My Weekly Drash (a mini D'var Torah) - Shabbat Shavuot
Posted by Daniel M. Kimmel on May 28, 2009 | Tags: Shavuot
It's easy to figure out why the rabbis selected the special reading from Deuteronomy for the second day of Shavuot. It's right there in the text, "Then you shall observe the Feast of Weeks for the Lord your God, offering your freewill contribution according as the Lord your God has blessed you." (Deut. 16:10). Here Shavuot is part of an agricultural celebration, with sacrifices to be brought to the Temple from the new harvest. Later it was decided this was also the season in which Moses received the Torah at Sinai, and that became part of the celebration as well. Judaism has evolved over the millennia and continues to evolve. We read and study Torah not only because it addresses the past, but because it addresses the present and future as well.
|
Daniel M. KimmelJoined: October 2, 2007 Daniel M. Kimmel is a Boston area film critic, lecturer and author. He does these weekly mini-lessons for the Mishkan Tefila Brotherhood's newsletter. You are free to use them for similar purposes. Divrei Torah (117) |
