B"H

Tuesday, Sivan 1, 5782 (45th day of the Omer)/ May 31, 2022

Today is Rosh Chodesh Sivan. Happy Rosh Chodesh! The month of Sivan has only one day Rosh Chodesh. The holiday of Shavuoth, when we received the Torah, will begin Saturday night, June 4th.

Rosh Chdesh Sivan is a significant day in Jewish history. The Torah tells us that on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, six weeks after the Exodus, the Jewish people came to Mount Sinai in anticipation to receiving the Torah, which was given to them six days later.

Something very significant happened that day. As they came to Mount Sinai and settled in front of the mountain they all (at least two million people) experienced a special unity among each other.  The Torah expresses this with the words, “And he rested in front of the mountain.”  Using the singular expression, “he rested.”  Our sages explain, “The entire Jewish nation was like one person with one heart.”

It was this feeling of oneness, unity and peace amongst all Jews that made them worthy of receiving the Torah. Our sages point out, “The Torah was given in order to bring peace in the world.”

One of the many customs of Shavuot is to be up the first night of Shavuot enganged in the study of Torah and reciting Torah passages.

Q.   What is the reason for the custom to be up the first night of Shavuot and engage in Torah study?

A.  At the time of the Giving of the Torah, G-d descended on Mount Sinai early in the morning, but the people were still asleep. They had the most peaceful night and didn’t wake up untill later in the day. G-d waited for them until they woke up. This was considered disrespectful on the part of the people.  To correct this error, we stay up the first night of Shavuot studying Torah.

Q.  At Mount Sinai G-d spoke the Ten Commandments. How many letters in the Ten Commandments?

A. Six hundred and twenty letters. The significance of this is that they coresponds to the number of Biblical mitzvot (613) and the Rabbinic mitzvot (7), which together total 620.  

Q.   How old were Moshe and his brother Aaron at the time of the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai?

A.   Moshe was eighty years and Aaron eighty three.

Q.  The Torah tells us that the Ten Commandments were not written on the Tablets, but were engraved in the Two Tablets. What is the lesson from this?

A.  Letters which are engraved are one with the stone in which they are carved. This teaches us that the connection between a Jew and the Torah should be so strong that they become one.  The Torah must be engraved within us and become part of us. A Jew and Torah are one.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY