Matan Torah: The End of Creation by Noah Notis (Kohelet ‘16)

One of the main aspects of the chag we are

now celebrating is its commemoration of Matan Torah, the mass revelation at Sinai during which God conferred the Torah to Bnei Yisrael. Several strands in the Torah and aggadah establish the connection between Matan Torah and Creation. The Gemara (Shabbat 88b) recounts Moshe’s ascent to the Heavens to accept the Torah from God. Upon the angels’ discovery of Moshe’s intention to bring the Torah down to Earth, the angels proclaim, “What is man that you should remember him and the son of man that you should be mindful of him” (Tehillim 8:5).

In his commentary on aggadah, the Maharsha points out one explanation of this passuk from Tehillim that interprets, “What is man that you should remember him,” as referring to the angels’ opposition to the creation of Man, and, “the son of man that you should be mindful of him” as the angels’ opposition to Matan Torah. By interpreting the passuk in this fashion, the psalm becomes an arena whereby the giving of the Torah and the creation of Man are juxtaposed via the angels’ dissent.

Aside from the textual juxtaposition in Tehillim, the two major events contain contextual similarities. For example, both involve a major change in mankind’s morality and Man’s approach to God. After Adam and Chava eat from the fruit of the eitz hada’at, “Vatipakachna einei sheneihem,” “Their eyes become opened,” and they realize that they are unclothed (Bereishit 3:7). Similarly, the giving of the Torah introduces a novel code of law and a new sense of yedi’at Hashem. To this effect, the Gemara states, “When the Torah was given, law was renewed” (Shabbat 135a;; Bava Batra 110b). Relating another aggadic connection between the beginning of the World and the giving of the Torah, the Gemara tells that when the nachash, the snake, came upon Chava, he put an impurity into her that was not excised until Matan Torah (Shabbat 146a).

Jewish tradition clearly regards Matan Torah and Bereishit as entangled with one another, but why? At what single unifying point do these aggadot and textual similarities seek to drive?

A passage in Massechet Shabbat explains the connection quite concisely. The Gemara relates, “God stipulated with Creation and said to it, ‘If Bnei Yisrael accept the Torah, you shall be upheld, and if not, I will revert you back to your primal state.’” (Shabbat 88a). What the Talmud essentially claims in this excerpt is that Matan Torah is both the purpose and the end of Creation.

In this vein, the Netziv comments in his introduction to the book of Shemot that the reason the Midrash titles Shemot as

“Chumash Sheni,” the second chumash, is to teach that Shemot is the second part of Bereishit in the sense that it

serves to finish the original Creation. Quoting the Gemara above, the Netziv claims that the Creation that began in Bereishit ended with Matan Torah.

This idea can be applied to the aggadot mentioned earlier. The impurity in Chava was not removed until

Matan Torah because Creation was not truly finished until then. The level of moral awareness that began with the eitz

hada’at finished with the ultimate moral code, the Torah. Furthermore, the same angels that opposed to the creation of Man would later be opposed to the giving of the Torah because the latter was the completion of the former. What we learn from these connections between Bereishit and Matan Torah is that the giving of the Torah to Bnei Yisrael is the end of the long process of Creation begun at the beginning of Sefer Bereishit.

How to Make the Most of Our Wedding Day

by Shmuel Michaels (DAT ‘15)

Marriage is often used as an analogy for Bnei Yisrael’s receiving of the Torah. G-d is the “groom,” the Bnei Yisrael are the “bride,” and the Torah is the “marriage document.” This analogy is deeply rooted in verses and various other texts and can help us understand the role that we play during sefirat ha’omer

SHAVUOT שבועות 6-7 SIVAN, 5775 MAY 23-25, 2015

Volume VI Issue 1II

ד"בס A joint publication of: Yavneh Academy Maimonides School Rav Teitz Mesivta Academy Kohelet Yeshiva High School Northwest Yeshiva High School Yeshiva University of Los Angeles Torah Academy of Bergen County Salanter Akiba Riverdale High School Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School

Shalhevet School

The Frisch School Denver Academy of Torah

Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School Fuchs Mizrachi High School

DRS Yeshiva High School for Boys The Weinbaum Yeshiva High School

The Marsha Stern Talmudic Academy Shulamith School for Girls of Brooklyn

Yeshiva University High School for Girls

In This Issue National Revelation or Personal Devotion? by Asher Young (Northwest Yeshiva ‘15)

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Making the World a Better Place by Matt Fixler (JEC ‘15)

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A Tale of G-d and Men – the Two Sets of Luchot by Yehuda Goldberg (MTA ‘17)

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The Parallel Between Divine and Human Love

by Shira Levie (Frisch ‘15) Page 7

A New Theology by Micah Gill (Shalhevet ‘16)

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Preparing Ourselves for Kabbalat HaTorah by Pammy Brenner (Ma’ayanot ‘15)

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קולקול הנעריםהנערים

and on Shavuot itself. The third aliyah of the Torah portion of the first day of

Shavuot begins: “And Moshe came down from the mountain to the nation, and he sanctified the nation and they washed their clothing” (Shemot 19:15). “Vayikadesh,” “And he sanctified,” signifies the kiddushin aspect of a marriage ceremony.

The aliyah continues as Moshe tells the nation to prepare for three days, saying: “Do not come close to a woman” (Shemot 19:15). This is a reference to the law that the bride and groom are not supposed to see each other immediately prior to their marriage. Hashem even “observes” this law by coming to Moshe in a thick cloud.

As a logical consequence, one might think that Shavuot is simply a “wedding anniversary,” a date created to remember our “marriage” to Hashem. The Maharsha, however, states that Shavuot is not an anniversary at all;; in fact, Shavuot is a renewed marriage with Hashem. Each and every year, the Torah is granted anew to the Jewish people. This idea brings new light to the marriage analogy.

So how are we to prepare for this marriage? What role should we play as this momentous occasion approaches?

The Abudraham references HaRav Yisrael ben Yisrael, who says that the seven weeks of sefirat ha’omer are comparable to a lover who eagerly awaits the arrival of the one whom he or she loves. He classifies the days of sefirat ha’omer as days of enhanced desire. It is our duty to channel this desire towards Hashem.

To help us further understand our role in the preparation for our marriage, the Arizal brings in a valuable Kabbalistic thought. He explains that each of the seven weeks uncovers a new mind. The first week uncovers the mind of wisdom;; the second, understanding;; the third, knowledge on the side of kindness;; the fourth, knowledge on the side of restraint;; the fifth, pure kindness;; the sixth, pure restraint;; and the seventh, Torah study. The two stone tablets that Bnei Yisrael received are symbolic of eternity and beauty, and Shavuot itself symbolizes foundation, which is only achieved once each mind is uncovered. These uncovered minds are then lifted to the next world to make room for Hashem to crown us with the crown of Torah.

This Arizal ties in with our analogy. Marriage symbolizes the foundation that we are supposed to create with Hashem. We must first work on our character traits and only then can we accept the crown of Hashem’s Torah.

The days leading up to Shavuot are considered the time of the harvest. This year’s harvest should be a harvest of the mind and soul – the crops that will allow us to reap the full benefits of our “marriage” with Hashem in the coming year.

