B"H
Monday Sivan 4, 5777 / May 29, 2017 (48th day of the Omer)
The story of the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, is recorded twice in the Torah. The first time is in the Book of Exodus, fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt. The second time it is told in the Torah is in the Book of Deuteronomy (5:27), at the end of the forty years in the desert, when Moshe repeats many of the events which happened to the Jewish people during the forty years.
In Deuteronomy, G-d orders Moshe, after the Ten Commandments, to tell the people, who were all standing at Mount Sinai, "Now, return to your tents."
Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Pshischa asked, "Why did G-d tell them to return to their tents? What did He care if they stayed around the Mountain? Surely there was a message for them and for us in this.
Rabbi Simcha Bunim gives a very clever and practical answer. He says, “The true test whether one really accepts the Torah is not in the presence of G-d at Mount Sinai, or for that matter, in the synagogue. The true test is when one returns to his tent-house! This is the meaning of, "Return to your tents." G-d says, "Now that you have the Commandments and the Torah, ‘I want to see how you will conduct your lives in your own homes.’"
Q. The three festive holidays; Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot are in the spring (Pesach), summer (Shavuot) and fall (Sukkot). Why are there no biblical festive holidays during the winter?
A.In the days of the Holy Temple there was a mitzvah for Jews from all of Israel to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem during the festive holidays and celebrate there.
Our sages explain that G-d didn't want to make it difficult for the Jewish people, so He didn't assign any holidays during the rainy and cold winter months.
On Shavuot it is customary to read the Book of Ruth, which is the story of the most famous convert to the Jewish faith.
Q.What is the connection between the story of Ruth and the holiday of Shavuot?
A.Shavuot is the Yartzeit (day of Passing) of King David, who descended from Ruth. Ruth was King David’s great grandmother.
Also, Ruth was the daughter of the King of Moab. She gave up her worldly pleasures and comforts to join the Jewish people. Her story teaches us that spiritual values are far more important than physical ones. This lesson has special meaning and significance to the holiday when we received the Torah.
Rabbi Joshua said: "If all the oceans were ink, all the reeds - quills, the skies - scrolls of parchment, and all living men - scribes, they would not be able to record all the wisdom of the Torah."
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY