Shira Smiles - Shavuot

Today's sheer is being sponsored in memory of Now I got it right. I was a week ahead last week. Yitzchak Yosef and Yoshua Menachem Mendel Abramowitz. And today's sheer is being sponsored by Miriam Cowell. It should be a good for a shleima bas for husband Nosson ben Menucha. And if we can have him in our tefilos, that would be very special. Nosson ben Menucha, an easy name to remember. Okay. My friends, let's learn. Let's learn together. One question for today, which is a basic question. Source number one. The inyan Hag Shavuos makshim ha'olam harav mufla. D'mai yishtanu hayom etzem yom Matan Torah. What do we have today from the experience of Matan Torah? Halo lonu shumin klum l'Torah. There's nothing left acharei Moshe Rabbeinu shavar taluchos. Moshe Rabbeinu broke the luchos. V'chi ha'Torah nimseis adenu atah nitna l'Moshe Rabbeinu b'yom hakipurim? Aide luchos shniyos. The the the Torah that we have is coming from the second luchos. And the second luchos are Yom Kippur. V'im kein lama nigishim l'kro l'Hag Shavuos b'yom Matan Torah teinu? Why do we call Shavuos zman Matan Torah teinu? Let me put this question in English. What are we celebrating? So when I when I was sharing with my daughter who's a ganenet, a three-year-old teacher, I said to her, "What do you teach the kids about on Shavuos?" We got the Torah. I said, "Great. Keep on teaching them that. But now as an adult, let me ask you another question." What exactly did we get on Shavuos? The quote-unquote Torah that we got, the aseres hadibros, which were then given over into the luchos, were broken on shiva asar b'Tammuz. So what is left from the Shavuos experience? The answer is, well, that's my question. So when I say it's zman Matan Torah teinu, it's the time of receiving the Torah, that's not really 100% accurate. So it's interesting. A few days later she comes to me and she says, "Ima, remember that question you asked?" I said, "Yeah." She said, "It's really bothering me." I said, "Good. Keep on go teaching them we got the Torah. But the question still stands. What did we get on Shavuos? Now, why this question is a very important question is because based on what we got on Shavuos, that's how we need to celebrate it. So if I know what happened, so I'll know how to really tap into the day in a in a much more concrete way. Keep in mind, unlike every other festival, every other chag where I have a mitzvah, right? I have a mitzvah to eat matzah, to sit in the succah, arba minim. I have a lot of minhagim around Shavuos. Cheesecake tops the list. You know, learning all night. There are minhagim because almost Megillas Ruth, which I want to talk about today, was so merutzes than the only mitzvah of the day is have a meal. How come we don't even have a mitzvah today? It seems like the whole day is almost shrouded in a question mark. What exactly are we celebrating? What you say? Or in a cloud. Or in a cloud. In a cloud. B'av ha'anan. Very good. In a cloud. Now part of me wants to do what I do with my daughter. Just leave it right here, have you think about it, and then next year come back and what? And answer it. But I Yes, ma'am. But the Matan Torah wasn't just about those two luchos. Right? That's what I want to talk about today. And what I want to talk about Chana is is is is starting us off is what we say in in the Haggadah on Pesach. Ilu keravanu lifnei Har Sinai, had you brought us to Har Sinai v'lo natan lanu es ha'Torah, dayeinu. So there must be something about keravanu lifnei Har Sinai, and that's what I want to try to talk about. Now obviously, whatever we say is never all of it. We only scratch the scratch the scratch the top of the surface, but it's enough for us to get a tam, a taste. So what I want to talk about today, the structure I want to use, is a piece from our Rav Mendelbaum, who talks about the bracha of shelo asani Still available if you haven't yet received it, your personalized copy that changes your life horizon aspire. We have Okay, we finished the promotion for today. Okay. Um the Ramchal writes the following, and it's an interesting thing to have kavana on Shavuos for this bracha of shelo asani That's one practical upshot for today. He brings the Ramchal in that two notes, second paragraph in the bracket. M'faresh es ha'bchinos hashonos she'romemu she'zachinu lahem b'maman Har Sinai. The experience of Har Sinai created certain changes within the Jewish people itself, even without Torah per se. What are they? U'v'olam klal al Har Sinai tel am adonai baruch kol yakar magila hem l'shalem em tziusam. We got things that enabled us to have shleimus in our avodas Hashem. L'olam kol l'olam shaar simcha so, to be able to serve the Ribono shel olam. And what were the three main things? So Rav Mendelbaum summarizes in the arrow aleph. L'Yehudi, this is again based on Rashi summarizing, aleph. L'Yehudim nitnu mailos nafshiyos ruchaniyos elyonos she'ein k'eimo klal etzel goyei ha'aretzos, midos t'rumiyos adinus hanefesh. We were we were transformed as a people to become adinus hanefesh. There were certain character traits, we'll talk about this, that were embedded in us that we became intrinsically different as result of Har Sinai. As a mensch. Hashem made us into mensches. Two. Maasav shel Yehudi ba'eish mashpi'a al olam v'eish shamayim yachol l'takein es ha'bri'ah. We have the ability through our mitzvos to impact creation. You know, the idea the butterfly flaps its wings in one place and there's a tsunami in another. In the in the language of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, you learn Torah here, it will stop a Jew from being mechallel Shabbos in Paris. Right? We have the ability to create um a circuit power with the mitzvos we do. And gimmel, kol Yehudi hu ben l'makom ikar kavanato baruch b'vrias olam v'gam