The Holy One Blessed is He in His great love for Israel commanded them to count forty-nine days from the day after Pesach until the Yom Tov of Shavuos, the day of the giving of the Torah, which is the fiftieth day. As is explained in the Zohar (3:97a), when Israel was in exile in Egypt they sank into the shells impurity until the forty-ninth gate of defilement. Had they remained there for even one day beyond the fifteenth of Nissan then we, our children and our grandchildren would still be enslaved to Pharaoh. But the Holy One Blessed is He in His abundant mercy and lovingkindness took us out to freedom and gave us the Torah fifty days later. That is, Israel was required to count forty-nine days, excluding the day of the giving of the Torah, and on each day they ascended to the next of the forty-nine Gates of Holiness, also known as the forty-nine “Gates of Understanding.” Because of this the Holy One Blessed is He has commanded us to count seven weeks, parallel to the seven clean days that a menstruating woman must count before she becomes purified and permitted to her husband. For in the desert Israel also had the status of a menstruating woman as a result of their contact with the husks of defilement of Egypt. Therefore they were required to count seven complete weeks.
In Midrash Rabbah (Bereishis 30:8) it is taught that every individual to whom the term tamim — “flawless” or tamimus — “completion” applies, completed a unit of seven “weeks,” corresponding to the forty-nine days. Three days prior to the giving of the Torah Israel was commanded in the mitzvah of “separation” [hagballah], at which time they purified themselves like a woman purifying herself for her husband after menstruation. On the fiftieth day Israel merited to enter the last of the fifty Gates of Understanding, which is called the “Tree of Life that is in the midst of the garden” (Bereishis 2:9). Although there is a dispute between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua (Rosh HaShanah 11a) regarding whether the world was created in Nissan or Tishrei, both agree that it was not actualized until Nissan. Therefore it is from the first of this month that we number the months. Thus Nissan is called the “first [lit. head] of the months.”
It follows, then, that Pesach is the first of the Chagim, Shavuos, the second Chag and Sukkos the final Chag. That is why Shavuos is called the “Tree of Life that is in the midst of the garden” (Zohar, 3:96a), because it is the middle Chag [i.e., sandwiched between Pesach and Sukkos]. The Zohar also refers to Shavuos as the “praise of the Torah,” which is highest praise of all. That is why the Torah was given on this day, since the Torah is also called the “Tree of Life that is in the midst of the garden.” I believe that it was with reference to this that the Zohar states (ibid.): “And on the Day of the First Fruits when you sacrifice a new offering to Hashem in your weeks, there shall be for you a holy convocation” (Bamidbar 28:26). Rabbi Shimon began his address, “‘Then the trees of the forest will exult before Hashem, for He comes to judge the earth’ (Divrei HaYamim 16:23)… On the surface it is not clear why Rabbi Shimon chose to elaborate on this verse from Divrei HaYamim in this context. I believe that it is because all the trees of the forest of Levanon are bound to the “Tree of Life in the midst of the garden,” as I have already explained. In order to demonstrate His affection for Israel before all the nations the Holy One Blessed is He sustained us with manna in the desert. Thus is it stated, “Behold I will rain upon you bread from Heaven” (Shemos 16:4). He also commanded us to bring an offering of barley flour on the Yom Tov of Shavuos. Concerning this the Zohar (ibid.) teaches, “Meritorious is Israel’s lot, for the Holy One Blessed is He tests them with a barley offering, like a straying wife who must bring an offering of animal fodder. So, too, the Holy One Blessed is He commanded them to bring an offering of barley flour.
