The 10 Days

Before Mashiach ascended and was hidden by a cloud he spoke to His students, saying:

See, I am sending out the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city [Jerusalem] until you are clothed with power from on high.

This instruction was given 10 days before Shavuot. On Shavuot we observe the anniversary of the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai…and there we find a connection. These 10 days are a reflection of the 10 Words (commandments). Yeshua’s students remained in Jerusalem until the holiday. They were all together, 120 of them, davvening on the morning of Shavuot when something like a rushing wind filled The House. Fire appeared above their heads and they began speaking in all the languages of the earth. The book of Acts explains that on that day Mashiach’s followers were filled with Ruach HaKadosh, this was the promise of HaShem sent from our Mashiach. The Spirit of G-d was given on the same day in which He gave His Torah.

In Hebrew gematria and our kabalistic tradition the number 10 is represented by the letter י (yud). The Didascalia Apostorlorum is an ancient manuscript written sometime in the 3rd century, it was said to contain teachings passed down from the 12 Apostles and explains this gematria through a teaching which connects Mashiach to the giving of the Torah.

Now previously our communities were deserts in which there is now a highway and the knowledge of true religion without mistake, but having freshness and clarity, even Isus Christos and His rule which was from the beginning. For you know that He gave a simple and pure and holy Law of life, wherein our Savior set His name. For whereas He spoke the 10 Words, He signified Ἰησοῦς (Yeshua): for 10 represents yud; but yud is the beginning of the name of Yeshua. (Didascalia Apostolorum)

Inasmuch as the letter yud is the smallest of all letters it is associated with hiddeness. This hidden point is the source of chochma or wisdom.

Chochma is defined as the germinal, highly condensed revelation of G-dly light in the highest level of immanence that is in the life force of all of creation.(Fiftieth Gate edition of the Zohar, Introduction)

10 days after Mashiach was hidden his students were filled with this wisdom from on high. Mashiach Yeshua is a conduit and vehicle of connection between HaShem and His creation. It was through him that the Torah was given on Mt. Sinai and through Him that G-d’s Spirit was delivered. During the ten days between the ascension of the Mashiach and our observance of Shavuot we should give special attention to each of the 10 Words…May they be written on our hearts.