Nullification of Idolatry in “Seven Days You Shall Eat Matzos” | Zohar for the Seventh Day of Pesach 5786 (Auto Translated)

Seven Days You Shall Eat Matzot: The Level of the Seventh Day of Pesach

Introduction – The Custom to Learn on Erev Yom Tov

Gentlemen, today is erev Shevi’i shel Pesach [the eve of the seventh day of Passover]. There is a custom to learn every erev Shabbat [Sabbath eve] and yom tov [festival].

It is certainly late, and everything in the Torah is truth, whether one hears it before, after, or in the middle.

I want to teach us as follows: They learned on erev Pesach a ma’amar [discourse], actually the week before that, I mean Shabbat HaGadol [the Great Sabbath before Passover], when they spoke about the secret of bi’ur chametz [the removal of leavened bread].

The Simple Meaning in the Verses – The Emphasis on Seven Days

The simple meaning is that the verse says several times:

* “Seven days you shall eat matzot [unleavened bread]”

* “Seven days se’or [leaven] shall not be found in your houses”

* “Seven days you shall eat matzot and on the seventh day is a festival to Hashem”

* “Seven days you shall eat matzot and on the seventh day is an atzeret [assembly] to Hashem”

One sees several times in the simple meaning of the verses, that we, for example, don’t grasp – I mean, one does grasp, but we don’t grasp – it appears that the bi’ur chametz, the actual action, the action of “tashbitu [you shall remove],” one does this on erev Pesach, or perhaps one enters Pesach feeling that one has already left the chametz, one begins to eat matzah.

The positive commandment of eating matzah is only the first night according to how the Sages learned. But one doesn’t grasp, there is a strong emphasis in the Torah that one should not have chametz, one should eat matzah, according to how we learn, the simple meaning of matzah is “he shall eat for seven days,” with the simple meaning not chametz.

Two Aspects of Matzah

On the other hand, the topic of matzah, the main seven aspects of bi’ur chametz, there are two aspects of matzah, yes?

First Aspect: Matzah as a Practical Mitzvah

There is an aspect of matzah which is a practical mitzvah, a part of the joy, “al matzot u’merorim yochluhu [on matzot and bitter herbs they shall eat it],” “ba’erev tochlu matzot [in the evening you shall eat matzot],” because this is the obligation of the first night when one performs the eating of matzah.

Second Aspect: Matzah as the Negation of Chametz – The Essential

But this is perhaps not even the essential aspect of matzah, it is only like a detail in matzah. The essential aspect of matzah is the bi’ur chametz within it, “seven days se’or shall not be found in your houses,” “you shall eat matzot,” that on this there is an additional action on this that one should humble the se’or, influence the chametz, so that there should not be any chametz on Pesach.

But the essential action, the essential existence of the matzah of the entire Pesach is essentially not simply chametz, they eat matzah and not chametz. It is not even the speed of the chipazon [haste]. Yes, the chipazon one must speak of on the first night, that is certainly the time to speak of the chipazon of yetziat Mitzrayim [the Exodus from Egypt].

The Difference Between the First Night and the Seven Days

This is all in the aspect of leaving the chametz, the first thing, the moment that one leaves is the strong action, the great vitality, the liveliness, one does something, one goes out.

But afterwards there are seven days that one eats matzah, and it appears explicitly in the verses that the seven days is a new level, a new level of the aspects of matzah, different from the aspect of negating the chametz.

Pesach Mitzrayim – One Day

As we can see, in Pesach Mitzrayim [the Passover in Egypt], perhaps even in Pesach Midbar [the Passover in the Wilderness] according to the simple meaning, but the law is certainly in Pesach Mitzrayim there was only one day, there was only one day.

It states explicitly “ki tavo’u el ha’aretz [when you come to the land],” then it will be, one will make Chag HaMatzot [the Festival of Matzot], one will make seven days. Seven days of Chag HaMatzot is only when one has arrived in Eretz Yisrael [the Land of Israel]. So it states in “ve’achlu hayom hazeh lechem oni lezichronah [and they ate on this day bread of affliction as a remembrance],” and then “vechagitem oto chag l’Hashem [and you shall celebrate it as a festival to Hashem].”

“On the Seventh Day a Festival to Hashem” – The Yom Tov of the Seven Days

And it states further in the next parshah [Torah portion], “seven days you shall eat matzot and on the seventh day is a festival to Hashem.” As I said, this means that this appears in Parashat Va’era, as it were, with eating matzah seven days, and from this will come, through this “and on the seventh day” is a festival to Hashem.

What is “Chag l’Hashem”?

Chag l’Hashem is a very lofty thing, it doesn’t appear on everything, it appears on Sukkot, it appears several times chag l’Hashem. What is the chag l’Hashem that is not the festival of the first night which has to do with the offering of the korban Pesach [Passover sacrifice] from the fourteenth, from erev Pesach, and one makes the night also, “bayom harishon mikra kodesh [on the first day a holy convocation]”?

Apparently this is all a continuation of the first thing of the korban Pesach. You have an extra law of eating matzah seven days, that is, not eating chametz seven days, this is a new level, a new aspect, and this aspect has a yom tov.

Shevi’i shel Pesach – The Yom Tov of the Seven Days

The yom tov of this aspect is called Shevi’i shel Pesach, it is called atzeret, “on the seventh day atzeret,” or “on the seventh day chag l’Hashem.” This is the yom tov that has to do with the seven days.

It is the yom tov of the first day, it is true, there is an extra yom tov. It could be that Pesach itself, the fourteenth, according to the aspect of yom tov is not really a yom tov, there is no prohibition of work. There is a custom, once there was a custom, there are places that had the custom not to do work, but there is no mitzvah of prohibition of work, it is not really a yom tov from the Torah. The yom tov of this is certainly Leil HaSeder [the Seder night], the first day of Pesach, which is all a continuation of this.

But the seven days, the level that is called “seven days you shall eat matzot,” the yom tov of this is “on the seventh day chag l’Hashem.” The yom tov of Atzeret shel Pesach, which states atzeret, “on the seventh day atzeret” appears in Parashat Re’eh, or the chag l’Hashem which is Shevi’i shel Pesach.

The Necessity to Understand the Level of Shevi’i shel Pesach

And one must truly understand the level, the aspect, one is not just to speak about this enough. Usually Shevi’i shel Pesach all the sermons go on Kriat Yam Suf [the Splitting of the Sea], which is certainly a great thing, one should learn that there was Kriat Yam Suf at that time.

