The people all responded together,
“We will do everything the LORD has said.” So Moses brought their answer back
to the LORD. — Exodus 19:8
Today is the second day of the Jewish
holiday, Shavuot.
Every Jewish holiday has a focal
point, a symbolic item or action around which the observance revolves. Passover
hasmatzah and the seder. Rosh Hashanah has its shofar.Hanukkah has the lights of the menorah and Sukkot has the temporary huts that we live
in. But what about Shavuot?
Shavuot is one of the three major
holidays the Bible commanded the children of Israel to celebrate. It’s the
Festival of Weeks, which celebrates the monumental event of the giving of the Torah on
Mount Sinai. Yet, despite its importance, in
comparison to other Jewish holidays, Shavuot seems to be lacking. What is its
symbol? What do we do on this day that is unique, special for this holiday?
To help us answer that, let’s review
the pivotal moment in the Shavuot narrative.
Moses had come
down from Mount Sinai with a message for the children of Israel from God: “Now
if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be
my treasured possession” (Exodus
19:5). And the people responded, “We
will do everything the LORD has said.”
Why is this such a critical moment?
Because this is the marriage, if you
will, between God and His people. God said, “Will you be mine?” and the people
said, “Yes!” Then the Torah was given and the story unfolded.
However, it all hinged on that one moment when the children of Israel said
“yes” to God.
When you think
about it, though, the Israelites didn’t actually do anything.
They simply expressed their desire to do whatever God asked of them. And
this is what the holiday is all about — not doing, but desiring. It’s about realizing how much
we lack, how much we need God, and wanting deeply and passionately to be His.
This is so critical for receiving God
and His Word in our lives. You can’t add water to a bucket that’s already full.
It has to be empty, lacking, in need of water, in order to receive the water.
The Torah is often compared to water by the
Sages, and we can only receive it if we have an empty place inside for the
water to collect.
In Judaism and
Christianity, we believe that even if we are given everything we need
physically, without God, we have nothing. We are empty, lacking, and
incomplete. However, many of us look at life in the opposite manner — we focus
more on what we are lacking physically, and don’t even consider that we are
incomplete without God. This Shavuot,
let’s realize the truth of what we need and don’t need. Let’s realize what we
truly lack. We all possess an emptiness that can only be filled by God. So
let’s long for Him, desire Him, and receive Him in our lives.
With prayers for shalom, peace, Your Watchman on the
Wall - Al
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