Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on Shavuot
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Shavuot May 31 - June 1, 2017 6-7 Sivan, 5777 Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on Shavuot IST DAY TORAH SIDDUR 966 What the Israelites heard God.” Then comes a historical sense to see them as three at Sinai has become known review stating the background groups of three. The first ARTSCROLL 400 as the “Ten and context of the covenant, in three – No other gods besides HERTZ 290 Commandments.” But this this case, “who brought you out Me, no graven images, and description raises obvious of the land of Egypt, from the no taking of God’s name in BOTH DAYS MAFTIR problems. First, neither the slave-house.” vain – are about God, the Torah nor Jewish tradition author and authority of the SIDDUR 968 calls them the Ten Next come the stipulations, first laws. The first states that ARTSCROLL 892 Commandments. The in general outline, then in Divine sovereignty transcends HERTZ 696 Torah calls them aseret specific detail. That is precisely all other loyalties (No other hadevarim (Ex. 34:28), the relationship between the “ten gods besides Me). The second and tradition terms them utterances” and the detailed tells us that God is a living 1ST DAY HAFTORAH aseret hadibrot, meaning commands set out in later force, not an abstract power SIDDUR 968 “the ten utterances.” chapters and books of the Torah. (No graven images). The third ARTSCROLL 1228 Second, there was much The former are the general states that sovereignty debate, especially between outline, the latter, the details. So presupposes reverence (Do HERTZ 1027 Maimonides and Halakkhot the “ten utterances” are not not take My name in vain). Gedolot as understood by commandments as such but an The second three – the Nahmanides, as to whether articulation of basic principles. Sabbath, honoring parents, the first verse, “I am the What makes them special is that and the prohibition of murder 2ND DAY TORAH Lord your God…,” is a they are simple and easy to – are all about the principle of SIDDUR 965 command or a preface to memorize. That is because in the createdness of life. the commands. Third, Judaism, law is not intended for Shabbat is the day dedicated ARTSCROLL 1018 there are not ten judges alone. The covenant at to seeing God as creator, and HERTZ 814 commandments in Judaism Sinai was made by God with an the universe as His creation. but 613. Why, then, these entire people. Hence the need for Honoring parents 2ND DAY HAFTORAH but not those? Light has a brief statement of basic acknowledges our human been shed on all these principles that everyone could createdness. “Thou shall not SIDDUR 969 issues by the discovery, remember and recite. murder” restates the central ARTSCROLL 1229 already mentioned, of principle of the Noahide HERTZ 1032 ancient Near Eastern Usually they are portrayed as covenant that murder is not suzerainty treaties, most of two sets of five, the first dealing just a crime against man but which share certain with relationships between us a sin against God in whose features and forms. They and God (including honoring our image we are created. So the begin with a preamble parents since they like God fourth, fifth and sixth MEGILLAT RUTH stating who is initiating the brought us into being), the commands form the basic ARTSCROLL 1269 covenant. That is why the second with the relations jurisprudential principles of revelation opened with the between us and our fellow Jewish life. They tell us to RED BOOK 84 words, “I am the Lord your humans. However, it also makes remember where we came WEDNESDAY MAY 31ST - SHAVUOT I Shacharit: 5:00/8:00/9:00/9:15 am (No Drashot) THURSDAY JUNE 1ST - SHAVUOT II Kiddush Class w/ Rabbis Polakoff & Lichter: 12:15 pm Shacharit: 8:00/8:45/9:15 am w/Megillat Ruth “Review of the Controversial History and Halachot Yizkor: approx 10:30 am of the Kashrut Industry” Mincha: 7:45 pm followed by Mincha: 8:05 pm followed by Neilat HaChag Learning Rabbis Polakoff & Lichter Shiur by Tom Furst “The Hashkafa & Halacha of Unusual Brachot” “The Mystery of Shevet Levi: Life Lessons for Each of Us” Yom Tov Ends: 9:10 pm Candle Lighting and preparations for the 2nd day after: 9:09 pm 26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 (516) 487-6100 Shabbat Announcements Shavuot 5777 from if we seek to know how to live. The third three – against history and our lives, and the second three, reminding us of adultery, theft and bearing false witness – establish the basic our createdness, that help us rise above envy. institutions on which society depends. Marriage is sacred because it is the human bond closest in approximation to the We are here because God wanted us to be. We have what God covenant between us and God. The prohibition against theft wanted us to have. Why then should we seek what others establishes the integrity of property, which John Locke saw as have? If what matters most in our lives is how we appear in one of the bases of a free society. Tyrants abuse property the eyes of God, why should we seek anything else merely rights. The prohibition of false testimony is the precondition of because someone else has it? It is when we stop defining justice. A just society needs more than a structure of laws, ourselves in relation to God and start defining ourselves in courts and enforcement agencies. It also needs basic honesty relation to other people that competition, strife, covetousness on the part of us all. There is no freedom without justice, and and envy enter our minds, and they lead only to unhappiness. no justice without each of us accepting individual and collective Thirty-three centuries after they were first given, the Ten responsibility for truth-telling. Finally comes the stand-alone Commandments remain the simplest, shortest guide to the prohibition against envying your neighbor’s house, wife, slave, creation of a good society. maid, ox, donkey, or anything else belonging to him or her. This seems odd if we think of the “ten words” as commands, but not if we think of them as the basic principles of a free society. The greatest challenge of any society is how to contain the universal phenomenon of envy: the desire to have what belongs to someone else. Rene Girard, in Violence and the Sacred, argued that the primary driver of human violence is mimetic desire, that is, the desire to have what someone else has, which is ultimately the desire to be what someone else is. Envy can lead to breaking many of the other commands: it can move people to adultery, theft, false testimony and even murder. It led Cain to murder Abel, made Abraham and Isaac fear for their life because they were married to beautiful women, and led Joseph’s brothers to hate him and sell him into slavery. It was envy of their neighbors that led the Israelites often to imitate their religious practices and worship their gods. So the prohibition of envy is not odd at all. It is the most basic force undermining the social harmony and order that are the aim of the Ten Commandments as a whole. Not only though do they forbid it; they also help us rise above it. It is precisely the first three commands, reminding us of God’s presence in Great Neck Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus Welcomes your questions about mikvah, observance of taharat mishpacha (halacha relating to married life) and women’s health, as it connects to Jewish law. Reach out to her at: Phone: 516.415.1111 Email: [email protected]. All conversations and emails are kept confidential. Great Neck Synagogue 26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck , NY 11023 516-487-6100 Rabbi Dale Polakoff, Rabbi Fruit platters on Shavuot Rabbi Ian Lichter, Assistant Rabbi are sponsored by Dr. Ephraim Wolf, z”l, Rabbi Emeritus Albert Halimi Zeev Kron, Cantor Eleazer Schulman, z”l, Cantor Emeritus wishing a Happy Chag Shavuot Rabbi Sholom Jensen, Youth Director Zehava & Dr. Michael Atlas, Youth Directors Bima Flowers on Shavuot Mark Twersky, Executive Director Dr. James Frisch, Assistant Director are sponsored by Dov Sassoon, President Rita Gordonson Rabbi Jesse Shore, Rabbinic Intern in memory of her husband Harold Domnitch, Chairman of the Board Lisa Septimus, Yoetzet Halacha 516-415-1111 Lewis C. Gordonson, z"l .