But at that very moment Israel declared, ‘We will do’ before ‘We will hear’ (Shemos 24:7) and all of them were shown to be righteous, as it is stated, “You are entirely beautiful, my beloved, and there is no flaw in you” (Shir HaShirim 4:7). And it is also said of them, “Who can find a woman of valor” (Mishlei 31:10) and, “A woman of valor is a crown for her husband” (Mishlei 12:4). Therefore the Zohar (ibid., 96b) refers to the flour offering of Shavuos as a “jealousy offering” (Bamidbar 5:18). It is also called a “new flour offering” (Vayikra 23:16) because Israel was as if created anew the day the Torah was given. Thus they resembled a straying wife who is discovered to be unsullied, of whom it is stated, “She shall be exonerated and seed shall be sown and she shall be pure” (Bamidbar 5:28). And so did Israel become pure after they brought the Shavuos offering.
The Yom Tov of Shavuos consists of only one day to symbolize the Oneness of the Holy One Blessed is He is. Similarly, Israel is called “one nation in the land” to symbolize the fact that they are bound to His unity. It is an allusion to the Tree of Life, which unifies all the trees of Gan Eden and binds them in a total unity.
Therefore it is stated in the Zohar (Parashas Emor, 97a): “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after Shabbos, from the day you bring the sheaf [omer] of the wave offering.” When Israel was in Egypt they were under another domain, attached to the realm of impurity like a woman sitting out her days of impurity. But when they underwent circumcision in Egypt they entered into the holy portion called “covenant” and became freed of their impurity like a woman cleansed of her impurity. What is stated after their impurity ended? “And you shall count, etc.” This is parallel to what is stated regarding the woman, “And she shall count seven days.” Thus did the Holy One Blessed is He tell Israel that their reckoning begins from now. “You shall count for yourselves” — specifically “for you,” that is, for your own sakes in order that these forty-nine days should be flawless in their purity corresponding to the forty-nine gates into which Israel had fallen in the defilement, through their association with the idolatry of Egypt. And on the fiftieth day Israel became cleansed of their filth and entered the last of the fifty gates of understanding, all of which are pure. That fiftieth day was holy and pure and on that very day Israel was granted freedom from the angel of death and the enslavement of the nations.
Therefore it is fitting for everyone who fears Hashem and trembles at His word to study all night long on the Yom Tov of Shavuos, reciting the Tikkun [a text comprised of passages from all the various sections of the Torah] composed by the disciples of the Ari, z”l. And to toil in the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, the Mishnah and selected passages from the Zohar. Some recite the Tikkun on both nights of Shavuos and fortunate is the one who does so. For through the arousal from below one arouses a unification On High, resulting in a tremendous outpouring of holiness. In this merit may the Holy One Blessed is He pour down upon us a new light and may we all merit its illumination, Amein.
מֵאַהֲבַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל צִוָּה לִסְפֹּר תִּשְׁעָה וְאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם מִמָּחֳרַת הַפֶּסַח עַד חַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת, שֶׁהוּא יוֹם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, שֶׁהוּא יוֹם הַחֲמִשִּׁים. וְהַטַּעַם הוּא מְבֹאָר, כִּי כְּשֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּת מִצְרַיִם, נִשְׁתַּקְּעוּ בַּקְּלִפָּה בְּאַרְבָּעִים וְתִשְׁעָה שַׁעֲרֵי טֻמְאָה, וְאִלְמָלֵא הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁם עוֹד יוֹם אֶחָד אַחַר חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן, 'הֲרֵי אָנוּ וּבָנֵינוּ וּבְנֵי בָנֵינוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה'. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּרַחֲמָיו וּבְרֹב חֲסָדָיו הוֹצִיאָנוּ לְחֵרוּת וְנָתַן לָנוּ הַתּוֹרָה אַחַר מִסְפָּר חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל סוֹפְרִים אַרְבָּעִים וְתִשְׁעָה יוֹם, חוּץ מִיּוֹם שֶׁנִּתְּנָה בּוֹ הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה. וּבְכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם בָּאנוּ מִמַּדְרֵגָה לְמַדְרֵגָה בְּאַרְבָּעִים וְתִשְׁעָה שַׁעֲרֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, שֶׁהֵן שַׁעֲרֵי בִּינָה, וְלָכֵן צִוָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִסְפֹּר לָנוּ שִׁבְעָה שָׁבוּעוֹת כְּדִין אִשָּׁה נִדָּה, שֶׁסּוֹפֶרֶת שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי נְקִיִּים לְנִדָּתָהּ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִיא טְהוֹרָה לְבַעֲלָהּ. כָּךְ הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם דִּין טֻמְאַת הַנִּדָּה מִקְּלִפּוֹת מִצְרַיִם, וְהָיוּ מֻכְרָחִים לִסְפֹּר שִׁבְעָה שָׁבוּעוֹת תְּמִימוֹת.
