The\u00a0Shechinah<\/i>, the manifestation of\u00a0Malchut<\/i>, Kingship, from above, corresponding to the\u00a0middah<\/i>\u00a0of\u00a0Shiflut<\/i>, humility, lowered itself down to Mount Sinai on Shavuot. Though G-d lives in the highest of the four worlds, Atzilut<\/i>, for one time in history He came down to our world of Assiah<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Though in fact G-d chose to have\u00a0Malchut<\/i>\u00a0below as well, as the\u00a0Zohar<\/i>\u00a0(Shoftim<\/i>\u00a0275b) notes on the verse (Deut. 17: 15), \u201cSom tasim alecha melech<\/i>\u00a0– you shall select a king,\u201d the first \u201cappoint\u201d refers to Above, the second \u201cappoint\u201d refers to below, nonetheless, we can and should seek an intimate relationship with the\u00a0Shechinah<\/i>\u00a0itself, the Creator of the world.<\/p>\n
The question then becomes, what doorway is necessary to pass in order to meet and feel the\u00a0Shechinah<\/i> every day, like that one time at Sinai, at the highest level of joy, exemplified by Dovid HaMelech, whose yahrtzeit is on Shavuot, and who enjoyed an intimate closeness with G-d?<\/p>\n
Furthermore, we want to explore the individualism bestowed upon us from Above and how we can reach levels of unending gratitude by utilizing the second and third worlds of\u00a0Briah<\/i>, creation, and\u00a0Yetzirah<\/i>, formation, and if the Sinai experience contains a unique reason for gratitude.<\/p>\n
And we want to get to meet the\u00a0Shechinah<\/i>\u00a0through His Torah, to gain our own knowledge and relationship with it. How do we get our own portion in the Torah? Was there something from the Sinai experience that divulged the secret on how we can gain our own portion in the Torah? Furthermore, are there certain opportune times, like Shavuot, where one can maximize their portion?<\/p>\n
By addressing these questions, hopefully we can arrive at a path to feel close with the Creator like Dovid HaMelech, shine gratitude upon a King who believes in individualism and put forth a method to gain a piece of G-d\u2019s intellectual faculties in this world.<\/p>\n
Dovid HaMelech\u2019s Dance of Humility<\/b><\/p>\n
Perhaps the most passionate-filled and celebratory moment in\u00a0Tanach<\/i> takes place when Dovid HaMelech dances with the Ark, as the verse (II Samuel 6:15) says, \u201cThus David and all the House of Israel brought up the Ark of the L-rd with shouts and with blasts of the horn.\u201d Upon his meeting with Michal, King Saul\u2019s daughter, he is met with rebuke and suspicion regarding his seemingly proud and overly joyous behavior. He responds, (ibid. 6:22) \u201c\u2026 and dishonor myself even more, and be low in my own esteem; but among the slave girls that you speak of I will be honored.\u201d Michal\u2019s rebuke earns her a life without children.<\/p>\n
Focus on Dovid HaMelech\u2019s words, \u201cand be low in my own esteem.\u201d This does not mean low in self-esteem. This means Dovid HaMelech had no self, it was all to G-d. He achieved a state of\u00a0Shiflut<\/i>, lowliness, bridging him with the\u00a0Malchut<\/i>\u00a0of G-d which is synonymous with\u00a0Shiflut<\/i>. He echoes this sentiment (Psalm 22:6), \u201cBut I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.\u201d His modus operandi was the endurance of scorn from others, but that\u2019s not what concerned him, he only wanted to dance with G-d. Being trampled upon was of little consequence as his one desire was (Psalm 73:28), \u201cBut as for me, it is good to be near G-d\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
We have in our\u00a0kochos hanefesh\u00a0<\/i>the elements of fire, water, wind and earth. Earth or dust is symbolic of the\u00a0middah<\/i>\u00a0of humility. The metaphor is quite clear. As\u00a0Pirkei Avot<\/i>\u00a0(3:1) says, \u201c\u2026From where have you come?\u2013from a putrid drop. Where are you going?\u2013to the place of dust, worm, and maggot\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Anyone who attends a burial sees firsthand where they are going. In such a reality it\u2019s hard to hold onto any ego. The\u00a0Orchot Tzaddikim<\/i>, the seminal book of\u00a0mussar<\/i>\u00a0attacks arrogance in the first chapter, showing how despised it is by G-d. He scoffs at anyone who thinks they can serve the Creator in such a way.<\/p>\n