achayav l'yom asher melech melech malchei hamlachim. We became part of the army of the king and we have a relationship with Hashem. These three things is what I want to b'ezras Hashem develop today, again with the mind's eye of how we can relate this to our lives, and on each level to try to tie it into an idea from Sefer Ruth. All three ideas, and again trying to bring it as practical as possible, are hinted at in the atah v'chartanu that we say at the beginning of our shmoneh esrei. Take a look, that was squiggly in four. Right? We say atah v'chartanu mikol amim, you have chosen us from all the nations. V'romamtanu mikol halishanos, you've exalted us from all the languages, which means you have created exaltedness in us. We are different people than the people of the other nations. Two. V'kidashanu b'mitzvosav, you've given us the special kedusha, holiness, that our mitzvos impact others. Three. V'keiravtanu malkeinu la'avodasecha, you brought us close to you and we have a relationship with you. All three ideas that we're going to speak about are all found hinted at in the atah v'chartanu, v'romamtanu mikol halishanos, v'kidashanu b'mitzvosav, v'keiravtanu malkeinu la'avodasecha. So far so good? That was such an overwhelming response that I'm just like, you know, don't even know how to hold it. Let's talk about each level in its own right, and and I think we're going to see absolutely stupendous things. One. Hashem embedded in us different character traits. We are different than the nations. And indeed, you find this in the Gemara in Nedarim in source five. Meisha ein lo boshes panim b'yadua shelo amdu avosav al Har Sinai. It's so hard to translate boshes panim. You want to call it a certain um Who wants to give me an English translation of boshes panim? Shame? Modesty. Modesty? Humility? Don't all at once help me out here. It's okay. Let me struggle a little bit. Boshes panim, we you know that um we were found at Har Sinai. Source number six. Hurray! The new key moment at Sinai take so glad you fell. The experience that we got at Sinai changed us essentially. And this is something that has become something we carry from generation to generation until we can say that somebody who is missing these things, you almost wonder whether their forefathers stood at Sinai. This was gifted to us at Sinai. Let me pause for a moment before going further here. There's a beautiful idea that that I heard yesterday that that really impacted me so I'm sharing it now. When when you went to the nations of the world and says, "Would you like the Torah?" And they said, "Well, tell us you know what's found in it." Well, it says to you, "Don't steal." I can't handle that. No. It says but I said, "Don't kill." What do you mean? I can't handle that. We're not interested. I said, "What?" Not so finished. So, the question that is asked and it's such a great question. Why is almost setting the nations up for failure? Like and again the example of gave it. If you want to sell a car that's a gas guzzler, you first talk about what? It rides so smoothly. The seats, wow! You are going to feel you're going to feel like you're on a couch in your house. And would you try it out? I just have to make mention to you by the way it consumes more gas than most cars. But after you've seen it's what? It's value, you say, "Okay, I can handle it." Instead of telling them all the wonderful things has, it first says it's a gas guzzler. Well, if somebody would tell me that the first thing I'd also what? Say thank you but no thank you. It's almost here the question not fair. So, he answers the following. He says, "You don't get it." I'm offering you a Torah that will have the ability to take your Achilles heel and turn it around and you will become a different people. I have the ability to change who you are. And that mentions the most difficult thing in order to try to tempt them You're ready to change? You're ready to become an exalted nation? And their answer is what? No, thank you. And I always say this to my students. Torah is not about information, it's about transformation. That's not so finished. We're ready to become different. And because of that bench dust with and again almost like infused in us different character traits that were not found till now. The in source number seven I intend to gauge very famous there are three signs in this nation and they are right money by shining and beautiful and merciful by shining again we're in that that place of of inwardness shame and doers of good deed. And he describes them that money he Leo the money is entering into the mindset of a person to care about a person to hold their pain. The opposite is is cruelty. By shining is I need to I don't need to parade everything about me outwardly. I have the ability to keep things within. And the opposite is is this brazenness. And is obviously the aspect of being a giver and not a a taker. And he parallels them. I don't want to go through this here but to Torah and This is the basis of the where we're at. So, in in in our language here, you look at across the world across the globe. Save the it doesn't matter if it's save the whales, save the world, save the whatever old W's that all works. Nine out of 10 times who will be the CEO of the save the will be a Jew. Not necessarily religious Jew but embedded in our consciousness is this and this is something. And this is what it's about and you see this throughout. You take a look at any tragedy or any you know natural disaster, Hurricane Sandy. Who was out there feeding the everybody? That's your neck of the woods, yeah? It was the Jews who were feeding Jews as well as non-Jews. This is our character trait. I don't know if any other nation that has more than than the Jewish people. And you open up the phone book a for everything whether it's