Part I
The festival of Shavuos, commemorating the Giving of the
Torah, is not only a designation of an event that took place
in the past. It is relevant and significant in the present of
every single generation. Year in and year out, this
historical the Giving of the Torah to the Jewish people
renews itself in this season with a new meaning for each and
every Jew, according to his level.
In his work Derech Hashem, the Ramchal explains as
follows: With every self-improvement which we effect in this
season of the yearly cycle, the great luminescence which
shone at that occasion-of-all-occasions returns to shine down
upon us, to renew and replenish those who strive to receive
it.
The Chossid Yaavetz notes in the sixth chapter of Pirkei
Ovos: "Undoubtedly, we become more receptive to absorb
everything regarding avodas Hashem during this time,
more than at any other time. For the impression and impact it
made upon our souls then [at the original Mattan
Torah] is resparked and reignited at this present
time."
In order to be worthy of receiving the special spiritual aura
that is unique to this time-season, a person must prepare
himself to become an appropriate vessel worthy of that light
and of the sanctity of the point in time of Mattan
Torah. For even at the very occasion of ma'amad Har
Sinai, Moshe Rabbenu was told, "Go to the people and you
shall sanctify them today and tomorrow . . . that they be
ready for the third day." It is understood that for all
generations, as well, it is necessary to prepare oneself for
the special sanctity of this holy day.
Preparation to Realize the Value
The beginning of the preparation is a realization of the
great worth and advantage of Torah. Only one who appreciates
the value of something can be aroused to desire to acquire
that thing. This desire and aspiration prepare and temper a
person to become a vessel capable of holding what he so
desires. Furthermore, it is explained in Chazal and brought
in Rabbeinu Yonah (Shaarei Teshuvoh 3:43) explaining
the verse in Doniel (2:51), "He grants wisdom to the
wise." Chazal interpreted: "This is because the wise ones
honor the Torah and delve in it in holiness. Were wisdom
granted to fools, they would converse in Torah in dirty
places."
In order for a person to be worthy of Torah, he must know the
value of and the reverence due to Torah. Without this, it is
impossible for one to absorb Torah.
It is only fitting, then, that in the days preceding the
calendar-time of Shavuos, and on Shavuos itself, one delve
deeper and broaden one's thoughts about the great treasure of
the Torah, of its value, worth and preciousness, and to
contemplate the advantage of its scholars who immerse
themselves in it, so that we increase our own aspiration and
yearning to merit Torah and to crown ourselves with its
glory, so that we thereby become more capable of receiving
and absorbing that gift of Torah at the time-season of the
Giving of the Torah.
The Blessings of the Torah
Chazal encapsulated all of those advantages in one single
place, and that is in the text of the Ahavoh Rabboh
and Ahavas Olom prayers and blessings preceding
Krias Shema. These blessings also serve as the
blessings over the Torah (technical birchos haTorah),
as explained in Brochos 11b, which is established as
halochoh in the Shulchan Oruch (47:7). The
Avudrohm writes: "And you will find that this prayer
includes a great many things, for Hashem loves us more than
any other nation and gave us the Torah. It tells us to
believe in His uniqueness; that He is Master of all and so
on."
It has been the custom throughout the Jewish world in
general, and in the halls of Torah in particular, to evoke
great arousal in the shacharis service of Shavuos, and
especially in Ahavoh Rabboh, to fervently beseech that
we be granted the privilege of receiving the Torah and
absorbing it in our hearts, that it illuminate our eyes, and
that our hearts be unified and focused with love and fear for
Him.
It is obvious that we must attempt to understand this prayer
in greater depth in order to arouse ourselves and to implant
within us the true and great value of the Torah and its
scholars. Furthermore, we pray that we merit that our prayers
be an outpouring of our hearts before the Examiner of Hearts
from a true understanding of the meaning and significance of
the words which we utter — that our hearts be attuned
to actually correspond with the meanings intended to be
uttered by our lips before the A-mighty.
To this purpose, we bring some principles established by our
ancient sages on how to understand this blessing, in its
general context, meaning and kavonoh, and in what has
been specifically mentioned and emphasized regarding the
great advantage and supremacy of Torah.
Love Covers Up Many a Fault
The underlying principle of this prayer is that the Torah was
given to us wholly, entirely through `great love,' as is
established in its beginning and as is established in its
closing blessing: "Who chooses His people, Israel, through
love." It was with this measure of love that Torah was given
to our ancestors and is thus granted to each generation, in
the past, present, and even in the future.
The significance of this mode of giving with love is to make
it possible to give of it even beyond what the receiver would
merit on his own. It is written in Mishlei 10:12 that,
"Love covers up all faults." The flow of Hashem's love is not
impeded by the sins of the receiver at that moment because of
the fact that the Torah has in its power, through its light,
the ability to restore sinners to good.
