"REMEMBER WHEN I GAVE YOU THE TORAH? IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN." -G-d
The Chabad Shavuot Guide CELEBRATE THE FESTIVAL OF SHAVUOT I MAY 25-27
WHAT
ENGRAVED
IS SHAVUOT?
IN STONE
Shavuot is the festival that marks the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, which happened seven weeks after the Exodus. Shavuot literally means weeks.
The Tablets were engraved in stone to tell you that your relationship with the Torah is unlike paper and ink, or even words written upon your heart. Instead, it's engraved; it's part of you and who you are.
SAY I DO
Shavuot also marks our receiving of the Torah. In other words, we were not passive recipients. On the contrary, we actively prepared and counted the days. We famously shouted, "We will do and listen," impressing G-d by committing to action even before hearing the details. So, Shavuot likewise celebrates our dedication to the Torah. Shavuot also means "oaths," as we again promise to do and listen.
HEAR
LIMITLESS
ENGRAVED FREEDOM
The Hebrew word for engraved and the Hebrew word for freedom are very similar. That's because the laws of the Torah don't limit us; on the contrary, they free us. The Torah gave us true freedom as the chains that kept us earthbound were finally opened.
LOCATION
LOCATION, LOCATION
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
On Shavuot, we gather young and old to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments.
WHEN
IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN
Getting the Torah is unlike getting a new bicycle or downloading a file. When G-d gave us the Torah, we were gifted the ability to interact with and touch the divine. The Torah's power to connect Heaven and Earth is a continuous process fresh every day. That's why the giving of the Torah will never happen again because it's still happening now.
When choosing the perfect location to serve as the backdrop to the extraordinary giving of the Torah, G-d chose the Sinai desert. The sages see this as G-d's way of letting you know that you don't need to be a sophisticated city person with all the amenities of a metropolis to observe the Torah. The message is that the Torah is for you no matter where you live.
WHERE
MT. SINAI
Mount Sinai, the platform for giving the Torah, was chosen from the other more impressive mountains for its humility. This mountain reminds us to stay humble and stand firm like a mountain. True humility is not weakness but a firm mountainlike faith that allows you to be the platform and vessel for G-d's gifts. shavuot 5783