Introduction:
Shavuot is the second of the three major pilgrimage festivals. Originally a harvest festival, it was the time when our
ancestors would aliyah l’regel—literally “go up on foot”—to make an offering of their first fruits in the Temple in
Jerusalem. After the Temple’s destruction, when bringing first fruits was no longer possible, rabbinic Judaism was
compelled to transform Shavuot into z’man matan Torateinu—the time of the giving of our Torah.
Shavuot became the endpoint to our annual spiritual journey – beginning with Pesach, through the seven weeks
counting the omer, and concluding with the collective experience of revelation at Mt. Sinai – paralleling the physical
journey our ancestors took from Mitzrayim to Sinai. Just as they received revelation, we too receive Torah every
year.
Our ancestors proclaimed as the mountain shook, “We will do and we will understand,” entering into a brit that
bound all of us to living out Torah in the most humane and ethical way possible. In the aftermath of the founding of
Medinat Yisrael in 1948, these questions took upon new-found urgency and depth. Who received Torah? Who is
Torah for? And what does it mean to do and then to hear/understand?
As you learn the next few sources, think about how these ideas apply to the Jewish people classically and
contemporarily. How do we continue to live out and honor our brit in an ever-changing geopolitical reality?
Source 1: Shmot/Exodus 19:1-9
בַּחדֶֹשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי לְצֵאת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה בָּאוּ מִדְבַּר סִינָי׃
וַיִּסְעוּ מֵרְפִידִים וַיָּבאֹוּ מִדְבַּר סִינַי וַיַּחֲנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיִּחַן־שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר׃
וּמשֶֹׁה עָלָה אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו יְהוָֹה מִן־הָהָר לֵאמרֹ כּהֹ תאֹמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקבֹ וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לְמִצְרָיִם וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל־כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים וָאָבִא אֶתְכֶם אֵלָי׃
וְעַתָּה אִם־שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּקלִֹי וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־בְּרִיתִי וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה מִכּלֹ־הָעַמִּים כִּי־לִי כּלֹ־הָאָרֶץ׃
וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ־לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כּהֲֹנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר תְּדַבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
וַיָּבאֹ משֶֹׁה וַיִּקְרָא לְזִקְנֵי הָעָם וַיָּשֶׂם לִפְנֵיהֶם אֵת כּלֹ־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ יְהוָֹה׃
וַיַּעֲנוּ כּלֹ־הָעָם יַחְדָּו וַיּאֹמְרוּ כּלֹ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהוָֹה נַעֲשֶׂה וַיָּשֶׁב משֶֹׁה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל־יְהוָֹה׃
וַיּאֹמֶר יְהוָֹה אֶל־משֶֹׁה הִנֵּה אָנכִֹי בָּא אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַב הֶעָנָן בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ וְגַם־בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם וַיַּגֵּד משֶֹׁה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם
אֶל־יְהוָֹה׃
On the third new moon after the Israelites had gone forth from the land of Egypt, on that very day, they entered the
wilderness of Sinai. Having journeyed from Rephidim, they entered the wilderness of Sinai and encamped in the
wilderness. Israel encamped there in front of the mountain, and Moses went up to God. יהוה called to him from the
mountain, saying, “Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob and declare to the children of Israel: ‘You have seen
what I did to the Egyptians, how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me. Now then, if you will obey
Me faithfully and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples. Indeed, all the
earth is Mine, but you shall be to Me a dominion of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall
speak to the children of Israel.” Moses came and summoned the elders of the people and put before them all that
יהוה had commanded him. All those assembled answered as one, saying, “All that יהוה has spoken we will do!”
And Moses brought back the people’s words to יהוה, And יהוה said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud,
in order that the people may hear/understand when I speak with you and so trust you ever after.” Then Moses
reported the people’s words to ,יהוה
Questions for discussion on Source 1:
1. G-d tells the people that if they keep the brit, they will be a treasured possession. What does this mean to
you? How do you relate to the classic idea of Covenant in today’s world?
2. What does it mean to be given this path of Torah as a treasure? What in Torah learning is particularly
valuable to you and the Jewish people today?
3. At the same time, G-d says the whole earth is Mine. How do we square these complementary and often
conflicting ideas—universalism vs. particularism? Can you be a Jewish universalist without identifying as
part of the particular tribe of Israel?
