29. The Magen Avraham (494) says we stay awake Shavuos night to rectify the sin of our forefathers who slept on the night before matan Torah. The Arugas Habosem (Yisro ויתיצבו) says that it doesn't make sense that the Jewish nation went to sleep on the night before matan Torah. Among the Jewish nation were nevi'im, zekeinim, etc. Could it be that they all went to sleep? If we were told that we would meet with Hashem tomorrow, would we go to sleep? How could it be that everyone went to sleep that night?
The Arugas Habosem answers that we must say that they fell asleep involuntarily. Hashem caused them to fall asleep. This occurred to teach the future generations that even if they are sleeping (in a spiritual sense, which means they are fully immersed in their parnassah and other aspects of olam hazeh), even such people can receive the Torah.
The Gemara (Shabbos 88.) tells us that the nation was afraid when they heard the Aseres HaDibros, and they fell back twelve mil. Malachim pushed them back to the mountain, where they received the next mitzvah of the Aseres HaDibros, and then, once again, they fell back twelve mil.
This taught them that the path to receive the Torah is to fall backward, to try to come near again, and then to expect to fall again. For our discussion, this is a reminder that the Torah was given to humans, who have limitations and challenges. Therefore, no one should think the Torah isn't for him.
30. The Midrash (Tanchuma Emor 11) states, "All the wonderful, sweet things Hakadosh Baruch Hu will do for Yisrael is all because of one shout, when they said (Shemos 24:7) ונשמע נעשה."
31. A teacher took a hundred-dollar bill, trampled it, crumbled it, and stuck it into the mud. Then he asked his students, "Who wants it?" All hands shot up. They all wanted it because even in the dirt and trampled, it was still worth $100. The teacher then told them that the same is true with the Jewish soul. No matter what a person does, he remains a precious and holy Jewish soul.
Chazal (Tana d'Bei Eliyahu Rabba ch.1) tell an unusual praise of Hashem. It praises Hashem for being בחלקו שמח, happy with His portion. The Chazon Ish zt'l asks that this praise is something one would say about a poor person who lacks money. But the entire world is Hashem's. He lacks nothing. Why is it a praise to say Hashem is happy with His lot?
The Chazon Ish replies that Chazal say בלבד שמים יראת של אוצר אלא בעולמו ה"להקב לו אין, Hakadosh Baruch Hu has only one treasure in the world, and that is the treasure of yiras Shamayim. This is the only thing in the world important to Hashem – to see people who fear Him and do His mitzvos. About this treasure, Chazal say that Hashem is בחלקו שמח, happy with His portion. We know that our service and yiras Shamayim are imperfect, that there is much to improve on, but nevertheless, Hashem is happy with the little we do. He is happy with His portion. Each time a person guards his speech or eyes and lives with the principles of yiras Shamayim, this gives Hashem immense joy, and Hashem is happy with His portion.
Why is that? We will explain with a mashal:
Someone had two sons: a wise son, Yankele, and an intellectually challenged child, Moshele. One day, Yankele returned home with his report card. It was straight A's. His behavior and his knowledge of the subjects studied were perfect. The father had nachas to read the report card, and he gave Yankele a candy to express his love and appreciation.
That same day, the mother went to Moishele's cheder to hear how he was doing. She came home extremely happy. "Moishele looked at me for an entire minute," she said. That was something Moishele never did before. He had trouble making eye contact with people. The mother called her mother and her mother-in-law, sisters and brothers, to share the good news.
Yankele watched his mother's excitement and was insulted. "I brought home a perfect report card, and no one makes a big deal out of it. And all Moishele did was look at his mother for a minute, and everyone is so excited."
The father explained to Yankele, "You are an outstanding student; therefore, it isn't surprising to us when you bring home a perfect report card. However, Moishele is limited in what he can do. Now that he could look at his mother for a minute, that is a great accomplishment, and everyone is excited about it."
For our topic, when malachim serve Hashem in perfect ways, this isn't surprising, But when a human being, made from dust and earth, overcomes the yetzer hara, this creates a great tumult and joy in heaven, because he is doing something surprising, something that isn't easy for him to achieve.
The Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 35:1) states, "Dovid HaMelech said to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, 'Ribono Shel Olam, every day I say that I will go to this place, or to that place, and then my feet bring me to the beis merdresh.'" (The midrash bases this on the pasuk, Tehillim 119:59, ע ֵדֹת ֶיךָ אֶל ר ַגְלַי וָאָשִׁיבָה דְרָכָי חִשַּׁבְתִּי). The Brezhaner Rav zt'l (Techeles Mordechai, Bechukosai) explains that there are people who desire to go to the beis medresh to study Torah, but then the yetzer hara tells them, "If you won't make remarkable strides in Torah and avodas Hashem, it isn't worth the effort." To overcome this claim of the yetzer hara, think about the people who work hard for their parnassah, even for a small gain. They don't say that it isn't worth their effort. They take whatever they can, even if it isn't much. This is the meaning of Chazal that Dovid said, "I will go here, I will go there." It isn't that he actually wanted to go to these places; rather, he reminded himself how people go to these places, even if the reward is minimal, so certainly we should go to the beis medresh. Whatever we gain, it will be an incredible accomplishment.
Chiddushei Torah
Rebbe Boruch'l of Mezhibuzh zt'l said that he is more afraid of Shavuos than Rosh Hashanah. On Rosh Hashanah, the judgement is on gashmiyos, one more bilke (challah) or one less (it doesn't make that much of a difference). But on Shavuos, the judgment is for Torah, how much Torah one will receive that year. And therefore, he is more afraid of Shavuos.
We discussed above that every year, on Shavuos, Hashem once again gives us the Torah. The first matan Torah occurred at Har Sinai, and a second matan Torah happens every Shavuos. There is also a third matan Torah, which transpires daily. In birchas haTorah, we say התורה נותן, "Hashem, Who gives the Torah," written in the present tense. The Taz (Orach Chaim 47:5) says that this is because Hashem gives us the Torah every day, based on the amount of Torah we received that year on Shavuos.
What is the significance of these three matan Torahs?
Derech HaMelech (from the Rebbe of Piasezcna zt'l) explains that we received the Torah on Har Sinai, and each year, on Shavuos, we receive the chidushei Torah that we can discover that particular year. However, on Shavuos, it is still an undefined prophecy because one doesn't yet know the chidushim he will create. When one studies Torah throughout the year, he brings forth the chidushei Torah he received on Shavuos. That is when he discovers what he received on Shavuos. These are the three matan Torahs. One is a general matan Torah, one is for the Torah he can receive that year, and each day, he gets the Torah again, the chidushim that he can acquire on that day.
Chazal (Rosh Hashanah 16.) say, "On Shavuos, there is a judgment for the fruits of the trees."
The Sfas Emes explains that you are judged on which chiddushim you will perceive that year on Shavuos. The Sfas Emes concludes, "Shavuos is the source of Torah for the entire year."
The minhag is to place trees that don't grow fruit (סרק אילני) in the beis medresh on Shavuos. The Chasam Sofer zt'l (Drashos, Megillas Rus, ויהי ה"ד) explains that trees without fruit represent the Yidden who don't have Torah and mitzvos. We place these trees in the beis medresh so they know they can also receive the Torah.
Some people want to proclaim naaseh v'nishma with all their heart and soul, but deep down, they know they aren't entirely sincere. Part of them wants to receive the Torah, but part of them doesn't want to accept the yoke and the restrictions of the Torah. Nevertheless, even such an acceptance of the Torah is a wonderful accomplishment. The Tosefta (Bava Kama 7:3) says that even the generation that received the Torah on har Sinai and proclaimed ונשמע נעשה, their hearts weren't entirely prepared to receive the Torah. Nevertheless, Hashem accepted their proclamation of naaseh v'nishma, and because of it, Hashem bestows so much kindness to Bnei Yisrael.
Therefore, matan Torah is for every person, no matter what level he is on.
