Shemini Atzeres: clinging to the Giver

ענין שמיני עצרת במד' יספת לגוי ה' כו' עליך להוסיף לנו מועדות כו'.

The matter of Shemini Atzeres — in the Midrash: "You have added to the nation, Hashem" (Yeshayahu 26:15), etc.; "It is upon You to add festivals for us," etc.

The Sefas Emes opens with the Midrash that derives Shemini Atzeres from the idea of "adding" — Bnei Yisrael asking Hashem to add an extra festival for them.

[מה] שנק' שמ"ע תוספות כי הז' ימים הם כללות עוה"ז לכן יש שייכות לע' אומות.

That which Shemini Atzeres is called an "addition" (tosefes) — because the seven days are the totality of this world, therefore they have a connection to the seventy nations.

The seven days of Sukkos represent the entirety of this physical world, which is built on the number seven; hence they relate to the seventy nations, for whose sake the seventy bulls were offered.

אבל שמיני הוא למעלה מהטבע.

But the eighth (shemini) is above nature.

The eighth day transcends the natural order of "seven," pointing to a realm beyond nature that belongs uniquely to Bnei Yisrael.

וע"י ששמרו בנ"י [את] המצוה בז' ימים כראוי זוכין אח"כ לתוספות מעוה"ב.

And through Bnei Yisrael keeping the mitzvah during the seven days properly, they afterward merit the "addition" from the World to Come.

By fulfilling the mitzvos of the seven days within the natural world correctly, Bnei Yisrael earn the gift of Shemini Atzeres — an "extra" that flows from the supernatural realm of Olam Haba.

כמ"ש ויהי נועם ה' עלינו שישרה שכינה במעשה ידינו כו' וע"ש בזוה"ק.

As it is written, "May the pleasantness of Hashem be upon us" (Tehillim 90:17) — that the Shechinah should rest upon the work of our hands, etc.; and see this in the Zohar HaKadosh.

The posuk's plea that the noam Hashem rest "upon the work of our hands" expresses this: our deeds in the natural world draw down the Shechinah and the supernal pleasantness, as the Zohar elaborates.

וכתיב ביום השמיני שלח את העם.

And it is written, "On the eighth day he sent the people away" (Melachim I 8:66).

The Sefas Emes cites the verse from the dedication of Shlomo's Bais Hamikdash, where the people were sent home on the eighth day.

כי אין שם השגה רק לבני ישראל.

For there, in that level, there is grasp only for Bnei Yisrael.

The realm of the "eighth" — above nature — is accessible to no one but Bnei Yisrael; the nations have no portion there, which is why the others are "sent away."

על ידי שהם חפצים לבטל עצמם למה שלמעלה מהשגתם.

Because they desire to nullify themselves to that which is above their comprehension.

What grants Bnei Yisrael access to this supernatural realm is their willingness to do bittul — to surrender themselves to what lies beyond their own understanding.

יש להם שייכות גם לעולם הבא וכדאיתא בזוה"ק בפסוק ואתה ה' אל תרחק שאף שהקב"ה גבוה מעל גבוה.

They have a connection also to the World to Come, as is brought in the Zohar HaKadosh on the verse "And You, Hashem, do not be distant" (Tehillim 22:20) — that even though the Holy One is "high above the high" —

Through this bittul, Bnei Yisrael are bound even to Olam Haba. The Zohar teaches on this posuk that although Hashem is utterly exalted, infinitely beyond all heights —

אעפ"י כן בנ"י מתדבקין בו ואין מניחין כביכול להפרד מהם.

Nevertheless Bnei Yisrael cling to Him and do not allow Him, as it were, to be separated from them.

Despite Hashem's infinite loftiness, Bnei Yisrael cleave to Him so tightly that, kaviyachol, they will not let Him part from them.

ולמשל המלך שמזמין לסעודה אח"כ מסתלק לביתו.

By way of parable: a king who invites people to a feast, afterward withdraws to his private chamber.

The Sefas Emes offers a mashal. A king hosts a great banquet for many, but when it ends he retires to his inner quarters.

ובניו והחשובים מלוים המלך ובאים גם לחדר המלך.

And his sons and the distinguished ones escort the king and enter even into the king's chamber.

Ordinary guests depart, but the king's own children and his intimates accompany him inside, entering even his private room — this is Bnei Yisrael on Shemini Atzeres.

כן בימי החג הוא התגלות הקדושה בעולמות התחתונים ובשמ"ע הוא למעלה מהטבע כנ"ל.

So too, during the days of the Festival there is a revelation of holiness in the lower worlds, while on Shemini Atzeres it is above nature, as above.

The seven days of Sukkos reveal kedushah within the lower, natural worlds (the "public feast"), but Shemini Atzeres is the private chamber — the holiness above nature reserved for Hashem's children alone.

והנה האומות שרוצין רק לחטוף להם מה שיכולין והולכין להם.

And behold, the nations, who wish only to snatch for themselves whatever they can and then go on their way —

The nations relate to Hashem's bounty only as something to grab and carry off; once they have taken what they can, they depart.

אבל רצון בנ"י הוא רק להתדבק בכח הנותן לכן מוסיפין להם.

But the desire of Bnei Yisrael is only to cling to the Power that gives; therefore an addition is made for them.

Bnei Yisrael do not seek the gift but the Giver — they long to cleave to Hashem Himself. Because of this, they are granted the "extra" day of Shemini Atzeres, the intimate time alone with Him.

וכל תוספות של הקב"ה מרובה על העיקר כמ"ש במד' חיי שרה:

And every "addition" of the Holy One is greater than the essential portion, as is said in the Midrash on Chayei Sarah.

Whatever Hashem gives as an "addition" exceeds the original — so Shemini Atzeres, the tosefes, surpasses even the seven days it follows, as the Midrash teaches.

Summary: The seven days of Sukkos correspond to this natural world and so relate to the seventy nations, but Shemini Atzeres is "above nature" and belongs to Bnei Yisrael alone. By keeping the mitzvos of the seven days within nature and, above all, by nullifying themselves to what lies beyond their grasp, Bnei Yisrael earn this added day — like the king's children who follow him into his private chamber after the public feast. The nations grab the gift and leave; Bnei Yisrael seek only to cleave to the Giver, and so receive the "addition" that surpasses the essence itself.