“And God spoke to Moses in the Sinai Wilderness” (Numbers 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. 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. To this day he is dedicated 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 his animal or a fire he set or a pit that he dug and didn’t cover).”

“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 more 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 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 a ray of sun enters a room.

The study of Torah can have a profound effect on us. It’s available for all of us, no matter who we are, to partake from. No matter your background or capabilities there are resources in any language at any level for studying in Torah.

After all, the Torah was given with fire, water and in the desert to teach us that Torah is available for everyone.

As the holiday of Shavuos approaches and we once again experience the gift of receiving the Torah let us commit ourselves to study it’s holy words and light up our neshamos!

Halachot for this Shabbat

• This Shabbat we say Bircas HaChodesh.
• We do say Av HaRachamim since we are still in the period of Sefira.
• This Sunday is Rosh Chodesh Sivan. Therefore we do not say Tzidkascha in Shabbat Mincha. Remember to say Ya’aleh VeYavo in Maariv Motzaei Shabbat.
• We do not say Vihi Noam and V’Ata Kadosh this Motzaei Shabbat after the Maariv Shemoneh Esrei since this week is the holiday of Shavuot.

Shabbat shalom!
Yitzchak