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Rabbanit Shani Taragin

Double Yom Yerushalayim:
Portion
The Perfect Prelude to Shavuot

om Yerushalayim and Shavuot Presence) in Yerushalayim is a perpetuation were separated and disconnected. Had we
are one week apart and so easily of the revelation celebrated on Shavuot. succeeded then, it would have been a sit-
Y associated with each other. On Indeed, the greatest days of celebration uation in which “two were holding on” to
Shavuot in 1967, thousands of Jews flocked are associated with Yom Yerushalayim and Jerusalem, each one saying “it is entirely
to see and pray by the Kotel for the first Shavuot: mine.” Jerusalem would have turned into
time since the reunification of Jerusalem, a source of divisiveness, a cause of quarrel
setting the precedent for the custom that Go forth and look, daughters of Zion, and argument… And Jerusalem was…
continues today. upon King Solomon adorned with the given to the entire people of Israel…
crown his mother made him on the day of Jerusalem comes to increase peace in
There are numerous parallels between these his wedding and on the day of his heart’s the world. Therefore, only now (1967),
two dates, and many messages to be learned. joy. (Song of Songs 3:11)… on the day when we have all entered through a single
Perhaps the most obvious connection is of his wedding – this is the Giving of the gate… only now, when we are all united,
that Shavuot is the day the Torah was given Torah… on the day of his heart’s joy – this when a national unity government stands
on Mount Sinai and would continue to refers to the building of the holy Temple… at the helm, when our fighting army is a
emanate from Yerushalayim – “For Torah (Ta’anit 26b) unified army… when all of our brothers in
comes forth from Zion and the word of the Diaspora stand behind us with a single
God from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3). Though Perhaps the most timely – and timeless heart, only now have we merited this great
the Torah was given on Mount Sinai, our – message to be learned as we celebrate event: He who restores His Shechina to
Sages associate Mount Moriah – the Temple these holidays is the message of achdut Zion has restored Jerusalem to us!… As
Mount in Jerusalem and where the Binding (unity). When the Jews received the Torah, long as we continue to be united, all of
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of Isaac took place – with Mount Sinai. they were unified, “as one people with Jerusalem will continue to be ours…”
one heart.” Similar solidarity is meant to
There are also numerous parallels between be realized in Yerushalayim, the one city 1 See Midrash Tehillim Psalm 68 for one example.
the narratives of these two events (e.g. three not divided among the tribes; the city that 2 Genesis 22:1-19 and Exodus 19:10-24.
days preparation, prostration, sacrifice, brings us together as friends. 3 Jerusalem Talmud, Chagiga 3, 6.
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morning, seeing and fearing). 4 Mo’adei HaReayah, pp. 480-48.
Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Neria suggests this is why
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Maimonides states that the three sections Yerushalayim was reunified in 1967 and not Rabbanit Shani Taragin is
of holiness surrounding the Beit HaMik- given to us in 1948: Co-Director of Education at
dash in Yerushalayim are modeled after RZA-Mizrachi USA and a senior
the Children of Israel’s three encamp- “In 1948, the Palmach broke through Zion educator in various women’s
ments by Mount Sinai. This implies that Gate, and the Etzel soldiers were about to higher educational institutions
the manifestation of the Shechina (Divine break through the Damascus Gate. We in Israel

Festive prayers at the Western Wall

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