National Revelation or Personal Devotion?

by Asher Young (Northwest Yeshiva ‘15) It is well known that Shavuot is the holiday when we

received the Torah;; yet, the day also has special significance because it commemorates one of the most unifying moments in Jewish history. According to tradition, Shavuot marks the

day when all of Klal Yisrael stood at Har Sinai and stated in unison, “Na’aseh v’nishma,” “We will do and we will hear.” This event was monumental mainly because this was the only time Klal Yisrael had a direct national encounter with G-d;; yet, there are other, more personal elements to Shavuot as well. The Torah was written for each Jew as an individual and by examining the method in which Klal Yisrael received the Torah we should be able to see how each individual has the capability to have a unique and personal relationship to the Torah.

The first lesson we learn from the giving of the Torah is that everyone has the ability to learn. The Torah was made for each person at his or her level. According to Ramban and Ibn Ezra, Moshe was standing at the bottom of the mountain while the nation received the Torah. They learn this fact from the pasuk, which specifically states right before the actual transfer of the Torah that Moshe went down from the mountaintop.

Rabbi Zvi Grumet learns an amazing lesson from this pasuk, which specifies where Moshe stood. Moshe did not want to be on the top of the mountain because he did not want to be seen as above the rest of the nation. Despite the fact that he was obviously the leader of Klal Yisrael and a known talmid chacham, Moshe did not want to be viewed as greater than the rest of the nation;; rather, he wanted all of Klal Yisrael to feel as though they were on the same level as him, because the Torah was no different for him than for the rest of the nation. All of Klal Yisrael had, and still have, equal claims to the Torah, no matter the position they are at. A Jew is a Jew – it’s that simple.

The second lesson we learn is the passion that one must possess for Torah learning. In the tractate of Shabbat (88a), Rav Avdimi states that G-d told Klal Yisrael that unless they accepted the Torah, Har Sinai was going to be their burial place. Yet, this Gemara seems to be problematic because the Jews had already accepted the Torah unconditionally when they said “Na’aseh v’nishma.” Why would G-d have to seemingly force them into accepting it again?

One answer is that when Hashem gave the Ten Commandments, Klal Yisrael was frightened by the fire that was surrounding them, and they considered going back on their word. Yet, if the fire caused Klal Yisrael to hesitate, why wouldn’t Hashem simply get rid of the fire surrounding the tablets? Then, there would have been no issue, and the Jews would have readily accepted the Torah!

Rav Shmuel Birnbaum offers a brilliant insight as to why the fire was necessary. He states, “Torah without fire isn’t called Torah.” Essentially, Torah cannot be learned properly without passion and enthusiasm and an internal fire which drives a person’s learning. Torah is linked with the emotional element of individual drive, and only through a personal enthusiasm towards learning Torah can one find an eternally meaningful message. The fire surrounding the tablets was needed to teach us this lesson, and for this reason G-d did not get rid of the fire.

These two lessons demonstrate that the giving of the Torah was not only a communal event that unified us as a nation, but it was also a more personal event. The Torah was given for the individual as well, and every individual has the capability to

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have the internal enthusiasm to learn and connect with the Torah’s eternal truth. Hashem interacts with us as a nation, but He also interacts with us on an individual basis through learning Torah, and this message is clear from the way Hashem gave the Torah on Shavuot.

What’s Wrong With Sleeping? by Josh Aranoff (YULA ‘15)

As we all know, on the first night of the holiday of

Shavuot we stay up all night learning. Why? The common answer is that Bnei Yisrael went to sleep on the night before the Torah was given and did not wake up early the next morning for the monumental event. This explanation for the above custom troubles me. Why is it bad thing that Bnei Yisrael wanted to sleep before receiving the Torah? Lehavdil, when people expect to do something important the following day, they tend to get some extra sleep in order to be prepared;; when people do not take such measures, they become tired or drowsy and do not function at their best on the little sleep they have. Even more so by Matan Torah, it would make sense for the Jews to try to be fully rested and prepared when God Himself gave them the Torah.

In reality, there is nothing wrong with getting an ample amount of sleep. After all, who can blame a person who wants to have a good shluf after a long, hard day? The issue with Bnei Yisrael’s behavior is that they did not show proper enthusiasm. After receiving the news that they would be getting the guide to how to live their lives, they went to sleep. They did not seem excited or enthusiastic about this. Lehavdil, when people know something important is going to happen to them the next day, they research it, they talk about it, and they get excited about it. Even more so by the giving of the Torah, they should have been excited, they should have been reviewing the few mitzvot they had, and they should have discussed the momentous occasion amongst themselves. Yet, instead of behaving in an excited manner, they simply went to sleep. For this reason, we stay up all night – because we are making up for the enthusiasm and excitement that Bnei Yisrael lacked.

This is an important message. In anything anyone does, one must show enthusiasm. Even if the task is not the most exciting one, it never hurts to put a smile on one’s face and be excited for what one is doing. On this Shavuot may we find the proper enthusiasm to show Hashem that we are ready to receive the Torah.

Learning With Water and Fire by Benji Zoller (Yavneh ‘16)

Rabbi Akiva taught that water is like words of Torah.

Water is seemingly infinite;; we need it to survive, and we can never have enough of it. Torah, in the case of a Jew, has the same qualities. Additionally, both existed prior to creation.

Fire, in contrast, is not only needed to survive but also to satisfy the need to build. Fire is a product of technology. Fire expresses creativity, innovation, and dynamism. Prior to the

discovery of fire, humans were hunter-gatherers;; fire allowed man to settle and use two things to create one. In a similar fashion, Torah is creative, dynamic, and multidimensional.

Unlike water, fire must be worked on and subsequently created. Halachically, however, the two substances are, in many ways, one and the same. Firstly, both of them cannot become impure. Additionally, despite the fact that they are polar opposites, the combination of the two can create. Rashi explains that when God created shamayim (Bereishit 1:8), He combined fire and water. Thus, all that comes from shamayim contains both an element of water and an element of fire.

Karlin Chassidim consider Shavuot to be the Yom HaDin of Torah learning. Whereas on Rosh Hashana we are judged on our lives, on Shavuot we are judged on how much we have learned over the past year. It is a time to introspect and contemplate how much time we dedicate to our Torah learning;; it is a time to think about how we could improve and strengthen our connection to Hashem.

In this sense we must be both fundamental and dynamic. Like water, we must understand the cruciality and necessity of the Torah foundation. And, like fire, we must realize our ever-changing connection to God and our constant growth regarding our level and understanding of our learning.

Rav Amital zt”l teaches that there are three things a religious Jew must do regarding the Torah and mitzvot: Follow the mitzvot not because we “feel connected” but as a matter of commitment and necessity;; understand that our religiosity is forever bound with the fulfillment of the mitzvot;; and delve deeply into Torah without fear of the “great fire” that may meet us as we intensely explore.

Thus, we must take the fire and instead of letting it burn us, we should build with it. We should let the flowing water be our foundation and the fire be our drive to continue to learn Torah for the sake of learning.

This theme of water’s and fire’s connection to Shavuot also relates to Megillat Rut. Rut is the first righteous convert in our recorded history. She humbly decided to leave her former culture in order to follow her mother-in-law Naomi to engulf herself in a lifestyle of Torah and mitzvot. Like the story of Rut, Shavuot offers us a chance to “convert” our learning habits and increase our connection to God. With the brit of the Torah, the water of the mikvah, and the fire of a korban we can reconnect ourselves to our Torah study and God.

