Pop Quiz: Which tribe traveled last when B'nei Yisrael were in the desert?

"And all of the nation answered together and said, "Everything that Hashem has said we shall do!" (Shemot 19:8)

As we approach the holiday of Shabuot, the anniversary of the Jewish people receiving the Torah, we need to return to basics. The Torah says that the nation, "ha'am", responded loud and clear that they are ready for the Torah. The term ha'am is used in many places in the Torah to describe our people when not in the best light. In the beginning of Perashat Beshalah, the Torah says there was a possibility that ha'am would want to return to Egypt. However, now, all of the people on every level, even ha'am, accepted the Torah enthusiastically."And all of the nation answered together and said, "Everything that Hashem has said we shall do!" (Shemot 19:8)

As we approach the holiday of Shabuot, the anniversary of the Jewish people receiving the Torah, we need to return to basics. The Torah says that the nation, "ha'am", responded loud and clear that they are ready for the Torah. The term ha'am is used in many places in the Torah to describe our people when not in the best light. In the beginning of Perashat Beshalah, the Torah says there was a possibility that ha'am would want to return to Egypt. However, now, all of the people on every level, even ha'am, accepted the Torah enthusiastically.

The first of the Ten Commandments, "Anochi Hashem Elokecha - I am Hashem your G-d" was said in the singular form. Rashi comments that the plural term "Elokechem" would have been more appropriate, but Hashem used the singular form anyway. The reason is that Hashem wanted to give Moshe an alibi for the Jewish people. When they sin with the golden calf, Moshe will be able to say, "Hashem, you spoke only to me! You said 'I am Hashem your G-d'." We see that Hashem accepted the people for what they were, even though he saw they might sin. That is because Hashem loves his entire nation , even ha'am, the potential sinners. Moshe now had an alibi. Hashem wanted it that way. Although all of the Jews committed themselves and are bound by this commitment, the alibi allows Hashem, so to speak, to be more forgiving after the golden calf.

Shabuot is a time to remind us that we accepted the Torah as part of a people. All of us are in it together. At Sinai, Hashem gave his Torah to a tzibbur, a community, and it is only as a community that the Torah can be fully lived. We often think of the community in terms of institutions which provide us with services (shuls, yeshivahs, etc.) but above and beyond the needs of worthy institutions, the neshamah, the Jewish soul, is incomplete without the community. Being alone without sincere Jews with whom to compare notes can cause people to go astray without realizing it. "Make for yourself a teacher, and acquire for yourself a friend" (Pirkei Abot 1:6). Let's stick together. We need each other. Tizku Leshanim Rabot!

MAKING A COMMITMENT
by Rabbi Shmuel Choueka

As we stand on the threshold of Shabuot, the holiday of the receiving of the Torah, we would do well to read the Mishnah in the last chapter of Pirkei Abot which lists the forty-eight qualities necessary to acquire the Torah. Among them are refinement of character, humility, happiness, empathy and so on.

The first one, however, is the most important, for that is STUDY. If we want to know anything in the Torah we must, first and foremost, study at a set time, preferably with a teacher. Many are those who have made a commitment to study some parts of Torah, be it Midrash, halachah or Gemara, and those who have dedicated themselves to it have benefited tremendously. Now is the time to say to ourselves, let's try some serious Torah learning. We will then have reenacted the Receiving of the Torah as on Mount Sinai, and we and our families will be the benefactors. Tizku Leshanim Rabot.

Answer to pop quiz: The tribe of Dan.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

"Moshe brought the people forth out of the camp to meet Hashem" (Shemot 19:17)

It is traditional to spend the entire night of Shabuot reciting or studying Torah until daybreak. This has its origin in the Midrash that relates that some of the Israelites overslept on the morning of the Revelation at Sinai, and that Moshe had to arouse them for the momentous event. It is generally assumed that denying ourselves sleep on this night is a kind of rectification for our ancestors' lethargy.

