Shavuos Message 5775
The Gemara (Shabbos 3b) relates that Rav once asked Rebbe a difficult question regarding the laws of carrying on Shabbos, to which Rebbe responded and answered his question. R’ Chiya, Rav’s uncle, then rebuked Rav and said, “Bar Pachti (son of nobles), did I not tell you that when Rebbe is studying one tractate, do not ask him a question from another tractate? If not for the fact that Rebbe is a great man, you would have embarrassed him by causing him to answer incorrectly!”
The simple reading of this Gemara suggests that the inability to correctly answer a question from a different tractate is reflective of a weakness on the part of the one being asked—and therefore R’ Chiya rebuked him for having done so.
Rav Yitzchak Hutner ztz”l, however, explains that in fact, it is just the opposite—it reveals a deep strength in Rebbe’s Torah learning.
We are taught that Matan Torah, the Giving of the Torah at Sinai, was not just a historical event. Rather, it was the blueprint for how Torah is to be learned in every generation. This is reflected in the concept that Chazal teach us that Torah must be learned “k’nisinasah—as it was given.” Based on this principle, the Gemara (Berachos 22a) derives that Torah must be learned in a state of “eimah, yirah, reses, v’zeiah— with reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling,” since that was the way it was given at Sinai. Therefore, someone who is impure and cannot achieve this level of awe and trembling, is forbidden from learning while they are impure.
Let us now turn to another Gemara. The Gemara (Shabbos 88b) teaches us that each word spoken by Hashem during the Ten Commandments filled up the entire world. The Gemara asks that if the first commandment filled up the entire world, how was there any room for the second commandment? The Gemara answers that Hashem took a wind from his storehouse and removed them one by one.
Rav Hutner explains that our Sages are revealing to us a profound insight about the nature and beauty of Torah. Each word, each idea of Torah is infinite and endless—so much so that it does not even allow room for other words of Torah! Hashem therefore had to “remove” the first word, to allow space for the next one!
According to the above formula that Har Sinai is the model for how Torah is to be learned, it follows that regarding our own Torah learning, as well—each word, each topic of Torah, is an entire world unto itself! When one learns properly—like it was given at Har Sinai—their mind becomes completely absorbed and enveloped in that topic, to the point that they are unable to think about anything else!
This, explains Rav Hutner, is the deeper meaning behind the words of the Gemara: “When Rebbe is studying one tractate, do not ask him from another tractate.” Not because Rebbe was lacking in any way, but precisely the opposite: R’ Chiya was telling him that our Rebbe is so enraptured in his Torah study that he cannot even contemplate anything else!
The Shelah HaKadosh reveals to us that Shavuos is the Day of Judgment for a person’s Torah study that year. May we all merit this year to recognize and appreciate the infinite beauty and depth of our Torah, and to accept and learn the Torah just as it was given at Sinai!
Chag Sameach!
Rabbi Teitelbaum
Parshat Acharei-Kedoshim 2025
In this week’s Parshah, we are charged with “Kedoshim Tehiyu—You shall be holy.” The Ramban famously teaches us that this directive of “Kedoshim Tehiyu” commands us to go above the letter of the law, and hold ourselves back even from things that we are permitted in, lest we become a “naval b’reshus haTorah”—a lowlife who technically does not violate any Torah prohibitions, yet spends his entire day chasing earthly pleasures.
Rashi, based on the Toras Kohanim, teaches us that this commandment was said when the entire Klal Yisroel was gathered together. What is the Torah trying to teach us by stressing this point?
One idea may be as follows. It would be very easy, or convenient, for us to measure ourselves relative to the entire world. For example, we could say to ourselves: Well, I’m not engaged in whatever crazy and immoral thing the entire world is doing right now—I must be holy! If we were to lower the bar based on the actions and morality of the world around us, we would be in pretty good shape, without any serious effort on our part. To this end, the Torah stresses that we were all gathered together before hearing this commandment. Hashem is telling us: You, the Jewish People, are a separate entity from the rest of the world. Kedoshim Tehiyu—you are to be held by your own standard, and not relative to the rest of the world. It is all too easy to fall back on this and fool ourselves into thinking that we have achieved what we are commanded to do, simply by comparing ourselves to (fill in the blank). We must always remember that we are a cut (or two) above, and accordingly must hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Another idea may be as follows. There are some religions which believe that only select members of the religion are capable of attaining (their notion of) holiness; the rest of the people—not so much. Everyone else is entitled to go about their lives, doing as they wish, because they can count on those few courageous and holy people to put in the work and sacrifice for them. Once again, the Torah teaches us that this is not the case. Every single Jew was gathered together and commanded: Be holy! Holiness is not for the select few; it is something that each and Jew is commanded in and must strive for. We cannot allow ourselves to think, Well, there are some very holy and pious Jews in Bnei Brak or Yerushalayim putting in the work for me—I can continue going about my own life.
Our Parshah teaches us that each and every one of us are commanded—and capable—of achieving holiness.
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Teitelbaum