chickpeas or to the lost children. That's a very important one. We're the chosen people. How can you say that we have humility when we carry within ourselves the sense that we're chosen? Very excellent question. How can you say that we have humility when you have the sense we're the chosen people? I love the question. I'm going to answer one approach and it it's it's a question that you could needs to be held. said about the word honor that carries within the word the show rich heavy. Honor carries with it a what? A responsibility. So, yes there's a chosen people and at the same time what a weight to lift up to that calling. And that allows the person to have that sense of what? Humility that I have so much farther to go to live up to what? The expectations that has for me. So, that's just one approach is an excellent question. Yes, ma'am. I just wanted to add something from your pastor told me what we said that God put the Jews in the world because otherwise the rest of the world's cannibals and they would all eat each other and then we wouldn't have any world. Now, we're going to pass on that on that one if we're going to that was a little bit intense. Okay. I'm moving on here. I got completely lost. That threw me off. I said yeah yeah yeah. Oh, I know where I was. I got it. Thank you for bringing me back. You know, it's like somebody on on on the skateboard. You just you know push them a little bit and they're going a different direction. Um is is a time as we'll talk about to change. When we're talking about these are the three quality traits that we have. So, the question we have to ask ourselves and this is what does for us is a personal question. Am I aligned with those quality traits that were given to me at Sinai? And it's a question to just check in with myself. How can I be and choose in any area the by shining the by shining by shining? How can I be more attuned to? How can I be a bigger and better giver? A more attuned giver. You know, I'll say personally I want to go out on a global campaign. This is my campaign. When you walk through a door, look behind you. This is my global campaign. Now, it works on many levels. On the technical level I watch with open mouth how people are walking in with strollers and people just what? Shut the door behind they don't even look to see that somebody may be in need. All right, that's a technical level. It's much deeper than that obviously. We're very good at looking at the needs of the people in front of us what they need. But there are also people who are behind us. And use your imagination what that may look like. If we could just shut off phones because I don't I don't think anything else can throw me off today. I'm not holding. It's not you, it's me holding. Um So, that might be something that that that that that we can work on. Whatever it is, it's something small that enables us to be sensitive to others. And my friends, that is the book of Ruth that's supposed to inspire us. In my humble opinion, this is if you're looking for a beautiful safer to learn about Ruth on Shavuot. In Hebrew it's called the Nachlas Yosef. In English it's called the Scroll of Kindness. Rabbi Lipowitz, it is absolutely stupendous. It's really a It's a sweet read. Nachlas Yosef, Scroll of Kindness, that's my And he speaks about that the whole Torah is about kindness. Why is Moshe Rabbeinu with all his names the one that we have throughout the Torah? It's to be able to reflect the daughter of Pharaoh who saved Moshe Rabbeinu based on that chesed. That's the name, that's Joseph. Um and 11, why was the book written of Ruth to make it known that there's such a thing as kindness in the world and that the whole world's hope hinges on it. The Megillah teaches that Ruth's following an old lonely woman to an unfamiliar country, sharing her lot in silent support, it's a kindness which it's said it's these attributes which I desire. And kindness passes as a thread throughout the story. Both those who do kindness as well as those who shy away from kindness and the uh ripple effects. Now he brings here the Nachlas Yosef and spends time on this is that there's a question when this Book of Ruth exactly happened. There's one opinion that's right after the death of Yehoshua. Yehoshua's buried in place called Har Gaash, literally the volcanic mountain. And Chazal say it's because they didn't give him a uh gadol hador's funeral. People said, "Oh, I'm busy with my vineyard. I'm busy with my my pomegranate. Why am I going to go to, you know, pay my last tributes to Yehoshua?" And by calling it a uh volcanic mountain, it was it was leveling critique against the the Jewish people at that time. And that's why because they didn't show kindness and that's why Ruth is the antidote. And that's why Ruth is the the ability to heal that generation. Um and he notes, and this is going to be our theme song for today, in 12, there are many small deeds of kindness in the Megillah although through which is woven a thread of kindness. The prophet author of the Megillah teaches us in order to save a people from its decline and put it back on track, it's not necessary to perform earth-shattering things, but rather small acts between man and fellow. This will lead to the formation of a new being. The future of the world is built on the affinity of relations of kindness between people. Ki olam chesed yibaneh. And we know, as the Orach Chaim Rav Zucker points out, that at Ma'amad Har Sinai we became like geirim, we became like converts, which is one of the reasons why we read the Book of Ruth on Shavuot. To tell her we're all converted. And we know gersha nishkaya k'katan she nolad dami. One who converts is like a newborn child. And that's the experience of Ma'amad Har Sinai. Ercha nishmasam, their souls literally left them and they became what? I I don't want to say born again because that has, you know, But we became re- reborn, renewed, whatever you want to say it. I And indeed the Nesivos Shalom points out that uh Shavuot is called uh Yom HaBikurim and we are told to bring the craft in source 14, mincha chadasha l'Hashem, a new uh gift offering to Hashem. Hainu, which is bikurim, but on a deeper level, mincha shel hithadshus. We have to bring renewal. Sheyud yithadesh bayom hazeh kibria chadasha. Become new. Do something new. Say Take on something very small like holding the door open, looking behind you, something really small in order to say, "You know what, Hashem? I understand what I got on Har Sinai. Um it's like, you know, you realign your car, I'm realigning myself to the vision Hashem has of me. The v'romamtanu mikol halishonos where he's exalting me among the nations. No cannibals. Okay, good. I just wanted to share a story that I told my granddaughter last week at her puppet show. Nothing tough. And it was something that happened over 50 years ago when I was a kallah. And I was secretary of the C Gate Yeshiva. And the Estonian was not Jewish. Put a present on my desk. And I knew she couldn't afford a blessed thing. And I said to her, "Why?" She said to me, "You're the only one that says hello to me every single day." That's exactly it. To say hello to a custodian every single day, that's the mark of a Jew. And that's exactly what we're talking about here. V'romamtanu mikol halishonos, literally lishonos is different than the nation in the way we speak to people, in the way we use our language. And And this is something we should be proud of. And walk around with pride. And that was a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing. taught me years ago, taught everybody here, to ask people their name. And I have been doing it ever since then. And when I ask somebody their name, the guy on the telephone, the guy at the counter, whatever, it makes them feel so good that I'm acknowledging Right, who they are as a person. It's from Tesla, but okay. But no, it's really nice. I'm glad you pointed that out. Okay, happy you hear that. So we see a lot of this in our in our people, right? We also see a lot of not this. Nine nine nine nine nine. So how do you explain that? Is that Erev Rav? Is that people who were whose ancestors were not at Har Sinai? Or Or it's you read those hadoros. It's there, but it it needs to be brought out. It's like the Pentateuch. It's there. It's there. When push comes to shove, it is there. It is there. Um Um that's the best I'm going to tell you. Um I I will make mention um of a story which I don't really want to bring. But I'm going to bring it anyway. But I don't remember it. But I'm going to bring it anyway. But here's the bottom line of the story. Uh and I hate Holocaust stories, I really do, so I'm really reticent to bring it. Of somebody who uh Whatever happened, be it whatever, that she was on her last. And uh she was crying for some bread or water. And they knew she wasn't going to make it through the night. And um the women in the barracks said, "We're We don't We're not going to give this to her because, you know what? Ben Chava Chusi is not going to live." And one woman said, "You know what? None of us know if we're going to live. But at least if we die, we will be a dying as givers." And that's more important than anything else. And they gave it to her and she didn't make it. But they became different people because of that. And And that's the That's the quality that we have even in dire circumstances. The rachmanim, the baishanim, the gomlei chasadim. And we live in a generation where the outside world has influenced us. And chutzpah yes again. There's greater chutzpah. And we're influenced by I agree. But would you say it's still inside? For sure. I just wondered if that was ever Like that goes on and on. Nah, I I hear. I don't know. I Because half of the people, right? Yeah, no. I I Yeah. We also have most Jews want to be like the And unfortunately it's only a small minority that we maintain our Yiddishkeit, our belief. Good. Why is it that most Jews want to become like the Because they don't know about Judaism. Period. 13 of Tishrei, they are captives. And this outside world is so alluring. And we Thank you very much. That's exactly what I needed. How did you know? And And we have to um We have to be the ambassadors. The way we act and the way we relate to people, we have to be the ambassadors. That That's I don't put it on them, I put it on us. And that's what I'm I'm going to say. Okay, my friends, the hour is late, so I'm going to put my foot on the accelerator. Exactly. What did you say? In the car that we bought, yeah. That says give me a lot of gas. Source 15. Uh Matnas Chaim Das Torah nos. Kishte matanos natan Kodesh Baruch L'Yisrael. So the first level v'romamtanu lishonos, what are we celebrating in Shavuot? We're celebrating that we are a special people. We're celebrating with pride that there's certain character traits. I'm going to use it in one word, we're menschous. And we have to ask ourselves, am I living up to the vision Hashem has of me, of my menschlichkeit? And where can I maybe fine-tune it? That's question one. Question two. Idea two. Kishte matanos natan Kodesh Baruch L'Yisrael. Echad koach ha'avodah dishmo kol mitzvotav. Hashem gave us the ability to keep the mitzvot. V'sheini koach b'ma'aseh sheyuchlu lasot tikunim gadolim b'vriah. And the ability of our mitzvot to impact creation. And the way the Rav Masus Solomon himself says it in 16, We didn't really get the mitzvahs per se as much as mitzu mitzuvi. It's the Yom mitzvah shall call you so. We became bar mitzvah. We became obligated to do which meant Hashem gave us the ability to do mitzvahs. Mitzvahs are hard to do. It takes a lot of