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Shavuot And Matan Torah
Menachem Leibtag
When the Torah wishes to inform us of the 'historical' reason
for a holiday, it certainly knows how to do so. Take for example
the two other pilgrimage holidays - "chag ha'matzot" & "succot":
Even though these holidays are also presented from their
'agricultural' perspective (see Shmot 23:14-17), the Torah
informs us of their historical perspectives as well (see Shmot
12:17, 13:3 etc. and Vayikra 23:42-43).
Therefore, it is simply baffling that the Torah presents
Shavuot ONLY from its agricultural aspect, without mentioning
even a word about its connection to events of MATAN TORAH!
In this week's shiur, we attempt to understand why.
| SHAVUOT IN THE BIBLE |
Before we begin our shiur, let's verify our statement that
Shavuot is presented solely from its agricultural perspective by
quickly reviewing the five 'parshiot' in which it is mentioned:
I. Shmot 23:15 = "v'et chag ha'KATZIR bikurei ma'asecha"
[the HARVEST holiday - the first fruits of your work]
II. Shmot 34:22 = "v'chag shavuot... bikurei KTZIR CHITIM"
[Feast of Weeks, the first fruits of the wheat harvest]
III. Vayikra 23:15-21: "u'sfartem lachem..."
"And you shall count from the time you offer the OMER
offering (from your first harvest/ see 23:10) seven
weeks... and you shall offer a new MINCHA to God..."
IV. Bamidbar 28:26 = "u'v'yom ha'BIKURIM..."
"And on the day of the first fruit offering, when you
bring a new MINCHA to God on Shavuot..."
V. Devarim 16:9-12 = "...m'ha'chel chermesh b'kamah..."
"Count SEVEN weeks, starting when the sickle is first
put to the standing grain, then you shall celebrate the
holiday of SHAVUOT to God..."
In each of these five parshiot, Shavuot is presented solely
as a harvest holiday, when we must thank God for our grain crops;
while MATAN TORAH is not mentioned even once!
As we can see from the above psukim, even without the events
of MATAN TORAH, there is ample reason to celebrate SHAVUOT..
Considering that grain is man's staple, after its harvest we must
celebrate together with God in order to thank Him for His
providence during this most critical time of the year.
[Recall also that the custom of the nations of Canaan was to
relate the growth of grain to various local gods such as
Baal & Ashera and Dagon etc. This made it even more
important to celebrate Shavuot, to assure that Bnei Yisrael
would thank the proper God and not fall into the traps of
AVODA ZARA. For more detail, see Hoshea chapter 2 (which
just so happens to be the Haftara for Parshat Bamidbar). See
especially Hoshea 2:7,10,14-18 & 23!]
So, should we conclude that it is only coincidental that
Shavuot falls out on the date of Matan Torah. Would that explain
why Chumash makes no connection at all between that event and
this holiday?
Before we answer this question, we must take a closer look
at how the Torah records the date of Matan Torah.
| THE DATE OF MATAN TORAH |
When the Torah wishes to inform us of the precise date of a
certain event, it certainly knows how to do so. Once again, take
for example Pesach & Yetziat Mitzraim. See Shmot 12:6,12-14,17-18
and 13:3-8! The Torah mentions not only the events, but their
precise dates as well!
However, in regard to Matan Torah, the Torah is much more
ambiguous. Indeed we are told that Bnei Yisrael arrive at Har
Sinai in the third month (Sivan), but we are not told on what DAY
of the month they arrived:
"In the third month of Bnei Yisrael's departure from the
Egypt, ON THIS DAY, they came to Midbar Sinai." (19:1)
Not only is the phrase "on this day" ambiguous, it is quite
difficult to determine how many days actually transpire between
their arrival at Har Sinai and Matan Torah (see Shmot 19:3-16).
Even if we assume that Bnei Yisrael arrived on the first day
of the month (see Rashi 19:1-"b'yom hazeh"), the lack of a clear
chronology in the subsequent events still makes it impossible to
pinpoint that date. We know that Moshe goes up and down the
mountain several times, and that three days are required to
prepare for that special occasion; but we never told how many
days elapse in the interim.
In the Mechilta (and in Mesechet Shabbat 86b), Chazal
calculate that the Torah was given on either the sixth or seventh
of Sivan (see also Rashi on 19:2->19), yet the fact remains that
the Torah prefers to obscure the precise date of this event.
Thus, we really have a double question. Not only is it
strange that Torah makes no connection between Shavuot and Matan
Torah, it doesn't even tell us WHEN Matan Torah took place!
Again, the question remains - why?
To answer this question, we must consider a fundamental
difference between two of the greatest events in our history:
Yetziat Mitzraim and Matan Torah.
| MATAN TORAH: AN UNCOMMEMORATED EVENT |
Wn the Torah, we find numerous mitzvot through which we
commemorate Yetziat Mitzraim, both on the ANNIVERSARY of the
Exodus: e.g. eating matzah, telling of the story of Yetziat
Mitzraim, korban Pesach etc.; and even ALL YEAR ROUND: e.g.
