TORAH and Pentecost – 1

Rabbi Kalman Packouz  in his weekly electronic column Shabbat Shalom [Aish HaTorah] reminded his Jewish readers that May 26 this year is the biblical feast “Shavuos.”    

Interestingly, the dictionary definition of Pentecost refers to the Christian festival first before mentioning its original Biblical [TNK] roots which is an indicator of either the definer’s perspective, though more likely an unconscious influence of the religious-political power that wielded its global domination, whether coercively or persuasively, over centuries.

 |ˈpentəˌkôst; -ˌkäst|noun

• one of the prominent feasts in the Catholic liturgical year.
• the Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension, held on the seventh Sunday after Easter.• the day on which this festival is held. Also called Whitsunday. 
• the Jewish festival of Shavuoth.
• ORIGIN Old English pentecosten, via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek pentēkostē (hēmera) ‘fiftieth (day)’ (because the Jewish festival is held on the fiftieth day after the second day of Passover).

So let’s straighten out some facts:

• Starting with the spelling . . . Shavuot or Shavuos [in Ashkenazi usage], Shabhu’oth [in Classical Hebrew];
• And the meaning . . .literally “Weeks,”
• In Biblical history, it occurs 50 days after the exodus from Egypt, when the mixed multitude reach Mount Sinai; 7 days in a week multiplied by 7 weeks is 49, Shavuot is celebrated on the 50th day, usually falling in the month of Sivan in the Biblical calendar [late May or early June in the Gregorian calendar];
• Since it relates to the exodus, it is directly linked to the Pesach or Passover, when the counting of days connects with the second day of Passover, the counting of the omer [ancient Hebrew dry measure, 10th of an ephah];
• The significance of why it becomes part of the commandments in YHWH’s 7 Feasts in Leviticus 23 is to commemorate the giving of the Torah to the mixed multitude of Israelites and non-Israelites who were assembled at Mount Sinai [Leviticus 23].

But back to Rabbi Kalman Packouz’s reminder, he says the Jewish celebration of Shavuot today includes festive meals at night and during the day, and that they have a custom to stay up all night studying the Torah. Such study, he says, is “exciting, exhilarating, exhausting.”

He poses the question:  What is the Torah that causes such devotion and appreciation?

Here are excerpts from Rabbi Packouz’s article:

• The word “Torah” means “instructions” and “Toras Chaim” means “instructions for life.” If one gives a present, an mp3 player for example, it comes with an instruction booklet on how to use it. The more complex the gift, the more detailed the instruction book. Life is the greatest gift and the Torah is the “user manual” — the instructions on how to get the most out of life and enjoy it to the fullest.
• The Almighty not only entered into a covenant with the Jewish people to protect us and ensure our survival, He also gave us instructions on how to best use our time on this planet to perfect ourselves ethically and spiritually as well as create the ultimate relationship with the Almighty. That’s the Torah that we so excitedly dance with on Simchas Torah and so enjoyably study on a daily basis whenever possible.

The Torah that we Sinaites have recognized as YHWH’s revelation are only the five books attributed to Moses:  

In their Hebrew titles:

•  Bere’shiyth [Genesis]
• Shemoth [Exodus]  
• Wa’iyqrah [Leviticus] 
• Bemidbar  [Numbers] 
• Dabariym [Deuteronomy]

Rabbi Packouz however explains the Jewish recognition of “Written” Torah which includes the whole Hebrew Bible in its tripartite classification in the acronym TNK [Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvi’im] and their acceptance of the commentary on the Torah by Jewish sages over centuries in the “Oral” Torah.  Their justification for the Oral is that while the Written Torah gives statutes, ordinances, commandments, laws, these have to be reinterpreted in more detail to adapt to changing times, circumstances, applications.  While this makes sense and helps clueless readers, such interpretations also tend to go overboard specially in the application part.  

• The Torah has two integrated parts — the written Torah and the Oral Torah. The written Torah refers to Tanach, a Hebrew acronym for Torah,Nevi’im (prophets), Kesuvim (writings). The Torah, or Chumash (the Hebrew word for “five” referring to the Five Books of Moses, the Pentateuch), contains — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
• The Prophets include: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and then the 12 Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nachum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.
• The Writings include: Psalms (Tehilim), Proverbs (Mishlei), Job (Iyov). It also contains the 5 Megillos (scrolls) that we read on the holidays: Song of Songs (Shir HaShirim) — read on Pesach, Ruth — read on Shavuos, Lamentations (Eicha) — read on Tisha B’av, Ecclesiastes (Koheles) — read on Succos, Esther — read on Purim. The writings conclude with: Daniel, Ezra/Nehemia and Chronicles (Divrei Hayamim).

Along with the Written Law, the Almighty gave the Oral Law — the explanation for the words of the Chumash. It was given orally to ensure the accuracy of transmission. A father or teacher would make sure that his son or student correctly understood the meaning of the verse. This worked well until the Jewish people were almost destroyed 2,000 years ago. Then Rebbie Yehuda HaNasi compiled the Mishnah, the Oral Teachings. He organized 63 tractates in the Six Orders of Mishnah: 1. Zeraim (Seeds) — agricultural laws and prayers 2. Moed (Festival) — Jewish holidays and Sabbath 3. Nashim(Women) — marriage and divorce 4. Nezikin (Damages) — civil and criminal law 5. Kodshim (Holy Things) — sacrificial rites, the Temple, dietary laws 6.Tohorot (Purities) — laws of spiritual purity and impurity.

One of the 613 commandments is that every Jew should write a Sefer Torah (Torah scroll) to learn. The commandment can be fulfilled through purchasing a printed book of the Torah. I highly recommend the Artscroll Stone Chumash available at your local Jewish bookstore, atJudaicaEnterprises.com or by calling toll-free to 877-758-3242. One cannot love what he does not know; one cannot do what he has not learned.

It is amazing. The same book that is studied by first graders is being studied by our greatest and oldest scholars. There is tremendous depth and wisdom in its words. Our Sages tell us that there are 70 levels of understanding to the Chumash. It is not only our heritage, but the life source for the Jewish people which has ensured our uniqueness and our survival. It belongs to you; go and learn!

Rabbis write primarily for Jews, understandably, but we Gentiles can learn a lot from their websites.

 If one line from this article should resonate in the reader’s mind with regard YHWH’s Torah, it is this:

“One cannot love what he does not know;

one cannot do what he has not learned.”

YHWH’s Torah was given through the Israelites to be made known to all mankind, so the article’s last line applies to all, Jew and gentile, to the mixed multitude on Mount Sinai:

 “It belongs to you; go and learn!”

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