From Rosh Hashanah to the last day of Sukkot

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar explains to Rabbi Chiya the significance of the days mentioned in the title of this section. We hear that it has to do with the order in which God lifts up his right arm and extends it to embrace Malchut and unite with her. It includes the purification and fasting that the children of Yisrael do at this time.

Relevance

This passage expounds upon the deep secrets underlying the days between Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot. The words of Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Elazar ignite the unification and cleansing powers of these cosmic instruments.

These spiritual influences uproot all immoral qualities from our nature in a merciful, softhearted fashion. They cleanse all the iniquities of humanity, our sins, and our misdeeds, purifying and preparing us for union with the Light of Creator. Judgments are overturned. Sentences are repealed. The Right, Left, and Central Columns are balanced and perfected. All the worlds are refined and corrected.

And because the Zohar is above time and place, outside the laws of physics; because this mystical tome deals with the mysteries of the soul and the secrets of secrets, the effect and results are all-embracing - universal, macrocosmic, and in the Now. Our actions here are the ultimate atonement, bringing forth our Final Redemption and unification with the Light, thanks to the righteousness and power of the rabbis cited throughout this ancient holy book.

Rosh Hashanah Wisdom

27. Rabbi Chiya said to Rabbi Elazar, I should like to discuss these days from Rosh Hashanah until the last day of Sukkot. Rabbi Elazar said, But we have already studied them, and the friends have made their comments about them. Rabbi Chiya said, Of course, but I heard something about them from the great and Holy Luminary, RABBI SHIMON. He said to him, Tell us. To which Rabbi Chiya replied, I still do not grasp it AND IT IS NOT AS CLEAR AS IT SHOULD BE. Rabbi Elazar said, Although the friends have already discussed this matter, and it is beautiful, the order of these days is the secret of wisdom, among the reapers in the field, NAMELY, AMONG THOSE SCHOLARS WHO HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED ALL THE CLARIFICATIONS OF MALCHUT, WHICH IS TERMED 'A FIELD.'

27. אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אִלֵּין יוֹמִין, מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה עַד יוֹמָא בַּתְרָאָה דְּחַג, בָּעֵינָא לְמֵיקָם עָלַיְיהוּ. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, הָא אִתְּמַר וְחַבְרַיָּיא אִתְעָרוּ בְּהוּ. א"ר חִיָּיא, וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, אֲבָל אֲנָא שְׁמַעְנָא לְבוּצִינָא קַדִישָׁא עִלָּאָה מִלָּה בְּהוּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אֵימָא הַהוּא מִלָּה. א"ל עַד לָא קָאִימְנָא בֵּיהּ. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, אַף עַל גַּב דְּחַבְרַיָּיא אוֹקְמוּ מִלָּה, וְשַׁפִּיר הוּא, אֲבָל סִדּוּרָא דְּהָנֵי יוֹמֵי, רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא הוּא, בֵּין מְחַצְּדֵי חַקְלָא.

Atonement Fear Hands Head Judgment Redemption and Salvation Sin

28. Come and see: The order of unifying all into one, how does that go? We have learned, He began, "Hashem has made bare His holy arm" (Yeshayah 52:10). This is one arm, WHICH IS THE LEFT COLUMN on which are dependent salvation, vengeance, and redemption. But why DID HASHEM MAKE BARE THIS HOLY ARM OF HIS? It was to raise up the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY, MALCHUT, from the dust and to welcome her with Him so as to unite as one. When that ARM is raised up toward her, there is much fear present in the world, until He rests that arm under her head to unite with her, as it is said: "His left hand is under my head..." (Shir Hashirim 2:6). And then judgment rests and He atones for sins.

28. ת"ח, הָא אִתְּמַר סִדּוּרָא דְּיִחוּדָא כֹּלָּא בְּחַד הֵיךְ הֲוֵי. וְהָא אִתְּמַר. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, חָשַׂף יְיָ' אֶת זְרוֹעַ קָדְשׁוֹ, דָּא דְּרוֹעָא חֲדָא, דְּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא יְשׁוּעָה, דְּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא נוּקְמָא, דְּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא פּוּרְקָנָא. וְלָמָּה, לְמֵיקָם לָהּ לכנ"י מֵעַפְרָא, וּלְקַבְּלָא לָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, לְאִזְדַוְּוגָא כַּחֲדָא. וְכַד הַאי אִתְעַר לְקַבְּלָהּ, כַּמָה דְּחִילוּ שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא, עַד דְּיָנַח הַהוּא דְּרוֹעָא תְּחוֹת רֵישָׁהָא לְאִתְחַבְּרָא. כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר, שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי וְגוֹ,' וּכְדֵין נַיְיחָא דִּינָא, וּמְכַפֵּר חוֹבִין.

Body Zeir Anpin

29. לְבָתַר אָתֵי יְמִינָא לְחַבְּקָא, כְּדֵין חֶדְוָותָא שַׁרְיָיא בְּעָלְמָא, וְכָל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין. לְבָתַר אִזְדַוְּוגַת בְּגוּפָא, וּכְדֵין כֹּלָּא אִקְרֵי אֶחָד, בְּלָא פֵּרוּדָא, כְּדֵין הוּא שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא, וְחֶדְוָותָא דְּכֹלָּא, וְאָחִידוּ וַדַּאי, מַה דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח הָכִי בִּשְׁאַר זִמְנֵי.