"mitzvat bikkurim" (bringing the first fruits to Yerushalayim),
tfillin, shabbat, and the daily recital of "kriyat shma", etc.,
all of which the Torah relates to the Exodus (i.e. "zecher
l'yitziat mitzrayim").
In contrast, in Chumash we do not find even one specific
mitzvah whose explicit purpose is to commemorate the events of
Matan Torah. [Sefer Devarim does require that we not forget the
events that transpired at Har Sinai (see 4:9-16), but does not
command us to perform any specific positive mitzvah in order that
we not forget! See Further Iyun section.]
Why does the Torah call upon us to commemorate these two
events in such dramatically different ways?
One could suggest that the Torah is sending an implicit
message - that Matan Torah is NOT an historically bound event;
because EVERY DAY we must feel as though the Torah has just been
given. This concept is reflected in the Midrash on 19:1:
"... it should have been written: 'ON THAT DAY'. Why does
the pasuk say: 'ON THIS DAY'? This comes to teach us that
the words of the Torah should be considered new to you - as
though they were given TODAY!" (quoted by Rashi Shmot 19:1.)
In other words, we should not view Matan Torah as one time
event, rather, every generation must feel as though they have
just entered into a covenant with God (see Devarim 5:1-3). Every
generation must feel that God's words were spoken to them no less
than to earlier generations. To celebrate the anniversary of
Matan Torah as a single moment in our history could diminish from
that meta-historical dimension.
But without a commemorative mitzvah, how is Matan Torah to
be perpetuated? As we explained in our study of Sefer Shmot,
this may have been the purpose of the Mishkan (see Ramban on
Shmot 25:1). In this manner, Ma'amad Har Sinai lives on.
In contrast to Matan Torah, there is no need to re-live the
experience of Yetziat Mitzrayim, rather it is important that we
REMEMBER that event. Even if we must ACT as though we went out
of Egypt on the seder night (See in the Hagada - "b'chol dor
v'dor chayav adam lirot atzmo k'ilu..."), it is in order that we
put ourselves in the proper frame of mind to praise God and thank
Him for our redemption.
Yetziat Mitzrayim was, and should remain, a one time event
in our history - our national birth. As such, it needs to be
commemorated. Matan Torah is totally different! It is an event
which must be constantly RE-LIVED, not just remembered, for it
is the essence of our daily existence.
So is it wrong to commemorate Matan Torah on Shavuot? Did
Chazal make a 'mistake' (chas v'shalom) by connecting a 'purely
agricultural' holiday with the historical event of Matan Torah?
Of course not! Is it possible that the most important event
in our national history not be commemorated on its yearly
anniversary?!
In this regard, Chazal strike a beautiful balance between
Torah "sh'bichtav" (the Written Law) and Torah "sh'baal peh" (the
Oral Law). Chumash emphasizes one perspective, the inherent
danger of commemorating this event, while tradition balances this
message by emphasizing the other perspective, the historical
significance of remembering that day, by re-living that event.
Therefore, Chazal instituted that just like on "leil ha'seder
(Passover eve), when we spend the entire evening 're-telling' the
story of Yetziat Mitzrayim, on "leil Shavuot", we spend the
entire evening engrossed in the study of Torah, 're-living' the
experience of Ma'amad Har Sinai!
SOME BIBLICAL 'HINTS'
Even though the connection between Matan Torah and Shavuot
is not explicit in Chumash, we do find several interesting
'hints' to their connection in Parshat Emor.
Recall how Parshat Emor is the primary source for the
specific details of the special laws of Shavuot (see Vayikra
23:15-21). That parshia discusses the special korban of the
"shtei ha'lechem", offered at the conclusion of the 50 days of
"Sfirat Ha'omer". Together with the shtei ha'lechem, the "tzibur"
(the community of Israel) is commanded to bring an additional
korban of "OLOT u'SHLAMIM". [The Olah is 7 sheep, 2 rams, and 1
bull, together with the standard goat for the chatat offering.
For the shlamim the tzibur offers 2 sheep, whose meat is waved
('tnufa') together with the "shtei ha'lechem".]
THE SHTEI HA'LECHEM
There are two unique laws regarding the "shtei ha'lechem" -
the special korban of Shavuot.
1) It is the only korban 'mincha' offered by the tzibur
which is baked 'chametz' (all other flour offerings must be
baked 'matzah').
2) It is the only time during the entire year when the
tzibur brings a korban SHLAMIM.