But one must remember that the simple meaning of Scripture, afterwards, I mean that also the depth of the secret, later there is a secret of Kriat Yam Suf, the Arizal connected somewhat the secret of Kriat Yam Suf with the matter of Shevi’i shel Pesach, perhaps we will explain a bit, perhaps one will be able to understand it.

The Simple Meaning: Shevi’i shel Pesach is the Seventh Day of Chag HaMatzot

But the simple meaning, Shevi’i shel Pesach is the festival, Chag HaMatzot, the seventh day of Chag HaMatzot. One can say, on Sukkot there is the seventh day, or the eighth day we have Shemini Atzeret [the Eighth Day of Assembly], it is an atzeret after seven days, here it is after six days, okay, it is a bit different.

I saw the Sforno [Rabbi Ovadiah Sforno, 1475-1550] perhaps wants to argue that from him one sees no, that Shevi’i shel Pesach is a new thing, it has to do with Kriat Yam Suf, because just as the seventh of Sukkot is not a yom tov, except for Shemini Atzeret, which is the eighth, it is a new thing, and it could be that the eighth of Pesach is essentially what we call atzeret to Shavuot.

But in any case, the simple meaning is not so, the simple meaning is that seven days, so it states explicitly, “on the seventh day chag l’Hashem,” this already appears truly even before Kriat Yam Suf, yes, it is already a mitzvah for generations, it was already given in Egypt. And this is the holiness of Chag HaMatzot, it is “on the seventh day chag l’Hashem.”

The Great Question: Why Does One Need Seven Days?

Let us want to understand what is the level of Chag HaMatzot seven days to Hashem. What would be missing if Chag HaMatzot were one day?

This is Not Just a Learning Question

This is not just that this is a question in learning that one can ask, it is even a yom tov that is one day:

* Shavuot is one day

* Rosh Hashanah is one day

* Yom Kippur is one day

One can very well make yamim tovim [festivals] of one day, it doesn’t seem necessary that the yom tov should be seven days.

This is Also a Question in Reality

This is also a question in reality, it is also a question in conduct. Everyone who makes Pesach, he feels, the great effort of Pesach one makes the first day, Leil HaSeder, it is certainly a great yom tov, a great light, and afterwards one drags oneself another six days of Chol HaMoed [the intermediate days of the festival].

And when Shevi’i shel Pesach comes, okay, there is another yom tov, like a little Shabbat, but one doesn’t see why the seven days are necessary.

A New “Mah Nishtanah”

And the answer to this is, it is another question of yours, you can ask a new Mah Nishtanah [What is different].

Mah Nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot [What is different about this night from all other nights], we answered, we left Egypt that night, bechipazon yetzatem [you left in haste], so lechem oni [bread of affliction], what will only be the reason for this one doesn’t eat chametz the first night, shebechol haleilot anu ochlin chametz u’matzah, halailah hazeh kulo matzah [on all other nights we eat chametz and matzah, this night entirely matzah].

The child should ask further, velo od kashah li [and not only is this difficult for me], the child asks tomorrow, Shevi’i shel Pesach he asks a new question, why do we eat… shebechol hashavuot [on all other weeks], yes, it is a new question, shebechol hashavuot anu ochlin chametz u’matzah, hashavua hazeh kulo matzah [on all other weeks we eat chametz and matzah, this week entirely matzah], it is an entire week, seven days you shall eat matzot. How does this come about?

The Question Becomes Even Stronger

If you will say, the simple meaning is as the Rambam [Maimonides] says, there is no obligation to eat matzah, there is only a prohibition to eat chametz. Okay, shebechol hashavuot mutar le’echol chametz [on all other weeks it is permitted to eat chametz], it is an even greater question, why hashavua hazeh asur [this week is it forbidden]?

If you will say we left Egypt, very good. How long did we leave Egypt? We already celebrated yetziat Mitzrayim on Leil HaSeder. What happened today that one may not eat chametz an entire week?

The Rambam’s Approach to the Reasons for the Mitzvot of Yamim Tovim

And I want to say the answer that the Rambam wrote in the way of the simple meaning according to his approach, and I want to learn it in a bit as we see here lately, and bring up the explanation in the Zohar.

The Zohar doesn’t speak exactly of the question, regarding Shavuot almost explicitly the Rambam’s question, but also in several places where the Zohar speaks of the secret of seven days you shall eat matzot, he asks usually it is in order to answer another question, two other questions that he answers with this, but it seems to me that it also has to do with understanding the secret, the level of seven days you shall eat matzot. And afterwards we will explain this, Rabbeinu HaAri [our teacher the Arizal] in continuation of what we have learned.

The Rambam’s Question

So what did the Rambam say? The Rambam asked such a question. The Rambam is always, as always, very broad in the general principles of things.

The World Understands What a Yom Tov Is

The world understands, there are different yamim tovim, the world understands what a yom tov is, one doesn’t need truly, he says himself, that a yom tov, there are all kinds of mitzvot, the reason for the mitzvot of why there are yamim tovim is not so difficult to understand, it is not a mitzvah like sha’atnez [the prohibition of mixing wool and linen] that one must search for the simple meaning.

Certainly there is more depth and more profundity that one can do, not just understand, one can do even more on a yom tov than the simple meaning. But that there is a yom tov everyone understands:

In Physicality

Either in physicality it is a good thing, a person should rejoice from time to time

Regarding Society

Either regarding society, which is in the aspect of tikun hachevrah [fixing society], that people should gather together, one should rejoice together, it is certainly also a good thing for this

Tikun HaMidot

Tikun hamidot [character refinement], that which makes “vesamachta bechagecha atah uvincha uvitecha ve’avdecha va’amatecha vehaLevi [and you shall rejoice in your festival, you and your son and your daughter and your servant and your maidservant and the Levite]” as the Rambam always emphasizes

In the Aspect of Spirituality

Either in the aspect of spirituality, that one should gather together to learn, one should remember the wonders of yetziat Mitzrayim, the teachings of emunah [faith], the da’at [knowledge]

These are all good things, all simple and clear matters, it doesn’t need truly any reason at all, these are matters, clear things, these are not things that need an explanation here.

But Details Need an Explanation

Nevertheless, there are details. So when one speaks of yamim tovim truly, it is not difficult, why there is a yom tov is not difficult. But details, and why here it is so and there it is so, this is indeed a thing that needs a bit of explanation. There are several kinds of details that one must try to explain.