Judaism has survived for so long due to its emphasis on learning. It is the foundation of who we are;; it is a constant building block for generations to come. That is why Torah learning is constantly changing. One hundred years ago, people learned in Cheder by repeating and memorizing Gemaras their rabbis taught them. Today, students have the ability to find the materials online or listen to podcasts, so that they can immerse themselves in Torah.

As we constantly grow as a nation, it is important to remember that although the way in which we learn is changing day by day, the Torah is the same exact one B’nei Yisrael received on Har Sinai thousands of years ago. Shavuot night gives us the opportunity to not only learn what we learned before, but to learn in a way that re-sparks the fire within us, and thus continues to light the Ner Tamid that keeps our people alive and well.

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Making the World a Better Place by Matt Fixler (JEC '15)

Shavuot represents one of the happiest and holiest times

of the Jewish year, in both celebration and in commemoration. At Matan Torah, B'nei Yisrael were at what was probably the holiest level we have ever achieved as a nation. After sinking to the 49th level of tumah in Mitzrayim, B'nei Yisrael rose upward toward Matan Torah, the culmination of the redemption. We celebrate these yamim tovim in the same fashion. After meticulously and painstakingly cleansing our houses of chametz, we celebrate Pesach, the part of the narrative when we leave Mitzrayim. We then commemorate the 49 days of the Omer. The Zohar Chadash says that every day of the Omer represents another level of purity we have attained. At Pesach, we are at our lowest point, and by the time Shavuot rolls around we are at our purest.

Yet, something seems a little off about this. On Shavuot, when the Beit Hamikdash was still standing, the kohanim would bring two loaves of bread as a korban. The passuk in Parashat Emor (23:17) states that these loaves must be chametz. This seems counterintuitive to this whole purification process. According to many commentaries, chametz represents spiritual impurity, which is why we rid ourselves of it on Pesach. If the goal of this whole process is to become pure, why do we go from non--­chametz to chametz? Would that not be making us symbolically impure?

Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, in Mesilat Yesharim, says something beautiful that can help answer our question. Ridding oneself of impurity is a very high level of holiness, but it is not the highest level. True holiness is taking this world, with all of its physicality and impurity, and raising it up and making it holy. The purest thing one can do is not to isolate oneself from the world;; it is to be involved in the world and to have a positive impact on it. It is to bring kedushah to the world and to bring the world toward kedushah. That is what we are doing with this korban;; we are taking those two loaves of chametz, representing all of the physicality and impurity of this world and raising it up to become holy.

This idea fits very well with the overall theme of Shavuot. On this day, Hashem gave B’nei Yisrael the Torah, but it was not merely a giving over of laws (as there are many indications that B’nei Yisrael knew the laws before this point, such as Noach knowing which animals were kosher). It was the beginning of a mission -­to take this holiness that we have achieved and to share it with the world, to raise the world up and to make it holy.

In fact, this theme even appears in Megillat Rut, which we read on Shavuot. In the times of Boaz, things were not pleasant for the Jewish people. The land was ravaged by famine, and even leaders such as Elimelech simply left (to Moav, of all places). Most people felt very disconnected from G-­-d and from Judaism as a whole, so Boaz decreed that everyone should start greeting each other with Hashem's

name, saying, "May G--­d be with you" (Rut 2:4). Whenever one person greeted another, they felt closer to G--­d and generally holier. This greeting spread holiness in a place where most people did not feel very holy.

This is the message of the two loaves, and the theme of Shavuot. Our mission in life is not simply to isolate ourselves in order to make ourselves holy. It is to make those around us holier, to lift up this world and purify it.

A Dual Recognition of Em Hamalchut and

Kabbalat Hamalchut by Miriam Mayor (Shulamith ‘17) & Cindy Yankovich (Shulamith ‘17)

On the second day of Shavuot, we read Megillat Rut. Why on this day, during which we celebrate our acceptance of the Torah, do we read about a Moabite princess who followed her mother-in-law to Israel and converted to Judaism? The answer to this question lies in Shavuot’s agricultural, historical, and religious significance, which all relate to Megillat Rut.

Shavuot is the birthday and day of passing of King David, the great--­grandchild of Rut and Boaz. By reading Megillat Rut, we celebrate King David’s ancestral line. When we read Megillat Rut, we recognize that she is Em Hamalchut – the Mother of the Kingdom.

Additionally, Shavuot is known as Chag Hakatzir,-­ the harvest festival. Megillat Rut gives us a picture of the harvest, and how the poor were treated in the harvest season, namely, with sympathy and love. Shavuot is also the festival that marks the end of sefirah, the counting that begins on the second evening of Pesach. This span of time bridges the barley and wheat harvests, when people would bring offerings of both to the Beit Hamikdash. The agricultural origin of the festival is still remembered and highlighted in Megillat Rut, which is read on Shavuot. The story takes place during the seasonal harvest associated with the holiday.

Another reason Megillat Rut is read on Shavuot is that this Megillah clearly illustrates the concept of a Ger Tzedek, a true, ideal convert. Rut was a Moabite princess. She could have lived her life in Moab with wealth, honor, and fame, yet she chose to leave her hometown, give up her title and all her wealth, and move to a country where she would be considered an outsider and live in poverty. Rut is the quintessence of a true convert;; on Shavuot we recognize that just like we accepted the Torah, converts to Judaism accepted it as well.

Megillat Rut relays many critical details concerning the gerut process. For example, in the first perek of Megillat Rut, Naomi told Rut to return to her home three times. Many Midrashim comment that this is where Naomi tried to dissuade Rut from converting to Judaism. Halacha mandates that one must attempt to dissuade a person from converting three times to see whether or not the potential convert sincerely want to join the Jewish nation. Rashi considers the words, “And she ceased to speak to her” (Rut 1:18) as the point in the converting process when Naomi no longer had the right to dissuade Rut. As Rashi states, “You should not be excessive with [the convert] and you should not be too strict with [the convert].” Rut was dissatisfied with the lifestyle of her people,

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so she gave up her royal status for a life of poverty with people of a different religion. Because of her passionate desire to convert to Judaism, Go-­d rewarded her. When Rut came to Israel, she met Boaz, a righteous field owner who was also the judge of Israel at the time. Boaz was especially kind to Rut and would eventually marry her. As mentioned above, Boaz and Rut had a son, Oved, who became the father of Yishai, who would be the father of King David. As we know, the Messiah will be a direct descendant of King David, so in essence Rut was rewarded with the honor of being the ancestor of Israel’s Messiah.

The story of Rut contrasts greatly with that of her sister, Orpah. Orpah had also left her native land to join Naomi in Israel. Orpah decided, however, to return at the suasion of her mother-in-law. On her way home, says the Midrash, she came upon a group of one hundred soldiers and willingly slept with them. It is from these soldiers that Orpah became pregnant and gave birth to four giants, one of whom was Goliath, whom David later killed. Instead of becoming a spiritual giant like Rut, Orpah became the mother of four physical giants. There is a powerful message here:-­ all of us have the potential to grow and become amazing people, we just need to unlock that potential.

Rut and Orpah’s names actually reflect their actions. The numerical value of Rut is 606, which corresponds to the number of mitzvot that Rut had to accept, due to the fact that she already kept the seven mitzvot of Noach. Orpah comes from the word “oref,” which means the back of the head;; “le-­hafnot oref” means “to turn away,” just as Orpah turned away from Judaism.

Even though their names may have indicated their decisions from the start, each of the two sisters had equal potential to become a tzadeket. On this Shavuot, may everyone come to realize his or her own potential like Rut, rather than fall short like Orpah.

