In 1999, a group of committed Jewish philanthropists led by Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt created Birthright Israel, whose mission is to give every young Jewish adult around the world, especially the less connected to Judaism, the opportunity to have their first visit to Israel on an educational trip.
I have met many people who did Birthright and later enrolled in a yeshiva to learn more about Torah and mitzvos. One fellow named Jack grew up in a home with absolutely no connection to Judaism. Jack knew that he was Jewish and nothing more. When he was in college, he saw a poster on campus for a free trip to Israel for Jewish students, led by Birthright. The idea sounded exciting. He didn’t think much about the Jewish aspect; just about a free trip to Israel.
On the tour, he saw many holy sites and fun places, too. They spent Shabbos in the Old City in Jerusalem, and the Friday night meal, with its revelry and spirituality, touched a deep chord inside of him. He decided he needed to learn more about it. At the end of the trip, students were presented with different options if they wanted more; spending a year on a kibbutz or enrolling in a yeshiva were among the choices. He signed up for Yeshiva Aish HaTorah, where he spent a year learning about Torah and mitzvos.
Jack told me, “The birthright trip to Israel opened the door for me to explore what it means to be a Jew. But the year I studied in yeshiva provided me with the meaning of what it is to be a Jew. A yeshiva education should be the birthright of every Jew!”
This story illustrates a core lesson regarding the gift of Torah that klal Yisrael received on Shavuos. We start every day with the words, “Torah tziva lanu Moshe, morasha kehillas Yaakov”—the Torah that Moshe commanded us is the inheritance of the Congregation of Yaakov. The Gemara tells us that these are the first words a parent must teach his child. This key pasuk expresses a fundamental tenet of Judaism about our belief in the Torah. Torah is “an inheritance.” It is our legacy for life.
However, it is quite puzzling that the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos states, “Prepare yourself for the study of Torah, for it is not an inheritance for you.” How could the Mishnah state that Torah is not an inheritance? Doesn’t the Torah itself say that it is an inheritance?
The same question applies to the Yom Tov of Shavuos, which is called Z’man Matan Toraseinu—the time of the “gifting” of the Torah. Are we receiving the Torah as an inheritance or as a gift? Are we entitled to it, or must we prove ourselves worthy??
The Mishnah states that we are judged on Shavuos regarding peiros ha’ilan, the fruits of the tree. The Sefas Emes explains that on Shavuos, the judgment is not on the tree itself but on what it produces. The Torah—“The Tree of Life’’—is absolute. Once we accepted the Torah at Har Sinai, we became its heirs forever; it’s ours! The Torah is our source of life and no one can take that away from us. Indeed, it truly is our inheritance.
However, what will be produced from our Torah is not an automatic inheritance. The daily narrative, insights and advancements we forge in Torah is something that’s renewed every year. Hashem judges on Shavuos what type of Torah we personally will produce this coming year. The depth and breadth of our learning and usage, and the new ideas we will develop, are determined on this holiday. It is with reference to this usage of Torah that the above Mishnah in Pirkei Avos cautions us, “Prepare yourself for the study of Torah, for it is not an inheritance for you.” Much dedication and effort is necessary in order to successfully delve into the many layers of Torah.
What thus occurs on Shavuos is two-fold. On the one hand, we have already received the Torah as heirs. However, our success and growth in our connection to Torah is up to us. How much enthusiasm will we have? Will we fully embrace the vast beauty of our Torah? The judgment on Shavuos is how much Torah Hashem will give us to understand, accomplish, learn and teach in the coming year.
Many stay up the entire night on Shavuos eve, learning Torah to demonstrate our enthusiasm and commitment, hoping to earn a good judgment!
While Torah is our birthright, the quality and quantity of our personal Torah is based on our desire and the strength of our efforts. Certainly, the best place to study Torah is in a yeshiva. A yeshiva helps a person grow by facilitating a deeper delving into Torah and helping to develop both a deeper connection to Hashem and a sensitivity to the needs of others. A yeshiva promotes goals, growth and commitment. Jack was correct: every Jew deserves a yeshiva education. It is their birthright!
Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim is the associate rosh yeshiva of Passaic Torah Institute (PTI)/Yeshiva Ner Boruch, where he leads a multi-level Gemara-learning program. PTI has attracted adult Jews of all ages from all over northern New Jersey for its learning programs. Fees are not charged but any contributions are always welcome. Beyond PTI, Rabbi Bodenheim conducts a weekly beis midrash program with chavrusa learning in Livingston plus a monthly group in West Caldwell. Rabbi Bodenheim can be reached at [email protected]. For more info about PTI and its Torah classes, visit www.pti.shulcloud.com.
