Shavuot 5775 "I have Agreed to the Terms and Conditions"
OA
ByOfir Afenzar
שמות י״ט:א׳

(א) בַּחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י לְצֵ֥את בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה בָּ֖אוּ מִדְבַּ֥ר סִינָֽי׃

Exodus 19:1
(1) In the third month after the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
שמות י״ט:ג׳
(ג) וּמֹשֶׁ֥ה עָלָ֖ה אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֵלָ֤יו ה' מִן־הָהָ֣ר לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לְבֵ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְתַגֵּ֖יד לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Exodus 19:3
(3) And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying: ‘Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:
שמות י״ט:ד׳

(ד) אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לְמִצְרָ֑יִם וָאֶשָּׂ֤א אֶתְכֶם֙ עַל־כַּנְפֵ֣י נְשָׁרִ֔ים וָאָבִ֥א אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי׃

Exodus 19:4
(4) Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’wings, and brought you unto Myself.
שמות י״ט:ה׳
(ה) וְעַתָּ֗ה אִם־שָׁמ֤וֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ בְּקֹלִ֔י וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֑י וִהְיִ֨יתֶם לִ֤י סְגֻלָּה֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים כִּי־לִ֖י כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Exodus 19:5
(5) Now therefore, if ye will hearken unto My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be Mine own treasure from among all peoples; for all the earth is Mine;
רש"י על שמות י״ט:ה׳:א׳-ב׳

(א) ועתה. אם עתה תקבלו עליכם יערב לכם מכאן ואלך, שכל התחלות קשות:

(ב) ושמרתם את בריתי. שאכרות עמכם על שמירת התורה:

Rashi on Exodus 19:5:1-2

(1) "And now" - If you accept it upon yourselves now, it will become pleasing to you [beginning] from here and in the future, since all beginnings are difficult. (Mekhilta; Bavli Shabbat 87a)

(2) "And if you keep my covenant" - Which I will make with you about keeping the Torah.

שמות י״ט:ו׳
(ו) וְאַתֶּ֧ם תִּהְיוּ־לִ֛י מַמְלֶ֥כֶת כֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְג֣וֹי קָד֑וֹשׁ אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Exodus 19:6
(6) and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.’
שמות י״ט:ז׳
(ז) וַיָּבֹ֣א מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֖א לְזִקְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַיָּ֣שֶׂם לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖הוּ ה'
Exodus 19:7
(7) And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD commanded him.
שמות י״ט:ח׳
(ח) וַיַּעֲנ֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֤ם יַחְדָּו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר ה' נַעֲשֶׂ֑ה וַיָּ֧שֶׁב מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם אֶל־ה'
Exodus 19:8
(8) And all the people answered together, and said: ‘All that the LORD hath spoken we will do.’ And Moses reported the words of the people unto the LORD.

Questions

  • What is up with the mountain over our heads?
שמות י״ט:י״ז
(יז) וַיּוֹצֵ֨א מֹשֶׁ֧ה אֶת־הָעָ֛ם לִקְרַ֥את הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים מִן־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ בְּתַחְתִּ֥ית הָהָֽר׃
Exodus 19:17

(17) And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.

Rashi on Exodus 19:17:2

(1) At the bottom of the mountain: According to the simple rendering [in denotes] at the foot of the mountain. And its Midrashic interpretation is that the mountain was uprooted from its place and turned over them like a beer barrel.

So what does this all mean?

  • Rav Avdimi bar Chama taught:
    • When Hashem did this He said: "If you accept the Torah -- good. And if not -- this will be your burial place."
      • Meaning, the whole world is only worth anything if there is Torah.
      • They already accepted the Torah before this. So they cannot withdraw now.
  • Why did Moshe need to report back to Hashem about the Nation's answer in 19:8?
רש"י על שמות י״ט:ח׳:א׳

(א) וישב משה את דברי העם וגו' . ביום המחרת, שהוא יום שלישי, שהרי בהשכמה עלה וכי צריך היה משה להשיב, אלא בא הכתוב ללמדך דרך ארץ ממשה שלא אמר, הואיל ויודע מי ששלחני, איני צריך להשיב:

Rashi on Exodus 19:8:1

(1) "Moshe brought the words of the people..." - On the next day which was the third day, as he went up at daybreak. And did Moshe need to answer God [i. e. did God not already know what the people said]? Rather, the text comes to teach us proper etiquette, that he did not say 'the one who sent me already knows and I do not need to answer him.'

  • Why was the Torah given in the wilderness?
    • Rav Eliyahu Kitov (The Book Of Our Heritage) Teachs:
      • The Torah was given in a public area because if it was given in Israel the other nations would complain that they did not get a chance to accept or reject it.
      • Just as the wilderness is empty of all luxuries, so too do the words of Torah endure. . .