Shavuos surpasses all Yamim Tovim

היו"ט שבועות הוא החביב מכל הי"ט דאיתא אמצעי משובח וע"ד הרמז כמ"ש במד' יקרה מפנינים מכ"ג שנכנס לפני ולפנים ומבכור שהוא הראשון ואין לפנים אלא תחלה ע"ש.

The Yom Tov of Shavuos is the most beloved of all the Yamim Tovim, as it is taught that "the middle one is the most praised," and by way of remez (hint), as the Midrash says: "more precious than pearls (peninim)" — more precious than the Kohen Gadol who enters lifnai v'lifnim (the innermost chamber), and than the firstborn, who is first; and "p'nimah" (inward) means none other than the first.

Of the three Yamim Tovim, Shavuos stands in the middle, and Chazal teach that the middle is most exalted. The Midrash on "more precious than peninim" reads "peninim" as alluding both to the Kohen Gadol who enters the holy of holies (lifnai v'lifnim) and to the bechor — yet Torah, given on Shavuos, is more precious than them all.

וחג הפסח הוא התחלת גדלות בנ"י בני בכורי ישראל.

And Chag HaPesach is the beginning of the greatness of Bnei Yisrael — "My firstborn son, Yisrael" (Shemos 4:22).

Pesach corresponds to the level of the bechor: it is the birth of Bnei Yisrael as Hashem's firstborn, the starting point of their elevation.

וחג הסוכות הוא בחי' אהרן הכהן הביאני המלך חדריו.

And Chag HaSukkos is the aspect of Aharon the Kohen — "the King has brought me into His chambers" (Shir HaShirim 1:4).

Sukkos corresponds to the Kohen Gadol entering the innermost chamber, the intimate "chambers of the King."

עכ"ז נגילה ונשמחה בך בכ"ב אתוין דאורייתא שהוא יקר מהכל וכולל הכל כדאיתא הכל מודין בעצרת דבעינן נמי לכם יום שניתנה תורה לישראל:

Even so, "we will rejoice and be glad in You" — through the twenty-two letters of the Torah, which is more precious than all and includes all; as it is taught, "all agree regarding Atzeres (Shavuos) that we require also 'for you' (lachem)," the day on which the Torah was given to Yisrael (Pesachim 68b).

Even though Pesach (the firstborn) and Sukkos (the Kohen Gadol) each have their loftiness, Shavuos surpasses them, for it is the day of the Torah's twenty-two letters, which contain everything. That is why all the Tannaim agree that on Shavuos one must also have physical rejoicing "lachem" — because the gift of Torah to Yisrael belongs to body and soul together.

Summary: Of the three Yamim Tovim, Shavuos is the most beloved — the "middle one" that is most exalted. Pesach is the level of the firstborn and Sukkos the level of the Kohen Gadol entering the inner chamber, yet Shavuos surpasses them both, for it is the day of the Torah's twenty-two letters, which include everything; hence all agree Shavuos demands physical joy as well, since the Torah was given to Yisrael in full.