Feature Tidbit ON THIS DAY... It's a very famous DRASH. The Torah says (Sh'mot 19:1), "In the third month (that's Sivan) of Bnei Yisrael's coming out of the land of Egypt, on this day (Rosh Chodesh), they came to the Sinai Wilderness". BAYOM HAZEH, on this day, not only means that it was Rosh Chodesh, but Rashi teaches us something else from the Torah's choice of THIS day, as opposed to THAT day (a more correct term, if you are telling a story that took place over 3300 years ago). Rashi says it should have said "on that day", so what does "on this day" teach us - that the words of the Torah should be new to you as if they were given (at Sinai) today. There is a very significant difference between telling a story that happened "once upon a time, a long time ago", and trying to personalize, internalize, relive the story. The former is on the easy side to accomplish; the latter is a difficult task, especially when repeated over and over again through a person's lifetime. Our challenge to relive the experience of Ma'amad Har Sinai begins weeks earlier, when we leave Egypt. The Hagada tells us that a person is obligated to see himself as if he came out of Egypt. This too, is far more difficult to achieve than "merely" telling the story of Egyptian bondage and the Exodus. The way Rashi puts it, we are to become part of the Sinai Experience so that our commitment to Torah never gets stale. We can imagine some of the drama and excitement of Matan Torah. We are supposed to try to bring some of that feeling, that enthusiasm into our lives as Jews. We are supposed to be thrilled to be Torah observant Jews. Mitzvot should excite us. We should be living the Torah with our full hearts and souls, as well as with our heads. And part of the challenge is to spread the teachings of the Torah to others, and to help build in others the proper attitudes, interest, emotion, and knowledge that identifies a true Torah person. This is the lifelong challenge we have. But now let's go back to the pasuk in question. On THIS day, we came to Midbar Sinai. Rashi makes a leap from arriving at Sinai on Rosh Chodesh Sivan to receiving the Torah 5 or 6 days later. Without negating anything that has already been said, let's add another dimension to the lesson from BAYOM HAZEH. The Torah continuesto tell us that THEY (Bnei Yisrael) journeyed from R'fidim and THEY arrived in Midbar Sinai and THEY camped in the Midbar, and HE (singluar - Israel) camped there opposite the Mountain. This, says Rashi, is a description of the complete unity of the Jewish People. They were K'ISH ECHAD, as one person with one heart. This too, then, becomes part of the BAYOM HAZEH challenge. Remember that the Torah says, "...on THIS day, they came to Sinai". Not, "on this day they received the Torah". Dare I suggest that we can more easily imagine ourselves coming out of Egypt, than we can achieve the Jewish Unity implied by the Torah? It is easier for us to relive Matan Torah, than to figure out how to reunite a people with such a wide range of attitudes, levels of belief, commitment, observance. But that is THE challenge.On THIS day we achieved a unity that made us worthy of Revelation at Sinai. On this day, we must become worthy of the Complete Redemption. Note that the pasuk talks about our arrival in Sinai, not of Matan Torah. Although Rashi relates the DRASH to receiving the Torah, it is well within the guidelines of the DRASH to apply it to the concept of Jewish Unity. I don't have solutions, maybe a suggestion or two. Part of the problem is that the Unity in question is based on a commitment to Torah. It isn't based on a favorite basketball team, a good cause, or a common enemy. True, that brings people together, forces them to temporarily lay aside their differences. But that isn'tunity. This isn't very helpful yet, but I think it's important to identify certain factors. IMO, a significant concept is to not hate dislike the Shabbat violater, but rather the Shabbat violation. It is our failing that we have not figured out how to show every Jew the beauties of Shabbat and all mitzvot. A Torah way of life is the best for every Jew. It will take time, but eventually all Jews will see that, and be thrilled about it. We can do our part to hasten that time. May we again experience true Jewish Unity speedily in our time. [The Yitro Homepage] |
