19 May THE ETERNAL GIFT

The upcoming chag of Shavuos is also
known as “Z’man Matan Toraseinu”, the
Yom Tov that commemorates the giving
of the Torah. It is asked, why the name
“Matan” Toraseinu, meaning the “giving”
of the Torah, and not “Kabbolas”
Toraseinu, the “receiving” of the Torah.
The Chiddushei Harim, Rav Yitzchok
Meir Alter, the founder and first rebbe of
the Ger dynasty (1799-1866), offers an
insightful explanation. He teaches that
the giving of the Torah was a momentous
event that happened at a specific time,
while the receiving of Torah happens all
the time, in every generation. No matter
where life takes us, no matter how much
time passes, the gift of Torah remains
constant. It is always with us.
The Torah is not just a gift to gather dust
on our bookshelves. It is our guidebook,
teaching us a way of life. It is not merely
a book to be read, but a life to be lived.
The Torah encompasses 613 mitzvos,
both positive and negative. Each one is

there for a specific purpose, each one
helps us live our lives as committed Jews.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe wanted to
increase awareness about the importance
of Shabbos candlelighting. To do so, he
encouraged the publication of
candlelighting information in the print
media. For five years, from 1994 through
1999, a group of supporters sponsored a
small ad on the front page of the New
York Times. Every Friday, in the exact
same space on the bottom left corner of
the front page, a notice for Jewish women
to light Shabbos candles appeared. It read
as follows: “Jewish Women/Girls – Light
Shabbos Candles 18 minutes before
sunset. Candlelighting this Friday in New
York is at ____. (ADVT.)” I remember
the ad clearly. Seeing Shabbos
candlelighting on the front page filled me
with Jewish pride.
On January 1, 2000, the New York Times
published a special edition in honor of the
Millennium. It contained three front
pages – past, present, future. Besides
printing the daily front page of current
news, it carried the front page printed 100

years earlier – January 1, 1900,
and a “pretend” page with a
look into the future. A page of
prediction, Friday, January 1,
2100. Its headlines told of
robots demanding the right to
vote, Iceland’s winning the
World Cup, and statehood for
Cuba. And there, on the bottom
left, was a little ad, reminding
Jewish women the time of
candlelighting. This time, it
wasn’t a paid advertisement,
but the decision of the New
York Times editors.
When asked about reprinting the ad on a
page depicting the future, the Times
production manager, a non-Jew,
commented. “We really don’t know what
will happen in the year 2100. It is
impossible to predict the future. But of
one thing you can be certain, that in the
year 2100 Jewish women will be lighting
Shabbos candles.”
What a powerful statement. To be defined
by our commitment to G-d, Torah and
mitzvos. To be recognized for our eternal
link to Shabbos, no matter the world
events around us. That despite our fast
paced, forever changing world, Jewish
women will always light Shabbos
candles.
It was on a Shabbos morning, the 6th
Sivan 2448, over 3,000 years ago, that
our ancestors gathered at the foot of
Har Sinai, ready to hear the Aseres
HaDibros, the Ten Commandments.
Ready to accept HaShem’s Torah. The
Midrash teaches that the nation that
stood as Sinai was joined by the
millions of neshamos, their descendants
yet to be born. Also with them, were the
neshamos of future converts, who
would take upon themselves a Torah
life. Together, they made a pledge,
na’aseh v’nishma, we will do and we
will listen. Na’aseh, we will do,
precedes v’nishma, we will listen,
telling us the commitment to do is not
contingent on our understanding of
HaShem’s ways. First and foremost, we
do. We elevate ourselves by living
Torah. It is only then that we can delve
into v’nishma, to listen, to learn, to
comprehend.
Our strength is derived from our past.
We follow in the ways and teachings of
our ancestors. Imagine, a pledge made
over 3,000 years ago, still stands strong
today. A promise that come Shavuos,
we renew year after year. Like the

generations before us, we too say na’aseh,
we will do.
The fourth of the Aseres HaDibros is the
keeping of Shabbos. “V’shomru Bnei
Yisroel es haShabbos, Bnei Yisroel shall
observe the Shabbos, la’a’sos es
haShabbos l’dorosam bris olam, to make
the Shabbos an eternal covenant for their
generations.” (Shemos 31:16)
L’dorosam, for generations. Torah,
mitzvos, Shabbos, have withstood the test
of time. The power of Am Yisroel. The
strength of the souls that stood at Sinai.
I was in the city on a Friday afternoon.
My father zt”l was in the hospital. It was
hard to say goodbye and pull myself
away, but the hour was late and I had to
get home for Shabbos. My son came to
stay with his zeide, and I was on my way.
As I was walking towards the subway, a
young woman came running over to me.
“You will know, you will know.” Know
what, I wondered aloud. “You will know
what time candlelighting is.”
L’dorosam. For generations. As the
editors of the New York Times realized,
there will always be Jewish women
lighting Shabbos candles.
Interestingly, in these very days leading
up to Shavuos, there has even been a
broader public recognition of the
importance of Jewish heritage and
Shabbos observance. How uncanny it is
that just recently, President Trump,
recognizing the centrality of Shabbos to
our people, called upon “all Jewish
Americans to observe a national Sabbath
from sundown on May 15 to nightfall on
May 16.” A Shabbos of rededication. Is
that not what Shavuos is all about? It is
our time to rededicate ourselves, follow
in the path of our ancestors and proclaim
na’aseh v’nishma.
The gift of Torah remains with us. We just
have to let it be our guide.