Parshas Shemini
1. On the verse "ויהי ביום השמיני" ("And it was on the eighth day"), the Kli Yakar asks: why does the verse call the day following the seven days of the Milu'im (the inauguration) by the name "eighth," which implies that it comes as a continuation of the days of the Milu'im? The days of the Milu'im were, after all, no more than seven days, as it is written1, "שבעת ימים ימלא את ידכם" ("For seven days shall He consecrate you"), and during those days took place the dedication of the Altar. The day after the seven days, however, was a matter unto itself — the dedication of Aharon and his sons, and not the dedication of the Altar.
He answers that the Torah calls this day by the name "eighth" in order to relate the special quality of that day. For immediately afterward the parsha states: "כי היום ה' נראה אליכם" ("For today the L‑rd will appear to you") — that on this (eighth) day the Almighty reveals Himself to you. The verse thus prefaces and explains why specifically on this day the Almighty will reveal Himself, and not on the preceding days: because it is the eighth day, and therefore it possesses a higher holiness than the preceding seven days, for "כל מספר שבעה חול ומספר שמיני קודש" ("every number seven is mundane, and the number eight is holy")2. This is also the reason why circumcision overrides Shabbos: because circumcision is on the eighth day and Shabbos is on the seventh, and "the spiritual overrides the physical."
2. When he uses the term "mundane" for the number seven, he does not mean literally mundane, for Shabbos is, after all, holy. Rather, since Shabbos too is included in the seven days of Creation, it is still connected with creation (the mundane); and relative to the number eight, which is higher than the entire realm of creation and is "unique to Him, may He be blessed," even Shabbos is called "mundane."
This is also understood from the example that the Kli Yakar brings here regarding the superior holiness of the number eight — that the harp of the days of Moshiach will have eight strings3. Obviously, the harp of the Beis HaMikdash, which had seven strings, is holy; yet relative to the harp of the days of Moshiach it is called "mundane."
All matters are reflected in Torah. We find something similar regarding Torah itself: Torah (even the Torah of this world) is certainly holy, and nevertheless, relative to the Torah study that Moshiach will reveal, it is called "הבל" ("vanity")4.
3. One must, however, understand: the Kli Yakar's answer seemingly does not resolve his question; on the contrary, the question becomes even stronger. Since "eighth" is a level that is "unique to Him, may He be blessed" — entirely above the whole of creation — it seemingly has no connection whatsoever to the seven days of the Milu'im, which correspond to the seven days of Creation. Why, then, is the day called by the name "eighth," which means that it is a continuation of the preceding seven days?
The explanation is as follows: all the revelations of the Future depend on our present service5. Although the revelations of the Future are of the level of "eighth" — as alluded to in the above-mentioned saying of our Sages, "a harp of eight strings" — higher than the entire realm of creation, so that created beings with their service cannot reach there, and the revelations will come by way of an arousal from Above6; nevertheless, we must have our present service, in order to draw down the levels for which service is a vessel. Then, after the completion of the service, the revelations of the Future, which are higher than what service can reach, will be granted from Above.
An example of this: on Shabbos there are, in general, two levels: a) Shabbos is one of the seven days of Creation, only in comparison with the preceding six days it is holy. This holiness, however, is also connected with creation, the level of hishtalshelus (the chain of descent), and it is drawn down through the service of the Jewish people, concerning which it is written7, "לעשות את השבת" ("to make the Shabbos")8; b) Shabbos is a foretaste9 of the Future, of the "יום שכולו שבת" ("the day that is entirely Shabbos"), which is higher than hishtalshelus; and, as said earlier, one cannot reach that level through service — rather, it is drawn down from Above, by way of an arousal from Above. As it says in the Gemara, regarding this aspect of Shabbos the Almighty says, "מתנה טובה יש לי בבית גנזי ושבת שמה" ("I have a good gift in My treasure house, and Shabbos is its name")10: the level of Shabbos is a gift from Above. A gift is received by the recipient not through his own effort, but only because the giver wishes to give him the gift (if it is given to him because of his work, it is an earned wage and not a gift).
