1)THE NUMBER OF DAYANIM TO ENACT A LEAP YEAR
הני שלשה חמשה ושבעה כנגד מי פליגי בה רבי יצחק בר נחמני וחד דעימיה ומנו רבי שמעון בן פזי ואמרי לה רבי שמעון בן פזי וחד דעימיה ומנו ר׳ יצחק בר נחמני חד אמר כנגד ברכת כהנים וחד אמר שלשה כנגד שומרי הסף חמשה מרואי פני המלך שבעה רואי פני המלך תני רב יוסף הני שלשה וחמשה ושבעה שלשה כנגד שומרי הסף חמשה מרואי פני המלך שבעה רואי פני המלך א״ל אביי לרב יוסף עד האידנא מאי טעמא לא פריש לן מר הכי אמר להו לא הוה ידענא דצריכיתו מי בעיתו מנאי מילתא ולא אמרי לכו
Translation: (The Mishnah on 2a taught that three Dayanim are required to judge whether to enact a leap year. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said that they start with three Dayanim, they discuss with five and they decide with seven.) These numbers: three, five and seven, what do they correspond to? R. Yitzchak bar Nachmani, and someone who was with him argued about this. And who was that? It was R. Shimon ben Pazi. And some say that it was R. Shimon ben Pazi and someone who was with him who argued about this. And who was that? It was R. Yitzchak bar Nachmani. One said: The numbers, three, five and seven correspond to the words in the verses of Birchas Kohanim (the Priestly Blessing) (Bamidbar 6:24-26). And the other one said: Three corresponds to 'the keepers of the threshold.' (Melachim II, 25:18) Five, to 'some of those who saw the king's face.' (Melachim II 25:19.) Seven, to 'those who saw the king's face.' (Esther 1:14) Rav Yosef taught: Here, the numbers three, five and seven correspond as follows: Three corresponds to 'the keepers of the threshold.' Five, to 'some of those who saw the king's face.' Seven, to 'those who saw the king's face.' Abaye said to Rav Yosef, 'Why didn't the Master explain it to us this way until now?' Rav Yosef said to him, 'I did not know that you needed it explained to you. Did you ever ask me something and I refused to explain it?'
(a)What is the connection between deciding on a leap year and Birchas Kohanim?
1.Ben Yehoyada: There is a Midrash )Shemos Rabbah Parshas 15:20) that states that when the Beis Din and the Nasi discuss and ultimately agree to make a leap year, a great light (of Hash-m's Shechinah - His Divine Presence) shines there, showing that Hash-m agrees with them. Chazal similarly speak about the Shechinah resting on the hands of the Kohanim during Birchas Kohanim.
(b)What is the connection between deciding on a leap year and those that see the king? And what was behind the discussion between Abayei and Rav Yosef about explaining this teaching?
1.Yodei Binah (Vol.2 p.78): Rav Yosef was Rosh Yeshiva and Abayei was his student. Chazal tell us that teaching Torah is compared to receiving guidance from the Shechinah itself. So when Abayei asked Rav Yosef why he had not told them this teaching, he was also asking figuratively why there is not an Isarusa d'l'eila (an awakening from Heaven for the people). Rav Yosef responded with 'did you ever ask me something and I refused to explain it?', meaning that the awakening must come from earth. All that Am Yisrael must do is awaken themselves to ask for the revelation of the Shechinah, and He will answer. This is also the symbolic meaning of the comparison between deciding a leap year and seeing the king. It is an Isarulsa d'l'tata - an awakening from down here. Just as the people who desire to approach the king must enter his palace and throne room to seek His presence; so too, when the Dayanim decide on the leap year, they thereby bring down the Shechinah.
