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Rabbi Eliezer G: Welcome to the Rabbi's one on one chat room, how can I help you today?
sy: Why do we repeat _The Lord is G-d_ 7 times at the end of the ma_arive service of Yom Kippur? Why this verse? Why 7 times?
Rabbi Eliezer G: seven is a significant number in Kabbalah
Rabbi Eliezer G: it refers to the seven divine attributes that form the primary charachter of the celestial spheres
Rabbi Eliezer G: they are the attributes through which G-d created the world
Rabbi Eliezer G: which is why the world was created in six days followed by the shabbos
Rabbi Eliezer G: the verse Hashem hu haelokim [G-d is the L-rd] represents the idea of divine revelation
Rabbi Eliezer G: a drawing down, if you will, from a higher level (that of hashem) to a lower level (that of elokim)
Rabbi Eliezer G: in a sense hashem represents the divine
Rabbi Eliezer G: and elokim represents his interaction with creation and nature
Rabbi Eliezer G: this verse teaches that the very same G-d who is trancendant is the G-d who is iminent - the creator of nature
Rabbi Eliezer G: and this truth reveals itself in our hearts as we declare this verse at the end of kom kippur
Rabbi Eliezer G: we draw this ssential truth down through the seven spheres or attributes
Rabbi Eliezer G: so that it would permeate every facet of our existence
sy: thank you for that answer. i'm thinking about what you wrote.
sy: Are there other prayers in the Yom Kippur service, or any service, that we recite 7 times?
Rabbi Eliezer G: on Rosh Hashanah we recite Psalm 47 (I may be wrong on the number) seven times before sounding the Shofar
sy: Are there any prayers repeated 7 times during other services of the year?
Rabbi Eliezer G: no. not that I can think of anyway
sy: Thanks.
Rabbi Eliezer G: your welcome
sy: One more question.
sy: I'm trying to explain this to children, and I have trouble distilling Kabbalah ideas to students.
sy: Do you have any suggestions?
Rabbi Eliezer G: at thsi point youmight simply want to tell them that this is a very holy verse and that it is recited at a very holy time of year
Rabbi Eliezer G: and we recite it seven times so that it will remain with us at all times
Rabbi Eliezer G: meaning through each of the seven days of the week
Rabbi Eliezer G: Thank you for visiting Ask Moses today and I invite you to come back at any time
[Ed. note: Also read "What is special about the number seven?"]
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