A Tale of G-d and Men – the Two Sets of

Luchot by Yehuda Goldberg (MTA ‘17)

Throughout the whole Torah, the Aseret Hadibrot in

their entirety appear twice: once in Yitro and again in Va’etchanan. Upon reading the story of Matan Torah in both parshiot, one immediately notices some apparent inconsistencies in the text. In Va’etchanan, for example, the Torah seems to be focused on Yetziat Mitzrayim as the reason for the commandment of Shabbat. Similarly, when talking about honoring one’s parents, the text in Va’etchanan adds the words "lema’an yitav lecha." Aside from the many classical ways of resolving these apparent discrepancies, I believe that a particularly intriguing answer can be suggested by looking at another aspect of Matan Torah – the two luchot.

Similar to our topic, several important differences exist between the two luchot – in the reason they were created, the way they were written, and the material that was included in them. Firstly, unlike the initial dibrot, the context in which

the second dibrot were written was the aftermath of one of worst sins in human history – the Chet Ha’egel. Additionally, the second dibrot possess the quality of being written by Moshe, a human being, whereas the first dibrot were written by G-d. Lastly, a famous Midrash writes that the first dibrot only included the Ten Commandments whereas the second dibrot included Midrash and agadata as well. Thus, the second dibrot came in the aftermath of Hashem “appreciating,” so to speak, that humanity (and by extension the Jewish people) are far from perfect and that, at times, G-d must act as a "kel rachum." It may be for this reason that the second dibrot were written by a human (though of course under the direction of G-d).

This idea is expressed by the Tiferet Yisrael, who writes that the Torah represents a brit between the Jewish people and Hashem. When people make a brit, they describe the brit with their perspective or how the brit affects them. The first dibrot, therefore, can represent G-d's perspective, and the second dibrot represent man’s perspective. Where are we told the entirety of the second dibrot? One might suggest that the dibrot told over in Sefer Devarim are indeed the second dibrot. This would make sense as it is Moshe who is speaking in Devarim, and it was Moshe who wrote the second luchot. Thus, the second luchot (written by a person with whom G-d was making a brit) focus more on the way G-d relates to people. The goal of Shabbat is no longer solely to remember G-d’s “resting” but to remember an event in which G-d related to people in a very direct fashion – Yetziat Mitzrayim. Similarly, the rationale for the mitzvah of Kibud Av Vaem becomes one of “lema’an yitav lach,” so it should be good for you.

Indeed, with this in mind, it is not difficult to explain the differences between the Aseret Hadibrot accounts in Sefer Devarim and in Sefer Shemot. The account in Devarim includes the human perspective and thus deals not with an idealized man, who makes decisions solely based on sechel, but with the reality of the human condition.

This may also explain the statement of Chazal that the second dibrot included Midrash as well;; the version of man reflected in the second dibrot requires additions and explanations to understand the “pshat.” This approach also works with the Gemara in Eruvin 54, which describes that if the first luchot (a godly perspective on what human potential should be) had not been destroyed, no amount of Torah would have been lost from the Jewish People. In many ways the first luchot represent what G-d ultimately wants from us. Yet, so often in life, we fall short of these goals and find ourselves giving up. The second luchot teach us that while sometimes we have moments like the Chet Ha’egel, it is exactly at these times that we should not give up. Rather, we should pick ourselves up, say "yiyashar kochacha sheshibarta," and begin to reassess our goals and expectations. Often, we judge ourselves by a godlike standard, a standard which is difficult and often impossible to live up to;; it is our job to fashion new luchot, ones that strive for the heights of Har Sinai while appreciating the harsh reality of everyday life at the same time.

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Bikkurim: Fruits From the Hand of G-d

by Ilan Sasson (SAR ‘16) I once came home from school very hungry, so I asked

my mother if we had any food in the fridge. She responded, “We have a few fruits and vegetables, but you must say a brachah before you eat them.” As a naive five-year-old boy, I said the brachah and ate the food. Looking back, this was a much more profound experience than I realized at the time.

The Torah tells us that when Bnei Yisrael conquered and settled in the Land of Israel, their first mitzvah was to bring the Bikkurim, the first fruits, to the Kohen in their respective cities. The Torah reads as follows:

“...That you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring from your land, which the Lord, your G-d, is giving you. And you shall put [them] into a basket and go to the place which the Lord, your G-d, will choose to have His Name dwell there” (Devarim 26:2).

The Mishnah in the third chapter of Masechet Bikkurim tells us that as Israelites from the towns and the farms made their way to Jerusalem to bring the Bikkurim, elders from the cities on the way would come out to greet them, praising G-d. When the Israelites would reach the gates of Jerusalem, an additional ceremony was performed.

Upon reading the Mishnah, I wonder: What is the big deal about bringing a little bit of fruit worth less than half a dinar?

Rabbi Moshe Alshich (1508-1593) explains that the Bikkurim represent two fundamental principles of Judaism. He says that farming is one of the hardest professions in the world because it involves difficult, backbreaking labor. Additionally, when a farmer plants in the spring, he does not know what will happen to his crop. Anything from droughts to floods to infestations could ruin it. On the other hand, when a farmer plants and enjoys a bountiful harvest, it is very easy for him to think, “My strength and the power of my hand made me this great wealth” (Devarim 8:17). He might think that his industriousness and his long hours of toiling in the fields are the sole reason that he now reaps the fruit of his labor.

Bikkurim come to counteract such thoughts. The mitzvah of Bikkurim teaches us that it is G-d’s land, G-d’s sustenance, and G-d’s hand that give us our wealth. These are the foundations of the Torah. This is why the mitzvah of Bikkurim is the first mitzvah that Jews are obligated to do when they enter the Land of Israel.

In the passage regarding Bikkurim, the Torah recounts, “So we cried out to the Lord, God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression [in Mitzrayim]... And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground which you, O Lord, have given to me” (Devarim 26:7).

This recitation about Yetziat Mitzrayim reminds us of Bnei Yisrael’s dependence on G-d, since it was G-d’s hand that led the Israelites out of slavery. After they suffered for 210 years, G-d listened to their suffering and heard their cries. For this reason, we discuss Yetziat Mitzrayim when we make

the proclamation for the Bikkurim. We demonstrate that, just like at Yetziat Mitzrayim, G-d is deeply involved in our lives.

Shavuot is a time when a person must realize that it is not his brain, talents, or cleverness alone that have helped him to acquire wealth;; rather, it is his “siyata deShmaya,” assistance from Heaven, that gives him all of his wealth. The proclamation that a person makes when giving the Bikkurim indicates that everything he has acquired is from G-d and asserts the fact that the Jewish nation’s future stems from G-d’s mighty hand that took the Israelites out of slavery in Mitzrayim. We must take a moment to appreciate the origins of our fruits, thanking our Creator for all he has given us.

A Torah Filled with Truth by Yoni Goldberg (DRS‘15)

The symbol often accompanying the holiday of Shavuot is a mountain with two stone tablets on top, usually surrounded by lightning and flowers. This image, however, is a complete misrepresentation of what happened on Shavuot. Yes, Ma'amad Har Sinai in all of its unfathomable glory did take place on the sixth of Sivan, but the luchot were not actually received until the tenth of Tishrei after Moshe had broken the first pair and begged for forgiveness on behalf of B'nei Yisrael. Why, then, has this become the accepted logo for such a monumental, annual holiday?

