In Israel this past weekend we celebrated Shabbat followed by the Festival of Shavuot. Since Passover, we counted 49 days, and on the 50th day (Saturday night and Sunday) we mark the day that the Nation of Israel stood at the foot of Mount Sinai and accepted the revelation of Torah as a gift and covenant from the Almighty to His People.
Throughout the Land (and the world!) many Jews stayed up all night in their local synagogues studying the written and oral Torah showing their love and respect of this precious gift of “light.”
We call the Torah, “Torat Chaim” literally, “Instructions for Living” and we understand it to be the “User’s Guide” to help humanity achieve our spiritual potential.
The covenant that the Jewish people accepted, and continue to re-accept each year on Shavuot, is to take responsibility to bring the message of monotheism and the light of Torah to the world. We are to do this by setting a shining example of a Nation living by Torah in the Land of Israel.
May we merit to see the light of Torah shine forth from Zion and bring eternal life to the world.