what? Wherewithal to push myself beyond my comfort zone. That wiring was given to us at Har Sinai as well as the cosmic effect of every mitzvah we do. Let's talk about this cosmic effect in 18. Siftei Friedlander et al. Omnam the kabbalah Torah From Har Sinai we have the idea that a mitzvah affects changes in the spiritual world. Um Even without kavana. Even if you don't say kavana in a bracha, just saying the bracha makes what? A powerful effect. And he continues on the next page in 19 and he says, This koach that we have is something that is given over every day. We say in Birkot ha Torah notain ha Torah. Every day Hashem reinfuses the ability that our mitzvahs should impact the world. To take this on a little bit of a deeper level, I'm going to do it outside 20 through 22. The pasuk in Shir Hashirim says the Yom the day that his mother was crowned, whatever that may mean, is the day of receiving the Torah. And he explains here in the Sfas Emes kabbalistic concept is that there is a relationship of mother at Har Sinai that's very unique. A mother is a mashpia. She influences, right? That's her job. She influences her child. Aim from imnunim in to able to train, to be able to affect. And here's where it gets intense. We have the ability to direct what goes on in shamayim. Let's put this another way. 26 kilo chazal if you've ever noticed it. 26 generations Hashem said I'm giving the world for free. Just free. Kilo chazal chazal chazal chazal. Comes along the Jewish people, things have changed. Now we set the standard. When we are following this is Mesillas Yesharim in in 22. Kim im Adam shachar olam umit rachek mibaro, hinei umit kalkel umikalkel olam imo. You bring the world down with you. And you elevate the world, you elevate the world with you. We can't think that we are just acting in our own little world. Everything we do, this is Nefesh Hachaim, has a spiritual effect on the world around us. The way Rabbi Berstein, this is also tremendous sefer to learn over Shavuos, the core of Sinai. When a person engages in Torah studies, accessing the life and creative energy which Hashem bestowed in the Torah, causing it to further emanate downward throughout the various levels of creation, bringing illumination and well-being to all of them. You see, you know, I've used this example many times before and it's appropriate here. It's going to those IMAX theaters. Do you know what I'm talking about where you get these 3D glasses? And and and then when you see the 3D glasses you say, "Wow! My rabu masacha Hashem." You see the flora and you see the water and you see the fishies and are fishies fish? Fishies fish? Whatever you see. And and it's like, "Wow!" You take off the glasses and what do you see? You see a blurry screen. And you say, "Hey, what happened?" Nothing happened to the screen. What happened was your vision. Our vision is the same way. The world has a spiritual effect. We don't see it, it's only because we're not wearing 3D glasses. But it's there. Now, let's share an insight in Megillas Ruth. Again, this is Rav Dessler in source 24. You know that when Naomi is asking Ruth, trying to dissuade her and then she's teaching her some of the halachas that are specific to bring her you know, that you should know. So one of the things she tells her is you should know that there are mitos basdin. There are four ways that a court of law can put somebody to death. And every person is buried in a different cemetery. And Ruth responds, "What?" There I'll be buried. Do you ever wonder? This is so what? Bizarre. This isn't a halacha for her, this is a halacha for who? The chevra kadisha. Like why is she teaching her this? 24. And listen to what he answers, my friends. 25. Ella you have to flip the page maybe. It's backwards. 25 and 31 are backwards. I scanned them backwards. You know it happens to me. Are you following me? Okay. Ella klappei kol maaseh mitzvah or aveira. She's teaching her something much deeper. How do we view every mitzvah or aveira? Kinei lifnei histaklu shitchi shavnei Adam kvar kama kvar achilu ben shnei bnei Adam she chaim mitos basdin. You'll say it doesn't matter. This guy got skila, this guy got srayfa, this guy it doesn't matter. hereg cheneg. They're all in the same plot of land. No, no, no. You have no idea the difference between each one's sin. Every person and everything they do is not lumped together but appreciated for where it's at. And he said, and this is really intense, where that two is and I don't know what the second number is. Kol pula shadam oseh leshem shamayim. Every time you do something leshem shamayim. Kol minyan amachein. Every time you stop yourself or feel even something very small. Or if you do a sin but you go, "Oy." That oy changes dramatically the level of sin. You know, two examples that he gives is one is Nevuchadnetzar went four steps in order to bring back a letter that was written that put a salutations to Hashem on the third line. Salutations to the king Chizkiyahu, salutations to the city of Yerushalayim, salutations to the great God. And Nevuchadnetzar says if he's a great God, why do you put him last? Well, if you think it should be changed, you go change it. He goes four steps, three steps, four steps and he has a number of descendants on the throne as a result. Flip side. Yaakov Avinu, when he meets Esav, he calls him adoni, my master, eight times. There are eight kings of Edom before we have a king. We don't have the eyes to see this. Avazot aleinu ladaat. We have to know that there's no small things in Judaism. Kol davar she lo chara hu katan. Everything we think is small is nitzchius, is eternal. What is Shavuos about? It's about reminding ourselves bikidashanu bimitzvosav. The incredible power we have with every mitzvah and aveira that we do. I want to take this one step further, my