In the next chapter, dealing with humility, he illustrates what humility offers. He notes that the prayers of the humble are attended to, “Before they call, I will answer” (Is. 65:24) and that when a humble man performs the precepts they are received with pleasure and joy, and it is said, “For G-d hath already accepted thy works” (Eccl. 9:7). Humility is the only way to gain favor with the Creator.<\/p>\n
G-d wants our hearts, as it says, (Sanhedrin<\/i>\u00a0106b), \u201cRachmana liba ba’I<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 G-d desires the heart.” And if the heart is not wiped clean of arrogance then G-d is repulsed, a beckoning call to transform the heart and destroy any pride within.<\/p>\n
Unique Gratitude<\/b><\/p>\n
Imagine you were outside a concert hall and you heard hundreds of melodious notes that worked in perfect unison. It seemed to exact for the musicians to be all timing it correctly. You then walk in and see a conductor making little gestures with a baton towards each musical section.<\/p>\n
Our lives are no different. G-d is looking at each of us in exact fashion. He carved out a life for us that matches our skills, needs and wants. We must celebrate the notion that G-d loves humanity for its individualism, as the\u00a0Tosefta<\/i>\u00a0(Berakhot<\/i>\u00a058a:3) notes, G-d sees [and appreciates] His nation where \u201cminds are not alike.\u201d This was the Creator\u2019s plan. As the Mishna (Sanhedrin\u00a0<\/i>4:5) points out, \u201cbut the King of kings, the Holy Blessed One, has stamped every human with the seal of the first man, yet not one of them are like another.\u201d<\/p>\n
If we tap into the worlds of\u00a0Briah<\/i>, creation and\u00a0Yetzira<\/i>, formation, that exist above the world of\u00a0Assiah<\/i>: worlds that call for emotional awakenings and\u00a0\u00a0intellectual realizations, then we can come to a state of limitless gratitude for a Creator who gave us each our own story.<\/p>\n
I recently heard that the previous\u00a0rosh yeshiva<\/i>\u00a0of\u00a0Chofetz Chaim<\/i>\u00a0insisted that the\u00a0bachurim<\/i>\u00a0wear blue shirts to differentiate themselves from the\u00a0yeshiva<\/i>\u00a0world that were all wearing white. He insisted that if each\u00a0bachur\u00a0<\/i>didn\u2019t realize that they were unique and special with their own individual story than their living the wrong life. This wasn\u2019t the Creator\u2019s intention.<\/p>\n
The Sinai experience gives reason for additional gratitude. The Jewish nation can claim alone its own\u00a0Mesorah<\/i>\u00a0that started at Sinai and exists until today. However, it\u2019s critical to know why the\u00a0Mesorah<\/i>\u00a0is alive. It\u2019s because its \u201cMiSinai<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 It stems from a place of lowliness, bareness and the reality that one is mere dust. G-d lowers himself only to those who lower themselves. If one lives such a life, he can rejoice, \u201cand whoso trusteth in the L-rd, happy is he\u201d (Proverbs16:20).<\/p>\n
A Chelek in Torah<\/b><\/p>\n
Just as G-d created no one alike enabling every person to have their own story, He built a system where each person can have their own connection to the Torah, not available to anyone else. However, this acquisition must be activated and nurtured.<\/p>\n
A clear proof to the fact that its needs to be activated is found in\u00a0Pirkei Avot<\/i>\u00a0(5:20), \u201cJudah ben Tema said… May it be the will, O L-rd our G-d, that your city be rebuilt speedily in our days and set our portion in the studying of your Torah.\u201d This begins with the phraseology of \u201cMay it be your will.\u201d This is a prayer for gaining Torah knowledge, the inference being that it\u2019s not automatic.<\/p>\n
