Every day, when I step into the yeshiva, I daven that the talmidim not only absorb the Torah they will learn that day, but that it penetrates their hearts and becomes part of who they are. As mechanchim, as parents and educators, we are constantly presented with new methods and trends that promise to unlock our children’s potential. But as we approach Shavuos, we are granted a powerful reminder: To educate with clarity, passion and purpose, we must return to the roots of our mesorah, to how Torah was first given.

The Torah tells us in Parshas Yisro:

וְכָל־הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת־הַקּוֹלֹת…

“And all the people saw the sounds, and the flames, and the blast of the shofar, and the mountain smoking…” (Shemos 20:15)

What does it mean that they saw the sounds? The Sfas Emes explains that Bnei Yisrael experienced Matan Torah with their entire being. It wasn’t just an intellectual transmission; it was sensory, emotional, spiritual. Torah was alive. It touched them so deeply that it broke the normal boundaries of perception—sound became sight, and the words of Hashem penetrated their very essence.

This is the educational model we strive for. Torah learning must be immersive, not limited to passive note-taking or lectures. It must engage the heart, body and soul. This is why the morning bracha is not to simply “learn Torah,” but “la’asok b’divrei Torah”— to be engaged with Torah. To be a part of it. To live it.

Sefiras HaOmer is not just a countdown to Shavuos, but a process of transformation. The Sefirah period is about turning the freedom of Pesach into the discipline and refinement needed to receive Torah. We move from physical liberation to spiritual elevation, from potential to purpose. Each day of the Omer represents a new middah, a new character trait, to refine. The sefarim Hakedoshim (the Holy books) teach us that each of the 49 days corresponds to a unique blend of chesed, gevurah, tiferes, netzach, hod, yesod and malchus, a daily curriculum in spiritual development.

This gradual process reflects a core truth in both chinuch and personal growth: Greatness doesn’t happen overnight. Neither does loving Torah. Many of us were not raised spiritually sensitive; we were not taught as children to “hear the music” of Torah.. However, the journey of the Omer teaches us that step-by-step refinement leads to truly receiving the Torah. Just like Bnei Yisrael, who started counting while still emerging from slavery, we too can rise one day at a time toward kabbalas haTorah.

The Degel Machaneh Ephraim, grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, offers a similar beautiful interpretation of our pasuk. What does it mean that they “saw sounds?” It means they were suddenly able to perceive the hidden sweetness in Torah. They experienced a sensory shift, not just in the world, but within themselves. Their inner spiritual “antennae” were tuned to receive what was always there: the beauty, depth and music of Torah.

It is similar to someone who has never been exposed to classical music. The notes and rhythm seem chaotic or dull. But with training and guidance, suddenly the person hears the nuance, the harmony, the richness of each note. The Omer is that training. It sensitizes us so that by the time Shavuos arrives, we not only receive the Torah, but we recognize its beauty. We don’t just accept it, we desire it.

This has profound implications for how we raise our children and teach our students. If we wait until Shavuos to start learning and hope to “flip the switch,” we miss the opportunity to model the inner work of Sefiras HaOmer. If we want our children to be inspired, our children need to see us learning with a fire. Not just at tikun leil Shavuos, but on a daily basis at a shiur or with a chavrusa, a stolen moment of learning between errands, holding a sefer instead of our phones while waiting for the chazan to repeat Shemoneh Esrei all opportunities to model our fire.

We don’t need to be perfect or learned to pass on this lesson. We just need to show that we are on the journey, and that it matters to us. When our children see that we strive to make Torah sweet, even if it doesn’t come easily, they internalize that passion. They see that Torah is not only a duty, but a desire.

In the bracha before Torah study, we ask Hashem:

והערב נא ה’ אלוקינו את דברי תורתך בפינו…

“Please, Hashem, make the words of Your Torah sweet in our mouths…”

Why do we need to pray for this? Because sweetness is not automatic. It must be cultivated and worked on. We daven that we and our children should reach that place of sensitivity. And even if we’re not fully there yet, we teach them that this is the goal.

With Hashem’s help, our homes and schools should be places where Torah is not only taught but truly learned. Where it is felt, lived and cherished. Where our children hear the thunder, see the fire, and taste the sweetness. May we all merit a true kabbalas haTorah, and may the work of Sefiras HaOmer elevate us day by day toward greatness.

Rabbi Shimon Schenker is the menahel at YUHSB (MTA).