Rabbi's Message

The Yom Tov of Shavuot celebrates the greatest event in the annals of history -- the giving of the Torah on Sinai. That event, more than any other, is THE seminal event of all time. That miraculous occurrence is our very raison d'être, the very purpose of our existence.

Thus the Yom Tov of Shavuot can be more than a sacred day of celebration. It can be a transcendent moment of great spiritual opportunity that allows us to rededicate ourselves and discover anew the sublime meaningfulness and the profound blessing that committed Torah observance contributes to our lives and existence. It is a Yom Tov that reminds us that a kabalat haTorah, an acceptance of Torah, is not made on the day of Shavuot alone but renewed each and every day of our lives.

Kabalat haTorah is a commitment that remains vibrant and exciting not despite the passage of time but because of it. It is every moment in time filled with joyous discovery and deep commitment to Torah that serves to fortify our dedication. It is a dedication that is not diminished with familiarity of mitzvot observance but enhanced with renewed wonder and appreciation of its meaningfulness. This connection is never severed but made stronger and stronger with each passing day.

B'kol yom v'yom yihiye b'ainecha k'chadashot. That is the kabalat haTorah that we are challenged to make on Shavuot and every day of our lives. The ultimate challenge of our lives, our sages have said, is to find that wonder, that joy, that excitement, that enthusiasm that was found at Sinai on that very first day the Torah was given.