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Shavuot Daf Hashavua בס״ד ׁשָ בֻ עוֹת SHAVUOT In loving memory of Harav Yitzchak Yoel ben Shlomo Halevi Volume 32 | #35 Welcome to a special, expanded Daf Hashavua 30 May 2020 for Shavuot at home this year, to help bring its 7 Sivan 5780 messages and study into your home. Chag Sameach from the Daf team Shabbat ends: London 10.09pm Sheffield 10.40pm “And on the day of the first fruits…” Edinburgh 11.05pm Birmingham 10.22pm (Bemidbar 28:26) Jerusalem 8.21pm Shavuot starts on Thursday evening 28 May and ends after Shabbat on 30 May. An Eruv Tavshilin should be made before Shavuot starts. INSIDE: Shavuot message Please look regularly at the social media and websites by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis of the US, Tribe and your community for ongoing updates relating to Coronavirus as well as educational programming Megillat Rut and community support. You do not need to sign by Pnina Savery into Facebook to access the US Facebook page. The US Coronavirus Helpline is on 020 8343 5696. Mount Sinai to Jerusalem to… May God bless us and the whole world. the future Daf Hashavua by Harry and Leora Salter ׁשָ בֻ עוֹת Shavuot Shavuot message by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis It was the most New York, commented that from stunning, awe- here we learn that the Divine inspiring event revelation was intended to send a that the world has message of truth to everyone on ever known. Some earth - because the Torah is both three and a half a blueprint for how we as Jews millennia ago, we should live our lives and also the gathered as a fledgling nation at the foundational document of morality foot of Mount Sinai and experienced for the whole world. It is at once the Divine revelation. But, we were both particular and universal. not alone. The revelation at Sinai therefore This single account of Hashem heralded our dual responsibility speaking in public is described in to have the exclusive privilege to the Torah as “a great voice that observe the mitzvot given to us by did not cease”, (Devarim 5:19). The God and also to be an or lagoyim - a Midrash teaches from this verse light unto the nations. United Synagogue Daf Hashavua that the voice of God was heard This dual responsibility looms Produced by US Living & Learning without echo across the world. The ever larger in these extraordinary together with the Rabbinical Council of sound permeated every possible times of the Coronavirus pandemic. the United Synagogue barrier and was heard in seventy We cannot escape the fact that Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis different languages. Clearly, this our ability to observe the mitzvot Editorial and Production Team: was not only an historic, epic of the Torah as we usually would Rabbi Daniel Sturgess, Rabbi Michael Laitner, moment for the Jewish people; has now been curtailed in ways Rebbetzen Nechama Davis, it was a turning point for all of we have never previously known. Joanna Rose humankind. What is Shavuot without being able Available also via email US website Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik to gather together for davening in www.theus.org.uk ©United Synagogue (1903-93) of Yeshiva University in our Shuls, beautifully adorned with To sponsor Daf Hashavua please contact Danielle Fox on 020 8343 6261, or [email protected] If you have any comments or questions In loving memory of Chaya Rachel bat Moshe Ben-tzion regarding Daf Hashavua please email [email protected] floral arrangements? Or without experience was accompanied by the being able to learn together at necessity for Moshe, by himself, to an inspiring Tikkun Leil Shavuot? have an extraordinary, spiritually We can take comfort in observing elevating experience. Similarly, a Shavuot which will have at its in addition to our engagement in heart a truth which permeates community life, we all need to every possible barrier and can be personally feel connected to the heard in every language: that there Torah and the beauty of its eternally is nothing more sacred than the relevant teachings. protection of life. The calling of this Shavuot, In addition, Shavuot this year therefore, is for each one of us to be provides us with an unprecedented a Moshe Rabeinu – to champion the opportunity. On that original Shavuot universal morality of Torah but also day, Moshe, alone on the mountain, to appreciate the privilege it affords was detached from the rest of us, even when by ourselves at the nation. The inclusion of our home, to embrace a life of meaning people and all others in the Sinai and joy. … we all need to personally feel connected to the Torah and the beauty of its eternally relevant teachings Savouring Shavuot by Rabbi Piny Hackenbroch, Woodside Park Synagogue The festival of Shavuot reverse? to popular