Shemini Atzeres: receiving through yirah and bittul

שמ"ע אחר סוכות עצרת תהי' לכם כו'.

Shemini Atzeres, after Sukkos: "It shall be an atzeres (gathering) for you" (Bamidbar 29:35).

The Sefas Emes focuses on the word "lachem" (for you) in the command of Shemini Atzeres, which he will explain as something given uniquely to Bnei Yisrael.

כי בסוכות יורד שפע חיים משמים לכל השנה לכל הנבראים.

For on Sukkos there descends an abundance (shefa) of life from Heaven for the entire year, for all created beings.

Sukkos is the channel through which a year's worth of life-flow comes down to the whole world.

ולכן שבעים פרים וניסוך המים.

And therefore there are seventy bulls and the water-libation.

The seventy bulls correspond to the seventy nations, and the water-libation draws down blessing for all — for Sukkos provides for the entire world.

אבל הכל תלוי בבחי' המקבלים.

But everything depends on the aspect of the receivers.

However much abundance flows down, what one actually receives depends on one's capacity as a vessel.

ואין כלי מחזיק ברכה אלא שלום.

And no vessel holds blessing except peace (shalom) (Uktzin 3:12).

Only the vessel of shalom can contain and retain the blessing that descends.

וזה ניתן לבני ישראל.

And this was given to Bnei Yisrael.

The vessel of shalom — the capacity to hold the blessing — is the special portion of Bnei Yisrael.

וזהו עצרת תהי' לכם דוקא.

And this is "it shall be an atzeres for you (lachem)" — specifically for you.

The word "lachem" teaches that Shemini Atzeres, the day of containing the blessing, belongs uniquely to Bnei Yisrael.

אם כי מצד השפעת הקב"ה כל הנבראים מקבלים אבל אין כלי הראוי לקבל רק בנ"י.

For although from the side of Hashem's outpouring all created beings receive, there is no fitting vessel to receive except Bnei Yisrael.

The shefa is offered to all, but only Bnei Yisrael have the proper vessel to truly absorb and hold it.

ופי' עצרת הוא בחי' יראה דיש רצוא ושוב.

And the meaning of "atzeres" is the aspect of yirah (awe), for there is "running and returning" (ratzo va'shov).

Atzeres, from a root meaning "to hold back," expresses yiras Shomayim — the "returning" pull that restrains the soul's outward rush.

ועיקר העצה להיות נכנס ההארה בפנימיות האדם כראוי.

And the main counsel for the illumination to enter properly into the inner self of the person —

The Sefas Emes now gives practical advice for how the light can truly penetrate one's penimiyus.

הוא ע"י ישוב הדעת שרואה האדם שאינו כדאי לפשפש בהשגת גבוהות כאלו ונופל עליו יראה ופחד.

— is through settledness of mind (yishuv hadaas), when a person sees that he is not worthy to probe into the attainment of such lofty matters, and awe and trembling fall upon him.

Calm self-reflection brings a person to feel his own smallness before such heights, and this humility awakens genuine yirah.

עי"ז מקבל הארה בלבו.

Through this he receives the illumination into his heart.

That very awe makes his heart a fit vessel, so the light enters and remains.

וזה עצה בכל השנה שיהי' נשאר בלב כמ"ש בספרים אמתים.

And this is counsel for the whole year, that it should remain in the heart, as is written in the true sefarim.

This approach of humble yirah is the way to make spiritual light endure in the heart all year round.

וזה הענין ניתן לישראל כי האומות לגרמייהו שמוכנים לקבל כל טובות עוה"ז.

And this matter was given to Yisrael, for the nations are "for themselves" (legarmaihu), ready to receive all the goods of this world.

The nations grasp at worldly good for their own sake, taking in everything offered without restraint.

אבל בנ"י מיד שמרגישין איזה דבר ממעטין עצמם כנ"ל ועי"ז מקבלין.

But Bnei Yisrael, as soon as they feel something, diminish themselves, as above, and through this they receive.

Bnei Yisrael respond to spiritual attainment with bittul, making themselves small — and paradoxically this is precisely what enables them to receive.

וזהו עצרת תהי' לכם.

And this is "it shall be an atzeres for you."

This self-restraint and humility is the "holding back" of Atzeres given to Bnei Yisrael.

וכמדומה ששמעתי ממו"ז ז"ל הפי' לעצור הלכם ונגיעה עצמית כנ"ל.

And it seems I heard from my grandfather, of blessed memory, the interpretation: to restrain the "for you" — the self-interested bias (negiah atzmis) — as above.

His grandfather read "atzeres lachem" as a call to hold back the "lachem," the self-serving personal stake, so that one receives purely.

[וז"ש סעודה קטנה שבא ע"י קטנות.

[And this is the meaning of "a small meal" (Shemini Atzeres's seudah ketanah), which comes through smallness (katnus).

Shemini Atzeres is called a "small feast" because its blessing is drawn down specifically through making oneself small.

ובזוהר מסטרא (דא"ת) [דמלכות] עביד סעודה זוטרתא.

And in the Zohar: from the side of Malchus a small feast is made.

The Zohar links this small feast to the sefirah of Malchus, which is characterized by receptive smallness.