Nevertheless, even the higher aspect of Shabbos is drawn down specifically after there has first been service, as our Sages say11: "מי שטרח בערב שבת יאכל בשבת" ("One who toiled on the Eve of Shabbos will eat on Shabbos"). This does not mean that service arouses and draws down the "gift" aspect of Shabbos; rather, it is as our Sages say12: "אי לאו דעביד לי' נייחא לנפשי' לא הוה יהיב לי' מתנתא" ("Had he not given him satisfaction, he would not have given him a gift") — had the recipient not brought the giver satisfaction, the giver would not have given him the gift. But when he gives him the gift because of the satisfaction he brought the giver, he gives him far more than that satisfaction is worth, and in this the gift consists.
The same is true of the revelations that took place on the eighth day of the Milu'im. Although those revelations are from a place that service cannot reach, they were nevertheless drawn down after the service of the seven days of the Milu'im: when the service was completed, the arousal from Above that comes of its own accord was also drawn down. Therefore the day is called by the name "eighth," because it comes after the service of seven.
4. Based on the above, one can also explain the connection between Parshas Shemini and Sefiras HaOmer, for in many years this parsha is read soon after Pesach — the beginning of the days of Sefirah13:
Regarding the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer, the Torah uses the expression14, "תספרו חמשים יום" ("You shall count fifty days"). The question is asked15: we count only forty-nine days! It is answered with the explanation that the Jewish people, through their counting — through their service — draw down only the forty-nine gates of understanding: "שבעה שבועות תספר לך" ("Seven weeks you shall count for yourself") (corresponding to the seven days of Creation). But because they draw down the forty-nine gates through their service, they are also given from Above the fiftieth gate (which is in the manner of "eighth" — higher than seven (weeks); that is why the fiftieth gate is drawn down on the festival of Shavuos, the time of the Giving of the Torah, for at the Giving of the Torah there was a foretaste of the revelation of the Future)16. Therefore it says "You shall count fifty days," because the Jewish people receive the fiftieth gate, too, through their service*16.
5. In truth, Sefiras HaOmer is a preparation not only for the Giving of the Torah, which is a foretaste of the revelation of the Future, but also a preparation for the revelation of the Future itself.
The precise wording of the verse17 is well known: "כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים" ("As in the days of your going out of the land of Egypt") — "days," in the plural. Seemingly, the going out of Egypt took place in one day, the fifteenth of Nissan. My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe [the Previous Rebbe], explains18 that the complete exodus from "Mitzrayim" will be accomplished only at the Future Redemption, speedily in our days; until then there are still "Mitzrayim" — straits and limitations — from which one must free oneself. Since the fifteenth of Nissan of the year 2448, the Jewish people have been continually in the process of going out of Egypt — the further one goes, the higher and higher one rises19 — until, speedily in our days, the Future Redemption will come, when we will go out of Egypt entirely.
The first service of the Jewish people, right after the exodus from the land of Egypt, was a counting in the manner of Sefiras HaOmer20. That is to say, Sefiras HaOmer is the first step in the service of reaching "as in the days of your going out" in its completeness — the Future Redemption, the level of "eighth."
6. Based on this we will understand the reason why Sefiras HaOmer is counted at night, and the day follows the night21. The offering of the Omer is, after all, a sacrifice, and with sacrifices the law is that "הלילה הולך אחר היום" — the night follows the day22. Yet with Sefiras HaOmer, even though its content is counting how many days have passed since the bringing and offering of the Omer23, the law nevertheless is that the day follows the night. This is not understood: since the counting is to count the days from the offering onward, why24 should the law of the counting differ from the law of the offering?