Fear Hands Head Judgment Purification Repentance Rivers Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur Zeir Anpin

30. Likewise is the order of those days, from Rosh Hashanah until the last day of Sukkot, is like this. On Rosh Hashanah, the left arm is awakened, NAMELY, THE LEFT COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN, to welcome the Queen. The whole world is then in fear of Judgment, and the whole world has to be in complete repentance before the Holy One, blessed be He. Later, on the ninth of the month, the Queen comes and the palace retinue, NAMELY, THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL, make merry and immerse themselves in the river to purify themselves SO AS TO BE WORTHY OF the union of the Queen WITH ZEIR ANPIN, on the other day, NAMELY, THE TENTH OF THE MONTH, YOM KIPPUR (DAY OF ATONEMENT). For her union is accomplished by ZEIR ANPIN placing his left hand under her head, in accordance with the text, "His left hand is under my head."

30. כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַאי, סִדּוּרָא דְּהָנֵי יוֹמִין, מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה עַד יוֹמָא בַּתְרָאָה דְּחַג. בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, אִתְעַר דְּרוֹעָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא, לְקַבְּלָא לָהּ לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וּכְדֵין כָּל עָלְמָא בִּדְחִילוּ בְּדִינָא, וּבָעֵי הַהוּא זִמְנָא בְּתִיּוּבְתָא שְׁלִים, לְאִשְׁתַּכְחָא עָלְמָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. לְבָתַר אֲתִיאַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וּבַעְיָין בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא בְּתִשְׁעָה לְיַרְחָא, לְמֶעְבַּד חֶדְוָותָא, וּלְמִטְבַּל בְּנַהֲרָא, לְדַכְאָה גַּרְמַיְיהוּ בְּזִווּגָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, בְּיוֹמָא אַחֲרָא, הוּא זִוּוּגָא דִּילָהּ לְשַׁוָּואָה שְׂמָאלָא תְּחוֹת רֵישָׁהָא, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי.

Aba and Ima Atonement Fasting Head Sin Temple, The Yom Kippur Zeir Anpin

31. וּכְדֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתַעֲנִיתָא עַל חוֹבַיְיהוּ, וּמְכַפְּרָא לְהוּ. דְּהָא אִימָּא עִלָּאָה אַנְהִירַת אַנְפָּהָא לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא בְּזִוּוּגָהָא, וּמִתְכַּפְּרִין כָּל בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא. כֵּיוָן דִּשְׂמָאלָא מְקַבְּלָהּ לָהּ בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, דְּרֵישָׁא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא שַׁרְיָיא עַל שְׂמָאלָא.

Altar Chassadim Hands Water Zeir Anpin

32. On the first day of Sukkot, the Right COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN begins to move towards MALCHUT to embrace her. THIS IS THE HIDDEN MEANING OF THE VERSE, "AND HIS RIGHT HAND EMBRACES ME" (SHIR HASHIRIM 2:6). Then everyone rejoices and all countenances shine. There is joy in pouring pure water on the altar. People should be happy by rejoicing in many different ways. This is brought about by the right, for wherever the right side, NAMELY, CHASSADIM, rests, there has to be joy everywhere. Then there is joy with which to be happy.

32. בְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה דְּחַג, יִתְעַר יְמִינָא לְקַבְּלָהּ, בְּגִין לְחַבְּקָה וּכְדֵין כָּל חֶדְוָוא וְכָל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין, וְחֶדְוָותָא דְּמַיִם צְלִילָן, לְנַסְּכָא עַל מַדְבְּחָא. וּבַעְיָין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְמֶחֱדֵי בְּכָל זִינִין דְּחֶדְוָה, דְּהָא יְמִינָא גָּרִים. בְּכָל אֲתָר דְּשָׁארִי יְמִינָא, חֶדְוָותָא אִצְטְרִיךְ בְּכֹלָּא, כְּדֵין חֶדְוָותָא הִיא לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא.

Body Seventy Shmini Atzeret Torah World to Come, The Yom Kippur

33. Later, on the day of Shmini Atzeret, is Simchat Torah, as then the mating of the body NAMELY, THE CENTRAL COLUMN CALLED 'BODY' is taking place. This is the union of all parts, FOR IT INCLUDES THE MATING OF THE LEFT SIDE, OF ROSH HASHANAH AND YOM KIPPUR AS WELL AS THE UNION OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOLIDAY OF SUKKOT SINCE THE CENTRAL COLUMN INCORPORATES THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT. Thus all is one and this is overall perfection. And this day is definitely Yisrael's. Its portion belongs to them alone, for no other people has a part in it. THAT IS TO SAY, IT IS NOT LIKE THE FESTIVAL OF SUKKOT WHEN SEVENTY BULLS ARE SACRIFICED FOR THE SEVENTY NATIONS, BECAUSE THE NATIONS HAVE NO PART IN SHMINI ATZERET. Happy are Yisrael in this world and in the World to Come. About them it is written, "Because you are a holy people for Hashem your Elohim" (Devarim 14:2).

33. לְבָתַר בְּיוֹמָא תְּמִינָאָה, חֶדְוָותָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא הוּא, דְּהָא כְּדֵין זִוּוּגָא דְּגוּפָא, הוּא זִוּוּגָא דְּכֹלָּא, לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד, וְדָא הוּא שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא, וְדָא יוֹמָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִיהוּ וַדַּאי, וְעַדְבָא דִּידְהוּ בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ חוּלָקָא לְאַחֲרָא. זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַיְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְגוֹ.'