Far more important than being an atonement for our ancestors is the message this custom has for us. It is not unusual for us to fail to take advantage of opportunities. We too may "oversleep" for momentous occasions.

Whether opportunity knocks only the proverbial once, or several times, each missed opportunity is a loss we can ill afford. Some people regret having overlooked opportunities to buy properties that subsequently escalated greatly in value. Since we lack prophetic foresight, we can hardly fault ourselves for this. But there are opportunities which do not require prophecy, such as when Moshe tells the Israelites that tomorrow morning there will be an unprecedented Divine revelation and that they will be hearing the words of G-d directly from the Almighty Himself. Our Sages related this Midrash so that we should be aware of our vulnerability, that our inertia may result in our failure to take advantage even of a once-in-the-history-of-the-world event.

To avoid overlooking opportunities, we must forever be on the alert. Habit and routine are our greatest impediments. We may have opportunities for spiritual growth today that were not there yesterday, and if we become complacent we may not notice them. (Growing Each Day)

Shabuot pop quiz: What city was Naomi from?

WHO'S THAT GIRL?

"Boaz then said to his servant who was overseeing the harvesters: To whom does that young woman belong?" (Megillat Ruth 2:5)

Isn't is improper for a saddik like Boaz to make an inquiry about a young woman?

Boaz, as the proprietor of the field, would visit it on a regular basis. However, this time Boaz noticed the Divine Presence in his field. Upon realizing that the harvesters did not perceive that the Divine Presence was among them, he proclaimed in excitement, "Hashem imachem! - G-d is with you!" Not understanding, they took his statement as a greeting and responded, "Yebarechecha Hashem! - may G-d bless you."

Realizing that he had been misunderstood, Boaz turned to the servant who was overseeing the harvesters and asked him, "To whom does this young woman belong? Undoubtedly, the presence of Hashem I see here is due to her." (Vedibarta Bam)"And all of the nation answered together and said, "Everything that Hashem has said we shall do!" (Shemot 19:8)

As we approach the holiday of Shabuot, the anniversary of the Jewish people receiving the Torah, we need to return to basics. The Torah says that the nation, "ha'am", responded loud and clear that they are ready for the Torah. The term ha'am is used in many places in the Torah to describe our people when not in the best light. In the beginning of Perashat Beshalah, the Torah says there was a possibility that ha'am would want to return to Egypt. However, now, all of the people on every level, even ha'am, accepted the Torah enthusiastically.

The first of the Ten Commandments, "Anochi Hashem Elokecha - I am Hashem your G-d" was said in the singular form. Rashi comments that the plural term "Elokechem" would have been more appropriate, but Hashem used the singular form anyway. The reason is that Hashem wanted to give Moshe an alibi for the Jewish people. When they sin with the golden calf, Moshe will be able to say, "Hashem, you spoke only to me! You said 'I am Hashem your G-d'." We see that Hashem accepted the people for what they were, even though he saw they might sin. That is because Hashem loves his entire nation , even ha'am, the potential sinners. Moshe now had an alibi. Hashem wanted it that way. Although all of the Jews committed themselves and are bound by this commitment, the alibi allows Hashem, so to speak, to be more forgiving after the golden calf.

Shabuot is a time to remind us that we accepted the Torah as part of a people. All of us are in it together. At Sinai, Hashem gave his Torah to a tzibbur, a community, and it is only as a community that the Torah can be fully lived. We often think of the community in terms of institutions which provide us with services (shuls, yeshivahs, etc.) but above and beyond the needs of worthy institutions, the neshamah, the Jewish soul, is incomplete without the community. Being alone without sincere Jews with whom to compare notes can cause people to go astray without realizing it. "Make for yourself a teacher, and acquire for yourself a friend" (Pirkei Abot 1:6). Let's stick together. We need each other. Tizku Leshanim Rabot!

Answer to pop quiz: Bet Lehem