friends. From Rav Volbe, Slicha Harav Dessler. He says in source 28, Rebbe Elazar ben Rebbe Shimon omer, lifnei shalom nidon achar rubo. The world is judged after the majority. Viyachid nidon achar rubo. And the individual after the majority. You do one mitzvah, ashrecha, praiseworthy are you that you have moved yourself and the entire world to the side of kaf zechus, the side of the positive, and the flip side is also there as well. A person has to feel this level of responsibility. It's called achrayus. We have the You know when you have somebody you say to them you feel you look like you have the world on your shoulders. Do you know what, my friends? We do. And the example that he gives is the pilot. Okay, I understand they have all this machinery. But a pilot is ultimately responsible for flying the plane. One small mishap, it's hundreds of lives on the line. My friends, we are the pilot of the entire world. And the example we know of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the muscle that he gives is the person on a boat. And the guy is starting to drill underneath his seat. You say, "Excuse me, what are you doing?" "Would you just leave me alone? I am drilling under my seat. Would you mind Mind your own business." You don't get it. You drill under your seat, we're all literally what? Suck. Sank, sunk, sunk. I'm not sinking. We're going to sink. I thought you were English here. A person does a mitzvah or an aveira b'chadrei chadarim, in the privacy of their home. There's no one around. What difference does it make? It's the difference of drilling a hole under your seat. It makes a world of difference. What is Shavuos about? Shavuos is about reminding us of our incredible responsibility that we have to be people who are flying the plane of this world. And that's why, you know, it's been said, we're we're almost 600 days in this What word should we use for this situation? I I can't find a good word. There's no good word. 600 days. Every bracha we say, and we have in mind it should be a shmira for the chayalim. It should be a shmira for the chatufim. You have no idea of the impact that it has. You're maybe miles away, kilometers away, doesn't matter. Cuz spiritually we're all attached. And that's what we have to realize. Shavuos is about realigning ourselves that when I'm doing what I'm doing, I do it with more of a consciousness that it's no big deal. No. The old ach, it's creating the world. Are you Are you with me, my friends? Do you feel the responsibility? Yes. Oh, another overwhelming response here. Okay, I will move on. I'm listening. That's it. Every mitzvah we do, whether it's a fresh challah, a shacharit, yes. It it it is creating a protective field over each and one of these young men and women. Yes. And every one of those that you give, you receive back. For sure you receive. For sure it for sure for sure. And And And again, I go back to yes, we're the chosen people. Yes, it's a tremendous responsibility. And yes, we should be filled with what word am I looking for? We should be filled with? I'm doing really well here today. We should be filled with pride. Ashreinu, that you said that word. Great. Okay, there you go. Okay, thank you. Someone bailed me out. I feel so much better. Ashreinu matov chelkeinu, we're chosen. Wow. Ata v'chartanu mikol ha'amim, we were chosen from all the nations. Walk around with pride. U'romamtanu mikol ha'son'im, v'kidashtanu b'mitzvotav. Yes, it's hard. It's kaved. It's heavy. I know that. But it's not something that's going to pull me down, rather it's something that's going to empower me and inspire me. And that's what we have to focus in on. That that inspiration, that empowerment. Let me go out and I And I just want to do mitzvahs all day. Wow. Do you have that feeling? Not yet. You don't like the word pride. Give me a better word, rebbetzin. I'm ready to hear it. Privilege. You like privilege? Ashreinu. Ashreinu. Ashreinu. Okay, whatever word you want to use, I'm struggling with words today. Fortunate. Ashreinu. I I always say this to my women in Chutz La'aretz who have two days to wash dishes, sing Ashreinu matov chelkeinu when you're washing dishes and preparing another meal. Not I, Ashreinu. Ashreinu. Ashreinu. Okay, let's move my friends to the hours really like. 31. Rav Mintzberg said Sal ben Melech. Etzem ha'avodah la'Shem v'halicha b'drachav l'asiat r'tzono, harei hu mitbakeish mitzad atzma. You might have to flip the page back. What's special about us? Mishum shekiblu al atzmam chova k'dusha zu. Here's the key line. Ki tafkid v'kiud l'uma. It's not just that I'm doing Torah mitzvahs. This is my tafkid. This is my job. And my yeud. My yeud is my my my destiny. This is This is my definition of who I am. This is why Hashem has chosen us. Reishit etzem kabalat ha'davar k'ol kavua v'chol kein b'brit um shvua yeish bazeh chizuk kachov in the asterisks in 32, v'shibud la'asiat ma'aseh mitzvot. I'm doing this because I'm obligated to do this. But od zot g'dola ma'ala ha'kiyum b'tarat tafkid, shekein b'yoto mit'chayeiv k'var atah hu maskim v'kavei b'da'ato she'lo ara kol atido yehei kafuf l'kiyum mitzvotav. What he's saying here, and this is very impactful, is that when we took on Torah mitzvahs on Har Sinai, what did we get? Okay, we may not have gotten those luchos. We got the system called Torah that we are obligated. From now on you're metzuvin v'osim. From now on you're obligated. On one, that means we got the cosmic effect of our mitzvah that every one mitzvah we do is going to create a cosmic effect. Two, it's a marriage. And it means that I am dedicated to Hashem not just when I'm doing mitzvahs, but I'm dedicated to Hashem all the time. This is my essence. Like in a marriage, you don't say, "Tonight, and you know what, really this whole week, I'm not doing any