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TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE:

A SHAVUOT

CHESHBON HANEFESH

Rabbi Reuven Taragin

The central pillar acceptance of the Torah, so the world’s When some questioned his commitment
havuot, the holiday that celebrates continued existence depends upon Torah to teaching Torah in violation of a Roman
the giving of the Torah, is the learning. If there would be even one prohibition, Rabbi Akiva compared a Jew’s
time when both Hashem and the moment completely bereft of Torah learn- need for Torah learning to a fish’s depen-
SJewish people reflect upon our ing, the world would cease to exist (Nefesh dence on water (Berachot 61b). Torah is not
relationship with the Torah He gave us. HaChayim, Sha’ar 1:16). Along these lines, just an enhancer of life; it is a condition
Rabbi Meir emphasizes that one person for it. Though we can physically live and
Though Shimon HaTzaddik identifies Torah learning Torah makes the entire world’s breathe without Torah, our spiritual life
study as one of three pillars that support existence worthwhile (Avot 6:1). hinges upon its nourishment.
the world (Avot 1:2), the pillar of Torah is
the most important. “Talmud Torah k’neged Pirkei Avot begins with Shimon HaTzaddik’s Why is Torah study so important? It is
kulam,” “the significance of Torah learning assertion that the world exists for the pur- the only pursuit we can devote all of our
is equal to that of all other mitzvot” (Peah pose of Torah learning. It ends with Rabbi free time to. While chessed is performed
1:1). Meir taking this notion a significant step in response to a situational need and tefil-
lah is recited at set intervals, Torah can
This explains why the world’s existence further by portraying even a single person’s be learned at any free moment. At any
hinges upon Torah learning. The Torah Torah learning as justifying the existence moment, we can draw close to Hashem
describes the sixth day of creation as of the entire world! by immersing ourselves in His thoughts.
“yom hashishi” as opposed to “yom shishi,”
unlike its description of the previous days The greatest and highest life Rabbi Meir asserts that Torah learning
of creation. Chazal explain that Hashem “If you have learned much Torah, do not makes one “greater” and “higher” than all
conditioned Creation on the events of a take special credit; it is why you were cre- other creations. In Rav Yosef’s view, Torah
future “sixth day” – the sixth of Sivan – ated” (Avot 2:8). The world was conceived learning is “great” because it makes those
when the Torah was given. Had we not as a context for Torah learning, and the who learn it “greater,” elevating us to the
committed ourselves to Torah, the world Jewish people were created to be the vehi- highest version of ourselves (Avot 6:2). Rav
would have been returned to nothingness cle. This explains why Hillel taught that Yosef explained his custom to celebrate
(Avodah Zarah 3a). one who does not study Torah deserves to Shavuot with a “triple-meat” sandwich
by asserting that without Torah learning,
Rav Chaim Volozhin understood that just die, for Torah study is the central reason he would have amounted to no more than
as creation hinged on for our existence (Avot 1:13). If we do “the average Joe / Yosef” (Pesachim 68b).
our original not fulfill our role, the gift of life
will, G-d forbid, be taken There are many ways people seek to dis-
from us. tinguish themselves. There are the Joe
DiMaggios and Joe Namaths of sports
and the Joe Bidens and Joe Liebermans of
politics. Though some of their accomplish-
ments are impressive and impactful, only
(ilmaleh) Torah learning truly develops us
in a meaningful way.
This appreciation lies at the heart of Chag
Shavuot. To celebrate Shavuot properly,
we need to reflect upon how central
Torah learning and values are to
our identity. Celebration without

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