Friday Sivan 1, 5777 / May 26, 2017 (45th day of the Omer)

Today is Rosh Chodesh Sivan – the first day of the new month, Sivan.

Q.What special historical event took place on Rosh Chodesh Sivan?

A.On Rosh Chodesh Sivan, six weeks after the Exodus from Egypt, in the year 2448 (3329 years ago), the Jewish people arrived at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah.

During the 40 years the Jewish people travelled the desert on their way to the Promised Land, they set up camp in 42 places. The Torah doesn’t usually tell us on which day they set up camp in these places. Yet, the Torah specifies that it was on Rosh Chodesh Sivan that they came to Mount Sinai and set up camp there.

The reason is that coming to Mount Sinai, even before getting the Torah, affected the Jewish people so positively that all their conflicts and disputes were gone. This happened just by coming to Mount Sinai and realizing that there was a much higher purpose to life.

In describing this event, the Torah says, “He, Israel camped there in front of the mountain.” Although there were over a million people, the Torah uses a singular expression, HE - in the singular. Our sages explain that by this the Torah tells us that they were all, “like one person with one heart.”

To demonstrate their unity and concern for each other, Jews at Mount Sinai accepted responsibility for each other. From that day on we all became responsible for our fellow Jew to help him or her in their spiritual needs.

Q. Our sages tell us that Mount Sinai was one of the smallest amongst the mountains. What is the lesson in the fact that G-d chose to give the Torah on a low mountain, not on flat ground?

A.When coming to learn Torah one may encounter obstacles. Good things do not come easy. Mount Sinai teaches us that when coming to perform G-d’s commandments one may encounter a mountain of obstacles. G-d wants us to make an effort to study Torah and observe the mitzvot.

But G-d gave the Torah on a small mountain - a manageable mountain. It is within one’s ability to climb and conquer. It teaches us that with effort it is within everyone’s reach.

Our sages say that G-d never demands of us something which we cannot handle. If He commands us to study Torah and perform the mitzvot, He also gives us the ability to accomplish it.

HAVE A WONDERFUL CHODESH-MONTH & SHABBAT SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 8:12 / Shabbat ends: 9:21

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

B"H

Tuesday Sivan 5, 5777 / May 30, 2017 (49th day of the Omer)

Tonight, Tuesday night, begins the holiday of Shavuot, celebrating G-d’s giving the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai.

Although this event took place over 3,000 years ago, yet the Torah is as true and valid today as ever. If there is one truth which lasted throughout all these generations and stayed the same, it is the Torah.

In fact, whenever people tried to dilute and make changes to the Torah and its mitzvot, it didn’t last for more than one generation or two. The eternity of Torah depends on its authenticity. Anything less is not G-d given and thus is not everlasting. The richness, wisdom and holiness of Torah is only when it is in its original, G-d given, formula.

Once before Shavuot, a poor man said to his wife, "I just passed by the home of a rich man and they were preparing cheese blintzes for the holiday. What a fragrance those blintzes had!  Oh, if only I could, once in my life, have cheese blintzes for the holiday!"

"I would gladly make them for you," said the wife, "but I have no eggs."

"Then make them without eggs," he suggested.

"But I have no cream either!"

"You'll have to do without cream."

"I hate to tell you this, but I don't even have a grain of sugar."

"Be inventive. Do the best you can!" he persisted.

Determined to please her husband, she made "blintzes" without eggs, cream or sugar.  On Shavuot, when her husband came home from the synagogue, she served him the blintzes.  He took a few bites, and exclaimed, "My dear wife!  How can anyone eat this? I will never in my life understand why rich people love blintzes!" 

It is the same with the Torah. Deleting and diluting parts of the Torah ends up making it taste like the poor man's blintzes…

The Torah reading for the first day of Shavuot, Wednesday, is the Ten Commandments.  It is important that everyone, men women and children attend synagogue to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments. 

CHAG SAMEACH – HAVE A WONDERFUL SHAVUOT HOLIDAY

Montreal candle lighting time: Tuesday night: 8:16 / Wednesday night: 9:31