Life has so many challenges for us all. Small children, older people, the challenges don’t pass anyone by, no matter how old you are.
There’s always some kind of challenge that you are faced with. As a small child it might be not getting a candy or having to go to sleep earlier than you desired. And as time goes on and we get older the tests that we face grow as well. We have G-d in the center of our troubles and we are constantly reaching out for Him and calling out for His help.
And Hashem is constantly there for us.
What is this life all about? Is it just a path full of obstacles waiting to be conquered or avoided? Or is there a bigger picture in sight? We are about to end the count of the seven weeks that we started after the holiday of Passover and reach the holy holiday of Shavuot. This is the holiday when we received the holy Torah from the Almighty at Mount Sinai. On this holy day of Shavuot we heard G-d speak to us, and give us the Torah, the way of life for the Jewish people. What is the way of life for the Jewish people? Is it just a set of rules and laws? Is it just about challenges? Is the Torah just like a few traffic signals on a busy street? Is our life as a Jews meant to mean more than just surviving our daily lives and adventures? What is the bigger picture?
We must look at every day in our life in a different manner. The bigger picture is obviously serving Hashem and making Him happy. G-d set into motion rules, laws and instructions of how one must guide their lives in order to get through the years in this world in the best way possible.
However we are not just physical beings. We are not just here to eat, sleep and make sure we get through the day. We’re here to worship and serve our King. When we serve our King, it is also through certain rules, laws, and obligations. But we are not just electrical appliances. We are spiritual beings as well. When we follow Hashem’s ways, we get an insight into who our great master really is. Insight into His mercy and kindness. therefore we try to emulate our Father, our King. We’re all living through times that are so hard. The wars, the struggles, the poverty. Everyone trying to prove who’s right, who’s better than the next. I believe that as we count the days towards the holiday of Shavuot, when we received the Torah on Mount Sinai so many years ago, we actually receive it every year again and again. When the holiday approaches we are all standing right under Mount Sinai again, where we are all healed, all united, all in peace with one another. The world needs peace today. True peace, true love. Brothers and sisters must love and not fight each other.
We all have the same father, we all have the same goals and purpose, which is to serve the Almighty in the best way possible. When we fight, and don’t get together we cause great sorrow to our parents. On an individual level, on a national level, and on a spiritual level as well. The small fights that seem personal and not important relate to anybody since we are all one child to Hashem. It has to do with the whole world, and the whole nation. Hashem sees each and every one of us and when we fight with each other we represent the whole nation.
Hashem chose us as a nation. He chose to give us the Holy Torah so that it may guide our lives. Just like an electrical appliance comes with instructions on how to operate it or the signals on the road guide us so that we don’t get into accidents. So too, we must abide by the rules that Hashem set down for us in all aspects of life. We must see one another, because we, the Jewish nation, are all one people with one function. When we are apart, our body does not work. When one part of our body is ill or broken, the rest of our body is in pain as well. We cannot function. This is true regarding our nation as well. Just like we are when our children fight with each other. Let us pray to Hashem to heal us. Just as he did so many years ago on Mount Sinai. Heal us from hatred, from pride, heal us from ourselves. So that we may meet and see one another with love and tolerance, so that we may see our siblings as ourselves, not as our enemy but rather as a part of us.
When we stood on Mount Sinai, we were all one. One before our King, our Master, our Father. And that is the reason that Hashem was able to give us the Torah which helps guide our lives in the best manner.
May we be healthy and united, and then we will be able to receive the Torah again and worship Hashem in the best way. May the Almighty want to dwell upon us once again in the holy city of Jerusalem in the third Temple. Amen.
