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Wine, 7th Heaven
Written By R. Sebag
Have you ever wondered why the world keeps a seven-day
week? Why not ten days or five days?
According to Jewish tradition, the number seven
represents the completeness of the natural world. There are seven
notes of music (do re mi fa so la ti), seven colors of sunlight (as
we see in a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and
violet). According to Jewish tradition one who gets married observes
a seven-day celebration period called the sheva brachot. One who mourns
the loss of a close relative observes a seven-day mourning period
called Shiva.
The number six represents the purely physical world
and its six directions. (Up, Down, North, South, East, And West).
The seventh component represents the unifying central point of origin,
which gives meaning to the six directions. In space, this point is none other
than mount Zion, the place of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. (This explains why from time immemorial,
the jewish people have always looked to Israel and Jerusalem. No other nation in world history
has ever had such an attachment to their land.)
The Torah states: (Genesis 2:3) "G-d blessed the
seventh day and sanctified it because on it He abstained from all
His work..." According to Jewish tradition, the Sabbath is the
"Temple in time". It radiates spiritual energy to the six days of the week.
The spiritual bliss achievable on Sabbath is so great that the Torah testifies
G-d himself "rested" on the Sabbath.
The Sabbath is the testimony that the world has
a Creator and that ultimately our purpose in this world is spiritual.
Friday night, when we make the kiddush on the wine, the first four letters
of the first four words (said out loud) is G-d's name, (Yom Hashishi Vayechulu Hashamayim...=
Yud+Heh+Vav+Heh) an indication of Who the blessing is for.
The Wine represents
physicality. The blessing over the wine represents the sanctification
and completion of the physical world with its spiritual component.
There are also seven primary names of G-d (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh
Deah 276:9) but that is for another time.(i.e. It's beyond me.)
Written by
Yosef Sebag.
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
© 2002 Ohr
Somayach International - All rights reserved. This publication may
be distributed to another person intact without prior permission.
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such as synagogue newsletters. However, we ask that you contact us
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Copyright © 2002 