The Rambam Seeks a Reason for the Length of Yamim Tovim

One kind of detail is what is the secret of the length of yamim tovim. It is very interesting, because here the Rambam actually seeks a reason apparently for the kind of thing that everyone thinks he said in his introduction there that on such things one should not seek any simple meaning, why seven days and not six days.

The Rambam says at the beginning that there are details, not on all details can there be a reason, because there must be something. I made eight days, you would ask why eight days? I made seven days. So the Rambam says on the numbers of how many sacrifices one brings, and such kinds of things.

But in practice, when it comes to how many days yamim tovim are, the Rambam does indeed seek a simple meaning.

The Rambam’s Distinction: Two Kinds of Yamim Tovim

And he says that there is a certain order in this. He says that there are yamim tovim of one day, there are basically two kinds of yamim tovim, interesting:

Yamim tovim of one day:

– Rosh Hashanah

– Yom Kippur — perhaps actually Yom Kippur is not really the same kind of yom tov

– Shavuot

Yamim tovim of seven days or eight days:

– Pesach

– Sukkot

Let’s say approximately the same. Two kinds of yamim tovim, these are the yamim tovim from the Torah.

The Two Questions That One Must Understand

One must understand what is the secret. This is one level, one question. Another question one must understand, why specifically seven days. These are two different questions. Yes, or eight days, let’s say Sukkot is seven plus one, let’s say it is similar, yes?

These are two questions that one must understand:

1. Why are there great long yamim tovim, weekly, an entire week of yom tov, and there are yamim tovim that are only one day?

2. Besides this there are yamim tovim that have a special number of seven, a special number.

These two questions the Rambam asks, and he answers according to the simple meaning, and we will see in this simple meaning a good teaching, and the Zohar which continues on this the secrets of the matters, and the Ramban, the Zohar, and the other commentators who bring out more afterwards the Arizal, we will see.

The Rambam’s Explanation: Why Shavuot is One Day and Pesach is Seven

Beginning with the Second Question

So first, and it is interesting that he begins first with the first question, why is it seven days at all? But I want to begin first with the second question, why is Shavuot different from Pesach? Or one should say Rosh Hashanah, Shavuot from Pesach and Sukkot. Because both are one next to the other, yes?

After Pesach comes Shavuot, after Rosh Hashanah comes Sukkot. There are two sets of, true, there is also Yom Kippur, there is another day, but in any case, there are two sets of yamim tovim that have one day, and afterwards next to it a seven-day yom tov.

Passover is the Festival of Matzot — The Commandment of Not Eating Chametz

He says this: Passover is about the matter of eating matzah [unleavened bread], yes? Everyone understands, one must eat matzah. Why? We understand, but it’s a major theme of Passover, it’s called the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Passover is called the Festival of Unleavened Bread, it’s not called Passover, Passover is only the first day. The Festival of Unleavened Bread, it’s the Festival of Unleavened Bread. That is, one must eat matzah and not chametz [leavened bread].

The Difference Between Eating Matzah and Not Eating Chametz

Now, let’s understand this: if one says one must make a great festive meal, “al matzot umarorim yochluhu” [they shall eat it with matzot and bitter herbs], eat a Passover sacrifice, that is probably a matter of one day. Everyone sees that it’s a joy, a celebration, a great festival that was made in honor of, one even went to the Temple Mount, one makes a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, a special commandment and joy that was made in honor of the Exodus from Egypt.

But if one says something else, not eating matzah, not eating chametz, not eating chametz. Imagine that one night one doesn’t eat chametz, or two nights one doesn’t eat chametz, two days one doesn’t eat chametz. It could all be by chance.

The Passover Haggadah and the Maharal’s Explanation

The Passover Haggadah, the Maharal [Maharal of Prague, Rabbi Yehuda Loew, 1520-1609] says this: “shebechol haleilot anu ochlin chametz umatzah” [on all other nights we eat both chametz and matzah]. What does it mean every night to eat either chametz or matzah? No, it means to say, it could happen that one eats a little chametz, it could happen a second night, there wasn’t time, so one made matzah. It could be, it happens, it happens, or simply there’s a matter that one eats matzah.

The theme of not eating chametz, yes, the theme, understand very well and very nicely this way: the commandment of yes eating matzah can be fulfilled the first night, and specifically the first night. Then, one night one eats yes a matzah, that’s okay, it’s a special matzah, one makes a blessing “al achilat matzah” [on eating matzah], one makes clear, this is the matzah of “zecher liyetziat Mitzrayim” [in remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt].

The Ramban’s Foundation: Not Eating Chametz Must Be Noticeable

But the commandment of not eating chametz, says the Ramban, one cannot fulfill it in one night, it’s not possible. Why can one not eat chametz in one night? One can make an intention, I’m not eating chametz today because of the Exodus from Egypt, because of Passover. Very good, but it’s not so noticeable. One couldn’t even ask a question on this “shebechol haleilot anu ochlin chametz umatzah”. Fine, it’s just a night when one eats matzah. What can you do to me?

In order that it should be a distinct status, that one should feel at all, he calls it “kedei sheteheyeh margish” [so that you should feel it]. Two things:

– That you should feel it

– And “sheyitparsem ha’inyan” [that the matter should become publicized]

We remember, all these commandments have a matter of making known, yes, making known the miracles, making known the knowledge, publicizing, everyone should know. One cannot do it in one night. How long must one do it? At least several nights.

Why Specifically Seven Days?

On this will come the second question why exactly seven, but it must be a longer… It must be at least first of all, it must be a longer period of time.

One can say it should be like a chazakah [a presumption established through repetition], yes? Three would already perhaps be a question if it’s enough, yes? Three is a chazakah. What does that mean? First time, coincidence. Second time, coincidence. Third time, ah, there’s already a pattern, there’s already something, there’s something that one must understand.

Seven is the Opposite of Coincidence

The same thing is even longer than three, seven. Let’s say a simple thing, seven is certain that it’s not a coincidence. Seven is the opposite of coincidence, very interesting, yes? Not the word chazakah. One, two times something happened, but one can say seven is two times three plus one, it’s even more.

There is an opinion that chazakah becomes from the fourth time, yes? That is three times, after that the fourth time it’s a moed [an established pattern]. So, three times did something, okay, done, eating chametz and matzah. Ah, the fourth time, or the seventh time, already double, already without any doubt a chazakah, now it has become noticeable that it’s a real thing, there’s something a true reason why one doesn’t eat chametz. And only this way can one fulfill the theme of not eating chametz.

The Difference Between Passover and Shavuot

This is the holy Rambam’s distinction, which is not the case with Shavuot. Shavuot is a remembrance of the Giving of the Torah. How long did the Giving of the Torah take? One day. One remembers it in one day.