The Holy One Blessed is He in His great love for Israel commanded them to count forty-nine days from the day after Pesach until the Yom Tov of Shavuos, the day of the giving of the Torah, which is the fiftieth day. As is explained in the Zohar (3:97a), when Israel was in exile in Egypt they sank into the shells impurity until the forty-ninth gate of defilement. Had they remained there for even one day beyond the fifteenth of Nissan then we, our children and our grandchildren would still be enslaved to Pharaoh. But the Holy One Blessed is He in His abundant mercy and lovingkindness took us out to freedom and gave us the Torah fifty days later. That is, Israel was required to count forty-nine days, excluding the day of the giving of the Torah, and on each day they ascended to the next of the forty-nine Gates of Holiness, also known as the forty-nine “Gates of Understanding.” Because of this the Holy One Blessed is He has commanded us to count seven weeks, parallel to the seven clean days that a menstruating woman must count before she becomes purified and permitted to her husband. For in the desert Israel also had the status of a menstruating woman as a result of their contact with the husks of defilement of Egypt. Therefore they were required to count seven complete weeks.
וְאִיתָא בְּמִדְרַשׁ רַבָּה: כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר 'תָּמִים' אוֹ 'תְּמִימִים' — הִשְׁלִים לְמִדּוֹת שָׁבוּעוֹת שִׁבְעָה, שֶׁהֵן אַרְבָּעִים וְתִשְׁעָה יוֹם; וּשְׁלשָׁה יָמִים קֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה הָיָה הַגְבָּלָה, וְהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְטַהֲרִין אֶת עַצְמָן כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה הַמִּטַּהֶרֶת לְבַעֲלָהּ אַחַר עֵת נִדָּתָהּ. וּבְיוֹם הַחֲמִשִּׁים זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִכָּנֵס בְּשַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים שֶׁל שַׁעֲרֵי בִּינָה, וְשַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים נִקְרָא 'עֵץ הַחַיִּים אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן'. וְאַף כִּי יֵשׁ שְׁנֵי דֵּעוֹת פְּלוּגְתָּא רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׂעַ, אִי בְּנִיסָן נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם אוֹ בְּתִשְׁרֵי נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. וּבֵין לְמַר וּבֵין לְמַר סְבִירָא לֵיהּ, דִּבְפֹעַל בְּנִיסָן נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, וּמַתְחִילִין אָנוּ לִמְנוֹת הָחֳדָשִׁים מִן רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ נִיסָן, שֶׁהוּא רֹאשׁ לָחֳדָשִׁים.
In Midrash Rabbah (Bereishis 30:8) it is taught that every individual to whom the term tamim — “flawless” or tamimus — “completion” applies, completed a unit of seven “weeks,” corresponding to the forty-nine days. Three days prior to the giving of the Torah Israel was commanded in the mitzvah of “separation” [hagballah], at which time they purified themselves like a woman purifying herself for her husband after menstruation. On the fiftieth day Israel merited to enter the last of the fifty Gates of Understanding, which is called the “Tree of Life that is in the midst of the garden” (Bereishis 2:9). Although there is a dispute between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua (Rosh HaShanah 11a) regarding whether the world was created in Nissan or Tishrei, both agree that it was not actualized until Nissan. Therefore it is from the first of this month that we number the months. Thus Nissan is called the “first [lit. head] of the months.”