Source 2: Midrash Tanchuma, Nitzavim 3:1
כִּי כהֹ אָמַר יי, חִנָּם נִמְכַּרְתֶּם וְגוֹ’ )ישעיה נב, ג(. לְמַעַן הָקִים אוֹתְךָ וְגוֹ’, שֶׁלֹּא אֶחְזרֹ בַּדָּבָר שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבוֹתֵיכֶם. וְלֹא אֶתְכֶם לְבַדְּכֶם,
אֶלָּא אַף הַדּוֹרוֹת הָעֲתִידִין לָבאֹ, הָיוּ שָׁם בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶשְׁנוֹ פּהֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי,
.לָמָּה כְּתִיב: כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶשְׁנוֹ פּהֹ וְגוֹ’ וְאֶת אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ פּהֹ. לְפִי שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם וַעֲדַיִן גּוּף לֹא נִבְרָא, לְכָךְ לֹא כְּתִיב בָּהֶן עֲמִידָה
For thus says the Lord, ‘You were sold for free, [and you shall be redeemed for no money].’” (Deut. 29:12:) “In
order to establish you today as God’s people…,” so that I would not go back on the word that I swore to your
ancestors. Deut. 29:13), “And not only with you [have I made this covenant and this oath].” But rather the
generations that have yet to come were also there at that time, as stated (in vs. 14), “But with those who are
[standing (‘md)] here with us [today… and with those who are not here with us today].” R. Abahu said in the name
of R. Samuel bar Nahmani, “Why does it say, ‘those who are [standing (‘md)] here […]; and those who are not
here’ (without using the word, standing)? Because all the souls were there, [even] when [their] bodies had still not
been created. It is for that reason [their] existence (literally, standing, rt.: ‘md) is not stated here.
Questions for discussion on Source 2:
Midrash Tanchuma, a famed collection of rabbinic midrashim introduces us to the oft-repeated idea that all of us
across time and space were present at Sinai, that the brit made with our ancestors wasn’t for them alone but
extends across all generations that ever were and ever will be.
1. How do you relate to this idea as part of the Jewish people and do you believe that it is incumbent upon
Jews to support the State of Israel? If so, how so?
2. Does this idea resonate to you and the Jews you know (e.g. parents, siblings, children, grandchildren,
friends) and if not, why not?
3. How might an expanded understanding of brit help us formulate our own responsibilities vis-à-vis the Torah
that we teach and live out, not only as it impacts Jews but crucially, as it impacts others?
4. How can we expand the understanding to include what the State of Israel is meant to be to world Jewry
given the values written in its Declaration of Independence and what is happening today in the Israeli
government?
Source 3: Midrash Bemidbar Rabbah 13:16
מִזְרָק אֶחָד כֶּסֶף (במדבר ז, יט,) כְּנֶגֶד הַתּוֹרָה הַמְשׁוּלָה בְּיַיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משליט, ה): וּשְׁתוּ בְּיַיִן מָסָכְתִּי. וּלְפִי שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ הַיַּיִן לִשְׁתּוֹת בְּמִזְרָק,
כְּמָה†דְתֵימָא (עמוס ו, ו): הַשּׁתִֹים בְּמִזְרְקֵי יַיִן, לְכָךְ הֵבִיא מִזְרָק, (במדבר ז, יט): שִׁבְעִים שֶׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקּדֶֹשׁ, לָמָּה, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁיַּיִן חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ
שִׁבְעִים, כָּךְ יֵשׁ שִׁבְעִים פָּנִים בַּתּוֹרָה
“One silver basin” was brought as a symbol of the Torah which has been likened to wine, as it says: “And drink of
the wine which I have mingled.” (Mishlei 9:5) Now because it is customary to drink wine in a basin, you may gather
from the text, “that drink wine in bowls” (Amos 6:6) — he on that account, brought a basin. “Of seventy shekels,
after the shekel of the sanctuary” (Numbers 7:13). Why? As the numerical value of yayin (wine) is seventy, so there
are seventy modes of expounding the Torah.
Questions for discussion on Source 3:
1. What does 70 faces mean here and why is this source likening Torah to wine?
2. What application can we make to the people of Israel and the demography of the Jewish state?
3. If the Torah has 70 faces, which “faces” or “voices” are missing and need to be heard to be able to reveal
Torah in its fullest?
4. How does this concept apply to the State of Israel today and to the nature of the American Jewish
community?
Source 4: We All Stood Together by Merle Feld
(This poem can be found on Ritualwell.org).
for Rachel Adler
My brother and I were at Sinai
He kept a journal
of what he saw
of what he heard
of what it all meant to him
I wish I had such a record
of what happened to me there
It seems like every time I want to write
I can’t
I’m always holding a baby
one of my own
or one for a friend
always holding a baby
so my hands are never free
to write things down
And then
As time passes
The particulars
The hard data
The who what when where why
Slip away from me
And all I’m left with is
The feeling
But feelings are just sounds
The vowel barking of a mute
My brother is so sure of what he heard
After all he’s got a record of it
Consonant after consonant after consonant
If we remembered it together
We could recreate holy time
Sparks flying
Closing food for thought on Source 4:
In her powerful poem, Jewish feminist, spiritual thinker, and writer Merle Feld notes that Torah is incomplete.
Women’s voices are absent and even more, women’s experiences are erased. The work is never complete to
ensure all experiences and voices are acknowledged. May this poem be a call to all of us to continue the work of
claiming and reclaiming our place in Torah as we live a Torat emet and a Torat chesed—a life-giving Torah, a Torah
of kindness and truth. And, may the insights of this poem be applied to the real State of Israel as we ask, who is
missing there from governance and who needs to be at the table but is not in the Knesset?