The same thing Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah is, let’s say, blowing the shofar is everything is for repentance. How long does it take to be aroused to repentance? Actually doing repentance takes ten days, the Ten Days of Repentance, at least, a whole life, but being aroused takes one day.

Passover Also Happened in One Day — But…

Simply, Passover is also a remembrance of something that happened in one day. Ah, one would have thought about this. Seemingly, this is how it looks, “hayom atem yotzim” [today you are going out]. But if one wants to do it through not eating chametz, not eating chametz one cannot do in one day. It’s not, it’s not any calculation. It’s only a calculation if one does it a whole week.

The Conclusion According to the Simple Meaning

So one understands already according to the simple meaning that “shivat yamim tochal matzot” [seven days you shall eat matzot], and in order to eat matzot which means not chametz, one must take seven days for this. This is the first level. And let’s already on this first level add what the Zohar adds to this.

The Zohar’s Explanation: The Secrets of the Matter

The Zohar’s Question: Why Isn’t Chametz Forbidden the Whole Year?

What does the Zohar say? The Zohar, two places, and two different answers, but both are in the same aspect of not eating chametz. The Zohar says, the Zohar asks, and one can the Zohar’s question, we spoke about this at length in the writings, and perhaps there were classes about this in previous years.

It’s a tremendous question, that if chametz is a hint for the evil inclination, or as the Kabbalists say deeper, that chametz is a hint for a husk/shell of impurity, for the inflated nature of the “make us gods” that we learned on the Great Sabbath before Passover. If so, why should one eat chametz the whole year? What is the contradiction? If chametz is a bad thing, it should be forbidden the whole year, like pig, like forbidden foods.

The Zohar’s Answer: A Parable of Royal Garments

Now, on this the Zohar says two different answers, at least, on the question. But I think both of them have to do the same, because both of them… I simply made a search in the Zohar how the Zohar speaks of the theme of seven days. Both of them the Zohar brings in the theme of seven days. It’s simple, because the prohibition of chametz is seven days indeed, but I think one must understand it in such a way.

The First Explanation in Parshat Bo

One thing the holy Zohar says in the Torah portion of Bo. Let’s give a check right away in which portion this is… Yes, in Parshat Bo. The first explanation that the Zohar says on this, the first thing that the Zohar says in Parshat Bo is, that he says a parable.

He says a parable, he says, he wants to bring out that chametz, the prohibition of chametz, is not literally that chametz is a bad thing. It’s more that chametz points to idolatry, let’s say, to the power of materialism, to the power of the seventy celestial princes, all these matters that we learn that this is the Exodus from Egypt, going out from them.

The Meaning of Going Out from Egypt

The Zohar says, that at the time when they went out from them, they went out against their will, went out from the dominion of chametz, from the dominion of the Other Side, forces of impurity, from the… The Zohar says there that it has many names: another god, evil inclination, the other harsh one [Aramaic], Pharaoh, Haman. It has many names there. There’s no difference how one calls it, the evil inclination is called by seven names, but the one who goes out from Egypt is exempt from all these things.

So essentially, that which one eats matzah on Passover and not chametz, is one must go out, one has already gone out, one has already gone out from this. But why does one eat?

The Parable: A Person Who Becomes Free

He says a parable, a person who was a simple person, he was made a free person, he was given a government position, he was given a high level, a high office in the kingdom. He doesn’t wear every day the royal garments, the special coronation clothes, yes? Special clothes that one wears, the crown, the special coat that one puts on in honor of the queen.

That one became a governor, a general, a nobleman, I don’t know what he became, one gives him something a special garment in order to dress in. He doesn’t wear it every day. Every day he does his work, and in other words, in a certain sense he lives in the weekday world, he lives even in the common world. He’s not always at the level of becoming a free person, of becoming the level. Becoming the level, that happened once.

The Application: The Seven Days of Inauguration

“Shivat yamim yemale et yedchem” [seven days shall your hands be filled]. One sees very nicely in the Torah, that one wants to make a person, the Torah portion of Tzav, one wants to make a person into a priest, he must seven days go and put on the priestly garments, yes, the many garments, one makes the anointing oil, one makes the inauguration ceremony, “shivat yamim yemale et yedchem”.

After that he’s still a priest, even when he goes out. During the service he must put on the priestly garments, but it doesn’t mean, he also has other services, “they shall teach Your laws to Jacob”, the priest is a teacher. Not always does he go with the level of “yemale et yedchem”.

The Application to Passover: Once a Year the Linen Garments

Why? Because one must think why, but perhaps this is the order. That one understands that the word is not that the chametz is itself the level, the not eating chametz is itself the level that one takes on, but a hint to this it is. The not eating chametz is the way how one goes out from level to level. It’s more that.

Therefore, only once must he do this. After that, says the Zohar, one makes a remembrance for this every year. Perhaps one makes a remembrance for the seven days of inauguration, not clear there. The High Priest brings a griddle-cake offering every day. He brings more than his death offering, which is the same offering that the High Priest brings in order to become worthy to become inaugurated, the High Priest does every day.

But the Zohar says that this is the order that once a year, when comes the anniversary of the time when he became received the honor, the position, he puts on again the linen garments, “and he shall put on the linen garments”, like a father puts on for Joseph beautiful clothes, “and he made him a coat of many colors”, says the Zohar, because it’s an aspect of “and he made him a coat of many colors”.

Why Specifically Seven Days of Passover? – The Rambam’s Explanation and the Natural Order

The Rambam’s First Reason: Seven as a Natural Number

This is one way how one can understand it.

And here further, here it’s already much clearer and closer to what we’re learning here. That is, it comes connected with what the Rambam says, because the theme is really the theme of healing. It’s very interesting, he’s going to bring what the first thing that the Rambam says: why exactly seven days?

The Rambam says this: why exactly seven days? Why not, I said three days, four days, which would also have been a chazakah? The Rambam says, first he says a reason: seven days is a good number, it’s a middle between the moon and the sun. A week – the sun goes through every day, the orbit of the sun is every day, one day. A month is thirty days, one divides a month by four, it makes sense to divide the month approximately by four, comes out a week. And he says that the order of a week has very much to do with the natural order.

The Question of the Commentators: Is a Week Really Natural?