The explanation is as follows: the advantage of the Future Redemption over the Exodus from Egypt and the Giving of the Torah is this. At the Exodus from Egypt, and even at the Giving of the Torah, the revelation from Above did not come through service (for although they counted forty-nine days, in so short a time it was not possible for them to leave the forty-nine gates of impurity by the power of their own service alone and to be refined to such an extent as to become fit to receive the Torah). Therefore, afterwards — "במשוך היובל" ("when the ram's horn sounds long"), after the Giving of the Torah — the world remained in its coarse physicality25, until later the sin of the Golden Calf could take place — the root of all the sins that followed*25. The Future Redemption, by contrast, will come through the service of the Jewish people, which began with the Exodus from Egypt, to refine not only themselves but also each one his portion in the world26; through this the world will become a vessel to receive the revelation from Above in an inward manner. As it is written27, "ונגלה כבוד הוי' וראו כל בשר" ("The glory of the L‑rd shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see") — that even physical flesh will see the "glory of the L‑rd." And although the service of created beings is not a vessel for the revelation of the Future, nevertheless, as said earlier, after the completion of the service the revelations will be given from Above also in the manner of an arousal from Above that comes of its own accord, and they will be given in an inward manner.
It emerges that the revelations of the Future Redemption contain two extremes: a) a light will be revealed that is entirely above the world, which cannot be grasped even with the loftiest service; b) yet the revelation will be within the world, in an inward manner.
Since Sefiras HaOmer is the first service in preparing for the Future Redemption, then "משכרה נדע מהותה" ("from its reward we know its nature")28: from the fact that the reward for this service (in the manner of a gift) is the Future Redemption, …
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Notes
1) Vayikra 8:33.
2) See also above, pp. 812, 834.
3) Arachin 13b.
4) Koheles Rabbah 1:8.
5) Tanya, ch. 37.
6) Therefore the halachah (in accordance with the unqualified statement of the Midrash, Shemos Rabbah 15:11) is that the future redemption will be in Nissan, for Nissan is the level of arousal from Above (maamar "HaChodesh HaZeh" 5656; Likkutei Sichos vol. 1, p. 235).
7) Shemos 31:16.
8) However, within Shabbos itself there are, in general, two levels: a) Shabbos is sanctified and established of itself, and it is the level of arousal from Above (which precedes the arousal from below; consequently, the root of its drawing down is only from the external aspect of the light, whereas the "gift" aspect of Shabbos — the arousal from Above that comes after the completion of service — is from the inner aspect of the light. On all this see Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 24a–b; maamar "Es Shabsosai" 5700). Concerning this it is written, "ושמרו גו' את השבת" ("And they shall keep … the Shabbos"), for it exists by virtue of the drawing down from Above, only one must guard it. b) The level that is drawn down through service, and concerning this it is written, "to make the Shabbos."
9) But it is not like the actual revelation of the Future. Therefore the entire matter of Shabbos, even the "gift" aspect of Shabbos, is of the level of the number seven, and circumcision overrides it — as mentioned above from the Kli Yakar.
10) Shabbos 10b.
11) Avodah Zarah 3a. This refers also to the "gift" aspect of Shabbos (Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 24b).
12) This is stated explicitly in several places. See Megillah 26b; Gittin 3b; Bava Basra 156a.
13) See Shelah, section Torah Shebiksav, beginning of Parshas Vayeshev, who writes: "The festivals of the whole year … all of them have a connection to the parshiyos during which they occur."
14) Vayikra 23:16. Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 10d; Shir HaShirim 35c.
15) See also Torah Or on this verse; Tosafos, s.v. "Kasuv" (Menachos 65b); Rosh, end of Pesachim.
16) Tanya, ch. 36.
*16) See also below, Parshas Emor, note 8.
17) Michah 7:15.
18) See maamar "Kimei Tzeis'cha" 5708.