laundry, and not doing any dinner. Tonight, you know what, I don't want to do anything this week. I'm stepping out of marriage for the week. Maybe for the month. I'll tell you when I come back." I mean, right? There's an obligation. There's a relationship. And he describes it as similar to, in the asterisks in 33, a melech or kohen gadol. A king is a king for the moment he is coronated till something happens to stop him from being a king. But his entire time, he wakes up in the morning, he's a king. He goes to sleep at night, he's a king. In the middle of the day, he's a king. He can't just, you know, jog in his, you know, jogging shorts. He's a king. There's a certain deportment and expectation we have. And that's what we got at Har Sinai. We got the gift of being, in the language of the Ramchal, b'ligyonov shel melech, in the king's army. We are part of the king's entourage. And therefore our whole essence is v'keiravtanu malkeinu la'avodasecha, you brought us close. We're not just little Joe Schmo at the end of the kingdom. We are part of the kingdom itself. And that is something that defines every moment of my life. Let's take a look at Rav Bernstein 36. In truth, the meaning of revelation goes beyond providing a basis for authenti- authen- That, too. Authen- authenticating. That's it. The transmission of the Torah. One of the most crucial ideas regarding Torah is that it does not merely represent Hashem's instruction for how we are to lead our lives in this world, but it's a basis of our relationship with him. Through performing mitzvahs, we elevate ourselves and ultimately the world to a state of godliness and attach ourselves to him. Indeed, the commentaries point out that the root of the word mitzvah itself, in addition to meaning commandment, also means connection. For it's through the mitzvahs that we achieve a meaningful connection with Hashem. Appropriately, therefore, the transmission of these connectors was launched by the count with Hashem himself, which served to form a divine connection between us and our creator. What do we get at Har Sinai? This is what we got. We got a relationship. We got Hashem as the one who is commanding us. Whether the specific Luhot stayed or not is secondary. But that relationship, that the heavens opening up and we met the Ribono Shel Olam. As he continues in 38, the idea of Hashem saying Anochi Hashem Elokecha, Asher Hotzeisicha M'Eretz Yisrael, I have a relationship with you. It started in Mitzrayim. Anochi Hashem Elokecha, singular. I have a relationship with each and every one of you. That is what we got at Har Sinai. As Rav Yitzchak Isaac HaLevi Asheri 6:38, each dibur that issued forth from Hashem's mouth reflecting a divine will served to connect the people's soul with a part of Torah contained within that dibur. In this way, the supernal spirit within Hashem's word connected with the souls of the people. It's to this connection that Chazal say, Yishakeni Minishikot Pihu. We got that that that that connection, that love, that feeling of we are special. Hashem loves each and every one of us. He cares about each and every one of us. Torah is the medium of not just telling me what to do, how to do it, but it's an experience of connection. And that is really the the the focus of Shavuot. On the one hand, it's realigning our middos. On the second hand, it's paying attention to the mitzvos that we do. And on the third hand, it's to feel this pride. You know, like pride. To feel this satisfaction of being in a relationship with Hashem. And that changes how I do the mitzvos. I'm not doing it because I have to do it. I'm doing it because I want to do this. It's the world of a difference of here's dinner to I made you dinner tonight, the one you like. Do you feel the difference? You know, Rav Biderman tells a great story where he tells the story of of a woman who comes to um Rav Biderman crying hysterically. My husband, he doesn't show appreciation, he doesn't show thanks. And so he speaks to the husband, Rav Biderman, and what's going on here? You you got to change, your wife isn't happy. So a while later, the wife comes back. It's not helping. He still doesn't show appreciation. Goes to husband back. I thought we spoke. I don't know what she wants from me. After we spoke, I went out and I bought a lot of gifts and notes. And I told her, I can't remember your birthday, I can't remember when you do good things. It's all on the shelf. And whenever you feel like you need something to say thank you, just pull down a gift and pull down any note you want. It's not It I'm going to hold, if you don't mind. It's not a relationship. To just say I'm doing all these mitzvos, but you're not there, what are we doing? Shavuot is about being present in our relationship. And then I'm sorry, cuz I just have to finish. Yeah, Miriam, you're okay? Okay. 39A and 39B. Torah is called the song. The point of a song is not just the the the notes itself, it's the emotion that is elicited. A musical connection is not expressed by knowing all the notes asterisk 39B, but by being emotionally impacted by the song. This is our connection with Torah study. It may take the form of scholarly discussions, but the entire person needs to be connected with the message of Torah. Whenever we sit down to study Torah, we're engaged in discovering an aspect of Hashem's will regarding how we are to lead our lives. Our relationship with the Torah is a revelation of Hashem's will is ultimately an expression of our relationship with Hashem. And every time we learn Torah, we renew and strengthen that connection, which leads us to the next page. We ask, well, how come in 42 of Mesillas Yesharim, we don't have such a We don't have any mitzvah on this day? You're missing the boat. Yes, I don't have one mitzvah on this day. What do I