וְאִם כֵּן, פֶּסַח הוּא חַג הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְחַג שָׁבוּעוֹת הוּא חַג הָאֶמְצָעִי, וְחַג הַסֻּכּוֹת הוּא חַג הָאַחֲרוֹן. וְאִם כֵּן לָכֵן נִקְרָא שָׁבוּעוֹת 'עֵץ הַחַיִּים שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן'. וְלָכֵן נִרְאֶה לִי, דְּעַל זֶה כָּתַב הַזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת אֱמֹר, וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: וּבְיוֹם הַבִּכּוּרִים, בְּהַקְרִיבְכֶם מִנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה לַה' בְּשָׁבוּעוֹתֵיכֶם, מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח: אָז יְרַנְּנוּ עֲצֵי הַיַּעַר מִלִּפְנֵי ה', כִּי בָא לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הָאָרֶץ. וְקָשֶׁה, לִכְאוֹרָה, לָמָּה דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה כָּאן? אֶלָּא נִרְאֶה לִי, דְּשַׁפִּיר דָּרִישׁ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי 'אָז יְרַנְּנוּ כָּל עֲצֵי הַיַּעַר', דְּכָל עֲצֵי הַיַּעַר הַלְּבָנוֹן נִקְשָׁרִים בְּעֵץ הַחַיִּים שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי לְעֵיל. וְהִנֵּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רוֹצֶה לְהַרְאוֹת חִבָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת וְהֶאֱכִילָנוּ אֶת הַמָּן בַּמִּדְבָּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: הִנְנִי מַמְטִיר לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם. וְצִוָּה אוֹתָנוּ לְהַקְרִיב שְׂעוֹרִים לְקָרְבָּן בְּחַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּדִיק לוּן בְּקָרְבַּן שְׂעוֹרִים כְּדִין סוֹטָה, שֶׁהֵבִיאָה קָרְבָּנָהּ מַאֲכַל בְּהֵמָה, כָּךְ צִוָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהָבִיא קָרְבַּן שְׂעוֹרִים.
It follows, then, that Pesach is the first of the Chagim, Shavuos, the second Chag and Sukkos the final Chag. That is why Shavuos is called the “Tree of Life that is in the midst of the garden” (Zohar, 3:96a), because it is the middle Chag [i.e., sandwiched between Pesach and Sukkos]. The Zohar also refers to Shavuos as the “praise of the Torah,” which is highest praise of all. That is why the Torah was given on this day, since the Torah is also called the “Tree of Life that is in the midst of the garden.” I believe that it was with reference to this that the Zohar states (ibid.): “And on the Day of the First Fruits when you sacrifice a new offering to Hashem in your weeks, there shall be for you a holy convocation” (Bamidbar 28:26). Rabbi Shimon began his address, “‘Then the trees of the forest will exult before Hashem, for He comes to judge the earth’ (Divrei HaYamim 16:23)… On the surface it is not clear why Rabbi Shimon chose to elaborate on this verse from Divrei HaYamim in this context. I believe that it is because all the trees of the forest of Levanon are bound to the “Tree of Life in the midst of the garden,” as I have already explained. In order to demonstrate His affection for Israel before all the nations the Holy One Blessed is He sustained us with manna in the desert. Thus is it stated, “Behold I will rain upon you bread from Heaven” (Shemos 16:4). He also commanded us to bring an offering of barley flour on the Yom Tov of Shavuos. Concerning this the Zohar (ibid.) teaches, “Meritorious is Israel’s lot, for the Holy One Blessed is He tests them with a barley offering, like a straying wife who must bring an offering of animal fodder. So, too, the Holy One Blessed is He commanded them to bring an offering of barley flour.
