B"H

Wednesday, Sivan 4, 5783 (Hakhel Year) 48th Sefirah / May 24, 2023

Questions & Answers on the holiday of Shavuot – the holiday of the Giving of the Torah

Q.   Was the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, G-d’s first revelation to Moshe at Mount Sinai?

A.   Moshe’s first encounter with G-d at Mount Sinai was a year earlier.  Moshe, who was caring for his father-in-law’s sheep, brought his flock to Mount Sinai. G-d revealed Himself to him from a burning bush, commanding him to go to Pharaoh and take the Jewish people out of Egypt. 

Q. Why did G-d choose Mount Sinai for the Giving of the Torah?

A.   Our sages say that the reason G-d chose Mount Sinai, is because it was a small mountain. G-d wanted to teach us that the proper way we can benefit from the Torah is when we are humble. No matter how much Torah knowledge a person achieves, he should conduct himself with humility. But, at the same time, the Torah was given on a mountain to teach us that the Torah does lift a person up spiritually when studying and adhering to the Torah.  

Q.   Why is the Torah compared to water?

A.  1) Just like water flows from a high place down to the lowest level, the Torah will not stay with those who are haughty and hold themselves high, but rather with those who are humble.

2) Water cleans the body and purifies a person spiritually (by immersing in a Mikvah), so too, the Torah sanctifies and spiritually purifiesa person's body and soul.

3) Water is most appreciated when a person is thirstyand the same is with Torah. To truly appreciate its value, one must develop a thirstfor it.

4)  Just as water (rain) comes down in dropsand yet has the power to raise the levels of streams and rivers, so too is true of Torah. If one studies even a little Torah each day, it accumulates and raises the person to great spiritual heights.

The Rebbe of Lublin made the following comparison between Torah, mitzvot and water. "Water has enormous power; it can wash away anything that stands in its path and is always on the move, resembling life.  However, if water becomes too cold, it freezes and is like a rock." 

"The same is with Torah and mitzvot. If they are performed cold - without any warmth, feeling and personal dedication, then one's spiritual service is lacking and will not accomplish all that it could.  However, if one studies Torah and keeps the mitzvot with fire; warmth and enthusiasm, then one can attain great accomplishments and great spiritual benefits."

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Thursday, Sivan 5, 5783 (Hakhel Year) 49th Sefirah / May 25, 2023

Tonight (Thursday night) we celebrate the holiday of Shavuot.  Although the Giving of the Torah was in the morning, all Jewish holidays begin from the night.  

The reason is that in the story of creation, where the Torah tells us what happened each day, the night precedes the day. The day comes after the night.

One of the obvious questions about Shavuot is why is it that this special holiday which commemorates the Giving of the Torah, the greatest event in Jewish history, is not celebrated in a special way, with special mitzvot associated with this holiday as we do with the other holidays. 

On Pesach, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot we perform special mitzvot and recite special blessings for these mitzvot which symbolize the importance of that day.  Even Chanukah and Purim which are rabbinical mitzvot have special significant mitzvot associated with them.

On Shavuot however, the day of the Giving of the Torah, which is the basis for all other holidays and mitzvot, we don’t have any special blessings or celebration to characterize this special day?

The answer is that it is because of the importance of this holiday that we do not celebrate it with any special mitzvot.  Shavuot is not a celebration of a specific day and a specific event.  It is the celebration of our very existence as a people - our being Jewish.  Shavuot is celebrated in our daily actions all year long, by adhering to the laws of Torah and fulfilling its commandments.

Thus, G-d didn’t give us any special mitzvot (except for a few which applied in the Beth Hamikdash (Temple), because the mitzvot of Shavuot, i.e. the upkeep of the Torah, applies all year round.

As mentioned yesterday, Torah is likened to water, for many reasons. Rabbi Akiva explains that just like a fish cannot sustain itself without water, so too, a Jew cannot survive without Torah. Receiving the Torah is a daily event and is celebrated in our every day-to-day way of life.

Tomorrow, Friday, the Ten Commandments will be read in Synagogue. Although the Ten commandments are read two more times during the year when we read Parshat Yitro and Va’etchanan, yet, the reading of the Ten commandments on Shavuot, the day when G-d gave us the Torah, is particularly significant. 

It is important that everyone, men, women and children, attend synagogue to hear the Ten Commandments Friday morning.

In the Diaspora, the Yizkor-memorial prayer, when we pray and mention our parents who are not with us anymore, will be recited during the Saturday morning prayer.

BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY HOLIDAY - CHAG SAMEACH

Montreal candle lighting time: Thurs.: 8:11 / Friday: 8:12

B"H

Monday, Sivan 9, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / May 29, 2023

I hope you had a wonderful and inspiring Shavuot holiday. We all heard the Ten Commandments read in synagogue on Yom Tov and were all inspired to uphold and keep the Torah throughout the year.

At the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai Jews proclaimed, “Naase VeNishma” - “We will do and listen,” committing to observe the mitzvot even before knowing what they were. Although this special event was a one-time occurrence, they agreed to adhere to G-d’s commandments for all generations.

One may ask, “Why do I have to adhere to a promise which my ancestors make over 3000 years earlier?

The answer is that we were all there at the Giving of the Torah. Our sages tell us that the soul of every Jew of all generations was at Mount Sinai when G-d gave the Torah. Thus, it’s a promise which we ourselves made that we have to keep.

Now, it is our duty and responsibility to bring the lessons and teachings of the Torah, which we received on Shavuot, into practice in our day-to-day life.  After Shavuot, we have to bring the Torah down from The Mountain into reality, into practice.

Our sages compare this to a merchant who travels to the big trade fair, once a year, to buy all the items he needs for his store for the entire year.  At the fair, he packs everything he bought in huge boxes and brings them back from the fair with him.  Throughout the year he unpacks the items little by little.

The same is with the holiday of Shavuot.  On Shavuot, like the merchant at the fair, we acquire everything we need for the year.  Then, throughout the year, we keep on unpacking and taking whatever we need for our spiritual well-being.  

After Shavuot we should strengthen our dedication to Torah study and to support Torah study. We recite in the daily evening service, “The Torah is our life.”  Just as fish cannot survive without water, so Jews cannot survive as a nation without Torah.

One of the things we must remember each day is how we stood at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah. The Torah is a gift which G-d gave and continues to give us each day. 

This Shabbat, the Shabbat after Shavuot, we read Parshat Naso, which is the longest Parsha in the Torah. 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.”

May we all be blessed with the blessing of peace on a personal level and a global level.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY