A Dvar Torah in Honor or Shavuot
May 28, 2020
Ariel Simon, High School Judaic Studies Teacher
Have you ever thought about how brave the Israelites were? Standing at Sinai they were asked to make a commitment to a god who for hundreds of years was incommunicado and to a law code which demanded a set of societal norms radically different from anything they had ever experienced. Yet, the Israelites were fearless. “All that the LORD has spoken we will do!” they declare to Moshe in Exodus chapter 19, verse 8.
According to the Maggid of Kozhnits, Rabbi Yisrael Hopstein, Israel’s courageous leap towards becoming what God describes as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex.19:6) required much more then a quick declaration of fidelity. In fact, the Maggid suggests that when the Israelites arrived at Sinai they were in the midst of a serious process of transformation. He bases this on the first verse in chapter 19: “On the third month after Israel departed the land of Egypt, on that very day, they entered the wilderness of Sinai.” Since the Hebrew word חֹדֶשׁ, “month” has the same letters as the word חָדָשׁ, “new”, the Maggid suggests an alternative translation: “On the third renewal (הִתְחַדְּשׁוּת) after Israel departed the land of Egypt…”
What does the Maggid mean by “on the third renewal?” He is suggesting that the Israelites who arrived at Sinai and declared “All that the LORD has spoken we will do!” were not the same Israelites who left Egypt. Their first two months in the desert were a challenging but ultimately transformative experience. First, after a lifetime of slavery, of being told where to be and what to do, the Israelites learned how to be independent. Second, as their supply of matzah dwindled, the Israelites learned to rely on God for mana, their daily sustenance. Yes, biologically they were the same people, but their character and their spirit were renewed. Only after these experiences were the Israelites ready (and eager) to begin their “third renewal,” accepting Torah and mitzvot.
What an important lesson from Maggid of Kozhnits: It may seem easy for the Israelites to exclaim “All that the LORD has spoken we will do!” but in fact it was their many “renewals” along the way that engendered this moment. As you prepare for Shavuot, take stock of your “renewals” on the path to Sinai. Chag Sameach!