Beyond Shavuos
By M. Liebson

The five days following Shavuos, until the 12th of Sivan, are called “Y’mei ha’Tashlumin” * When the Beis Ha’Mikdash stood, the Jewish people were able to continue bringing their Shavuos sacrifices on these days following the Yom Tov * In the following article we read the Alter Rebbe’s explanation to his grandson, the Tzemach Tzedek, about these days, along with the teachings of the Rebbe MH”M

In the Alter Rebbe’s siddur it says that we do not say Tachanun from Rosh Chodesh Sivan until and including the 12th of Sivan. When the Beis HaMikdash stood, the Shavuos korbanos could be brought for seven days, from the 6th until the 12th of Sivan.

Why is Shavuos celebrated for seven days, until the 12th of Sivan?

The Tzemach Tzedek asked his grandfather this question, and the Alter Rebbe responded with a parable of businessmen who went to a great fair for two days and bought a great deal of merchandise. After the fair, before traveling home, they spent another few days properly packing up their wares for the long trip home so nothing would be stolen or lost.

When it comes to the giving of the Torah, everyone certainly acquired something for himself, from the revelations of the holiday. Therefore, we need some time to “pack it up,” which are the Y’mei ha’Tashlumin  after the Yom Tov.

Why are these days called Y’mei ha’Tashlumin ?

In one of the Rebbe’s sichos, the Rebbe explains that the word “tashlumin” has two meanings: 1) hashlamas ha’chisaron – completing what is lacking, 2) shleimus – perfection.

At first glance it appears that tashlumin is an indication of some deficiency. That is, since the avoda on Yom Tov was not complete, we are given an opportunity to make up for it, like the idea of Pesach Sheini making up for Pesach. But the Y’mei ha’Tashlumin have a special quality which the Yom Tov itself does not have, for during these days we can achieve the perfection of the Yom Tov more than on the Yom Tov itself.

At this time there is an increased revelation of the love and affection Hashem has for the Jewish people, demonstrated by giving us an additional opportunity to complete the avoda of Yom Tov. Thus, there should be a corresponding increase in the mitzvos relating to this Yom Tov.

Another explanation: Despite the fact that a person offers korbanos at his particular level, when he rises to a higher level the next day (or on the same day but an hour later), he is required to offer korbanos on a higher level. In this sense, “tashlumin” means perfection, with nothing lacking at all.

Tashlumin is in connection with korbanos, regarding which the law states that if a wealthy person brought the korban of a pauper, he did not fulfill his obligation. The same applies to a person who reaches a “wealthy” state, so that a higher level is demanded than what was expected of him on his lower level.

Why don’t we say Tachanun during this period?

The Rebbe explains that the effect of Tachanun, which is repentance and atonement, is accomplished during these days by the uniqueness of the time, the y’mei tashlumin of “the time of the giving of our Torah.” Torah brings teshuva and kapara to the world, even the highest atonement, transforming past inequities into merits.

Practically speaking, says the Rebbe, this is a good reason for the coming of the true and complete Redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu, for teshuva and kapara negate the reason for exile – “because of our sins we were exiled from our land” – and by abolishing the cause, the result, exile, is automatically negated.

What is the significance of the Y’mei ha’Tashlumin during Galus?

When the Beis HaMikdash stood, if someone finished bringing his korbanos on the 7th or 8th of Sivan, he had nothing left to bring on the other y’mei tashlumin. However, in Galus, although we do not bring korbanos, we have the spiritual notion of korbanos throughout all the Y’mei ha’Tashlumin . Even someone who finished all the avoda of zman matan Toraseinu on Shavuos itself or the day after, can and should add to his avoda in the remaining days in accordance with the dictum of maalin ba’kodesh (ascending in holiness).

Will these days continue to be special after Moshiach comes?

Even after the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, when we will resume bringing korbanos, the Y’mei ha’Tashlumin  until the 12th of Sivan will still be special days. In the Future to Come, everything will be on an elevated status relative to the times of Galus. Since these five days are special in Galus, they certainly will not have a yerida (spiritual descent) when Moshiach comes.

We are forced to conclude that we will still have these y’mei tashlumin of Shavuos, as we will experience the elevation of everything we did in Galus.

If Moshiach comes during the Y’mei ha’Tashlumin, will we bring the korbanos pertaining to Shavuos?

The Rebbe discusses this in a sicha. On Shavuos when the Beis HaMikdash was not yet built, we were under no obligation to bring korbanos. According to poskim who maintain that if Moshiach comes in the middle of s’fira, the counting from that day on is a Biblical obligation (not rabbinic), we will be able to bring the Shavuos korbanos during the Y’mei ha’Tashlumin. This is actually a tremendous chiddush of the Rebbe.

What avoda is demanded of us during the Y’mei ha’Tashlumin ?

The avoda at this time is to examine ourselves to see whether we did indeed receive the Torah in a way that deeply affects us. It’s a time to correct whatever needs correcting, so that studying and understanding Torah is taken to heart, b’shleimus. This means that we care about Torah, not for ulterior motives, but simply because we care about learning and understanding it.

The Rebbe says this applies to every single Jew, young and old, regardless of their level of understanding of Torah, beginning with “the five-year-old who studies Torah,” and the “ten-year-old who studies Mishna,” etc., up to the highest of levels. For when it comes to the essence of Torah, when you grasp just a bit of the essence, you have it all!

To ascertain whether you have reached the level where you truly care about Torah, the test is simple. When you go to sleep, see what bothers you and prevents you from sleeping! Is it Torah that affects you to the point where you cannot sleep? If you havenyet reached this level, where you cannot go to sleep until you cry to your Father in Heaven because you are unable to understand something in Torah, this proves that you still haven’t taken the idea of zman matan Toraseinu properly.

In connection with the idea of ahavas Yisroel, the Rebbe says that the Jew who already completed his service by the 8th of Sivan has fulfilled the inyan of tashlumin. At this point, he continues to improve himself by going beyond the letter of the law in order to unite with those who are not yet finished. He unites with the last Jew who waits a full week, who did not fulfill his service until the last day, the 12th of Sivan.

After completing his avoda on the first day, he will continue to add throughout the remaining days until this is no longer considered going beyond the letter of the law, but is considered a “Jewish custom – which is Torah.” This is suggested in the Alter Rebbe’s siddur, “which applies to everyone.” There it says that we do not say Tachanun up to and including the 12th of Sivan, hinting that the avoda of tashlumin is applicable to everyone, regardless of level.