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A Thought for Shavuot

Why is the Torah a gift? Rabbi Shim-
shon Pinkus explains: “If a man looks
like he’s wearing a good watch, we’ll
ask where he bought it. But if a poor
man has a $5 million diamond in his
hands, we won’t ask ‘Where did you
buy it?’, but rather, ‘Who gave it to
you?’ because he couldn’t have bought
it himself.

The Holy Torah is a gift. As much as
we learn and do good deeds, its gift to
us is always free. One thing is required
of us: the desire to have it. To want the
gift! Our job on Shavuot is to want
the Torah, to think about it. A person
will only give his friend a precious dia- leaders. At the end of the fascinating our part of the story is not so critical.
mond if he knows he will keep it and conversation with him and his wife, After all, there are about 14 million
appreciate it. He will not give the dia- Rabbanit Tammy, we asked what the Jews in the world, and some of them
mond if the recipient is just going to Rabbi’s message was to the public in are really smart and righteous, so why
play with it in the sand. Israel. Rabbi Kamenetzky immedi- are we so important?
ately replied: “Now? My message to
Each and every year, when it comes to the public, not only in Israel, is that Rav Kook addresses that very question:
Shavuot, it is as though G-d is travel- we have left Egypt, we have discarded “The renewed light of the Torah’s con-
ing the world, asking each of us: Do slavery for freedom, and Matan Torah nection to this soul is not like the light
you want to receive the Torah? Do is fast approaching. One has to ask born of its connection to another soul.
you? And we answer: ‘Yes, we will do oneself if he remembers Shavuot is And if it does, it increases the Torah
and we will hear.’ Although we are nearing, whether he recalls receiving correctly in its study.” That is, every
limited, we will be affected by the the Torah, and how is he preparing soul that studies Torah magnifies the
Torah on Shavuot… if we really want for the Torah and moving toward that light in the world, and only that soul –
to be.” goal.” your soul – can create its special light.

There. I’ve passed it on. Now it’s your You can’t copy homework and it’s not
Passing It On turn. enough to let others learn.
You have to find your own special
On a recent flight from the United light that only you can shine upon the
States to Israel, I suddenly paid atten- Your Torah world.
tion to the routine security question:
“Has anyone given you anything to Everyone reading these words has
pass on to someone else?” their own fingerprints. Different,
unique, singular. No one has the same
I said no, but the truth is that some- fingerprints as anyone else. Just as –
one did give me something to pass on. Rav Kook explains – our connection
During our visit, we were privileged to to the Torah is singular and unique,
meet Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky, 95, creating a light that only we can Sivan Rahav Meir and Yedidya Meir are
Head of the Philadelphia Yeshiva, one create. On Shavuot, when we receive popular Israeli media personalities and
of America’s most prominent spiritual the Torah again, we may think that World Mizrachi's shlichim to North America

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