Moshe Rabbeinu was undoubtedly the greatest of B’nei Yisrael’s leaders. What was the greatest leader's greatest action? He performed countless miracles, rescued B’nei Yisrael from potential catastrophe many times and split a sea! Which of these can be proclaimed as "The One?" The final pasuk in the Torah states, "And all the strong hand, and all the great awe, which Moses performed before the eyes of all Israel" (Deuteronomy 34:12). Rashi there comments: What was it that Moshe did "before the eyes of all of Israel?" What was the greatest act that he accomplished in front of all of B’nei Yisrael? It was, Rashi says, his breaking of the luchot. Seriously? Of all of Moshe's inconceivable triumphs for B’nei Yisrael, his greatest one was delaying the reception of two stone tablets? Why is this so remarkable?

Picture the setting. Moshe has just spent forty days in a limbo state between Heaven and Earth without eating. The Torah has just been transmitted into his head, and he has come as close to "seeing" Hashem as anyone ever will. As he descends the mountain, he sees his people – one whom he has carried from the depths of Egyptian slavery to the grandeur of Mount Sinai – sinning with the Golden Calf.

The easy reaction would be to castigate his nation, to convince them to repent, to deliver the luchot, and then to plead with Hashem. Instead, Moshe chooses to do the honorable thing, the action that he knows is right, and he smashes the luchot. He realizes that B’nei Yisrael does not deserve them, and he breaks them because he believes it is right, in spite of the later ramifications. That episode is so special because Moshe, as a leader, stands for what he knows is right, despite the fact that it was worse for his nation.

That is the unique connection between Shavuot and the luchot. We did not receive them on the sixth of Sivan, but we

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received the message behind them at that time. Just as we were introduced to the truth of Torah on Shavuot, Moshe showed us with his most distinguished deed that acting on behalf of that truth is paramount. Standing up for the truth is not always easy, but as Jews we must do everything in our power to profess Torah values and do what we know is right.

The Parallel Between Divine and Human Love

by Shira Levie (Frisch ‘15)

The time of Shavuot is one which carries much significance for the Jewish nation. While it can be viewed as the simple acceptance of a law code from God, Bnei Yisrael’s actions at Har Sinai certainly signified more than entering into a business deal. Bnei Yisrael were not promising to solely abide by God’s laws and serve Him;; rather, they were celebrating the beginning of a loving, almost symbiotic relationship, which many compare to that of a bride and a groom. The parallel between the receiving of the Torah at Har Sinai and the wedding of a couple is undeniable and grants an insight into the essence of what Matan Torah and the holiday of Shavuot really celebrate.

The beautiful metaphor associated with Shavout as the wedding ceremony of the Jewish people with God is one that begins on Pesach. If we think of the time from Pesach to Shavuot as the bride and groom first meeting and then getting to know and courting one another, then Shavuot is the day of the great wedding celebration. The first of the parallels can be found in the location of the nation as it awaited the Torah. At Har Sinai, the people gathered at the base of the mountain, anxiously awaiting God’s commands. In Exodus (19:17), Bnei Yisrael are described as standing "be-tachtit ha-har." The Midrash notes that the word “be-tachtit” is said to mean that Bnei Yisrael were literally standing beneath the mountain. This can be compared to a chuppah, under which the bride and a groom stand as they prepare to wed.

Another parallel comes in God’s words: “Ve-atem ti-hyu Li [...] goy kadosh – And you will be to Me […] a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). This declaration contains a similar structure of that which a groom says to his bride when he places a ring on her finger: “Harei at me-kudeshet li – Behold you are betrothed to me.” At Har Sinai, Hashem and the Jewish nation entered into an agreement in the form of the Aseret Ha-dibrot, the Ten Commandments. This can be compared to the agreement between a man and wife when signing the ketuba - the marital contract.

There are many other traditions present in the marriage of a man and woman that parallel the acceptance of the Torah. There are many examples: The bride circles the groom just as Bnei Yisrael encircled Har Sinai (Exodus 19:12);; there was lightning at Sinai (Exodus 19:16), which is mirrored in the wedding ceremony, as some have a tradition to carry lit candles to the chuppah;; the tablets were broken at Sinai (Exodus 32:19), and, in a similar fashion, a glass is shattered at the end of the nuptials;; Bnei Yisrael ate and drank at Sinai (Exodus 24:11), and at a wedding celebration we partake in a festive meal.

Accepting the Torah is a great deal like growing in a sacred relationship of love. Both have moments of great awe, wonder, and splendor. Both require consistent, day-to-day tending and attention. Both include times of struggle and strife. And both are, we hope, of such ultimate value that it is always worth trying to perfect one’s continuing commitment to deepening the connection. The parallels evident in these two relationships can be understood as one of the many relationships we form on a human level in order to begin to understand how to connect to Hashem. We can now also have greater insight into the depth of Shavuot as a holiday – a time when we as Jews must reflect on our relationship with Hashem and strive to strengthen our devotion and inspiration as we continue to honor our sacred contract of the Torah.

A Tale of Two Conversions by Baila Eisen (Weinbaum ‘15)

The main reason that we read Sefer Rut on Shavuot, the

holiday that celebrates the receiving of the Torah, seems obvious. The two stories, that of Rut and that of the Jewish people at Har Sinai, correlate perfectly;; Rut chooses to follow Hashem, even though she inhabits a land of idolaters, and then travels, on blind faith, to the promised land of Israel. Bnei Yisrael’s redemption from Egypt follows the exact same storyline. Rut’s words to Naomi, “Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge;; your people shall be my people and your God my God” are reminiscent of Bnei Yisrael’s declaration of faith at Har Sinai, “I will do and I will listen.”

The similarities are easy to find. So my question is the following: What are the differences? How is Rut’s experience dissimilar from Bnei Yisrael’s so many years before?

The answer, I believe, lies in the difference between God’s relationship with Bnei Yisrael and His relationship with Rut. Bnei Yisrael has Hashem to lead them every step of the way out of Egypt, bringing plagues down upon their enemies and splitting the sea for them in the most visible way possible. Through Moshe, Hashem continuously communicates with Bnei Yisrael. Rut, on the other hand, has to rely upon the experience of Judaism she gleans from observing her mother-in-law, Naomi, as well as her own thoughts. That is all she has. Both “conversions” – that of Rut and that of Bnei Yisrael – are difficult, yet Rut has to complete her journey alone.

As Jews living in modern times, We can likely relate far more closely to the second story. Although many of us feel a close connection to God, we, like Rut, do not have the same direct contact with Him that Jews had in the days of old. Nowadays, Hashem rarely performs open miracles or convenes with the Jewish people through prophets.

So what does this mean for us? There is another difference between Rut’s story and Bnei

Yisrael’s. While Bnei Yisrael are first taken out of Egypt and then accept God’s Torah, Rut must first accept the Torah and then leave her land. Hashem seeks out a connection with Bnei Yisrael. He performs miracle after miracle for them, trying to convince them to have faith in Him so that He could save

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them. Finally, Bnei Yisrael accept God and develop a thriving relationship with Him. For Rut, it is exactly the opposite. The journey only begins once she accepts the Torah. From there, it is all a struggle – a struggle to leave her land, a struggle to move to a new society, a struggle to survive as an impoverished woman in Israel. Bnei Yisrael is God’s chosen people. Rut is just some Moabite woman – it had not been essential for her to commit to His commandments. Every step she takes towards building a connection with God, she takes on her own. Rut is a tough woman, and she achieves success as a moral Jewish woman because she works hard to get there. She cares.

