Sunday, September 19, 2021

The Meaning of "Agudah"

 


An insight that came to me on Yom Kippur.

אגדה
(it is spelled חסר)

What letter is missing in the sequence?

ב

Because two represents divisiveness, and separation, while three represents re-unification and integration.

See Maharal
Chiddushi Aggados
vol. 1 p. 20 , 44; vol. 2 p. 108; vol. 3 pp. 100, 210
Avos p. 119
Gevuros Hashem pp. 58, 98
(and many other places)

 Hence, the word has no ב.

Furthermore, 
spelled this way its gimatriya is 13 - אחד

Of course, לולב צריך אגד:

The 1 - esrog - א
And the 3- lulav, hadasim, aravos -ג
Equal the daled minim - ד


4 comments:

  1. On the subject of the arba minim, I was wondering what you think of the following observation: The shalosh regalim all seem to focus on Yitziyat Mitzrayim as the main thrust of their mitzvot. Pesach of course has matzah, Shavuot has remembering receiving the Torah, and Succos, whether you hold the Succah is to remember the ananei hakavod or the actual succot in the desert, that also refers to Yitziyat Mitzrayim. However the arba minim seem to have no connection to Yitziyat Mitzrayim.
    The same could be said about the kobanos of Succos not being connected to Yitziyat Mitzrayim, but since korbanos aren’t mitzvot that are always able to be practiced, I think they can be set aside as having some other significance.
    And while all 3 regalim are also agricultural holidays, that doesn't really define the focus of mitvot for each Chag.
    Any thoughts about this? Do the Arba Minim have a connection to Yitziyat Mitzrayim?

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