וַיְדַבֵּר ד’ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית לְצֵאתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר
Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year following the exodus from the land of Egypt, saying: (1:1)
The Midrash asks, “Why the Sinai Wilderness? From here the sages taught that the Torah was given through three things: fire, water, and wilderness…. And why was the Torah given through these three things? Just as fire, water, and wilderness are free to all the inhabitants of the world, so too are the words of Torah free to them, as it says in Isaiah 55:1, ‘Oh, all who are thirsty, come for water… even if you have no money’.”
The Torah is available for everyone to partake from. Let’s examine an amazing dimension of this readily available gift.
A newly married young man studying in a Yeshiva in Israel moved into an apartment building where he found himself to be the only observant Jew. Undeterred, he invited his neighbors to join him for a Torah class in his apartment once a week. A number of them agreed and the session was arranged. As the night for the session approached, the young man wondered what he should study with them. Should he teach them Jewish philosophy or the parsha of the week? Maybe he should start from the beginning of the Torah, but maybe he should teach them Jewish ethics?
One morning at services, he saw Rabbi Uri Zohar, of blessed memory. At one point, Uri Zohar was at the top of Israeli secular society. He was a movie star, film producer, television and radio host, and more. At the height of his fame he shocked the country and became fully observant.He dedicated his life to bringing Jews back to their heritage. The young man approached Rabbi Zohar and asked him what he should study with this group of people from his building.
“What are you studying in Yeshiva?” asked Rabbi Zohar.
“I’m studying Bava Kamma (the section of the Talmud that deals with the laws of damages such as one’s liability for damage done by one’s animal).”
“Then learn that with them,” replied Rabbi Zohar.
“Bava Kamma?” replied the young man. “Do you think they’ll be interested in the subject of an ox that gores a cow? Will this bring them to Judaism?”
Rabbi Zohar responded with a wry smile. “My friend, you don’t believe in Torah! If you doubt the ability for Bava Kamma to bring these people back to Judaism then you don’t fully believe and appreciate the power of Torah.”
The young man heeded these words and Bava Kamma worked just fine.
We can appreciate this with the words of the famous Kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato (known as Ramchal). He writes that the Torah is ohr, a light that lights up one’s neshama (soul) to elevate it to the highest heavenly levels. When the words of the Torah enter a person’s soul it is a light that is entering like rays of sun entering a room and filling it with light.The study of Torah has a profound effect on us.
The Midrash says that the Torah was given with fire, water and in the desert to teach us that Torah is available for everyone. It truly is, as there are so many Torah resources available in any language and at any level so that no matter your background or capabilities the Torah is available to partake from.
As the holiday of Shavuos approaches and we once again experience the gift of receiving the Torah, let us commit ourselves to study its holy words and light up our lives!
Shabbat Shalom!
Yitzchak