Imagine living in pre-biblical times, when prevalent values included infanticide, human sacrifice and idol worship. It was a largely chaotic human landscape, devoid of moral anchor, where "might makes right" and barbarians reigned.
Then 3,300 years ago, the Jewish people stood at Sinai and – bang! – in the course of one revelation, humanity acquired a Divine code that quickly spread its revolutionary ideals of sanctity, justice, compassion, family, education and peace.
Over the millennia, various influencers – Christianity and Islam – helped Torah values become firmly rooted in human consciousness.
Just as the physical universe expands from its seminal moment, so too Sinai's spiritual Big Bang reverberates today. With the founding of the United States of America the voice from Sinai echoed in the ideals of "all men are created equal"; "in God we trust"; "proclaim liberty throughout the land." These are bedrocks of civilization and stem directly from the declaration of Genesis 1:27 that every human is "created in the image of God."
The words of history's greatest leaders, philosophers and historians – including U.S. Presidents from John Adams ("I will insist that the Hebrews have done more to civilize man than any other nation.") to Lyndon Johnson ("Our society is illuminated by the spiritual insights of the Hebrew prophets.") – attest to Sinai's profoundly powerful effect.
The Imperative
The holiday of Shavuot, which marks the Sinai experience, presents a unique opportunity to access Torah's unparalleled spiritual power.
But while any Jewish holiday requires intense preparation (before Sukkot we build the sukkah and obtain the four species; before Passover we clean the house and prepare the Seder), the very name of this holiday – Shavuot means "weeks" – alludes to the essential seven-week preparation period. Through a process of self-introspection, we attain a new level of clarity and commitment in four key realms:
(1) Acceptance
At Sinai, every Jew humbly stood in a barren desert, before a humble mountain, and in unison declared: Naaseh v'Nishma – we gladly accept the Torah, sight unseen.
Today, we demonstrate our acceptance of Torah through a commitment to study its words, day and night. Particularly in modern times, with the propensity of distraction so great, passionate and constant Torah study is our best chance for making the right choices.
(2) Observance
Beyond mere "obligations," the 613 mitzvot – defined by God as the instructions for living – exert a practical observable affect on our lives. For example:
- Shabbat – our weekly rest and recovery seminar, exerting a centrifugal force of shared time that binds families and the community.
- Kashrut – instills a lifelong sense of self-discipline, enabling us to choose higher human pleasures over the competing desire for immediate gratification.
- Mikvah and associated laws – infuses married life with fresh vitality, appreciation and closeness.
(3) Sharing
For those who love God and Torah, a natural desire is to share these ideas with others.
The Torah was given not to individuals, but to a nation, teaching us that its loftiest levels of fulfillment are achievable only as a group.
The Jewish message is fully universal. Anyone can join the club, and every righteous human being has a secure place in Heaven.
(4) Unity
Finally, Torah is the ultimate unifier. Unity is a prerequisite for receiving the Torah, as Exodus 19:2 implies: The Jewish people stood at Sinai as one body with one heart. Only by seeing ourselves as part of an organic whole can that organism thrive.
Yet despite the many material-spiritual comparisons, one Big Bang is not like the other.
The cosmological Big Bang was a one-time event, which no human intervention can ever impact.
The influence of Sinai, by contrast, is a constant voice, beckoning each of us to choose Torah.
Torah study and observance is the very act of discovering self.
Torah is not an abstract and arcane text, but rather provides everything we need to live a healthy life.
By constantly directing us toward our unique life mission, Torah study and observance is the very act of discovering self.
On Shavuot, we stay up all night immersed in study, celebrating the Big Bang, and declaring that Torah – like water – is the essential life-sustaining force.
That's one thing worth staying up all night for.
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(5) Alex Yeboah, June 16, 2014 6:37 AM
An amazing day that history cannot alter.
At mountain Sinai all men owe their righteous living. I am most grateful to a great a people called the Jews. God bless the nation of Israel and may God protect her people.
(4) Larry, June 4, 2014 12:34 AM
Universal message?
What do you mean by join the club. Should I convert?
(3) Pinny, June 3, 2014 2:21 PM
I don't think the Rabbi meant to say that
To painfully quote the Rabbi,
"Over the millennia, various influencers – Christianity and Islam – helped Torah values become firmly rooted in human consciousness."
Please no, It was Torah and the Jewish People's practice of it, plus Chesed from Hashem that rooted Torah values into the human consciousness. Other ideologies distorted the Truth and misrepresented what the Torah stands for.
Shraga Simmons, June 5, 2014 7:04 PM
Maimonides
The idea that Christianity and Islam helped spread Torah values is written in the "uncensored" version of Maimonides' magnum opus, "Mishneh Torah" (Melachim 11:4).
(2) Dvirah, June 1, 2014 6:28 PM
I can only say....
WOW
(1) scott, June 1, 2014 8:32 AM
Sinai to me.
I find it interesting that the focus is on the Torah at Sinai. It was not the thing in my opinion. Not that it’s not important-it’s essential for life as we know it as Jews. But I don’t see it as the focus of Sinai.
We accepted Hashem as our G*d. That’s the thing. He made the offer. That's the thing.
Imagine that you are a twelve year old child in an orphanage. A nice couple from Scarsdale shows up and says that they want to take you away from all this. They are offering you a life in exchange for your acknowledging their parental authority. They will feed you and clothe you and educate you and love you as their child. They will give you an inheritance when they die. They aren’t offering a package of services or a conditional contract. There are no return clauses. Once you go with them that’s it. They can reward and punish you as they see fit. They’re doing it for nothing more than the pleasure of being parents. The meaning they take from it. As a twelve year old that’s hard to understand. But you see something in them and you say yes. Only later, when you get to their-now your-home, do you start learning about the rules of the house.
G*d had shown us his power through the Exodus…we believed that he was powerful and he had demonstrated his love in saving us. We just decided to trust that we would use that power for good in our lives. We saw what he had showed us and said yes and trusted in his divine love to set appropriate rules.
To me that’s Sinai.
I will study Torah until late at night and thank Hashem for the Torah as we all do. But on Shavuot I think more about the miracle of Hashem offering us his divine love. I think about how he worked miracles on our behalf beforehand to demonstrate that love.
Then I go back to Torah to learn to live as he asks. To show my love.
To me that's Shavuot. With ice cream. Don't forget the ice cream.