The commentators struggle: what does the Rambam mean when he says that the natural order has to do with weeks? Seemingly, weeks are not a natural thing. So one says many times a week, the theme of a remembrance of the act of Creation, one says that the Almighty made the world in six days, the seventh day He rested. But one doesn’t see – the moon goes through in twenty-nine and a half days the moon goes around the world, that one can see in nature. The great orbit of the sun one can see from a year, the small orbit of a day one can see, but the seven days is seemingly not a thing that one can see in a natural manner. But the Rambam says that it yes has a natural thing.

Two Answers from the Commentators

The commentators say two things:

First Answer: The Seven Planets

One thing one can say that there are the seven planets. So one used to say once that there are seven planets, so they have each one of them has something to do with one day, one can understand that this also has a natural thing. That is, a complete orbit is one that goes through all seven planets.

This can be has to do with the first thing, the ascent to greatness, the drawing near, that was said that Israel is higher than the stars, that one ascends to greatness, that one comes to the level of “going outside, above the stars” [reference to God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:5]. This is the first level.

Second Answer: The Healing Cycle of Seven Days

After that he says, there’s a second thing. The commentators bring another thing, and I think we already spoke about this once, that a person is nothing but this [referring to the natural healing cycle], that when one makes a healing, the order is: a healing one must take for a piece of time.

Just as the Zohar brings here, usually a person has an illness, he takes antibiotics, he does a course of antibiotics. In most medicines this is the order, so it’s accepted by the doctors, for a very long time, also today. There are sometimes things with other numbers, but the most common number that’s accepted is seven days. This is the time period, which is a good time period, that seven days takes approximately for the body to swing through, to work through a new cycle, to become healed. So usually many medicines one says one should take seven days.

We see this also with the metzora [metzora: one afflicted with tzara’at, a spiritual skin affliction]. Metzora is an illness, and we see that the entire order of the metzora goes for seven days. Yes, we will soon come to Parshat Metzora [Parshat Metzora: the Torah portion dealing with tzara’at]. Seven days one makes hesger [hesger: quarantine], seven days one checks it, one comes back. Seven days is a tekufa [tekufa: period, season] in which one can see whether an illness is going up, whether it’s going down, or one makes a refuah, one does it for seven days.

The Application to Matzah: Healing for the Soul

Here it’s not exactly a refuah, it’s a tikkun [tikkun: rectification, repair], but ipuy haguf [ipuy haguf: the refinement/purification of the body] is seven days. There are many things where we see that seven days is a tekufa in nature, not only in the heavens, where we see the seven planets, but also in the world, in the body we see that seven days is a perek zman [perek zman: time period] that makes a change in the body. If one takes a refuah it needs to be seven days.

So it’s simple, that if one were to understand that matzah is merely a zecher liyetziat Mitzrayim [zecher liyetziat Mitzrayim: a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt], one would eat matzah, one could do it in one day. But if it needs to be a refuah, that is, it needs to make some kind of change, just as it made some kind of change then, or it’s a remez [remez: hint, allusion] for some kind of change that one makes in a person’s body, in a person’s eating, his maachal [maachal: food] is different, it needs to be a minimum of seven days, because that is the hekeif hativi [hekeif hativi: the natural cycle].

The Rambam’s Fundamental Principle: Torah is Healing of the Soul, Not Healing of the Body

And certainly, this brings us to the third thing that stands in the Zohar. Certainly this is perhaps the main thing that stands in the Zohar al pi Kabbalah [al pi Kabbalah: according to Kabbalah] regarding the topic of the question why there are seven days of Pesach, which already stands in the Ramban [Ramban: Nachmanides, Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, 1194-1270] and in Ibn Ezra [Ibn Ezra: Ibn Ezra, Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra, 1089-1167], and the Rambam meramez [meramez: hints at] to this, I don’t know how this is hinted at, but it has to do with this.

The Warning Against Understanding Torah as Physical Healing

The Rambam says: If someone will say that the Torah is natural, that the Torah is a natural thing, the Torah is something – the Torah is something merely like a medicine, a refuat haguf [refuat haguf: healing of the body]? The Rambam says in Hilchot [Hilchot: laws], well, what does one learn in Hilchot Teshuva [Hilchot Teshuva: Laws of Repentance]? If you will say that the Torah is refuat haguf, he is like holech shel hamakeh [holech shel hamakeh: one who is lost from the plague – referring to one who has no share in the World to Come], ein lo chelek le’olam haba [ein lo chelek le’olam haba: he has no share in the World to Come].

Why does the Rambam say this? She’omer shedivrei Torah refuat haguf einam ela refuat hanefesh [she’omer shedivrei Torah refuat haguf einam ela refuat hanefesh: one who says that the words of Torah are healing for the body – they are only healing for the soul]. If you think that the Torah is some way to be healthy, it’s a medicine, it’s not a medicine. The Torah is a refuat hanefesh [refuat hanefesh: healing of the soul]. It’s a refuat hamiddot [refuat hamiddot: healing of character traits], refuat hade’ot [refuat hade’ot: healing of beliefs/opinions], not refuat haguf.

The Torah Resembles Nature

So the Rambam says, true, but the Torah is mitdameh el hateva [mitdameh el hateva: resembles/parallels nature]. That is, nature is lacking, nature doesn’t have da’at [da’at: knowledge, consciousness], teva eino ba’al machshava vehitbonenut [teva eino ba’al machshava vehitbonenut: nature does not possess thought and contemplation].

That is, al pi Kabbalah, nature is only vak [vak: shisha ketzavot – six extremities, referring to the lower six sefirot without higher consciousness], nature doesn’t have gar [gar: galgalta reisha – the three higher sefirot representing higher consciousness], in nature there are no mochin [mochin: intellectual/spiritual consciousness]. And the Torah is mashlim the mochin of nature [mashlim the mochin: completes the consciousness]. This is the hanhagat Hashem al yedei hasechel [hanhagat Hashem al yedei hasechel: God’s guidance through intellect]. The Torah was given to ba’alei da’at [ba’alei da’at: people of knowledge], to bring da’at into nature.

But im kol zeh [im kol zeh: nevertheless], it is mitdameh el hateva. The madrega of gar, the madrega of mochin, is similar, it goes in the same structure as nature. This is exactly like, in other words, this is how one will see: a person’s body is healed in seven days, a person’s soul also. Ah, the soul is not the same. It’s not to think that eating matzah makes a refuat haguf. Lav davka [lav davka: not necessarily], it could be that it does, but lav davka. Rather the refuat hanefesh, the de’ot [de’ot: beliefs, opinions] that the matzah reminds of, it makes a zecher, goes in the same order. It was made for people with bodies. It enters into the more primitive reasons. But it is mashlim inyanim hativi’im [mashlim inyanim hativi’im: completes natural matters].

