Pinchas

The passuk states ביום השמיני עצרת “on the eighth day Atzeres” and in Parshas Re’eh the passuk states וביום השביעי עצרת “and on the seventh day (of Pesach) Atzeres.” What does Atzeres mean? And why does the Torah mention Atzeres by the eighht day of Succos and the seventh day of Pesach?

The Seforno explains that Atzeres means to be held back together. The last day of Sukkos culminates the happiness of all the Yomim Tovim. Therefore it is sanctified as a day of Atzeres, meaning holding back, and coming together into holy places; such as a Shul or Beis Medrish; to learn, daven or do avodah. One is meant to take his happiness and turn it into a happiness of Torah and good deeds. On the seventh day of Pesach, Yisrael were held back with Moshe together to sing shirah to Hashem.

There is another Yom Tov known as Atzeres, which is the Yom Tov of Shavuos. The passuk states וביום הביכורים…בשבועותיכם “and on the day of the first fruits, on your weeks,” referring to the Yom Tov of Shavuos. Onkelos translates  בשבועותיכםas ובעצרותיכון “and on your Atzeres”. The Nefesh HaGer brings from the P’Sikta Zutrisi that Onkelos’ translation is the source for Chazal calling Shavuos, Atzeres.

Throughout the Torah, Onkelos translates the Yom Tov of  Shavuos as Shavuos, why here does Onkelos change from the literal translation? The Nesina LaGer explains this is to exclude the opinion of the Tzedukim who say that the Yom Tov of Shavuos is the day after seven complete weeks, always falling out on Sunday. The passuk states about all the other Yomim Tovim in the parsha a month and a day for when they fall out. However, the Yom Tov of Shavuos only states וביום הביכורים and בשבועותיכם which is not a month or day. Therefore Onkelos translates Atzeres to remove any option of the Tzeduki’s opinion, and to strengthen the opinion of Raboseinu.

The Seforno says that Raboseinu in the Gemara call the Yom Tov of Shavuos, Atzeres. This is as the Mishneh brings: on Atzeres we are judged about the fruits of the trees. And the Gemara brings that Rav Elazar says: there is an argument about what to do on Yom Tov. Is it  לכם, enjoyment for yourselves, by eating and drinking, and/or לה’, dedicating for Hashem, by davening and learning. However, on Atzeres everyone agrees one need לכם for yourselves, because it is the day which the Torah was given.

Why is Shavuos called Atzeres? The Seforno explains: Shavuos is the day when Yisrael held back together to become servants to Hashem, and receive the Torah. The Torah does not explicitly state Atzeres because we ruined the special gathering together with the sin of the golden calf, thereby losing our crowns. The Ramban adds that the Atzeres for Pesach, which is Shavuos is like the Atzeres for Sukkos. Both are completing the previous Yomim Tovim.

May Hashem use all of the Atzeres to come close to Hashem with Torah and good deeds.