitzvos, because it represents the essential, all-encompassing bond of the essence of the soul with Hashem. This connection is not about doing something, it just is.
When we serve Hashem with only the conscious dimensions of the soul represented by the 7 Sefiros, our service will be limited. This is like the Korbanos of Pesach and Sukkos that could only be brought at a time which is also holy, influence that which is conducive and receptive to holiness.
The power of the Yechidah - the revelation of Shavuos - is that when we are connected on this level, we can go into the most mundane parts of our lives and our world and transform it to become holy.
The Frierdike Rebbe relates that the Tzemach Tzedek once asked the Alter Rebbe why Shavuos is celebrated for 7 days up until the 12th of Sivan. The Alter Rebbe answered with an analogy of a group of merchants who travelled to a fair that lasted for two days. At the end of the fair they would return home. But before departing, they would linger for a few days as they packaged and secured their merchandise, to ensure that nothing would be lost or damaged on the long journey home.
On Shavuos, we all experienced the revelation of Matan Torah. As we acquired the Torah, we experienced the revelation of Anochi - Hashem’s essence and the revelation of our Yechidah.
This Shabbos is the last of the days where we can secure our ‘merchandise’, to firmly internalise these revelations, so that they will last through our travels and trials in the year ahead.
This is true for the Shabbos following Shavuos every year. It is even more accented this year, when Shabbos falls on the 12th of Sivan.
When a person went to the Beis Hamikdash for the Shalosh Regalim, they had to bring certain private Korbanos. If they did not bring the Korbanos on the first day of Pesach or Sukkos, they could make up for it during the remaining days of the festival. This ‘making-up’ is called Tashlumin.
Even though Shavuos is only a one day festival, the sages derive that like on Pesach, one could perform Tashlumin and bring the Korbanos for an entire week, concluding on the 12th of Sivan.
For this reason, the Alter Rebbe writes in the Siddur that we do not say Tachanun up-and-to and including the 12th day of Sivan, as these are the days of Tashlumin for the Yomtov of Shavuos.
There is a major difference between the days of Tashlumin for Pesach and Sukkos and those of Shavuos. The Korbanos of Pesach and Sukkos are brought on days that are still part of the Yomtov itself. In contrast, the days of Tashlumin for Shavuos are regular mundane weekdays.
In Torah Ohr, the Alter Rebbe explains that Pesach and Sukkos are seven day festivals (plus Shemini Atzeres) because they relate to the seven Sefiros. In the soul, these represent the conscious levels of the soul, particular our emotions (Middos).
Shavuos is only one day because it is connected to the level of Kesser, G-dliness that is beyond the divisibility of the seven Sefiros. In the soul this is the revelation of the Yechidah which means oneness. This is the essence of the soul that was manifest on Shavuos when the Jewish people accepted the Torah with absolute surrender.
This difference also explains why the other Yomim Tovim have specific, unique Mitzvos. Mitzvos represent an external and specific expression of connecting to Hashem through something that we do.
Shavuos has no specific Mitzvos, because it represents the essential, all-encompassing bond of the essence of the soul with Hashem. This connection is not about doing something, it just is.
When we serve Hashem with only the conscious dimensions of the soul represented by the 7 Sefiros, our service will be limited. This is like the Korbanos of Pesach and Sukkos that could only be brought at a time which is also holy, influence that which is conducive and receptive to holiness.
The power of the Yechidah - the revelation of Shavuos - is that when we are connected on this level, we can go into the most mundane parts of our lives and our world and transform it to become holy.
The Frierdike Rebbe relates that the Tzemach Tzedek once asked the Alter Rebbe why Shavuos is celebrated for 7 days up until the 12th of Sivan. The Alter Rebbe answered with an analogy of a group of merchants who travelled to a fair that lasted for two days. At the end of the fair they would return home. But before departing, they would linger for a few days as they packaged and secured their merchandise, to ensure that nothing would be lost or damaged on the long journey home.
On Shavuos, we all experienced the revelation of Matan Torah. As we acquired the Torah, we experienced the revelation of Anochi - Hashem’s essence and the revelation of our Yechidah.
This Shabbos is the last of the days where we can secure our ‘merchandise’, to firmly internalise these revelations, so that they will last through our travels and trials in the year ahead.