Although we are all wanted by God as the Jews who wandered in the desert, we often feel like Rut – like we are reaching out into empty space, grasping for faith, praying to a God who never seems to speak back. Of course we can console ourselves with such answers as, “God works in mysterious ways” and, “Our prayers are going somewhere,” but at the end of the day, if we want to connect to God, really connect, we have to take the same attitude towards Judaism that Rut did. We have to take the Torah upon ourselves, and then do all that we possibly can to work towards the goal of being God-fearing Jews. God is not going to pop out of the sky and make things easy for us by leading us along every step of our lives. We have to do that for ourselves. And if we do it properly, we can end up as successful as Rut – and, like Rut, help bring about the Mashiach.

A New Theology

by Micah Gill (Shalhevet ‘16)

One of the most renowned and striking lines in Jewish literature is the famous pronouncement of “na’aseh v’nishma” at Har Sinai. As the story is relayed in Parashat Yitro, Bnei Yisrael stand at the foot of Har Sinai and experience God’s revelation. The text reads: “V’chol ha’am ro’eem et hakolot v’et halapidim v’et hakol hashofar v’et hahar ashen” – “All the people could see the sounds and the flames, the sound of the shofar and the smoking mountain” (Exodus 20:15). This narrative portrays a dramatic and transcendent event that could be considered the most consequential moment in our national and religious history. It is in this context that Bnei Yisrael emphatically declare “Na’aseh v’nishma” – “We will do and we will obey” (Exodus 24:8).

“Na’aseh v’nishma,” a phrase that permeates Jewish education, is typically treated as the pinnacle of Jewish faith and conviction. This approach represents a significant aspect of our religious lives and, more importantly, the way we approach our relationship with God. In this regard, “na’aseh v’nishma” underscores Bnei Yisrael’s seemingly unilateral relationship with God in which the Jewish people commit to complete subservience to their Creator;; in practice, this means that God’s commands are meant to simply be obeyed.

The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat (88a), however, famously records that there were in fact two “moments” of revelation. The first comes at Har Sinai in the form of coercion: “Shekafah Hakadosh Baruch Hu aleihem et hahar kegigit” – “God held the mountain over their heads like a

barrel.” Underscoring the “na’aseh v’nishma” approach, the Gemara states that Bnei Yisrael had been forced into accepting the Torah. The Gemara later, however, records that the Jewish people re-accept the Torah in the times of Mordechai and Esther. “Kibluha bimei Achashverosh dichtiv ‘kimu vekiblu haYehudim’ - kimu mah shekiblu kvar” – “Nevertheless, they accepted the Torah again in the days of Achashverosh, as it says, ‘The Jews established and accepted’ (Esther 9:27).” That is to say, the Jewish people establish in the days of Achashverosh that which Bnei Yisrael had accepted already.

A myriad of interpretations are offered to explain this mysterious Gemara, but I believe that at the very least, it forces us to re-examine the relationship between God and the Jewish people. The stories of Parashat Yitro and Purim exist in stark contrast to one another. One tells the story of God speaking, panim el panim, to the Jewish people, while the other fails to mention God’s name. One exists at the time of Israelite strength and stability, while one exists in the face of Jewish extermination.

The Gemara reminds us that although “na’aseh v’nishma” highlights the extreme emunah of Bnei Yisrael, it alone does not capture the totality of Man’s relationship with God. While Har Sinai characterizes Bnei Yisrael as passive and submissive, the story of Purim highlights a proactive role in which the Jewish people demonstrate an independence and a working spirit in a time when God’s hand is concealed from reality.

In this light, the Gemara offers a far more complex Jewish theology than one of pure faith and submission. The moments of Har Sinai and Purim together convey a covenantal relationship, a relationship characterized by God’s expectation of Man to engage Him and help shape a dynamic, meaningful relationship.

The Holiday of Meaningful Freedom by Rivka Coleman (Mizrachi ‘15)

One of the names of Shavuot is Atzeret, which means “the

end,” for in essence Shavuot ends a process that starts on Pesach. On Pesach we receive our physical freedom as we become free from bondage, but that freedom is incomplete. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility.” Our Jewish tradition taught us this message thousands of years prior, through the relationship between Shavuot and Pesach. Without the Torah, which was given on Shavuot, we are without direction in the freedom that we receive on Pesach.

Chazal tell us that Bnei Yisrael and Hashem at Har Sinai were like a bride and groom under the chuppah. A marriage can be looked at from two different perspectives. The first way one can look at a marriage is as though one is becoming tied to another person and cannot escape. Alternatively, a person can also view a marriage as a chance to infuse one’s life with meaning, direction, and fulfillment. One may consider that every bit of responsibility each party has in a marriage can help that person grow and strengthen his or her relationship. That does not mean, however, that bearing this responsibility is

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easy;; it takes hard work for a relationship to continue to work and grow.

Of course, Bnei Yisrael recognized that the Torah comes from Hashem, but perhaps they also looked at themselves wandering in the desert and asked themselves, “We have the freedom to just hang out in the desert and do what we want when we want, but where is the meaning? Where is the fulfillment? Where is the direction?” Hashem could have just freed them from Egypt and allowed them to go on and live their lives the way they wanted, but, rather than doing this, He wanted to fill their lives with meaning. Even without the Jewish people knowing what kind of rules and regulations Hashem was going to put upon them, they declared “Na’aseh v’nishma.” They realized that a life free of responsibility has no meaning. And yes, these new rules and regulations were hard to keep, but every little bit of that hard work and responsibility was full of meaning, fulfillment, and direction, giving their lives purpose.

In fact, every single relationship we have, whether with Hashem and the Torah or with others, can be viewed as a burden or as an opportunity to connect and grow. This Shavuot may we be blessed to start looking at our relationships with others and our relationship with Hashem and the Torah and every single one of the mitzvot as an opportunity to imbue our lives with meaning.

Tikkun Leil Shavuot by Tzvi Rotblat (TABC ‘15)

There is a widespread custom in many communities to

learn Torah the entire first night of Shavuot until Shacharit. This practice is not mentioned in the Shulchan Aruch but is brought down by the Mishnah Berurah (Hilchot Shavuot 494:1), who quotes the Zohar as saying that pious people would stay up the entire first night of Shavuot and learn Torah. In fact, the Zohar brings down that anybody who learns the entire first night of Shavuot will be protected from all harm in the following year.

Although this custom began with small groups of intense Torah scholars, the practice has grown and become prevalent in many communities. Why is it so important to stay up all night learning Torah on the holiday of Shavuot?

The Midrash on Parashat Yitro (Shemot 19:17) writes that Bnei Yisrael overslept on the morning of Mattan Torah and had to be woken by Moshe Rabbeinu. The Magen Avraham explains that we learn all night and do not go to sleep in order to rectify Bnei Yisrael’s mistake of oversleeping.

It is difficult to understand how Bnei Yisrael overslept on this extremely important morning. Rabbi Yisrael of Koznitz (the Maggid of Koznitz) cites the opinion of Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev that Bnei Yisrael overslept because they were tired from their extensive preparation for Mattan Torah. They were concerned about accepting the Torah in such an exhausted state, so they went to sleep that night in order to accept the Torah refreshed with focus and excitement.