How does one gain their lot with the Torah? One needs to first imagine the indelible imprint that the thunder, lightning and awesome noise from Sinai made on the onlookers. It was too overwhelming for anyone to live, as all of\u00a0Bnei Yisroel<\/i>\u00a0perished and had to be revived. The key idea is that the senses were astonished and thus impacted forever.<\/p>\n
If I were to tell you that the document that you want to ingest and understand is a song, then the advantage to remembering it is double fold, because it\u2019s a song itself and it can be sung as well. the Torah itself is referred to as\u00a0Shirah<\/i>, \u201cSo now, write this shira [song] for yourselves, and teach it to the Children of Israel\u201d (Deut. 31:19).<\/p>\n
And if one sings this song and ingests it, then the The\u00a0Medrash<\/i>\u00a0says, \u201cWhoever says Shira (a song of praise to G-d) in Olam Ha\u2019zeh will merit to say Shira in Olam Haba” (Tanchuma\u00a0<\/i>Tzav 7).<\/p>\n
G-d yearns for us to establish a\u00a0chelek<\/i>\u00a0in his Torah. The verse, (Proverbs 4:2), says, \u201cKi lekach tov natati lachem – A good taking I have given to you.\u201d\u00a0Lekach<\/i>\u00a0rearranged spells\u00a0chelek<\/i>. The Torah is a\u00a0chelek tov<\/i>\u00a0for us and G-d wants us to meet Him through it.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s an additional way to hasten the gaining one\u2019s share in Torah. We say on\u00a0Shabbos<\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0yom tov\u00a0<\/i>\u201cVeten chelkeinu betoratecha<\/i>\u00a0– Hashem give us our piece, our part in your Torah.\u201d This request comports with the fact that \u201cThe Sabbaths and Holidays were given to Israel in order that they might study Torah\u201d (Jerusalem Talmud,\u00a0Shabbat<\/i>\u00a015:3). Not only is Shavuot the time of the giving of the Torah, but it\u2019s the opportune time for one to gain a\u00a0chelek<\/i>\u00a0in the Torah.<\/p>\n
Conclusion<\/b><\/p>\n
We say every day in\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei<\/i>:<\/p>\n
\u05d5\u05b0\u05ea\u05b6\u05d7\u05b1\u05d6\u05b6\u05bd\u05d9\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05e2\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05b5\u05bd\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b0\u0592\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05e6\u05b4\u05d9\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd: \u05d1\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05bc\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05d6\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8 \u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05db\u05b4\u05d9\u05e0\u05b8\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9 \u05dc\u05b0\u05e6\u05b4\u05d9\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05df<\/p>\n
May our eyes behold Your return to Zion in mercy. Blessed are You L-rd, who restores His Divine Presence to Zion.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0beracha\u00a0<\/i>is affirming our capacity for sight sound and intellectual capacities to meet the ever-present\u00a0Shechinah<\/i>. Right after this acknowledgment, we recite\u00a0Modim<\/i>, thank you, in overwhelming gratitude to the Sovereign Creator that is willing to let us meet His\u00a0Shechinah<\/i>. We can all dance with the\u00a0Melech<\/i>\u00a0if we\u2019re willing to negate self, abundantly thank a Creator who appreciates individuality and sing a song that penetrates our heart to make it everlasting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The\u00a0Shechinah, the manifestation of\u00a0Malchut, Kingship, from above, corresponding to the\u00a0middah\u00a0of\u00a0Shiflut, humility, lowered itself down to Mount Sinai on Shavuot. Though G-d lives in the highest of the four worlds, Atzilut, for one time in history He came down to our world of Assiah. Though in fact G-d chose to have\u00a0Malchut\u00a0below as well, as the\u00a0Zohar\u00a0(Shoftim\u00a0275b) notes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133844,"featured_media":54421,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[357],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54420","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-shavuot"],"yoast_head":"\n