I am very excited for the opportunity to share words of Torah with you. Each week, in this spot, I look to share an idea I've found that speaks to me and that I think will resonate with you as well. This week, I share with you an excerpt from an article by Rabbi Nechemiah Coopersmith entitled ‘When I Decided to Take God and Religion Seriously’, about the significance of the commemoration of the revelation at Mt. Sinai and how it impacts each of us personally.
[...] When the Jews stood at Mount Sinai and God offered them the Torah, they replied as a unified nation, “Naaseh v’nishma – we will do and we will understand.” They accepted the Torah and all of its commandments right off the bat, without knowing everything that it entails. They signed on the dotted line, and only afterward read the fine print. Contrast this with how the non-Jewish nations responded to God's offering them the Torah. The Talmud says each nation asked, “What’s written in it?” which is a reasonable question. We want to know what we’re getting ourselves into if we sign this contract. God answered each nation by telling them the very commandment they were loath to accept, and each one rejected it.
What’s going on here? The impulsive Jews accept the Torah, no questions asked, and the reasonable-minded non-Jewish nations end up refusing it. Why?
God doesn’t need your stamp of approval. As the Creator of the universe and the source for all of existence, He determines reality. On offer wasn’t just a new self-help book full of advice and guidance from which you can pick and choose; the Torah is the blueprint of creation, the transcendent map that reveals the structure, purpose, and inter-connectedness of the entire universe. Its commandments enable one to harmoniously connect to its Author, becoming attached to the Infinite.
The Jews standing at Sinai heard God speak. Once they knew the Torah was coming from God – and yes, that’s a huge condition – they were ready to commit because that was Truth, regardless of how they felt about it. The other nations who asked, “What’s written in it?” were essentially telling God, “Let me see if this Torah fits into my lifestyle and if I like it.” The very question was a rejection; they were more interested in staying in their comfortable bubble than going with the truth. [...]
The holiday of Shavuot replicates the acceptance of Torah. It reminds me to set my sights on truth, not comfort. When it boils down to listening to God or my inner desires, I need to humble myself and subjugate my values to His values. It’s not easy, but if Torah is real, then I need to do the changing, not God. That’s the “we will do” part. Then there’s the “we will understand” – which means I have the unmatched opportunity to devote my lifetime to studying God’s blueprint and strive to understand as much as I possibly can, infusing my life with meaning and connecting to His boundless love. That’s what it means to take God and Torah seriously.
Have a Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach,
Rabbi Davies
Rabbi@SOICherryHill.org
