Shavuot is also known as the holiday of “Matan Torah - the giving of the Torah.” The sixth day of the
month of Sivan, the holiday of Shavuot, is the cosmic day on which we finish the the counting of the
Omer and culminates the 49 days that we began counting on the first day of Passover. Many of us
know that the Torah was revealed on this day but we do not realize that there was actually much
more happening. When the awesome light of freedom was revealed on Passover, this light was given
to us with no effort from our side. That is why we “count the Omer”; to build vessels, through
correcting our actions that cause the Light to be concealed. On this fiftieth day after Passover, we
reach the level of Binah. An awesome amount of light is revealed on this day, as it is the anniversary
of when people of the world received the Torah. The energy of Zeir Anpin - the endless Light of “bila
hamavet lanetzach – when death was swallowed up forever, which resulted in immortality. The very
same energy of immortality is revealed each year on Shavuot. In order to connect to the awesome
Light of Shavuot we need to understand and appreciate the great opportunity available to us on this
day.
The Zohar reveals that the existence of the world was standing in the balance. If the Israelites had
not accepted the Torah then the world would have not existed anymore. Why is this? Why would a
nations acceptance or rejection of a book of wisdom have such ramifications? Was the destruction of
the world a punishment from the Creator for us mortals not accepting his beloved Torah?
The answer lies in a truer understanding of the Torah. Yes, the Torah is made up of letters words
and literal meanings, but, more important than all of that is the essence of the Torah. The essence
of the Torah is the Light of the Creator the source of all goodness. The Torah is a living awesome
force. It holds within it the power that sustains us individually and the entire world. Amazingly it also
holds within it the ability to stave off death entirely. In giving the Torah the Creator was in essence
injecting the world with his true essence. Furthermore he was giving all of us the ability to control our
lives by connecting through the Torah to his Light, the stronger our connection the greater the
blessings and Light that we draw. Up until that time the worlds ability to connect to His Light and
control their lives was limited.
With this understanding we can begin to appreciate the great opportunity of this day. We can
reconnect with the Creators essence, which can bestow to us and to the world, abundant Light,
blessings and Life.
Also we can begin to understand the amazing statement made by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in the
Zohar. The Zohar explains on a deeper level that what happens on Shavuot can be understood as a
matrimony. The Kabbalists explain that there are two main spiritual sources named The Holy One
blessed be He, and his female counterpart the Shechinah. They connect or separate depending on
our spiritual actions when we do positive spiritual actions they unite, and that union draws Light from
the supernal worlds, which then flows down to us. If we do negative actions we cause them to
separate, this reduces the amount of Light we receive. On Shavuot the amount of Light that is
revealed is tremendous, this is described as the marriage and union of The Holy One blessed be He
and the Shechinah. This is very beautiful and powerful time.
One of the best ways to connect to this Light is by staying up the entire night of Shavuot and reading
from the Torah. This reveals great Light in the world more specifically through the reading we are
preparing and beautifying the Shechinah the Bride for the supernal wedding. Rabbi Shimon in the
Zohar says: "Sit beloved, sit and lets prepare the bride on this night, for everybody who connects to
her on this night, will be protected for the entire year above and below, and he will complete his year
in peace."
This is a beautiful and revelatory statement. Rabbi Shimon is proclaiming here that if we connect to
Shavuot we are guaranteeing ourselves a peaceful and blessed life for the entire year. What an
amazing gift! And as is true in all spiritual things the greater our understanding and joy of this
amazing gift the greater the Light, which we draw from it, is.
Source: Kabbalah Centre, International
Student Kabbalah Group is an independent student group on the campus of Central
Michigan University and is not associated with any other kabbalah teaching organization.
All material here is (c) 2004-06 Student Kabbalah Group or
used with permission or according to "Fair Use" copyright laws.
|
