When Chazal say one who does a mitzvah he was commanded to do is greater than one who wasn’t commanded, they don’t mean more praiseworthy. They mean the effects of his mitzvah are far greater than one done voluntarily
Prepared for print by Rabbi Eran Feintuch
What comes to mind when you think about accepting the Torah?
For many of us, Shavuos is a time when we strengthen our dedication to studying and supporting Torah. Inspired by the awesome power of the day, many people firmly resolve to devote so much more time to studying Torah for the rest of their lives. But so often, our grandiose plans are about as short-lived as our intentions to work off the cheesecake we enjoyed.
Beside the transience of our resolutions, there’s something missing from this picture of Shavuos. Of course, we always need chizuk in Torah study. But Shavuos is much, much more than that. It’s not just a day to resolve to learn Torah; it’s a day to accept a life of Torah.
When we accepted the Torah at Har Sinai, we received a whole new level of living. The avodah of Shavuos is to wholeheartedly choose the elevated life the Torah gives us.
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