Thursday, May 29, 2014

PARSHAS NASO/SHAVUOS 5774


“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Naso
Pirkei Avos – Perek 6 --- Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5774/May 30, 2014 – 45th day of the Omer

(The following is a thought from Rabbi Leibel Chaitovsky - ASHAR – May 2014:)
During the summer, in camp I have one of the most coveted toys; a toy which only the heads of camp have access to, i.e. a golf cart. For campers there are different levels of privilege in regards to the golf cart. The lowest level is if I give a ride to a camper who is sitting on the passenger seat. The golf cart can zip across camp and the passengers enjoy a soft breeze as it moves, while pedestrians watch and hope for a turn as well. The next level is achieved if I allow the passenger to push the accelerator on the golf cart while I maintain control over the steering wheel. It's exciting to be able to make the golf cart move, even if someone else is steering and making sure it doesn't crash into a tree. The highest level is if I actually allow the passenger (who at least has his driver's permit of course) to drive the golf cart while I sit in the passenger seat and allow him to chauffeur me.
There are three levels of special times we enjoy on the Jewish calendar. The kedusha of Shabbos Kodesh is, in the vernacular of Chazal "kevia v'kayma - set and established". Its holiness embraces the world on Friday evening, and our role is only to accept it, like a passenger.
Succos and Pesach are days fixed on the calendar, both beginning on the fifteenth day of their respective months. However, when the Sanhedrin, the great Jewish court was still in function, the sanctification of the new month, Rosh Chodesh, was done by them. Although the holiday itself began on a fixed date, the rabbinic court had a say in when the month would begin. The holiness of those holidays is analogous to one pushing the pedal while someone else is steering.
Shavuos however is unique in the sense that it is wholly dependent on us. The Torah strangely doesn't even give the holiday a calendar date. The holiday begins on the fiftieth day of the OUR counting, which we began on the second night of Pesach. [There is an opinion in Halacha that if one crosses the International Date Line during the days of sefirah and does not cross back, he should continue to count sefirah according to what night it is for him, despite the fact that everyone around him is one night ahead.] Shavuos is celebrated at the culmination of one's personal count. It's an incredible concept; the holiday of Shavuos, the anniversary of the most seminal event that ever transpired, is based on our count.
More so than any other holiday, on Shavuos we are in the driver’s seat as it were. We push the pedal and we steer, and G-d is our passenger, as it were.
The Kotzker Rebbe noted that we refer to Shavuos as "the time of the giving of our Torah", as opposed to "the time of our receiving of the Torah". G-d gives the Torah on Shavuos, but it's our prerogative whether we want to accept it, and how well we will accept it.
The relatively brief holiday of Shavuos affords us the chance to be in the driver seat, but it's up to us to take advantage of that opportunity.

Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos
Good Yom Tov & Chag Sameiach,
            R’ Dani and Chani Staum      


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