אֲבָל הַאי שַׁעְתָּא אַקְדִּימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל 'נַעֲשֶׂה' לְ'נִשְׁמָע' וְאִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ כֻּלָּן זַכָּאִין, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר: כֻּלָּךְ יָפָה, רַעְיָתִי, וּמוּם אֵין בָּךְ. וְאִתְּמַר עֲלַיְהוּ: אֵשֶׁת חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא? וְאֵשֶׁת חַיִל הִיא עֲטֶרֶת בַּעֲלָהּ. וְלָכֵן קָרָא הַזֹּהַר הַמִּנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה 'מִנְחַת קְנָאוֹת', וְלָכֵן נִקְרֵאת 'מִנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה', וְחִדּוּשָׁהּ — שֶׁנַּעֲשִׂין יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרִיָּה חֲדָשָׁה בְּיוֹם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה כְּאִשָּׁה סוֹטָה, דְּהִיא טְהוֹרָה, וְנִקְּתָה וְנִזְרְעָה זֶרַע, וּטְהוֹרָה הִיא — כָּךְ הֲוֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל טְהוֹרִין אַחַר מַעֲשֵׂה הַקָּרְבָּן שֶׁל חַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת.
But at that very moment Israel declared, ‘We will do’ before ‘We will hear’ (Shemos 24:7) and all of them were shown to be righteous, as it is stated, “You are entirely beautiful, my beloved, and there is no flaw in you” (Shir HaShirim 4:7). And it is also said of them, “Who can find a woman of valor” (Mishlei 31:10) and, “A woman of valor is a crown for her husband” (Mishlei 12:4). Therefore the Zohar (ibid., 96b) refers to the flour offering of Shavuos as a “jealousy offering” (Bamidbar 5:18). It is also called a “new flour offering” (Vayikra 23:16) because Israel was as if created anew the day the Torah was given. Thus they resembled a straying wife who is discovered to be unsullied, of whom it is stated, “She shall be exonerated and seed shall be sown and she shall be pure” (Bamidbar 5:28). And so did Israel become pure after they brought the Shavuos offering.
וְלָכֵן חַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת יוֹם אֶחָד, לְרַמֵּז שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוּא אֶחָד, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הֵן גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ, לְרַמֵּז שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל תְּלוּיִין בְּאַחְדּוּתוֹ, לְרַמֵּז עַל עֵץ חַיִּים, דִּמְיַחֵד לְכֻלְּהוּ אִילָנֵי דְּגַן עֵדֶן לְקַשְּׁרָא בִּיחוּדָא שְׁלִים.
The Yom Tov of Shavuos consists of only one day to symbolize the Oneness of the Holy One Blessed is He is. Similarly, Israel is called “one nation in the land” to symbolize the fact that they are bound to His unity. It is an allusion to the Tree of Life, which unifies all the trees of Gan Eden and binds them in a total unity.
וְלָכֵן כָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת אֱמֹר וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם אֶת עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה. כַּד הֲווּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם, הָיוּ בִּרְשׁוּתָא אָחֳרָא, וַהֲווּ אֲחִידוּ בִּמְסַאֲבוּתָא, כְּאִתְּתָא דָּא דְּיַתְבַת בְּיוֹמֵי דִּמְסַאֲבוּתָא. בָּתַר דְּאִתְגְּזָרוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם, עָאלוּ בְּחוּלָקָא דִּקְדֻשָּׁה דְּאִתְקָרֵי 'בְּרִית', וּפָסִיק מִנַּיְהוּ מְסַאֲבוּתָא, כְּדָא אִתְּתָא, דְּפַסְקָה מִנַּהּ מְסַאֲבוּתָא. בָּתַר דְּאִתְפָּסְקוּ מִנַּיְהוּ, מַה כְּתִיב? וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם וְגוֹ'. כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב גַּבֵּיה אִשָּׁה: וְסָפְרָה לָהּ שִׁבְעָה יָמִים. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה חֻשְׁבְּנָא: וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם — לָכֶם, דַּיְקָא — לְעַצְמְכֶם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ תְּמִימוֹת בְּטָהֳרָה בְּנֵי אַרְבָּעִים וְתִשְׁעָה יוֹמֵי נֶגֶד אַרְבָּעִים וְתִשְׁעָה שְׁעָרִים דַּהֲוֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּטֻמְאָה, בִּמְסַאֲבוּתָא דַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם, וּבְיוֹם הַחֲמִשִּׁים פָּסַק יִשְׂרָאֵל זֻהֲמָתָן, וְנִכְנְסוּ לְשַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים, שֶׁהוּא סוֹד חֲמִשִּׁים שַׁעֲרֵי בִּינָה, וְהָיוּ כֻּלָּן טְהוֹרִים. וְהַאי יוֹמָא, שֶׁהוּא יוֹם חֲמִשִּׁים הַזֶּה — יוֹם קָדוֹשׁ וְטָהוֹר, וּבוֹ בַּיּוֹם יָצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְחֵרוּת מִן הַמַּלְאָךְ הַמָּוֶת וּמִן הַמַּלְכֻיּוֹת.
