Rav Etan's Shavuot D'var Torah

In describing the Jewish encampment around Mount Sinai in preparation to receive the Torah, the Torah’s use of the singular language ויחן שם ישׂראל נגד ההר is noteworthy, especially in light of the fact that in prior descriptions of the Jewish people’s travels (ויסעו) and encampments (ויחנו) in the plural. Rashi famously cites the Midrash -  כאישׁ אחד בלב אחד – explaining the reason for the singular terminology – that it was because when receiving the Torah, the Jewish people were as one person with one heart. In fact, a prerequisite for receiving the Torah was the unity of the Jewish people. This week, a joint statement was issued by chief rabbis throughout the world, building on this idea and calling on world Jewry to take this message to heart and practice. As the chief rabbis wrote: “As we prepare for Shavuot 5780-2020.… let us do everything we can to return to this sublime moment of complete Jewish unity.” Let’s heed the call of these wise rabbis that: “If you are in a situation of conflict, tension, resentment or anger with another, reach out to them to peacefully resolve the matter”, and “that unity is not a noun, it is a verb. It is not something we talk about it, it is something we do.”

While these have been painful days, this time please God has also softened, opened our hearts to that which is the prerequisite to receiving Torah – unity!

Chag Sameach,
Rav Etan