Shavuot Continues…

It is now a bit more than a week after Chag Matan Torah, Shavuot. Hopefully, you’ve recovered from the lack of sleep and overindulgence in cheesecake—but more importantly, that you experienced an inspirational Yom Tov. Now that it has passed, is there anything lasting to hold on to? Or are we already looking forward to the next big moment on the Jewish calendar?

I once heard a rabbi jokingly say that some people wish they could sleep through Shavuot morning and wake up for Simchat Torah! Summer, then Elul, then the High Holidays—what’s left to take with us from Shavuot?

Let’s begin with a key observation. Shavuot is just one day, yet it has unique halachot related to its korbanot. In the times of the Beit HaMikdash, people would bring personal offerings: a Chagigah, an Olah for being oleh l'regel, and a Shelamim for the joy of the festival. On Pesach and Sukkot, many of these were brought on Chol HaMoed. On Shavuot, however, they were brought during the six weekdays following the holiday—known as the sheishet yemei milu’im. The Rambam (Chagigah 1:7–8) details this law. Some today commemorate it by omitting Tachanun during this period.

Why is Shavuot distinct in this way? Chazal teach that Shavuot possesses greater kedusha than Pesach or Sukkot. The Zohar even says that Geulah will come on Shavuot. Whatever that may mean, let’s look at what happened after the first Shavuot at Har Sinai.

After Kabbalat haTorah, Moshe Rabbeinu ascended Har Sinai for forty days and nights, immersed in the highest possible levels of Torah learning. Meanwhile, what was the rest of Klal Yisrael doing? They had just heard Hashem’s voice, were adorned with heavenly crowns, had been spiritually and physically healed, and were fully sustained. But we don’t find that they had a defined avodah—a task or focus.

The Tur (Hilchot Rosh Chodesh) teaches that Shavuot corresponds to Yitzchak Avinu, who embodies mesirut nefesh—being willing to submit oneself entirely for Hashem. The days following Shavuot were meant for Klal Yisrael to absorb that Kabbalat haTorah means surrendering our own understanding to Torah’s authority.

At Har Sinai, we received both Torah Shebichtav (written law) and Torah Sheba’al Peh (oral law). Some mistakenly believe the written Torah is primary and the oral law is merely supplemental or open to interpretation. That’s a grave error. In truth, the Torah Sheba’al Peh is the foundation. The written Torah provides the headings, but its meanings are revealed only through the oral tradition, transmitted from Sinai. Even the 13 hermeneutic principles of R’ Yishmael are part of this Divine system—not invented, but received.

This was the avodah Klal Yisrael should have engaged in following Matan Torah: to internalize that all Torah is from Hashem and to surrender to it completely. Instead, the cheit ha’eigel happened, led by the eirav rav. Moshe went back up for 40 days of teshuvah, received the second luchot, and finally descended on Yom Kippur with the joyous news that Hashem had accepted their repentance. In this way, Shavuot stretches until Yom Kippur—a complete cycle of Torah, sin, and return.

Why did the eirav rav cause so much trouble? They were inspired to join Klal Yisrael, yes—but not ready to fully accept and surrender to Torah. When it seemed like Moshe had died, panic ensued, and they made an avodah zarah. Instead of trusting Torah’s clarity, they followed their own logic. Later, in Parshat Beha’alotecha, they complained about the mon and demanded meat—again trusting their own desires over Hashem’s will.

“Eirav” means “mixture.” A confusing blend of right and wrong, good and bad, makes clarity elusive. This is one of the Yetzer Hara’s most powerful weapons.

We see this today too. The anti-Israel and anti-Torah forces come from both radical left and right—including extreme Islamists. Totally opposite ideologies somehow align in confusion. Similarly, the attacks against the Torah world in Eretz Yisrael, especially against Talmidei Chachamim, come from a broad, mixed front. People are confused about what’s right and what’s terribly wrong.

The answer lies in what we take from Shavuot: to reaffirm that all of Torah is from Hashem, and to fully surrender to the teachings of our Talmidei Chachamim. This is the clarity that cuts through the confusion. This is the avodah that carries us through the summer—and beyond.

May we be zocheh to continue this work and merit the coming of Mashiach speedily in our days.

Based on shiurim by Rav Yisrael Altusky, shlit"a, of Yeshivas Torah Ore, Yerushalayim.

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R’ Dovi Chaitovsky and his family have the zechut to live in Eretz Yisrael, where he dedicates himself to Torah learning and teaching in Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh. His divrei Torah often draw from the shiurim of Rav Yisrael Altusky, shlit"a, which can be heard at www.kolhalashon.com.