19) Although over the course of time there are many changes, with ascents and descents (see Chesed LeAvraham, at its beginning; Likkutei Torah, Va'eschanan, maamar "VeYadata," ch. 4, and its Biurim), Scripture says, "שבע יפול צדיק וקם" ("A righteous man falls seven times and rises"): the fall is for the sake of the rising and the ascent that follows it, and this fall and descent is necessary (see the end of the introduction to Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah; Torah Or, Biur on maamar "VeShavti BeShalom"). As explained at length elsewhere, between a previous level and a more elevated level that follows it there must be a nullification in between (and so too in the order of descent from Above to below: between one existence and another there must be "nothingness" in between, as explained in Shaarei Orah, maamar "Yaviu Levush Malchus," ch. 24 ff.; the series of maamarim [OCR unclear] (5694), ch. 2 ff.; and in several places). And since the descent is a necessary preparation for the ascent to the more elevated level, it is not a true descent, but rather part of the more elevated ascent. — In a homiletic manner, it can be said that it is necessary to say so: since the purpose of creation (which is a descent and hishtalshelus* from Above to below) is that there should afterwards be ascent after ascent from below to Above, it must be that this actually takes place — from the moment the descent was completed, ascent after ascent began, for nothing, G‑d forbid, can hinder His hand; especially since the purpose of creation precedes creation, and there, there is no existence at all of a root and source for the opposing side, as is understood. — Therefore one must say that free choice affects only the state of individual details, but does not change the sum total of creation as a whole, which is in constant ascent, since this is the purpose of creation. — And more deeply, one must say that in the individual person, too, the Creator's purpose is fulfilled, so that he is in constant ascent — for what is the difference? — and therefore the explanation is as above. Man's free choice determines only the speed of the ascent (similar to the saying of our Sages, "If they merit, I will hasten it; if they do not merit, in its time"), and the manner of the ascent: whether by first giving room to the opposing side, and specifically through this utterly conquering it afterwards (similar to what is explained in Sefer HaMitzvos, the mitzvah of the prohibition of idolatry; and nevertheless the one who makes this choice is punished, since this (a transgression for the sake of Heaven) was not his own intention), or an ascent without any retreat at all. This is akin to the difference between the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud: although every question stems from the side of evil, it too is part of the clarification of the law (from the sicha of 19 Iyar 5702 — Likkutei Sichos vol. 27, p. 363).
*) Hishtalshelus — from Chochmah downward; descent — from the Ohr Ein Sof to Chochmah. More generally: hishtalshelus — after the tzimtzum; descent — until the tzimtzum. See Likkutei Torah, Berachah 95b; Shir HaShirim 42b. See also Iggeres HaKodesh, sec. 20.
20) See Ran, end of Pesachim. And see Zohar III, 96a, end of the column, and Raaya Mehemna there.
21) Menachos 66a; Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe 489:3.
22) Chullin 83a; Temurah 14a.
23) See the Mishnah at the end of ch. 10 of Menachos, and Rambam (Laws of Temidin uMusafin 7:7), that if the Omer was reaped by day it is valid.
24) It is derived from the word "תמימות" ("complete") (Menachos, ibid.) — but what is the reason?
25) See maamar [OCR unclear] (for Rosh Hashanah); maamar "VeChol HaAm" 5705; and in several places.
*25) Therefore, "וביום פקדי ופקדתי גו'" ("On the day I make an accounting, I will bring [their sin] to account") (Shemos 32:34) (for whatever sin it may be), and as our Sages say, "There is no punishment … of the Calf" (Sanhedrin 102 … [continues on the next page]).
26) [The text of this note continues on the next page.]
27) [The text of this note continues on the next page.]
28) [The text of this note continues on the next page.]
Key Lesson
The highest revelations, symbolized by the "eighth," are far beyond anything our own effort can reach, yet G‑d grants them as a gift only after we have completed our own service of "seven." Our daily work, like the counting of the Omer, is therefore the essential first step toward the Future Redemption, when even the physical world will perceive G‑dliness.