misconceptions, our Torah commemorates the The answer to this conundrum is not merely an academic work to most momentous event can be found in a story related by be studied by scholars in the study in the history of man- the Talmud (Shabbat 88b), regarding halls. Likewise it is not a form of kind, when the Torah was given to a debate that occurred prior to the theology, containing the thoughts the Jewish people who stood at the giving of the Torah. The Talmud re- of man on things Divine. Torah foot of Mount Sinai. They experi- lates that when Moshe ascended to embodies the thoughts of God about enced firsthand the Almighty speak receive the Torah, the angels refused humans and all their activities. It to each and every one of them. At to surrender this priceless treasure informs us how to regulate and that moment, the nation declared in into his care. Moshe retorted that perfect ourselves and improve our unison “we will do and listen”, their the Torah was irrelevant to the interpersonal relationships, how to unequivocal commitment to fulfill angels, who do not face any choices control our physical propensities. the Divine laws for all time. about life. “Have you any business It teaches us to infuse all aspects What is baffling and surprising dealings with each other? Are you of our daily lives with spirituality. is the fact that, whilst on the other prone to pangs of jealousy? Do you In short, the Torah does not tell us festivals it is permitted to spend the have to confront the evil inclination how things look in heaven, rather it entire day in spiritual pursuits, when every day?” Moshe asked. “If so”, guides us as to how we live on this it comes to Shavuot it is imperative Moshe continued, “why do you need earthly world. This was Moshe’s there is also physical pleasure. the Torah? Surely it is more relevant rejoinder to the celestial beings. Surely the sacrosanct nature of the to us humans who are subject to With this in mind, we can now Torah should not be sullied by the such questions all the time.” appreciate the emphasis on physical mundane physical activities and This dialogue sheds light on the pleasure and enjoyment for Shavuot yet the Talmudic Sages urge the true purpose of the Torah. Contrary in particular. Savouring Shavuot This is why we must devote at least part of this Yom Tov to ordinary physical pleasures, in … we must devote addition to spiritual pursuits, such as learning and davening; otherwise we will have missed the point of the at least part of this Revelation. The Torah we received is the blueprint for us to be able to infuse sanctity into all aspects of Yom Tov to ordinary lives. The Sinaitic experience was not intended to be a one-off event in history. Rather, each time we physical pleasures, infuse this world with Godliness through successfully accomplish- ing challenges such as honesty in in addition to business, consideration in the way we treat every person or eating and drinking in the way the Torah directs spiritual pursuits… us, we elevate this world. This is something to savour when we eat cheesecake this Shavuot! In memory of Yisrael Shmuel ben Yirmaya Yehoshuah Celebrating Revelation By Rabbi Daniel Roselaar, Alei Tzion Synagogue The Torah-reading service on the first day Contrastingly, Maimonides (1335- 1204, known as the ‘Rambam’) was of Shavuot is quite unique with a number vigorously opposed to this practice, of special customs that are observed. believing that it smacked of heresy, in that it erroneously suggests that • In some North- a disciple of the great rabbinic the Ten Commandments are more African Sephardi commentator, Rashi, who lived in important than any other part of the communities the Germany in the 11th century. Torah. The Ten Commandments are text of a “ketubah” read according to a special form describing a • The “old” minhag (custom) of cantillation (Taam Elyon) that “marriage” between the Almighty was that Akdamut was recited divides the passage according to and the Jewish people is recited after the first verse of the the number of commandments when the Aron Kodesh is opened. leining and this was reminiscent rather than according to the This was authored by R’ Yisrael of the Aramaic targum translation verses. (Interestingly, this mode Najara, a sixteenth-century that was read after each verse of reading also slightly changes kabbalist who lived in Tzefat and of the Torah reading in Talmudic the vocalisation of a few of the Gaza. Some Sephardi communities times. Whilst this custom is words.) also read the “Azharot” composed referenced in the Routledge by R’ Solomon ibn Gabirol in the machzor, most communities • The haftarah on the first day 11th century, which list all the follow the ruling of Rabbi David of Shavuot is taken from the mitzvot in the Torah.
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