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Dear Parents and NCSYers,
The dvar torah this week comes all the way from Atlanta, Georgia. Can I get a drum roll for Shaun Regenbaum:
This week’s Parsha is very exciting. We receive the Ten Commandments, G-d speaks directly to the Jewish people, and all of our teachings are received in this Parsha. Before all of the exciting stuff, there is a simple verse that says וַיִּסְעוּ מֵרְפִידִים וַיָּבֹאוּ מִדְבַּר סִינַי וַיַּחֲנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיִּחַן שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר. This verse means “They journeyed from Rephidim, and they arrived in the desert of Sinai, and they encamped in the desert, and Israel encamped there opposite the mountain.” It seems like a boring verse at first site, especially in English. It simply tells us that Israel had finally gotten to Mount Sinai. Great! We are here, but we want the Ten Commandments already! But, if you look closely at the Hebrew word “וַיִּחַן”, it is singular word, yet it is describing all of the Jewish People. Now why would the Torah use a word meant for one person, to describe all of the Jewish People?
If you look at Rashi, he explains that the Jewish People at the moment when they arrived at the sacred site of Har Sinai, they were united. They had one heart, one body, and one mind. They thought alike, and together disbanded the Evil Spirit that tempts you to sin. This is an enlightening thought! At this point of history 3,000,000 Jews were thinking, feeling, and moving in the same manner! Think of it! This by itself was a miracle.
However, I had a question about this. Yes, it is a remarkable thing, but is it good? I thought that everyone was an individual and had their own independent thoughts feelings, and challenges to overcome. Yet, the Torah tells us that the Jewish People were one “Person” with the same opinions, thoughts, and feelings.
We can look at this and see that maybe the verse is not saying that G-d got rid of everyone problems and inserted holy thoughts and feelings. Maybe each individual still had their own biases and feelings, yet the Jewish People united over one common fact; that they all served and loved H-shem as our creator and father. Imagine two men with contrasting views and differing opinions, but they are still able to agree and live happily. This is possible if they unite through their similarities and not focus on their differences. This is a wondrous thing! There is a famous quote that goes like this “To defeat the foe outside, you must first conquer the one within.”
We Jews suffer and complain about anti-Semitism and threats from certain places. We are threatened by a lot of countries and people, yet maybe the reason why we seem so dislikable and vulnerable is because the Jewish People are separated and lost in their differences. If we are able to overcome these differences and unite, we would be able to work together and rely upon each to disband the Evil Spirit. This is not an easy accomplishment and is not going to happen overnight. Yet, you can do your part, no matter how miniscule, and focus on the good things in life and the similarities in people. It will lead to a happy life where you will be confident and happy with yourself and you will be able to defeat the enemy externally. If you do your part others will follow and this ideal could change the world. It all starts with you.
Have an amazing Shabbos!
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