1) CHAMETZ U'MATZAH
As we explained in earlier shiurim, matzah symbolizes the
initial stage of a process, whereas the fully risen 'chametz'
symbolizes its completion. Thus, the mitzvah to bake the shtei
ha'lechem as 'chametz' may indicate that Matan Torah should be
understood as the culmination of the redemption process which
began with Yetziat Mitzrayim. Just as the "shtei ha'lechem' marks
the culmination of the wheat harvest, the staple of our physical
existence - the historical process which began with the Exodus
culminates with Matan Torah, the essence of our spiritual
existence.
Just as we find in "chag ha'matzot" and "succot", the
agricultural time of year 'sends' an educational message which
helps us better appreciate the significance of the historical
event which we commemorate. [See shiur on Parshat Emor.]
2) KORBAN SHLAMIM
If we compare the korbanot offered on Shavuot to the various
korbanot offered on all the other holidays, we reach a very
interesting conclusion: Shavuot is the ONLY holiday when the
"tzibur" must offer a korban SHLAMIM, i.e. the two kvasim which
are offered with the SHTEI ha'LECHEM.
As usual, to understand the significance of this korban, we
must uncover its biblical precedent.
The FIRST instance where we find a korban SHLAMIM is at the
end of Parshat Mishpatim (Shmot 24:4-8) when the Torah describes
the special covenental ceremony which takes place at Ma'amad Har
Sinai. At this ceremony, Bnei Yisrael proclaim "na'aseh v'nishma"
while entering into a covenant to become God's special nation by
accepting the laws of Matan Torah.
That ceremony included the offering of special korbanot: OLOT
and SHLAMIM (see Shmot 24:5). The blood from these korbanot,
sprinkled both on the mizbayach and on the people, symbolized
Bnei Yisrael's entry into the covenant (24:6-8). [The meat of the
shlamim was eaten at the conclusion of the ceremony (24:11).]
Thus we find that the very first korban SHLAMIM is offered
as a symbol of Bnei Yisrael's acceptance of MATAN TORAH. Recall
our explanation (see shiur on Parshat Vayikra) of how a SHLAMIM
reflects a joint feast shared by covenental partners. Therefore,
the korban SHLAMIM which is presented together with the SHTEI
ha'LECHEM on Shavuot may serve a symbolic reminder of MATAN
TORAH.
In fact, we find two additional instances in Chumash when
Bnei Yisrael offer a special collective SHLAMIM offering - and
once again, both relate to Ma'amad Har Sinai:
1) During the YOM ha'SHMINI ceremony (see Vayikra 9:1-5)
2) On Har Eival, when the generation that enters the land
re-enacts Ma'amad Har Sinai and studies its laws!
[see Devarim 27:1-8]
1) In many ways, "Yom ha'Shmini"- the day of the dedication
ceremony of the Mishkan - can be considered as an extension of
Ma'amad Har Sinai. Considering that God's SHCHINA, which had left
Bnei Yisrael in the aftermath of chet ha'egel, now returns to the
Mishkan, and God begins once again to teach Bnei Yisrael mitzvot
- now from the Ohel Moed instead of from Har Sinai - we can view
this event as parallel to the day of MATAN TORAH.
Furthermore, this day marks the first time that God appears
to Bnei Yisrael (see 9:4-5) since He appeared to them on the day
when they first proclaimed "na'aseh v'nishma" (see 24:9-11).
Once again, the korban SHLAMIM offered during this ceremony
may reflect the re-establishment of the covenant of Har Sinai,
which was broken due to chet ha'egel.
2) The purpose of the ceremony which God commands Bnei Yisrael
to perform on Har Eival (to teach Bnei Yisrael the Torah and
offer korbanot OLOT & SHLAMIM) is clearly to re-create the
experience of MATAN TORAH for the new generation (for most of
them were not present at the original event). Here once again,
we find a thematic connection between the korban SHLAMIM and
MATAN TORAH.
Therefore, it is only logical to assume that special korban
SHLAMIM which the Torah obligates us to offer with the SHTEI
ha'LECHEM on Shavuot alludes to the deeper thematic connection
between SHAVUOT and MATAN TORAH.
Indeed, Shavuot remains as "ZMAN MATAN TORATEINU".
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FOR FURTHER IYUN
1. Based on the above shiur, can you find a deeper meaning to the
popular phrase "im ein kemach - ein Torah" [If there is no flour
then there is no TORAH.]
2. In regard to Devarim 4:9-10. Note how these psukim could be
understood as an introduction to the prohibition to make any
image to represent God, as explained in 4:11-22. Therefore, this
may not be considered as an independent mitzvah to remember Matan
Torah. Only Ramban counts it as a mitzvah - See his pirush on 4:9
and the Hasagot HaRamban to Sefer HaMitzvot of the Rambam- Lo
Ta'aseh #2. Note, that even if it is counted as a mitzvah, it
does not require any specific action by which we are to
commemorate that event. We are simply commanded never to forget it.
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