D’Varim 16.8-דברים

“Atzeret”

עֲצֶרֶת

8. ’Six days you shall eat Matzot (unleavened bread) and on the seventh day shall be an “Atzeret”- restraining (assembly) to Hashem your G-d, you shall not perform work- שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי עֲצֶרֶת לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה מְלָאכָה(5932=19=10=1 counting final Mem and Kaf as 600 and 500).

The verse can be divided so:

·         Six days you shall eat Matzot (unleavened bread) - שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת(2807=17=8);

·         And on the seventh day shall be an “Atzeret”- restraining (assembly) to Hashem your  G-d, you shall not perform work- וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי עֲצֶרֶת לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה מְלָאכָה (3285=18 counting final Mem and Kaf as 600 and 500).

The word “Atzeret”- עֲצֶרֶת is usually used in connection with the Festival of Shavuot-שָׁבֻעוֹת עֲצֶרֶת as it is another name for the Harvest Festival which is detailed in the following section of text. 

The word is also used in relation to the “extra day” (8^th day) of the Succoth Festival known as “Shemini Atzeret”- סֻּוכּוֹת עֲצֶרֶת.

Here we see too that the last day of Pesach is also called Atzeret- פֶּסַח עֲצֶרֶת.

Thus all three Foot-Festivals are connected to the word “Atzeret”- עֲצֶרֶת

The word “Atzeret”-עֲצֶרֶת means “restrain” or “stop” and on these days we are commanded to stop at Jerusalem which is the mid-point of the Universe and there we are to commune and thank Hashem for His Blessings and redeeming us from Egypt.

This conclusion is proved by the following gematriot:

Pesach-Atzeret-                                        פֶּסַח עֲצֶרֶת    =908 =17 =8

Shavuoth-Atzeret-  שָׁבֻעוֹת עֲצֶרֶת                                         =1538=17=8

Succoth- Atzeret-                                 סֻּוכּוֹת עֲצֶרֶת  =1252=10=1    

3698=26=8

Hashem=26= יְהוָה

            

Exodus from Egypt

יצאת מצרים
= 881=