In the Torah portion of Yitro we read about Matan Torah – the Matan Torah, on Har Sinai – there was only one. So what do we mean by the “third Matan Torah?”
In truth, the Torah was given to Am Yisrael three times. The first, in this week’s parsha, Matan Torah on Har Sinai was the closure of a circle that began 2,448 years earlier, during the Creation.
After six days of creating the world, Hashem wraps up the final, sixth, day in a slightly different way from the preceding five days. It is both the first and the sixth day that stand out in this regard. The culmination of the first day was, “And it was evening and it was morning, day One.” On days two to five, the syntax is standard: “And it was evening and it was morning, second day … third day, fourth day, fifth day.” On the sixth day, however, there is a deviation: “And it was evening and it was morning – the sixth day, Yom HaShishi.” This is the way we commence reciting Kiddush on Friday nights.
Rashi on that verse (Bereishit 1:31) says that it refers to the sixth day, the sixth of Sivan, when Am Yisrael received the Torah on Har Sinai. Hashem created the world on condition that Am Yisrael would eventually accept the Torah at Har Sinai, and we did. Unlike the other nations, who first wanted to know what was written in it, we accepted it unconditionally – Na’aseh VeNishma (Shemot 24:7). This type of blind obedience is only found amongst angels, not mortals, and in fact Hashem asked Am Yisrael, “Who revealed this secret of the angels to you?” (Tractate Shabbat 88a). Not only that; we also accepted it unanimously – VaYichan (Shemot 19:2): “ Am Yisrael (in the singular) encamped at the foot of the mountain.” Rashi there says that the singular form indicates that it was “as one man with one heart.”
Matan Torah on Har Sinai was the second time the Torah was given. It was the first time for Am Yisrael, but preceding this, Hashem gave the Torah to Adam HaRishon in Gan Eden – the Tree of Life, Eitz HaChayim. However, unlike Am Yisrael at Har Sinai, Adam HaRishon did not exhibit blind obedience. Adam sinned by eating from the Tree of Knowledge and thus Hashem had to “lock up” the Torah, guarded by rotating, flaming sword-wielding angels for another 2,448 years. By declaring “Na’aseh VeNishma” at Har Sinai on the sixth of Sivan, 2,448 years later, Am Yisrael atoned for Adam’s sin. What a glorious event!
However, the same Gemara (Shabbat 88a) then throws a “spanner in the works.” Explaining the verse, “ Am Yisrael stood at the bottom of the mountain” (Shemot 19:17), the Gemara adds a surprising detail: “R’ Avdimi, the son of Chama, the son of Chasa says that this means that Hashem threateningly dangled the mountain above their heads like a vessel and said, “If you accept the Torah, well and good, but if not, this will be your burial place!”
But just a minute ago we said that Am Yisrael demonstrated unanimous blind obedience. Why did Hashem have to threaten them? The Chizkuni (Shemot 19:17:2) says that the blind obedience was in accepting the Written Law. However, Am Yisrael were not so keen to accept the Oral Law and Hashem had to threaten them.
That was the first time Am Yisrael accepted the Torah, the second time Hashem gave it to man.
The second time for Am Yisrael was in Mei Meriva, Kadesh, in the desert. Hashem decided to repeat Matan Torah after 40 years in the desert, just before Am Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael, as a renewal of the covenant. According to the commentaries, it was intended to be a full reenactment of Har Sinai, replete with thunder, lightning and cloud.
Unfortunately, this second giving was less than perfect. Am Yisrael, instead of being united as one, became quarrelsome. Instead of speaking to the rock, Moshe struck it, and thus the opportunity to sanctify Hashem’s name was missed.
The third and final time Am Yisrael received the Torah was in Shushan (which we will read in Megillat Esther in a few weeks). Here we have a repetition of Am Yisrael’s Na’aseh VeNishma at Har Sinai, as it says, “Kiyemu VeKiblu“; Am Yisrael did not suffice with the Torah given to them until now; they agreed to accept upon themselves extra mitzvot, those of Purim – the Purim feast, Mishloach Manot, gifts to the poor, reading the Megilla, etc.
The Gemara in Shabbat (see above) says this was like a third Matan Torah and in this one, Am Yisrael accepted the Oral Law with the same unanimity and blind obedience with which they had accepted the Written Law at Har Sinai.
Parshat HaShavua Trivia Question: The parsha begins “And Yitro heard.” What did he hear?
Answer to Last Week’s Trivia Question: From where is the halacha of making a blessing on two challahs at Shabbat meals derived? When speaking about the mann (Shemot 16:22), the verse says that on Fridays, Am Yisrael gathered “lechem mishneh,” a double portion of Mann, two omer measures instead of the one omer measure gathered on weekdays. This is because gathering mann was forbidden on Shabbat. This is also embodied in the Lechem Hapanim – each of the twelve loaves was made of two omer measures of flour, and were eaten on Shabbat.
