Additional Half Set: 24th
of Elul to 6th of Tishrei
The Vowels
The Grass
11. Everything that G‑d
created in His world, He did not create but for His glory. As is stated (Isaiah 43:7): "All that is called by My name and for My
glory, I created it, formed it, also I made it." And it says (Exodus 15:1): "G‑d shall reign forever and ever."
The 24th of Elul, begins an additional set,
containing 12 days, which parallels the Hebrew vowels, as well as "the
Grasses" in Perek Shirah. These twelve days include the first days of
creation, as well as those of Rosh Hashanah of the coming year, up to the 6th day of Tishrei.
As previously explained, the Grasses were not an
original part of Perek Shirah. They were added by Rabbi Yaakov Emden. The verse
was "found in an incorrect location" in some versions of Perek
Shirah, and therefore transferred to an appropriate location the end of the
Chapter 3, based on Talmud in Chullin 60a. (Slifkin, p. 199)
Similarly, it would not appear necessary to discuss
the Hebrew vowels. Nevertheless, the twelve vowels bring the total count of the
calendar to 364 days, which equals 52 weeks, the number of weeks in a solar
year. There are 52 animals in Chapters 4 - 6 of Perek Shirah, one for each week
of the year. (See Book I of the Kabbalah of Time)
The Hebrew vowels parallel the Kabbalistic sefirot.
They give additional sound to the letters, allowing for a much greater
diversity of sounds and words.
Similarly, the song of the Grasses is about diversity:
The Grasses are saying, "May the glory of G-d endure forever; may G-d
rejoice in His works." (Slifkin, p. 198)
As mentioned previously, this verse is derived from a
passage in the Tractate of Chullin (60a). This passage is closely linked with
Creation, which took place during these days:
"May the
glory of G-d endure forever; may G-d rejoice in His works," - this verse
was uttered by the angel of the world. At the time when the Holy One said
"according to its kind" to the trees, the grasses reasoned a
fortiori: "If the Holy One wants intermingling, then why did He say
'according to its kind' for the trees? And furthermore, if with trees, which do
not usually grow intermingled, the Holy One said, 'according to its kind,' then
how much more so does this apply to us!" Immediately each emerged
according to its kind. The angel of the world opened with, "May the glory
of G-d endure forever; may G-d rejoice in His works."
The song is sung at the time of creation, sung by the
"angel of the world" itself. The song is about G-d's glory, His Kavod.
Pirkei Avot concludes by stating that the entire world was created
solely for His glory:
Everything that
G-d created in His world, He did not create but for His glory. As is stated (Isaiah 43:7):
"All that is called by My name and for My glory, I created it, formed it,
also I made it." And it says (Exodus 15:1):
"G-d shall reign forever and ever." (Chapter 6:11)
[1] http://rabbilinzertorah.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/7/2/12725276/tetzaveh.03.02.12.pdf
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