have? Every mitzvah on this day. Every mitzvah from the kiddush at the beginning, the maariv at the beginning to love till at the end, every mitzvah is a connection. I don't have one thing to remind me. I have everything that I do is a reminder to me. This is another opportunity. Sal Avirena L'Sefer Torah says Rav Shimon Sholom. Every time I mention Hashem's name, Sal Avirena, I should be filled with joy. What is a practical application for us on Shavuot? Is when I do a mitzvah or choose beforehand that X mitzvah so do. Every time I say Asher Yatzar, every time I do whatever it is, I've been out of the caveira. I'm going to have the mindset in mind, Hashem, I'm connecting with you. I'm doing this because I love you. I'm doing this because this is your will. This is the mindset we need to have. And recognize in 43 and 44, as Rav Ruderman points out in Mod L'Vina, why do we read the Book of Ruth on Shavuot? It's to show you how much Hashem is invested in our lives. The Book of Ruth is the only book in Tanakh which is not about, per se, the Jewish people. It's a story about a mother-in-law, and a daughter-in-law, a landowner, and a giyores. There's no Jewish people in this picture here. All right, you want to tell me David HaMelech, that's nice. He comes at the last verse. There's no Jewish people here. Esther, it's about Lashon HaRa and Lavan. It's about the Jewish people. Ruth's the only book where we talk about the Jewish people. And yet Ruth is part of Tanakh. Because Hashem is interested in what? In each and every one of us. He's interested in our conversations. From our conversations, casual conversations, comes Torah. Comes halachas. And indeed the Medrash says that and the Rav Bloch Zatzal builds on this, that the Torah is continuously being written. Melech HaMashiach is looking at each one of our actions. What's going to bring Mashiach closer? It's not that Hashem is up here and we're down here. It's about connection. It's about love. Shavuot, if you're going to make a cheesecake, make it in the shape of a heart. You know, they sell the uh shapes molds. That's what you should do. And when people ask you, is it Valentine's Day La Havdil, Elokim Tel Amas? You say it is the greatest Valentine's Day you can imagine. It's about love. Final two ideas for today, and I want to end with a story. 45. Kasher Tzeiva Hashem, this is the book. Rav Garfinkel goes to every part of our day where you can have mindfulness. Put on a seatbelt, Mitzvah Mishmartem Ood, every part of our day. In addition to helping us serve Hashem at all times, Kavana B'Mitzvah will also strengthen our Avodas Hashem. Every time a person does a mitzvah and says the word Kasher Tzeiva Hashem, as Hashem commanded, the message penetrates deeper into their consciousness and has an ever-greater impact on their Avodas Hashem. As a person's connection to Hashem grows, they will seek to do mitzvos in a more complete way, fulfilling them with all the details. This includes the area of Kavana as well. Such a person will try to expand the scope of their Kavana. They will proceed to concentrate more on the mitzvos they perform and do them with an even greater amount of intent. And I'd like to share an idea from again Rav Moshe Shapiro's book that we just brought two weeks ago in 46. He asks, if you were to ask what's the most important word in the Amidah and Shemoneh Esrei, I don't know. He says, in the first bracha, L'maan Umeivi Go'el L'vein Beneihem L'maan Shmo, B'ahava. And he says in some Siddurim, it's written Yichavein Limsor Nafsho, you should have in mind to be Mosar Nefesh for Hashem. What does this mean? He says very simply, you say it at Shacharis, between Shacharis and Mincha, do one thing that goes against what you wanted for the will of God. B'ahava, with love, I'm giving this moment over to you, God. You know, there's a meshulach at the door, I'm really not in the mood to open up. Welcome, would you like a cup of water? B'ahava. You're about to do something. It could be opening the door, and you're in a rush, and you what? Look behind you, I'm back on that. Yeah, it's my my my campaign. B'ahava. I move against my comfort zone for the Ribono Shel Olam. B'ahava. That is what Shavuot is about. It's the one word. It's B'ahava. V'Charevtanu Malkenu L'Avdecha, Hashem brought us close. So there's a wonderful story that Rabbi Shapiro tells in his latest book, um one for the one the one for the books or something. Of the Alter Rebbe, Rebbe of Chabad, who comes to a certain town and the Chassidim come out en masse to to see get a glimpse of the Rebbe. And he's learning with his son, the Mitteler Rebbe. And the Mitteler Rebbe, the son, realizes that you know there are all these Chassidim outside ready to see the Rebbe and he's inside and they're not seeing him. So he unobtrusively gets up and he moves the curtain a little bit so they can get a view of him. And the Alter Rebbe gets up and closes the curtain. 10 minutes later the same thing repeats itself. A half hour later the same thing repeats itself. So the Alter Rebbe turns to his son and says, "You may be wondering why I keep on closing the curtain just a little bit." He says, "I'll tell you." He says, "When I see these faces of these people who are standing out there just to get a small glimpse of me, what I see is such a powerful vision of neshamos that are so pure and so holy that all they want is kedusha." He says, "That vision of who these people are is so blinding that I can't look at them." My friends, that is our job, achdus, to realize how blinding our neshamos are, how strong they are, and to really go into Yom Tov feeling, "Yes, we have been chosen or we have chosen to be Jews, shelo asani and I wear this with No, I don't use the word pride. privilege uplifting and with love. And I wish everybody a chatimah tovah.