The Maggid of Koznitz’s answer puts a positive spin on

the seemingly horrible act of oversleeping on the day of Mattan Torah. This opinion fits in with our general feeling that the generation of Bnei Yisrael at Mattan Torah was the holiest to ever exist. This notion is supported by the Gemara (Berachot 5b), which teaches us that when Bnei Yisrael traveled from Refidim to Har Sinai, they left a state of laxity towards Avodat Hashem and entered into a state of serious Avodat Hashem and unity. This Gemara clearly confirms the fact that Bnei Yisrael approached Mattan Torah with the best intentions.

May our forefathers’ attitudes and feelings at Mattan Torah serve as an example to us as we learn Torah this Shavuot, whether throughout the night or not, and help us prepare for our individual Kabbalat HaTorah, with dedication, focus, and excitement.

Two Houses United: The True Redemption by Talia Edelman (Central ‘15)

Based off a Dvar Torah by Rav Yaakov Medan The main challenge one faces with Megillat Rut is trying

to place it in the context of Tanach;; several psukim hint at the connection between Rut and Dovid Hamelech, giving the reader a way to contextualize the Megillah. As Dovid was Rut’s direct descendant, the connection between the two figures is clear, yet it can also be expanded. An added dimension to this bond is derived from the repetition of the word “geulah” several times at the end of the Megillah, hinting to the geulah associated with Dovid.

We can further see the connection by analyzing the beginning of the Megillah, when we are told of the punishment of Elimelech and his family. While we are not told of his sin, its consequences are clear;; he dies, his sons die without children, and his wife survives until old age but cannot have children. Essentially, Elimelech’s family is cut off. The only significant detail that we are given about his life before his move to Moav is that he had left Eretz Yisrael during a famine.

Elimelech and Naomi, as descendants of Yehuda, connect us to the tribe of royalty. Rut, however, connects us to Lot, the ancestor of Moav, the nation from which Rut decends. Lot’s story is uncannily similar to the story of Elimelech: During years of famine, Lot leaves Avraham and travels to Sodom, which we know from Sefer Yermiyahu to be outside of Israel in an area that became part of Moav. Lot’s departure from Eretz Yisrael represents a cultural and religious exit from Avraham’s way of life and his entrance into Sodom’s corrupt lifestyle. Chazal even say that Lot said, “I do not want Avraham and his God.”

Elimelech’s decision to leave Eretz Yisrael has the same significance as Lot’s. Elimelech’s sons marry non-Jewish women, and he becomes so immersed in a foreign culture that he essentially leaves “Avraham and his God,” and attaches himself to the culture of Moav. His punishment therefore parallels the punishment of Lot: Lot’s wife, sons-in-law, and married daughters are killed, and he survives as an old man with daughters who cannot remarry.

In Megillat Rut, the House of Yehuda and Lot meet. We

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find a similar sin with a similar punishment in the story of Yehuda himself. While Yehuda does not abandon his culture or God, he forces his brother Yosef to leave his father’s home and culture and enter a foreign, corrupt culture in Mitzrayim. Yehuda is therefore punished in the same manner as Elimelech and Lot: His wife and two sons die, and, to his knowledge, his only surviving son is unable to perform Yibum with his daughter-in-law to assure his continuity.

In all three cases, there is a loss of family and continuity, but a last minute solution is found in an irregular practice of Yibum or marriage in general. In Yehuda’s case, the Torah explicitly mentions the Yibum between Yehuda and his daughter-in-law, Tamar. An odd union is also at the center of Lot’s daughters’ attempts to continue their father’s name. With Boaz and Rut, the language hints to their marriage as an irregular way of Yibum to continue the name of the deceased. Each one of these Yibum-like cases is also associated with the return of the lost person to his property. In Yehuda’s case, Yosef’s descendants inherit the Doton Valley, the place from which he had been sold to Mitzrayim. Sodom was given as an inheritance to Moav, Lot’s descendants. The most prominent case of the return to property appears in Megillat Rut;; Boaz’s marriage to Rut is associated with the purchase of the field, returning the house of Elimelech to Eretz Yisrael.

Land and inheritance gives man his connection to eternity;; passing down inheritance keeps a person’s name alive, especially when done through Yibum. Yehuda’s story is of the birth of the house of Yehuda, Lot’s story is of the birth of Moav, and Megillat Rut is about the joining of the two, which results in the birth of Dovid Hamelech, who is the ultimate symbol of redemption. The ultimate goal of Beit David is to bring true redemption, and to reestablish Am Yisrael through the return of the nation to their land.

Torah Va’avoda by Elad Jeselsohn (Maimo ‘18)

On Simchat Torah we read Parashat Vezot Habracha. In

that parasha we read the brachot that Moshe gave Bnei Yisrael before he passed away. Moshe initially gives the brachot in the age order of the shivatim with Reuven, Shimon, Levi, and Yehuda, and then he does something that one would not expect. After the bracha of Yehuda, Moshe does not continue by giving a bracha to Yissachar, but rather he skips to Zevulun, Yissachar’s younger brother. Yissachar’s bracha only comes afterwards. The Midrash Tanchuma on Parashat Vezot Habracha provides the reason that Zevulun came first: The tribe of Yissachar had the ability to study Torah full-time because of its brother shevet, Zevulun, who would supply Yissachar with money. The Midrash says that the tribe of Zevulun actually got a bigger schar than the tribe of Yissachar because they provided for Yissachar while Yissachar learned Torah.

As we all know, on Shavuot, Hashem gave B’nei Yisrael the Torah to learn, treasure, and follow. While this is certainly key, perhaps if one looks at the story of Yissachar and Zevulun one will see that there is another element at play.

The Gemara (Chagiga 5b) recounts that Hashem cries over three types of people. The first one is someone who has the opportunity to learn Torah but chooses not to. The second of the three is someone who does not have time to learn Torah but does so anyway. Both of these cases are potentially dangerous. On the one hand, what is the point of having a life in which Torah is not constantly present? On the other hand, learning Torah at the expense of being able to feed one’s family is dangerous as well. As much as Hashem wants us to learn Torah, He also wants us to be able to provide for ourselves and our families.

Our job is to find the balance between the person who does not study Torah when he has the opportunity to, and the one who shirks from other responsibilities in order to study Torah. That was what the Yissachar-Zevulun partnership accomplished. To borrow a phrase from Pirkei Avot (3:21), Zevulun provided the kemach (flour), and Yissachar contributed the Torah.

This idea that we need both Torah and a way to provide for ourselves is captured beautifully in the aforementioned line in Pirkei Avot – “If there is no kemach, then there is no Torah, and if there is no Torah, then there is no kemach.” This concept also appears in reference to today's holiday. The first time one can bring the bikkurim, the first fruits, is the holiday of Shavuot. Not only is it the day that B’nei Yisrael received the Torah, but it is also the beginning of the new produce, our sustenance for the upcoming year.

As the Mishnah in Avot stated, the two things rely on each other. Without Zevulun providing for Yissachar, Yissachar would not have been able to learn Torah and become a tribe of great scholars. And without the Torah learning of Yissachar, which provided spiritual sustenance for Zevulun, Zevulun would not have been able to provide for Yissachar. The same is true in our own lives. Without us performing the mitzvot and keeping the Torah, it would not be possible to have a successful agricultural year. And without the new year’s produce and sustenance, we would not be able to learn and keep the mitzvot.