Therefore it is stated in the Zohar (Parashas Emor, 97a): “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after Shabbos, from the day you bring the sheaf [omer] of the wave offering.” When Israel was in Egypt they were under another domain, attached to the realm of impurity like a woman sitting out her days of impurity. But when they underwent circumcision in Egypt they entered into the holy portion called “covenant” and became freed of their impurity like a woman cleansed of her impurity. What is stated after their impurity ended? “And you shall count, etc.” This is parallel to what is stated regarding the woman, “And she shall count seven days.” Thus did the Holy One Blessed is He tell Israel that their reckoning begins from now. “You shall count for yourselves” — specifically “for you,” that is, for your own sakes in order that these forty-nine days should be flawless in their purity corresponding to the forty-nine gates into which Israel had fallen in the defilement, through their association with the idolatry of Egypt. And on the fiftieth day Israel became cleansed of their filth and entered the last of the fifty gates of understanding, all of which are pure. That fiftieth day was holy and pure and on that very day Israel was granted freedom from the angel of death and the enslavement of the nations.
עַל כֵּן רָאוּי וְנָכוֹן לְכָל אִישׁ הַיָּרֵא וְחָרֵד דְּבַר ה', שֶׁיִּלְמַד כָּל הַלַּיְלָה שֶׁל חַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת, כְּפִי הַתִּקּוּן שֶׁחִבְּרוּ תַּלְמִידֵי הָאֲרִ"י, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, וְיַעַסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַנְּבִיאִים וּבַכְּתוּבִים וּבְמִשְׁנָיוֹת וּקְצָת מַאַמְרֵי הַזֹּהַר. יַעֲשֶׂה כָּזֹאת, וּבַהִתְעוֹרְרוּת דִּלְתַתָּא הוּא מְעוֹרֵר קְדֻשַּׁת עֶלְיוֹן לְאִתְחַבְּרָא יִחוּד עֶלְיוֹן בְּאוֹרוֹ בְּשֶׁפַע גָּדוֹל, וּבִזְכוּת זֶה יַשְׁפִּיעַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גַּם כֵּן עָלֵינוּ אוֹר חָדָשׁ, וְנִזְכֶּה כֻּלָּנוּ לְאוֹרוֹ. אָמֵן.
Therefore it is fitting for everyone who fears Hashem and trembles at His word to study all night long on the Yom Tov of Shavuos, reciting the Tikkun [a text comprised of passages from all the various sections of the Torah] composed by the disciples of the Ari, z”l. And to toil in the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, the Mishnah and selected passages from the Zohar. Some recite the Tikkun on both nights of Shavuos and fortunate is the one who does so. For through the arousal from below one arouses a unification On High, resulting in a tremendous outpouring of holiness. In this merit may the Holy One Blessed is He pour down upon us a new light and may we all merit its illumination, Amein.