07 Jun SHAVUOT- THE CHALLENGE – AND REWARDS – OF TORAH COMMITMENT

Tradition teaches
that the souls of all
Jews who would
ever live until the
end of time were present at Mount
Sinai when the Torah was given.
This concept actually finds halachic
expression, in the concept of “Mushba
Ve’omed Me’Har Sinai,” which
means that we are all considered to
have vowed at Mount Sinai to observe
the Torah. The Rabbis teach that a
vow to observe the Torah does not
add anything, since we in any event
are bound by the oath we took at Sinai
to fulfill all of G-d’s commands.
On the other hand, the Gemara in
Masechet Nidda tells of an additional
vow that we all took, committing
ourselves to observe the Torah. The
Gemara teaches that before a child
is born, the infant is forced to take
an oath pledging to be righteous and
avoid sin throughout his or her life. A
number of Rabbis raised the question

of why this oath is necessary, given
that the child’s soul had already taken
this vow at Mount Sinai. If, indeed, we
are all under the category of “Mushba
Ve’omed Me’Har Sinai,” then why is
a second oath necessary before birth?
One answer that has been given is based
on a Halacha relevant to employment.
An employer is not permitted to
change the terms of the agreement
with the employee, making his work
responsibilities more difficult, without
the employee’s consent. For example,
if the arrangement described in the
contract involves work to be done in a
comfortable, air-conditioned building,
the employer is not entitled to change
his mind and force the employee to
work outside in the scorching heat.
When we vowed at Sinai to fulfill the
Misvot, we made this vow when we
were just souls, without a body. But
when an infant is born, the soul is
placed into a body. Needless to say,

observing the Torah is infinitely
more difficult with a physical body.
It is because of our bodies that we
have needs that distract us from our
obligations to G-d, and that we are
so easily tempted and lured toward
sinful conduct. The oath we made
as souls at the time of Matan Torah
does not require us to observe the
Torah under the far more difficult
circumstances of life with a human
body. Therefore, just before birth,
when the soul enters the infant’s
body, a new oath is needed, wherein
the child promises to meet the great
challenge of fulfilling the Misvot with
a physical body.
As we prepare for Shabuot, when we
reaffirm our acceptance of the Torah,
we should remind ourselves that Torah
observance is worth every bit of hard
work and sacrifice that it entails. As
any conscientious Torah-committed
Jew knows, living a spiritual life in our
physical world is very challenging,

and is fraught with struggles. But we
firmly believe that the benefits and
rewards of our religious commitment
are worth far more than anything that
we are required to sacrifice for Torah
observance. We accept the Torah fully
aware of the difficulty involved – but
also fully aware of the great benefits
we receive by striving and working
to serve our Creator to the best of our
ability.