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Following the
miraculous splitting of the Red Sea and the subsequent
drowning of the Egyptian army, (See Passover, Origins) the
Israelites began their long wandering through the wilderness
toward the land of Israel, where they fulfilled their destiny
as an Am Segulah, G-d’s treasured possession.
“If you will obey me faithfully an keep my covenant, you
shall be my treasured possession among all the peoples… you
shall be to me a kingdom of holy priests and a holy nation.”
(Exodus 19:5-6)
On the first day of the third month, they reached the desert
of Sinai. The people camped opposite a large mountain. Moses
went up to G-d.
G-d called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what
you must say to the family of Jacob and tell the Israelites:
You saw what I did in Egypt, carrying you on eagles’ wings
and bringing you to Me. Now if you obey Me and keep my
covenant you shall be My special treasure among all nations,
even though all the world is Mine. You will be a kingdom of
priests and a holy nation to Me.”
When Moses returned, he summoned the elders of the nation and
told them all that G-d had said. The people answered as one:
Na’aseh v’ Nishmah, we will do and we will listen.
Moses brought the people’s answer back to Hashem. G-d said
to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the
people will hear when I speak to you. They will believe in you
forever.”
G-d instructed Moses to tell the people to sanctify themselves
that and the next day. They were also instructed to immerse
their clothing. On the third day, they were told G-d would
descend from the mountain before all the people.
“Set a boundary for the people around the mountain, and tell
them to be careful not to climb the mountain, or even to touch
its edge.
Anyone touching the mountain will be put to death. You will
not have to lay a hand on him, for he will be stoned or cast
down. Neither man or beast will be allowed to live. But when
the trumpet is sounded with a long blast, they will then be
allowed to climb the mountain.”
The third day arrived. There was thunder and lightening. A
ram’s horn loudly sounded while a heavy cloud hung on the
mountain.
The people camped opposite the mountain trembled. Moses led
them to the foot of the mountain.
Mount Sinai was shrouded in smoke because of G-d’s divine
presence. G-d was inside the fire. The mountain shook
violently. Only the loud shrill of the ram’s horn was heard.
Then, G-d spoke again. “Go down. You can come up along with
Aaron. But the priests and the other people must not violate
the boundary to go up to the Divine; if they do, He will send
destruction among them.”
Then, for the first time in recorded history, G-d revealed
himself to an entire nation of people - not to one lone
visionary who would report to others what G-d had said. Every
Israelite at the foot of the Mt. Sinai saw and heard G-d
reveal the Ten Commandments.
It cannot be over emphasized that the holiday of Shavuot
commemorates the face-to-face encounter between G-d and the
Jewish people. According to tradition, we all stood at Sinai,
every Jewish soul, even those not yet born.
“I am the Lord your G-d, who brought you out of Egypt,
from the place of slavery. Do not have any other Gods before
Me. Do not represent such gods by any carved statues or
picture of anything in the heaven above, on the the earth
below, or in the water below the land.
Do not bow down to such gods or worship them. I am G-d your
Lord, a G-d who demands exclusive worship. Where my enemies
are concerned, I keep in mind the sin of the fathers for their
descendants, to the third and fourth generation. But for those
who love Me and keep My commandments, I show love for
thousands of generations.
Do not take the name of G-d your Lord in vain. G-d will not
allow the one who takes His name in vain to go unpunished.
Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy. You can work during the
six weekdays and do all your tasks. But Saturday is the
Sabbath to God your Lord. Do not do anything that constitutes
work. This includes you, your son, your daughter, your slave,
your maid, your animal, and the foreigner in your gates. It
was the six weekdays that God made the heaven, the earth, the
sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on Saturday. God
therefore blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Honor your father and mother. You will then live long on the
land the God your Lord is giving you.
Do not commit murder.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not testify as a false witness against your neighbor.
Do not be envious of your neighbor’s house.
Do not be envious of your neighbor’s wife, his slave, his
maid, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your
neighbor’s. (Exodus 19:1-20)
Within the Ten Commandments, there are actually two sets of
laws. One reflects man’s relationship with G-d, mitzvot beyn
adam l’makom; and one set that reflects man’s relationship
toward his fellow man, mitzvoth beyn adam l’chaveyro.
Indeed, Revelation at Mt. Sinai continued beyond the tenth
commandment. It actually includes an additional 603 ethical
and religious laws to bring the total to 613 commandments. Of
those 613 commandments, 248 are positive commandments, said to
correspond to the number of bones in the body, and 365 are
negative commandments, said to correspond to the days of the
year.
When viewed together, they suggest that we as Jews devote
every part of our bodies, every day of our lives, to following
G-d’s Torah, as revealed to all of us, born and unborn, at
Mt. Sinai. |
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