Our hope and expectation to merit Torah relies upon that
"great love which You bore for us," which is a timeless love,
eternal and constant. In this prayer we come to pour our
hearts before the Giver of the Torah, on this of all days
when it was revealed to all that Hashem truly did and does
"choose His people Israel through love."
This is the general content of this prayer but it also
mentions and repeats other specific aspects related to Torah,
which we hope to explain as succinctly but comprehensively as
possible, hoping to provide wisdom to the wise so that he can
grow the wiser. We hope in this to prepare ourselves for the
holy event in time of Mattan Torah which is fast
approaching.
*
"You have loved us a great love." The Gaon relates this
phrase to the giving of the Torah, when Hashem revealed
Himself to us at Mt. Sinai in a cloud of glory.
The Gaon says that "Ahavoh rabboh," a great love,
indicates a desire on the part of Hashem to pour forth
limitless goodness and bounty, the extent of which we have no
inkling. We cannot conceive how great was the eternal
goodness which our people benefited through the giving of the
Torah at Sinai. Furthermore, we find in Tomer Devorah,
vol. II an explanation of the word rabboh as
signifying prominence as opposed to quantity. According to
this we understand Hashem's love for us as elevating us and
making us important.
Similarly, Rashi explains the words in Shemos 20:17,
"In order to test you" — to make you more eminent and
significant in this world. Hashem seeks to raise us to higher
levels of importance. It was the revelation at Sinai which
elevated us and made us outstanding. This is the meaning of
the `great' love stated in the blessing.
We now come to the word, "Over us" — that is, Hashem
felt a great compassion towards us, over us. We find this
usage in Yeshayohu 63:9, "In His love and compassion,
He redeemed them, and He took them and elevated them for all
time." Avudrahm explains that Hashem took us unto Himself,
implanted in us a feeling of belonging to Him, and thus He
uplifted the Jews on high forevermore, through His great love
and compassion.
"A great and exceeding compassion . . . " Hashem's mercy over
us was beyond nature; it was a supernatural love, beyond what
they deserved at their particular spiritual level, says the
Alter of Kelm (Choshen Mishpat II, Essay 60).
The Gaon explains that this refers to the giving of the
second set of Luchos. Hashem had pity on us and gave
the Jews in the desert a second chance, even though they had
sinned with the eigel. In fact, Hashem even showered
us with more love than before, in commanding us to build the
Mishkon where He would reside within our very midst.
This would not have been had they not sinned and the first
Tablets not been shattered.
We come to the words, "Ovinu Malkeinu." These two
titles also relate to the giving of the Torah. Our Father
— for the actual giving of the Torah, as is stated in
Ovos 3:18, "Beloved are Israel who are called the
children of Hashem . . . Who gave them a delightful vessel .
. . as it is written, `For I have given you goodly counsel;
do not forsake My Torah.' " The Torah was given to the Jews
because they are sons unto Hashem and He is their Father.
"Our King" refers to the actual performance of the mitzvos,
our worship of Hashem according to the commandments given at
Sinai, as is written, "You shall worship Elokim on
this mountain." Similarly, "Restore us, our Father, to Your
Torah, and draw us near, our King, to our worship of You."
"For the sake of our ancestors who trusted in You." When we
left Egypt in order to receive the Torah, all we had going
for us was our firm trust and faith in Hashem, as the Gaon
explains in Shir Hashirim and in Mishlei 22:19:
"The prime reason for the giving of the Torah was so that the
Jews place their faith in Hashem, as we find in
Tehillim, `And they placed their faith in Elokim.'
Another reason was so that they tell the forthcoming
generations . . . `So that [unto] the last generation, they
know . . . The ultimate value is a perfect trust in Hashem
for this encompasses all of the mitzvos (Ramban,
Bo)."
At the Giving of the Torah itself, their great trust in
Hashem was revealed when they declared, "Na'aseh
venishma." Similarly when they encamped by Sinai, "As one
person, with one heart," as Rashi denotes (explaining the
singular form). The Gaon explains that peace and unity denote
and exemplify trust in Hashem.
"And You taught them codes of life." Not commandments and
prohibitions to guard in the process of living, but laws that
are life, themselves, that create in us a feeling of reality,
of self preservation, promising eternal life to us and the
coming generations.
"Thus may You be gracious to us and teach us." Your attribute
and measure of grace and love goes beyond what one deserves.
And so we ask that You teach us these lifegiving laws.
"Our Father, Merciful Father, Who shows mercy . . . " The
Torah was given to us because You are our Father and we are
Your sons. And even if we lack the proper respect towards You
as a father, and You insist that "If I am a Father, where is
My honor?" — still we turn to You, Hashem, because You
are ever merciful towards us. It is in Your power to evoke
Your own compassion and there is no one to limit it, as it
were. This is why we say `Who shows mercy," who is a
Rachmono — this is Your attribute and this is
how You have related towards us in reality, throughout the
generations.
End of Part I