Brit Milah as a Parable: Perfection of the Soul Over the Body

What does he remind us of? Everyone knows, Pesach was also the generation of brit milah [brit milah: covenant of circumcision], one had to be circumcised [circumcise]. And regarding brit milah the Rambam asks the question: How can it be? It’s a question that is already brought in the Midrash [Midrash: Midrash, homiletical teachings of the Sages].

How can one say that brit milah is a shleimut [shleimut: perfection, completion]? “Hithalech lefanai veheyeh tamim” [Hithalech lefanai veheyeh tamim: “Walk before Me and be perfect” – Genesis 17:1] – this is brit milah. Apparently, one breaks nature, one breaks, one cuts off the orlah [orlah: foreskin], a person is born with an orlah. The principle is, “Vayar Elokim et kol asher asah vehineh tov me’od” [Vayar Elokim et kol asher asah vehineh tov me’od: “And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good” – Genesis 1:31], everything that is in the world is tov me’od, it’s the shleimut. How can it be that ma’asei Hashem einam shleimim [ma’asei Hashem einam shleimim: God’s works are not complete]?

The Rambam’s Answer: Two Levels of Perfection

The Rambam says there, yes, you must understand that a person has two levels. A person has his body, perhaps mitzad haguf [mitzad haguf: from the perspective of the body] he was more shalem [shalem: complete] with the orlah, could be, lav davka, but could be. But a person, the essence of a person is his soul. A person’s soul is better without the orlah, because then he is meimit his ta’avot [meimit his ta’avot: subdues his desires], he has correct de’ot, all these things.

The Torah is the shleimut of the soul, of the de’ot, not of the body. But it goes in the same similar way. Therefore he says that milah is bashemini [bashemini: on the eighth day], yes, the seven is the higher nature of Pesach, the eighth that is milah, but it is yes shleimut, it is mashlim a person [mashlim a person: completes a person], it is mashlim the nature of a person, but it’s lav davka through the fact that he has a complete body, rather through the fact that he has a complete soul.

The Higher Level of Seven: From Nature to Kabbalah

So since we understand that it doesn’t mean that one just needs to eat matzah so that the body should change from the matzah seven days should be a nikuy [nikuy: cleansing]. It also shows that here, if one will say al pi peshat [al pi peshat: according to the simple meaning], the matzah comes to teach something, to show something, and the thing that one shows is also something a topic of shiv’ah [shiv’ah: seven], it’s also something an inyan [inyan: matter, concept] of shiv’at yamim [shiv’at yamim: seven days].

Just as with the body it takes seven that this is the higher, so it goes a cycle seven seven seven, so there is also in the more sichli’dige madregot [sichli’dige madregot: intellectual levels] in the world there are seven days.

The Kabbalistic Understanding of Seven

And this is certainly understood in the Ramban, that seven is a remez to the seven days of the week, and even higher than that, the seven planets, there are seven sefirot [sefirot: sefirot, divine emanations in Kabbalah], or seven malachim [malachim: angels], or seven sefirot even higher, seven madregot, and the seven madregot that is truly the reason why there is everything goes seven.

And we have sefirat ha’omer [sefirat ha’omer: the counting of the Omer], and Chag HaShavuot [Chag HaShavuot: the Festival of Weeks/Shavuot] which is again seven times seven, it shows us the topic of the order of seven. There are seven thousand years in the world, etc. etc. etc. [etc.: and so on], everything goes on this seven, and this is the higher madrega of this seven.

“Bashiv’at Yamim” Versus “Shiv’at Yamim”: Time Versus Levels

In other words, not only, if one wants to interpret it, that one should say not only the body, so that a person should grasp that he eats chametz [chametz: leavened bread] needs to take him seven days, but also so that a person should grasp the lesson, the message that the chametz gives him, takes him seven days, or it takes him seven madregot, perhaps lav davka seven days, this is bechinat shiv’at yamim [bechinat shiv’at yamim: the aspect of seven days]. Not “bashiv’at yamim” [bashiv’at yamim: in seven days – referring to a time period] but “shiv’at yamim” [shiv’at yamim: seven days – referring to seven levels/aspects]. That the shiv’at yamim, the seven days, should be like one day, that one should eat with the matzah the seven days.

The Question of the Level and the Preparation

Ah, so what is the madrega? What is the hachana [hachana: preparation] to the madrega? What is the madrega? Simply that the thing, what is the shiv’at yamim itself, not the bashiv’at yamim, not the seven days of the olam hateva [olam hateva: the natural world], but the seven days themselves which is the olam hateva, which is a zecher for them, there is wrestling.

Shiv’at Yemei HaMatzot: The Level of Smallness and the Path of Ascent to Greatness

Chapter 4: Lechem Oni – The Essence of Seven Days as a Level of Deficiency

Seven Days as an Independent Aspect

Or the seven madregot, perhaps specifically seven days, the bechinot shiv’at yamim. Yes, not until shiv’at yamim, but shiv’at yamim. Yes, he says so, “Shiv’at yamim tochal matzah” – you will eat with the matzah the seven days. Ah, and what is the madrega? But we must ask ourselves, what is the madrega? What is this thing that is the shiv’at yamim itself? Not the until shiv’at yamim, not the seven days of the olam hateva, or the seven days themselves which is the olam hateva which they are worthy for them, which this brings us to be.

The Connection Between Matzah and Lechem Oni

We will understand an interesting thing. And this is also true, I think this is a deeper reason why one eats only matzah and not chametz seven days and not a whole year, because this has to do with what is called lechem oni. That is, that matzah is truly a chesaron. And truly that the place, or one place in Devarim where it says “Shiv’at yamim tochal alav matzot”, there it says “lechem oni”.

That is, “Shiv’at yamim tochal matzot” has to do with the fact that matzah is lechem oni. In other words, the shiv’at yamim are not exactly the highest madrega, they are still lechem oni. And regarding this it is only seven days, because we don’t want to remain with the lechem oni, we want to arrive at the manna, we want to arrive at the higher madrega, to the shtei halechem, to the lechem ashir, yes.

Chapter 5: Hallel She’eino Shalem – The Difference Between Pesach and Sukkot

Why We Don’t Say Complete Hallel on Pesach

So how does one understand this? And truly, this is also the reason why, everyone knows that Pesach is different from Sukkot, one doesn’t say complete Hallel the entire seven days. That is, one says so, because it’s still bechinot lechem oni. The seven days is lechem oni, it’s still not the shleimut.

