B"H
Wednesday, Sivan 2, 5782 (46th day of the Omer)/ June 1, 2022
Saturday night will begin the holiday of Shavuot.
In the Hebrew calendar, the next day begins from the night before. Thus, just as Shabbat begins Friday evening, the same is with all the holidays. This is also the reason why the counting of the Omer is always at night because that is when the next day begins.
On Shavuot, at Mount Sinai, G-d gave us the Ten Commandments. One of the great miracles was that the Jewish people not only heard the Ten Commandments, but that they actually saw the words G-d spoke. Moshe, who was on the mountain, came down forty days later, with the Two Tablets in which the Ten Commandments were engraved.
The first five commandments, which are between us and G-d (I am G-d your G-d; Do not worship idols, etc.), were engraved on one Tablet and the five commandments between one person and another (do not murder; do not steal-kidnap; do not commit adultry, etc.), were on the second Tablet.
Just like the world cannot exist when the commandments between one and another, are violated, so too, the first five commandments on the first Tablet, between us and G-d, are as important to the existence of the world.
Q. The commandment, “Honor your father and mother,” is not between us and G-d. It is between us and our parents, why is it on the first Tablet, together with the commandments between us and G-d?
A. Our sages explain that there are three partners in the creation of a child; father, mother and G-d. The parents contribute the physical part of the child, but G-d is the One Who gives the baby life. Without G-d‘s partnership, there would be no child. Thus, honoring parents is also honoring G-d who is a partner with the parents in their child’s creation. Even more so is G-d’s partnership, for His involvement is needed throughout the child’s living years. Thus, honoring parents, whom G-d chose to partner with, is also honoring G-d.
Honoring parents should not be a one-day a year event, but they should be honored every day of the year as long as they are alive and even after they pass on.
Q. On the first day of Shavuot it is customary to eat dairy. What is the connection between dairy and the Torah which was given on Shavuot?
A. There are many reasons. Here are two:
1) On Shavuot, when Jews received the Torah, they were considered as newborns. Just as an infant is nourished through milk, we, too, eat dairy on Shavuot to symbolize the birth of the Jewish nation.
2) Moshe was on Mount Sinai forty days. The numerical value of “Chalav” (milk) is 40. The dairy we eat is a reminder of the 40 days Moshe stayed on the mountain in which G-d taught him the entire Torah.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY