Shavuos, the ever-new Torah governance

בפסוק וביום הביכורים כו' מנחה חדשה כו'.

On the pasuk: "And on the day of the Bikkurim (first-fruits)… a new meal-offering (minchah chadashah)," etc.

The Sfas Emes opens from the pasuk describing Shavuos as the day of the Bikkurim, when a "new" meal-offering is brought.

דכתיב אין כל חדש תחת השמש.

For it is written: "There is nothing new under the sun."

He contrasts this with Koheles's statement that nothing is truly new "under the sun" — within the natural world.

והתורה אשר היא למעלה מהשמש יש בה התחדשות תדיר ואינה יכולה להתיישן.

But the Torah, which is above the sun, has constant renewal (hischadshus) within it and can never grow old.

The Torah, however, transcends the natural order "above the sun," so it is perpetually new and never becomes stale.

כמו כן יום מתן תורה מתחדש בכל שנה ונקרא יום הביכורים.

Likewise, the day of Mattan Torah is renewed every year, and is called "the day of the Bikkurim."

Since the Torah is ever-new, the anniversary of its giving renews itself each year — hence Shavuos is called "the day of the first-fruits," the day of freshness.

ובמד' לכל זמן ועת לכל חפץ דורש זמן הי' לנח ולאברהם כו' ועת לכל חפץ שינתן התורה לעולם ע"ש בקהלת.

And in the Midrash on "For everything there is a season (zman), and a time (eis) for every matter": it expounds — there was a "season" for Noach and for Avraham, etc.; and "a time for every matter" — that the Torah be given to the world; see there in Koheles.

The Midrash distinguishes between "zman" (season) and "eis" (time): each tzaddik like Noach and Avraham had his appointed "season," while the giving of the Torah is "the time for every matter" — the supreme appointed moment.

כי זמן ועת הם ב' בחי' דיש זמן למטה בטבע.

For "zman" and "eis" are two distinct aspects: there is "zman" (season) below, within nature.

"Zman" denotes time as it operates below, within the natural order.

ועת הוא השורש של הזמן למעלה כמ"ש בספרים שיש הנהגת הטבע.

And "eis" is the root of time above, as is written in the sefarim that there is a "conduct of nature" (hanhagas hateva).

"Eis" is the higher root of time above — corresponding to the distinction the sefarim draw between the governance of nature and a higher governance.

ויש הנהגה תוריות.

And there is a "Torah governance" (hanhagah toris).

Above the natural governance there is a higher, Torah-based mode of governance.

הדרך שהתורה נותנת בכל דבר ודבר כפי משפט ההנהגה עליונה.

The path that the Torah gives to each and every thing, according to the order of the supernal governance.

This Torah-governance is the higher "path" the Torah imparts to everything, in line with the upper, supernal order rather than mere nature.

וזה הדרך מתחדש במתן תורה.

And this path is renewed at Mattan Torah.

This higher "Torah path" was inaugurated and is renewed at the giving of the Torah.

ומיוחד רק לבנ"י.

And it is unique only to Bnei Yisrael.

This Torah-governance belongs exclusively to Bnei Yisrael.

ובנ"י צריכין לדבק הזמן שלמטה בשורש העתים הנ"ל.

And Bnei Yisrael must bind the "zman" below to the root of the "itim" (times) mentioned above.

The task of Bnei Yisrael is to connect time as it functions below in nature to its higher root above.

וע"ז כתיב והי' אמונת עתך חוסן ישועות מה שמעלין כל הדברים אל העתים העליונים.

And about this it is written: "And the faithfulness of your times (emunas itecha) shall be a strength of salvations" — that one elevates all things to the supernal "times."

The pasuk in Yeshayahu, "emunas itecha," refers to this avodah of raising all things up to the higher "itim," which becomes a source of salvation and strength.

וז"ש ימים יוצרו ולו אחד בהם יתכן לפרש על יום הביכורים כמ"ש בזוה"ק אמור שעל יום זה נאמר יום אחד כו' יודע לה' ע"ש.

And this is the meaning of "days were formed, and to Him is one (echad) among them" — which can be explained as referring to the day of the Bikkurim, as is written in the Zohar HaKadosh, parshas Emor, that about this day it is said "one day… known to Hashem"; see there.

The pasuk "days were formed, and to Him there is one among them" may refer to Shavuos, which the Zohar (Emor) identifies as the singular "one day known to Hashem" — a uniquely elevated day.

וחג השבועות כולל כל המועדות והוא בריח התיכון מבריח מקצה אל הקצה מדת יעקב אע"ה.

And the festival of Shavuos includes all the festivals, and it is the "middle bar" (bri'ach hatichon) that runs from end to end — the attribute of Yaakov Avinu.

Shavuos encompasses all the Yamim Tovim, functioning like the central crossbar of the Mishkan that ran through all the boards "from end to end" — corresponding to the attribute of Yaakov, who is the all-inclusive middle line.

והרמז לזה דפסח ב' ימים סוכות ב' ימים שבועות יום אחד, כמו חמשה בריחים ובריח התיכון.

And the hint to this is that Pesach has two days [of Yom Tov], Sukkos has two days, [and] Shavuos one day — like the five bars and the middle bar.

The pattern of festival days hints at this: Pesach's two days and Sukkos's two days flank Shavuos's single day, paralleling the arrangement of the Mishkan's bars around the one central crossbar.

כמ"ש בזוה"ק תרומה אצבעא דארמא משה ע"ש.

As is written in the Zohar HaKadosh, parshas Terumah: "the finger that Moshe lifted up" (regarding the middle bar) — see there.

The Zohar in Terumah connects the middle bar to Moshe Rabbeinu, the one who gave over the Torah — reinforcing the link between Shavuos, the central line, and Mattan Torah.

לכן יש בו תנופה לכל הרוחות שהוא כולל הכל:

Therefore it has a waving (tenufah) to all directions, for it includes everything.

This is why the Shtei HaLechem of Shavuos are waved in all directions — because Shavuos, as the all-encompassing central line, includes and unifies every direction and every festival.

Summary: Although "there is nothing new under the sun," the Torah is "above the sun" and therefore perpetually renews itself — so Shavuos, the day of Mattan Torah, is called "the day of the Bikkurim," the day of constant freshness. Distinguishing "zman" (natural time below) from "eis" (its supernal root), the Sfas Emes explains that Mattan Torah inaugurated a higher "Torah governance," and the avodah of Bnei Yisrael is to bind time below to its higher root ("emunas itecha"). Shavuos is the singular "one day known to Hashem," the all-inclusive central crossbar — the attribute of Yaakov — flanked by Pesach and Sukkos, and so its offering is waved in all directions, for it encompasses everything.