With that in mind, we should have a good and successful year, both in our spiritual and physical lives. We should try to do the best that we can to find the balance between the two and to always remember that one cannot thrive without the other.

Preparing Ourselves for Kabbalat HaTorah by Pammy Brenner (Ma’ayanot ‘15)

Shavuot is referred to in our liturgy as "Z'man Matan

Torateinu" – the time of the giving of our Torah. Rav Shimshon Rafael Hirsch, in his peirush on Vayikra (23:21), suggests that the giving of the Torah is not the essence of Shavuot, but it is Man's preparedness to accept the Torah that is at the core of the holiday. Just as B’nei Yisrael in the midbar prepared themselves to accept the Torah, so must we prepare ourselves to accept the Torah. Furthermore, the Netivot Shalom explains that just as the Torah is eternal, so too Kabbalat HaTorah is eternal;; therefore, each and every year we are not just commemorating our having received the Torah, but

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we are receiving it once again. As Rashi famously states, every day we should view the mitzvot as brand new, as though we have only heard about them today and are being commanded in them for the very first time (see Rashi on D'varim 6:6, 11:13, 26:16). Kabbalat HaTorah should be a daily occurrence in our lives, which culminates in and is epitomized by Shavuot. Having discovered the essence of Shavuot, how do we, as Rav Hirsch suggests, prepare ourselves for Kabbalat HaTorah?

An interesting tension exists in the Rabbinic understanding of Man's creation. Rashi on the beginning of B’reishit (1:1) quotes Chazal, who say that the world was created for the sake of the Torah and Yisrael. Their reasoning is that both Torah and Yisrael are referred to as "Reishit," which sets up the assumption that Torah and Yisrael are parallel in some way. Having acknowledged the relationship between the Torah and Yisrael with regard to the creation of the world, it is interesting to note that when Shimon HaTzadik states in Pirkei Avot (1:2) that the world stands on three things, he includes Torah but makes no mention of Yisrael. Additionally, Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakai mentions later on that one is created for the purpose of learning Torah (2:8), which changes the narrative from one of parallelism to one of a hierarchical structure in which Torah reigns supreme over Yisrael. Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakai does not mention the title of “Yisrael” in this Mishnah. Rather, he uses the word, “You” – an indistinct term. It appears that when we are just stam b’nei adam, regular, separate individuals, we are beneath Torah, whereas when we are called “Yisrael,” we have an equal relationship with it.

The following idea will help us better understand this notion. The Gemara (Eiruvin 13b) discusses whether or not it is better for Man that he was created and ultimately decides that it would have been better for him had he not been created. The Gemara is specific in its wording – it would have been better for "Man" ("adam") had he not been created, whereas Rashi states that the world was created for the sake of "Yisrael." The Ba’alei HaTosafot comment (Eruvin 13b, s.v. "Noach Lo") that while the Gemara’s statement is true, it only refers to regular people ("stam b'nei adam"), whereas it is advantageous for tzadikim that they were created.

In light of this Tosafot, we can synthesize the seemingly problematic distinction between Rashi and the Gemara into one idea about Man’s worth. The Gemara is referring to the “You” of Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai, the stam b’nei adam, whereas the Tosafot highlight Rashi’s idea about the tzadikim, Yisrael. When we are “Yisrael,” we are worthy of creation, but when we are just “stam b’nei adam,” we are not.

When Jews involve themselves in Torah, they are transforming themselves into “Yisrael” by joining the Torah and mesorah of the generations. As posited by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, "Learning Torah is the intense experience of uniting many generations together, the joining of spirit to spirit, and the connecting of soul to soul." By immersing ourselves in Torah, we are elevated from an individual

identity to the collective experience known to Am Yisrael. If we remain stagnant in our relationship with HaKadosh Baruch Hu, then we remain at a level for which it would have been better had we not been created. By immersing in Torah, however, we not only elevate ourselves, but, by proving our existence worthwhile, we also reclaim the status of Yisrael. By doing so we elevate Yisrael back to its parallel relationship with Torah. Man's entire existence and worth is dependent upon Torah, and the stronger his relationship to Torah is, the worthier he becomes. In order to prepare ourselves to accept the Torah once again, we should be full of awe and joy as we acknowledge that it is precisely Kabbalat HaTorah that makes our lives worthwhile.

Choosing to Persevere by Juliet Matthews (Kushner ‘16)

Shavuot is a holiday of many themes. These themes are

the basis of the numerous names given to the holiday. “Chag HaKazir,” The Harvest Holiday, and “Yom HaBikurim,” The Day of the First Fruits, reflect an agricultural meaning, for this holiday was originally a harvest festival. Also, the theme of counting and time is shown through the commonly used name, “Shavuot,” meaning the Festival of Weeks. Shavuot is the culmination of Sephirat Ha’Omer, the counting of the Omer. We begin counting the Omer from the time we "leave Egypt," on the second night of Passover, until Shavuot, when the Jews received the Torah. For this reason, this holiday is also called “Zeman Matan Torateinu,” The Time of the Giving of the Torah. This journey from Egypt to Matan Torah represents a metamorphosis for Bnei Yisarel;; they left Egypt as one nation, and by Shavuot they had become another. Bnei Yisrael was now ready to receive the Torah.

On Shavuot, we read the Megillah of Rut, which, like Bnei Yisrael's journey, can be looked at as a metamorphosis. As a young child, Rut is raised as a Moabite, but ends up marrying a Jewish man. Her husband dies, and, instead of returning to her people, she continues to live with her mother-in-law. She remains Jewish and eventually marries Boaz. The great King David would later descend from Rut, and it is said that Moshiach will be her descendant as well.

Rut came from a nation that was ruthless to Bnei Yisrael, yet she became a major Jewish role model. An important lesson to be learned here is the importance of perseverance in life, for we see that both Rut and Bnei Yisrael were at low points, but they nonetheless rose up to achieve greatness.

Rut took a risk and went with her gut. She left the life she knew to go with a way of life that felt right. In life there are always choices, and these choices define who we are as people. It is often difficult to make them, as many paths are filled with desirable items that can distract us from our goals. As individuals, we must do as Rut did: reflect, decide what we want our future to be like, and then move in that direction. What may not be popular may be right and what may not be the norm may be the salvation. In life, Hashem gives us choices;; we have to use these opportunities wisely, for who knows? As with Rut, the future of Judaism may come from our decision.

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ק ו ל ה נ ע ר י ם שבועו ת תשע ה

Editors-in-Chief: Ariel Amsellem (YULA ‘15) and Yisrael Friedenberg (MTA ‘15)

Editors: Pammy Brenner (Ma’ayanot ‘15) and Liat Clark (Ma’ayanot ‘15)

Coordinators: Ariel Amsellem, Yael Blau, Pammy Brenner, Liat Clark, Rivka Coleman, Yosef Coleman, Talia Edelman, Baila Eisen, Liat Fischer, Matt Fixler, Yisrael Friedenberg, Micah Gill, Tali Greenberg, Matthew Haller, Eitan Jeselsohn, Eitan Kaszovitz, Hillel Kaslowe, Yehuda Koslowe, Shira Levie, Yael Marans, Miriam Mayor, Noah Notis, Davey Schoenberg, Avi Siegal, Aryel Tucker, Miriam Weintraub, Cindy Yankovich, Benji Zoller

Questions? Comments? Please contact kolhanearimpub@gmail.com.

This publication contains Torah matter and should be treated accordingly.