Shemini Atzeres and the level of knowing

והג' מועדות הם בחי' ג' אבות ושמ"ע הוא בחי' משה רע"ה.

And the three festivals correspond to the aspect of the three Avos, and Shemini Atzeres corresponds to the aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu.

The three regalim — Pesach, Shavuos, and Sukkos — parallel Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, while Shemini Atzeres stands apart, corresponding to Moshe Rabbeinu.

והוא תכלית כל המועדות כמ"ש וידבר משה כו' מועדי ה' אל בני ישראל.

And it is the purpose of all the festivals, as it is written: "And Moshe spoke… the appointed times of Hashem to Bnei Yisrael."

Just as Moshe transmitted all the moadim, the "Moshe" festival of Shemini Atzeres is the goal toward which all the others point.

דרשו חז"ל להיות שואלין ודורשין הלכות פסח בפסח כו'.

Chazal expounded: to inquire and expound the laws of Pesach on Pesach, etc.

Chazal derive from this verse that one should study the halachos of each festival on the festival itself.

פי' שיכנסו לפנימיות המועדות.

The meaning is that one should enter into the penimiyus (inner dimension) of the festivals.

Studying a festival's laws on the day itself is a way of penetrating to its inner essence.

ולכן בג' מועדות הי' ראיה בעזרה.

And therefore on the three festivals there was "seeing" in the Azarah (the Temple courtyard).

The three regalim are festivals of re'iyah (being seen / seeing) — the mitzvah of appearing in the Bais Hamikdash.

ואיתא כי בחי' מרע"ה הוא ידיעה שהוא למעלה מראיה כמ"ש בזוה"ק פ' וארא ושמי ה' לא נודעתי כו'.

And it is brought that the aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu is yediah (knowing), which is higher than re'iyah (seeing), as the Zohar HaKadosh says on Parshas Va'eira: "and by My Name Hashem I was not known."

The Avos related to Hashem through "seeing" (Kel Shakkai), but Moshe attained the higher level of "knowing" — a deeper, inner apprehension expressed by Hashem's ineffable Name.

וז"ש אתה הראת לדעת.

And this is the meaning of "You have been shown to know."

The verse links "showing" (seeing) to "knowing," indicating that seeing is meant to lead to a higher knowing.

כי תכלית כל הראי' לבוא לידיעה.

For the purpose of all seeing is to arrive at knowing.

Re'iyah is not an end in itself; it is the gateway to the deeper level of yediah.

ויש ג' עולמות ובכולם יש הסתר.

And there are three worlds, and in all of them there is concealment.

Reality is structured in three worlds, each of which conceals the Divine presence to some degree.

ובכח הג"פ יראה נתגלה הארת הג' עולמות.

And through the power of the three times "he shall appear (yera'eh)," the illumination of the three worlds is revealed.

The three pilgrimage festivals, each requiring appearance before Hashem, draw out the hidden light of each of the three worlds.

ואח"כ עצרת תהי' לכם הוא הידיעה.

And afterward, "it shall be an Atzeres for you" — this is the knowing.

After the three festivals of "seeing," Shemini Atzeres brings the culminating level of "knowing."

והיא התורה שנק' דעת.

And this is the Torah, which is called daas (knowledge).

The level of "knowing" reached on Shemini Atzeres is the Torah itself, the essence of true daas.

והיא מעולם העליון ביותר כמ"ש ואת עלית על כולנה:

And it is from the very highest world, as it is written: "and you have risen above them all."

Shemini Atzeres, the festival of Torah and "knowing," draws from the loftiest of the worlds, surpassing all the others.

Summary: The three regalim correspond to the three Avos and are festivals of "seeing," appearing before Hashem in the Bais Hamikdash, through which the hidden light of the three worlds is revealed. Shemini Atzeres corresponds to Moshe Rabbeinu and to the higher level of "knowing" — the Torah, called daas — which is the purpose toward which all the festivals lead, drawn from the very highest of the worlds.