Erev Shavuos we wrote of Am Yisrael’s unique status as an eternal people. A wonderful drashah that I heard on Shavuos which stretched well into Motzaei Shavuos explored the source of that unique status in ways which each of us can take to heart and apply each at his own level.
The eternity of the Jewish people derives from our special relationship with HaKadosh Baruch Hu which was forged at a specific moment in human history: when the entire nation responded at Sinai “na’aseh v’nishmah – we will do and we will understand” in joyous anticipation of the giving of Torah. On account of those two words Hashem refers to the people of Israel collectively as “beni bechori Yisrael” – my son my firstborn son (Shabbos 89b). (Rashi explains that already in Egypt Hashem called the Children of Israel “beni bechori” because He knew that they would in the future stand on Har Sinai and proclaim “na’aseh v’nishmah” and accept the yoke of Torah with ahavah (love) just as sons love their father.)
Klal Yisrael relates to Hashem in two ways – as avadim (servants) and as banim (children). Avadim writes the Vilna Gaon refers to mitzvos which are experienced as something imposed as a master commands his servant while banim refers to our relationship through the study of Torah for which love and passion are essential.
The ways in which we experience mitzvos and talmud Torah are fundamentally different. Prior to commencing our Torah learning each day we recite a blessing in which we beseech Hashem to “make the words of Your Torah sweet in our mouth and in the mouth of Your nation.” Before taking the Four Species for instance we make no request that Hashem should make the mitzvah sweet.
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