This is “shavu veshavu” that stands by Shlomo and by Chizkiyahu, “shavu veshavu”, shavu tachtonim kiveyachol. Therefore he calls it seven days, from madregat hamalchut. That is, atzeret, bayom hashevi’i atzeret, atzeret means the malchut. Then, this is Hallel she’eino shalem, except the first night, we spoke about a different point.

Sukkot – The Level of Greatness

But Sukkot, Sukkot is already a higher madrega, Sukkot is the yemei gadlut, when then one can make seven days shleimut, yes, seven days of complete Hallel.

The Two Reasons for Not Saying Hallel – Kriat Yam Suf

And truly, it appears that this has to do with the topic of Kriat Yam Suf, why? There is indeed another reason that is brought in the Beit Yosef and in the Midrash, that one doesn’t say Hallel the second days of Pesach, or the Chol HaMoed of Pesach, because Kriat Yam Suf there is some aspect of difficulty. Certainly Kriat Yam Suf is tremendous, but “Ma’asei yadai tov’im bayam ve’atem omrim shira”, there is some difficulty in this, and apparently in honor of this one doesn’t say Hallel.

And certainly the commentators ask, if so, what about the other six days of Chol HaMoed, the other five days? And they say answers, forced answers.

The Depth: All of Pesach is an Aspect of Smallness

I think the depth of this is, that Kriat Yam Suf shows us that the entire Pesach is still an aspect of katnut. Still everything here, what does katnut mean? “Ma’asei yadai tov’im bayam” means katnut. What does katnut mean? That we still need to fight.

Now one already understands half the secret. One still needs to fight. Certainly this is a great madrega, “Yamutu resha’im veyir’u tzaddikim veyismchu” – good. But what is even better? Is “Yitamu resha’im velo chot’im”, “Yitamu chata’im velo chot’im”. Even better is that there is no Pharaoh at all, or that Pharaoh admits, “Hashem hatzaddik”. That would have been the plan, that Pharaoh should admit. Meanwhile we still had to fight with him, so there is still a bit of chesaron.

This means that one must have this, it’s an important step, without this there would not have been any success, but it’s still a chesaron.

Comparison to Sukkot – Elevating the Seventy Nations

Without this one still doesn’t properly understand the shiv’at yamim, it’s still a small shiv’at yamim. If so is the entire shiv’at yamim, certainly in this shiv’at yamim there was a great miracle, but in any case one sees that one still had to fight with Pharaoh. This is apparently “Halalu ovdei avodah zarah vehalalu ovdei avodah zarah”. Ah, no, it’s still different. The Jewish idol worshipers are still different from the gentile idol worshipers. Very good. But from the side of truth it’s still not the shleimut. On this there still doesn’t come complete Hallel.

I think this is the comparison of the two reasons, one can learn that this is the same thing.

If so we only need to add at the end of the shiur, to say what is perhaps the thing, the katnut, what is the point, why is it lacking on one hand? It’s not enough, let’s say so.

Chapter 6: Biur Chametz – The Negation of the Physical Conception

Chametz as a Symbol of Physical Conception

First of all, with what is it not enough? That is, we have learned that chametz points to the topic of elohim acherim, it points to the topic of physical conception, that a person, his imagination, even his senses, his imagination, which many people think is their thought, can only grasp physical things, only things that have volume, yes, just as chametz has length and height and width, yes, it has three dimensions, this he can grasp.

This is chametz, therefore the halacha says, even the halacha, kal vachomer the Almighty Himself is not a physical thing, not a knowledge of body, one must burn the chametz, one must be careful not to grasp it.

Chapter 7: Shiv’at Yamim Against the Seven Planets – The Deep Secret

Why Specifically Seven Days

The problem is however, let’s say such a word, the problem is that this cannot be in a minute. One will say one day, yes, one will say the same thing that they said regarding chametz simply, that one day, let’s say for example, someone serves an idol worshiper, his god is an idol of wood and stone, he needs to have an image and form, he serves some statue and picture, tavnit adam or behemah, tavnit, one of the tavnit that stands there in the Chumash, one of the things, this is his god, very good.

The Parable: One Day Is Not Sufficient

Comes a Jew, and one day he doesn’t, comes Avraham Avinu, he breaks one day, he doesn’t serve, he makes a prayer, to whom are you praying? To the God of heaven, to no one, there is no statue, it’s the Ein Sof, it’s One, Hashem Echad. One says, okay, perhaps this is another god, yes, one can make such a mistake, the idol worshiper also held that there is the one God who is One above, he says, okay, every one day you serve the sun, one day the moon, and one day Shabbat you serve the One above, the God of gods, no problem.

The Innovation: Hashem Echad – And No Other

But we want to tell you something deeper, yes, we want to tell you something much deeper, we want to tell you that the prohibition of idolatry doesn’t simply mean that there is also an elohei elohim (god of gods), there is also Hashem echad (God is one), but rather that there is only Hashem echad. A great chiddush (novel insight), one must understand this, this is already a great chiddush. In other words, it’s not enough one day, to say that it’s by chance, you thought that he is another god. No, I must not do for seven days, and seven days is against the seven wandering stars, which are the stars and constellations that the idol worshippers served.

Explanation of the Seven Wandering Stars

The first day the constellation, what is it called? The, I don’t remember anymore, the Shabbatai, and Tzedek, and Kochav, and so forth all these constellations, they, each one of their days, it goes like Sunday, because comes a Jew Shabbos, I don’t know, even Shabbos, Shabbos is also one of the forces, let’s say so, if a Jew would one day in the year not serve but the Almighty, he would say okay, what is Sunday? Presumably the gentile serves the god of Sunday. No, Sunday I also serve the Almighty. Comes Monday, says the gentile, presumably today he serves the god of Monday. No, Monday also not, Tuesday also not.

The Explanation: Every Day – Only Hashem

This is the seven days, “shiv’at yamim tochal matzos” (seven days you shall eat matzos), each one of the false days where there is a false god, that means one of the forces is false in the aspect of god, not false in the aspect of angel, in the aspect of forces, one must show that not only that I also serve the Almighty besides that, but you are not the Almighty on any one of the days. This is the secret of “shiv’at yamim tochal matzos.”

Chapter 8: Chochma and Bina – Deep Understanding Versus Momentary Understanding

The Level of Chochma – A Flashing Lightning

But this is certainly a great greatness, and certainly this must be done, this is the limit, that means one learns one day. Or one can even say simply, one minute, Pesach sugya (topic), Pesach ro’eh (sees), he understands in the aspect of chochma (wisdom), a flashing lightning, he understands Godliness, is not enough.

