#269: The Sublime Takes Time
#269: The Sublime Takes Time
Otzar Midrashim on Shemot/Exodus 19:1
Gimme Some Torah #269
בַּחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י לְצֵ֥את בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה בָּ֖אוּ מִדְבַּ֥ר סִינָֽי׃
On the third new moon after the Israelites had gone forth from the land of Egypt, on that very day, they entered the wilderness of Sinai.
Why was there a seven week delay between the Exodus and Mattan Torah, the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai? Why didn’t God see fit to follow the advice that Hillel would give many centuries later: “If not now, when? (M. Avot 1:14)”
The typical answer suggests that Israel was somehow not ready for the Torah and needed time to wash the shame of slavery from their souls. And that is a viable interpretation. But the anthology known as Midrash Aseret HaDibbrot offers, in my opinion, a better one:
“On the third new moon after the Israelites had gone forth from the land of Egypt, on that very day, they entered the wilderness of Sinai” — to receive the Torah, and there the Holy One gave the Torah to Israel. But why did God not give them the Torah when they left Egypt? Because God said, “I shall do them kindnesses before I demonstrate My might, and after that they will accept My Torah and My commandments.
I will explain this by way of a parable: There was once a king who wanted to marry a woman. The king said, “I will do her kindnesses, and after that, I will marry her.” So it was with the Holy One: God saw the assembly of Israel naked and clothed them. The Eternal saw Israel barefoot and gave them shoes (Ezekiel 16:10). When Israel reached the sea, God allowed them to cross it. When the Holy One saw that Amalek was attacking Israel, God rescued them. And when Israel recognized God’s kindness and power, they all said, “Everything that God has said we will faithfully do! (Ex. 24:7)”
We live in an instant society. We love everything that can be obtained instantaneously. You don’t want to make real chicken soup, not even from a can? No problem, go ahead and put a spoonful of MSG, spices, and food coloring in a cup of hot water, stir, and voila! You don’t feel like finding some stationery, a pen, and a stamp to send a formal thank you note? No problem, there’s an app for that!
There are, however, no shortcuts for the best things in life. An instant solution can be better than nothing, it might be sufficient in a pinch, but the sublime and the sacred require time.
So it was with God and Israel. There is no question that God could have given Israel the Torah right away. The Holy One, however, was not interested in mere obedience but rather in a combo platter of reverence and love.
For Jews, the law and love are not opposites. Law is the means and love is the end, and neither one is an instant product.
Discussion Questions:
What is the difference between a good shortcut and a bad one?
Do you think artificial intelligence will be make us lazy and stupid? Why or why not?
Ḥag Sameaḥ and Shabbat Shalom! GST will be back on Monday morning after Shavuot and Shabbat!
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Rabbi Eli Garfinkel is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth El in Somerset, New Jersey. He is the author of The JPS Jewish Heritage Torah Commentary.
It's interesting what kind of substances you seem to have in your kitchen... ;-)
(1) Compatibility with the Categorical Imperative, maybe?
(2) No, it won't have an opportunity to do so. 'Cause we already are ;-)