והוא כנ"ל שבנ"י מונין ללבנה והוא מצד עבודת התחתונים כמ"ש עושי דברו כד' הינוקא והמש"י].

And this is as above, that Bnei Yisrael count by the moon, which is from the side of the avodah of those below, as it is said, "doers of His word," like the matter of the Yenuka and the Mashiv (in the Zohar).]

Bnei Yisrael follow the lunar cycle — the moon, which waxes and wanes, reflecting the "service of those below" who diminish themselves like the moon and thereby fulfill Hashem's word.

וע"י הכנה זו בחי' יראה הנ"ל מתעורר שפע מחדש.

And through this preparation, the aspect of yirah mentioned above, a renewed abundance is awakened.

The humble awe of Atzeres itself draws down a fresh flow of blessing.

וז"ש במד' עליך להוסיף לנו מועדות שעצרת נכלל בחג הסוכות.

And this is the meaning of the Midrash, "it is upon you to add for us festivals" — that Atzeres is included within the festival of Sukkos.

The Midrash pictures Bnei Yisrael asking Hashem for an extra day; Shemini Atzeres is that "added" festival, an outgrowth of Sukkos.

והוא שבנ"י זוכין להשיג יום טוב ע"י הקבלה כראוי כנ"ל.

And this is that Bnei Yisrael merit to attain a Yom Tov through receiving properly, as above.

By receiving the Sukkos light in the proper, humble way, Bnei Yisrael earn the additional Yom Tov of Shemini Atzeres.

וג' רגלים נגד ג' תפלות בכל יום שזהו תיקון הזמן.

And the three Regalim correspond to the three daily tefillos, which is the rectification of time.

The three festivals parallel the three daily prayers; both serve to sanctify and rectify time.

ומוסף הוא תוספות בחי' שמיני עצרת הנ"ל.

And Mussaf is an addition, the aspect of Shemini Atzeres mentioned above.

The extra Mussaf prayer parallels Shemini Atzeres — both are an "added" dimension beyond the basic structure.

ואא"ז ז"ל הגיד בשם רבינו מפרשיסחא ז"ל פי' הבוחר בשירי זמרה.

And my grandfather, of blessed memory, related in the name of our Rebbe of Peshischa, of blessed memory, the explanation of "He who chooses songs of praise (shirei zimrah)."

The Sefas Emes cites the Yid HaKadosh of Peshischa on the phrase from the liturgy, "who chooses songs of praise."

הוא כשהאדם נתמלא בשירות ובתשבחות באותן שירים שא"י לסבול בפיו בזה בוחר השי"ת כנ"ל.

It is when a person is so filled with song and praise — with those songs that he cannot contain in his mouth — that is what Hashem chooses, as above.

The praise Hashem most desires is the overflowing song that bursts beyond words, when a person is too full to express it.

והוא שמחת שמ"ע והיית אך שמח עד שמוסיפין שמחה יותר כנ"ל.

And this is the joy of Shemini Atzeres, "and you shall be only joyful" (Devarim 16:15), until they add still more joy, as above.

The overflowing joy of Shemini Atzeres keeps building, an "addition" of simchah beyond the joy of Sukkos itself.

וזה שמחת תורה בשמ"ע כי בשבועות תורה שבכתב.

And this is Simchas Torah on Shemini Atzeres, for on Shavuos there is the Written Torah.

Shavuos celebrates the giving of the Written Torah, while Simchas Torah on Shemini Atzeres celebrates something else.

ועתה שמחת תורה שבע"פ שבני ישראל גורמין.

And now (on Shemini Atzeres) is the joy of the Oral Torah, which Bnei Yisrael bring about.

Simchas Torah rejoices specifically in the Oral Torah, the part that Bnei Yisrael themselves generate.

שהרי ע"י היגיעה מחדשים חכמי ישראל דברי תורה שנאמרו למשה רבינו ע"ה מה שתלמיד ותיק עתיד לחדש.

For through their toil the Sages of Yisrael innovate words of Torah — that which was already told to Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, whatever a seasoned student is destined to innovate (Megillah 19b).

The chiddushim that the chachamim toil to produce were already given to Moshe at Sinai, yet it is Bnei Yisrael who draw them out into the world.

וזה ע"י היראה לקבל דברי תורה שבכתב על ידי זה מוסיף כמ"ש כל שיראתו קודמת כו':

And this comes through the yirah to receive the words of the Written Torah; through this one adds, as it is said, "whoever's fear (of sin) precedes (his wisdom)…" (Avos 3:9).

It is the humble yirah with which one receives the Written Torah that empowers a person to "add" — to bring forth the Oral Torah — for fear that precedes wisdom makes the wisdom endure.

Summary: Sukkos pours down a year's life-flow to all creation, but only Bnei Yisrael possess the vessel of shalom to contain it; Shemini Atzeres — "for you" — is the day of "holding back," of yirah and self-diminishment, by which the light truly enters the heart. Through this humble bittul Bnei Yisrael earn the "added" Yom Tov, the overflowing song and joy of Simchas Torah, rejoicing in the Oral Torah that they themselves draw out of the Written Torah they received with awe.