The Level of Bina – Seven Days

One must learn it in the aspect of bina (understanding). Bina is the… This we speak of a katnus (smallness) of bina, truly, but bina of all seven days, he goes through, he learns it with all the questions and all the answers, until he understands one whole week, he truly understands it, it’s not just by chance, it’s not just a verse a dance, it’s truly.

But the whole thing is still everything in the aspect of katnus. This is what we learn on Pesach, that the whole thing is still everything in the aspect of katnus.

Chapter 9: Katnus and Gadlus – War Versus Elevation

Why Is All This Still Katnus

Why is the whole thing still in the aspect of katnus? Because in gadlus (greatness) one doesn’t fight. The aspect of gadlus is yes seven days, but not fighting each day.

Sukkos – Elevation of the Princes

On the contrary, Pesach… what does one do Sukkos on all seven days? One brings seventy bulls. That means, against the seventy princes one brings seventy sacrifices. One gives abundance for each one of the bulls, yes? In other words, one elevates them to holiness. This is the level of Sukkos, and the Shavuos of Pesach was merchandise of this, from this one can say “zeh Keli v’anveihu” (this is my God and I will glorify Him).

Chapter 10: Deep Explanation – What Is the Error of Idolatry

The Error: Seeing the Forces as Divinity

In other words, and I say it briefly, one must bring it out much clearer, but it’s already the end of the shiur (lecture). In other words, what is the error of idolatry? The error is that he only comes to the Shabbatai, Tzedek, Chama, Kochav, Noga, Levana, etc., he only thinks that one of these things runs the world, and he doesn’t know beyond that.

The Jewish Response: “Uvchol elohei Mitzrayim e’eseh shfatim”

What do we do? We say on each one of the days, he goes as it were, one goes through to each elohei Mitzrayim (gods of Egypt), “uvchol elohei Mitzrayim e’eseh shfatim” (and upon all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments), yes? Someone thought that Ba’al Tzefon… says Rashi, he remained, they didn’t kill him? No, him also one had to kill the seven days.

This is a great katnus, yes? Because someone who has a little intellect understands that one doesn’t need to go through each one. And not only doesn’t one need to go through each one, one doesn’t need to nullify each one externally.

A Higher Level: “Gadol Hashem mikol ha’elohim”

What do we say? “Gadol Adoneinu v’rav ko’ach” (Great is our Lord and abundant in strength), “gadol Hashem mikol ha’elohim” (Hashem is greater than all the gods). He is higher, He is also… one can even say that He is the force that is in each one of the gods, right? He runs the sun and the moon and the stars and everything. One doesn’t need to go break the sun and break the stars and break each thing externally. This is all katnus.

“Zeh Keli v’anveihu” – Seeing the Divinity

And not only that, there is a true way of what we spoke of the Name of Hashem. One can also see the Almighty, one can also say “zeh Keli v’anveihu,” as it were. Just as we say “eleh” (these), what is the difference “eleh elohecha Yisrael” (these are your gods, Israel)? It’s different, plural language, singular language, it’s a great difference.

But it’s still always somewhat an aspect that we say, not God forbid we say that He is the god. Yes, that “zeh Keli v’anveihu” doesn’t mean that He is the god. He is not the god. Whatever one can see is not the god. This one may not say, this is idolatry.

Preparation for Gadlus

Therefore one must have seven days of katnus, seven days of removal of idolatry of “lo tochal alav chametz” (you shall not eat leavened bread with it).

Chapter 11: Atzeres – The Transition from Katnus to Gadlus

“Uvayom hashvi’i chag l’Hashem” – Atzeres

“Uvayom hashvi’i chag l’Hashem” (And on the seventh day a festival to Hashem). What is the atzeres (assembly/restraint) to Hashem? The atzeres, that one restrains oneself, yes, atzeres truly, the order that we said, “im ratz libcha shuv l’echad” (if your heart races, return to the One), one restrains oneself, means that the imagination wants to add, and one says no, this is not, it’s not the god. Okay.

Atzeres – Ne’etzar: The Containment in Divinity in a Vessel

After one does the atzeres, but the opposite of this is also “ne’etzar,” it’s also, the Zohar says “ne’etzar” is a language of containment, the Godliness becomes contained as it were in a certain vessel. What this means is, and I’m not going to explain now how it can be, but what this means is that if one holds by the gadlus, then one can yes, one can see, one can have a Mikdash (Temple), one can have a Torah, one can have mitzvos, one can have all these things, only without any error that these things are god. But they are yes.

In other words, that the Almighty chose to reveal Himself, or we from our side of our katnus see Him so, whatever it may be.

The Result: Seeing Without Error

This, whoever hasn’t eaten chametz for seven days, he can see this, because he has no concern of error, he has no concern of error in this. Not only does he have no concern of error it is said, but he also understands that the seven days that one is careful from chametz is a certain katnus, and one must afterwards come much higher.

—

Okay, this is in main points. In main points, the drasha (sermon) was much clearer than the foundation, but in main points we understood the main thing.

The Work of Removing Chametz: From Katnus to Gadlus

Chapter 5: Summary of Principles – The Essence of Katnus and Gadlus

The Recognition of the Rebbe’s Understanding

Not only does he have no concern of error as he said, but he also understands that the seven days that I am removing the chametz is a certain katnus, and I must still come much higher.

Overview of the Drasha

Okay, this is in main points. The drasha was much clearer than the foundation, but in main points we understood the main thing, that one must be able, and let’s just repeat the same, repeat the main thing.

The Main Point: Recognizing the Almighty in the Seven Days

One must be able seven days not to eat matza, and one should say that it’s a proclamation, and in other words one should say that here too there is a god.

The Difference Between Katnus and Gadlus

The Aspect of Katnus: Negating the False Forces

But what, in the katnus one goes through each one of them and says no:

– Not a god

– Not a god

– Not a god

Only One is the God.

The Aspect of Gadlus: Integration of Sparks

And the gadlus that on the seventh of Pesach is an integration of sparks of this, even still in the aspect of katnus, is to say that the One who is only One, automatically all are only One.

The Secret of the Gadlus: Subjugation Through Unity

One can subjugate the sun, and with this one subjugates the Almighty truly. This is the secret of the gadlus.

The Conclusion: The Seventh of Pesach Is Still Katnus

And on the seventh of Pesach we still don’t have words to say it properly, and we say that it is still the aspect of katnus.