Shavuot
June 8th, 2000
5 Sivan, 5760

Are you experienced? 

In a Jewish sense, that is...
   
When was the last time you had an intense, meaningful, memorable Jewish experience?  (The performance of every mitzvah and recital of every prayer is supposed to be just that, but, alas, I'm a realist in these matters.)

Shavuos, the Yom Tov that is upon us, provides a great opportunity for you to have a true Jewish experience.  (Besides eating cheesecake.)  I'm talking about the custom many observe of staying up all night--or at least an unusually significant portion thereof--studying Torah.  Sources say that this custom derives from the desire to rectify a collective GAFFE committed by the Jewish people: on the night before receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai--the event which this holiday of Shavuos marks and allows us to re-experience--, the Jewish people slept soundly and had to be roused by Moshe for the big event.

What was the problem with that?  You need to be fresh to receive the Torah, no?! 

True, but the point is we (sadly) lacked some visceral anticipation and excitement for the moment--the moment, our Sages tell us, for which the whole universe was really created.  For the Torah was both the spiritual blueprint of creation, and its fulfillment the ultimate tachlis (or purpose) for the creation.

If you and I knew we were going to collect 100 million dollars tomorrow morning, I guarantee we would find it hard to fall asleep.  Visions of future pleasures and pastimes--and, of course, mitzvos we could do with the gelt!--would eliminate the need for caffeine to keep us awake through the night.  

Sounds trite, but Torah is worth more than a million bucks, no?  It is our life--and I'm not just speaking about Jews.  "For the sake of the Torah, which is called reishis (first), G-d created the world."  Part of Rashi's comment on the first word of the Torah. 

Have an experience: stay up all night, or at least, later than usual tonight.  Studying Torah--each at his or her own level, of course.  Even just being awake and contemplating the greatness of Torah, its illuminating and nourishing influence on our minds and souls.  All the pleasures and pastimes and mitzvos it contains for us.  

Stay up into the night--with or without the help of caffeine.  (I'll be using it!)  May Hashem help us to receive the Torah with enthusiasm and purity of heart this Shavuos...and may He help us ANTICIPATE receiving it, with at least some of the proper excitement (elation!) it should evoke. 

Chag Sameach!

Insights Into Genesis
Insights Into Exodus
Insights Into Leviticus
Insights into Numbers
Insights Into Deuteronomy

Rabbi Yosef Edelstein is Director of the the Savannah Kollel and the Savannah Torah Education Project (STEP).
Phone: 912-355-0157;
fax: 912-354-9923; e-mail: Yosef18@aol.com

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