B"H
Thursday, Sivan 9, 5781 / May 20, 2021
I hope you had a great Shavuot holiday. Although the holiday is over, yet, the spirit and lessons of this holiday continues throughout the year. The purpose for G-d giving us the Torah was so that we should study it and live by it every day of our life.
We say each day in the evening service, “The Torah is our life.” Our sages compare the Torah to water. Just as fish cannot survive without water and one cannot live without water, so too, we cannot survive without Torah and if our body doesn’t realize it, our Neshama-soul feels it.
One of the remembrances which G-d commanded a Jew is to remember each day is, “Remember the day you stood at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah.” The Torah is a present which G-d gave and continues to give us each day. That’s why it’s called a present.
The Ten Commandments are recorded twice in the Torah, in the Book of Exodus and again in Deuteronomy. At the conclusion of the Ten Commandments as they appear in Deuteronomy, G-d tells Moshe to tell the Jewish people who were all standing at Mount Sinai, “Now return to your tents.”
Why did G-d tell them to return to their tents? G-d is telling them that the purpose of giving them the Torah and mitzvot is to observe the Torah in their homes. The commandments were given not to be left at Mount Sinai or to be kept in synagogue etc., but to make their homes a Jewish home and a Torah home.
The true barometer if we actually accepted the Torah on Shavuot is how we keep it the rest of the year.
This week’s Parsha is Naso, which is the longest Parsha in the Torah. It is usually read on the Shabbat after Shavuot.
In Parshat Naso we find the three-fold priestly blessing, which was recited by the Kohanim (priests) in the Holy Temple. "May the L-rd bless you and guard you. May the L-rd make His countenance shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the L-rd turn His countenance toward you and grant you Shalom-peace. And they [the Kohanim-priests] shall put My name upon the children of Israel and I will bless them."
This blessing is recited by the Kohanim each holiday in the synagogue. In many communities, especially in Israel it is recited by the Kohanim every Shabbat and in some communities the Kohanim recite it every day.
Our brothers and sisters in Israel are going through exceedingly difficult days. The three-fold blessing is very appropriate at this time, for them and for us all. "May G-d bless us and guard us. May G-d make His countenance shine upon us and be gracious to us. May G-d turn His countenance toward us and grant us Shalom-peace. AMEN.
HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL AND WONDERFUL DAY