Shavuot: From Sinai to Jerusalem - Tehila Gimpel: The Land of Israel Fellowship

hi everybody so shev is coming and we are celebrating the Revelation at Sinai where we received the Torah that's pretty straightforward except for as you probably know there's something very strange about this holiday we know that shabot by counting the days between uh you know leaving Egypt and getting to sin we know through that mathematical calculation that shabot is the holiday of receiving the Torah but it actually doesn't say that anywhere in the Torah like sukot we know that we were in huts and then what do we do on the holiday we relive living in Huts Passover we were making a Seder we were eating matah and the PES sacrifice so we do that on pesak to commemorate what happened to us back then shabot we know that we were historically receiving the Torah on that day why isn't there any mention of that and why isn't there any commandment to bring us back to reliving that right like maybe go visit sin okay you don't want to leave Israel fine maybe do something reminiscent of Sinai like a reliving of Sinai there isn't a commandment to study Torah on Chabot like we have this day doesn't mention Sinai what does it tell us to do tells us bring your first fruits to Jerusalem and declare uh our father was a Wandering aramean and we're blessed with these fruits and you give your fruits to the priest that that's nice but how is that in any way connected to the Revelation at Sinai right it's a little bit weird so I want to take you guys to a really far away story that has been bothering me jemy knows how much it's been bothering me because I've been talking about how much it's been bothering me and I've been sort of trying to understand this story and then suddenly it hit me that maybe it could actually lead us down a rabbit hole that can help us crack this mystery open so okay bear with me this story's been popping out of me in all different opportunities and it's the story of Elijah going to mount horv which is another name for siai after his whole uh you know sound and light show at the Carmel Mountain as far as I can remember he's the only Prophet who actually goes back to Mount Si so if we're trying to figure out why we're not living the Mount Si story why we don't relive that on Shu let's go back to somebody who did relive SI so it's I'm going to take us to Kings First Kings chapter 18 book of milim there's this incredible story of Elijah eliahu and he is a prophet in a time that is very bad for Israel uh there's this evil queen eel Jezebel that she's been killing all the prophets of Hashem that people are worshiping the Bal there's a drought no one is repenting and Elijah decides to make this test at the mountain of Carmel he says let's do a public sacrifice and see you bring all the prophets of B and I'm going to come too let's see whose sacrifice Works let's see whose sacrifice gets consumed the prophets of ba they're prophesizing they're cutting themselves they're carrying on nothing happens and then Elijah actually wets his altar so that everyone knows there's no slight of hand there's no magic here and he just says let it be known that you are God in Israel I am your servant and at your word I have done all of these things and Hashem consumes everything with fire and then in verse 39 we have this incredible moment what happens to the people all of the people saw and fell on their faces and they said the Lord is God the Lord is God Hashem Elohim Hashim it's like this moment where the entire nation is united in perfect faith in Hashem and then oh you know they kill the prophets of the ball and the drought finishes and now what when you're reading this story what do you expect is going to be the next thing to happen when I read it I imagine the next chapter will be like a grand story of national repentance maybe there's going to be a rebellion against aave and aav and and Isel Jezebel and maybe maybe they'll even repent who knows it could be an amazing story but quite the opposite happens in chapter 19 this evil queen sends a messenger that she's going to kill Elijah I it's not only that people aren't repenting they're actually continuing to be horrible and even worse now obviously that means there's been no big Rebellion you don't hear the people saying hey no wel you know no wake Mrs Queen We you know we want to protect our Prophet everyone seems to have gone back to their lives Jezebel goes back to her business of killing prophets he's so dejected that what does he do he goes down to the desert and he wants to die Elijah wants to die why is he so upset he's used to people Behaving Badly right but it seems like there was this huge miracle and it was about to be this amazing moment of repentance well what happened s what happens is nothing what happens is nothing and things just getting worse and now he's resting under a juniper and an angel comes to him and in 19 verse 7 the angel said something to him really interesting says the angel of the Lord returned to him again and touched him and said arise and eat the journey is too much for you you have a journey and it's too much for we didn't even know he was about to go on a journey what does that mean no no no there's a journey and it's too much for you the angel doesn't tell us where he's supposed to go and then in verse eight it says he arose and ate and drank and he went with the strength of his meal for 40 days and 40 nights that's an interesting number right up to the mountain of the Lord horv he goes to the mountain of Si and what happens to him at SI says he comes there to a cave I'm in verse nine and he lodged there and he said behold the word of the Lord came to him and said what are you doing here Elijah that's interesting we seem like you know he seems like he's going to the right place he's going somewhere magical and amazing where he can connect with God but God says wait what what do you what are you doing here Elijah did he even go to the right place it's not obvious that he did because hasem says what are you doing here and he says I have been zealous for the Lord the god of hosts the children of Israel have forsaken your Covenant they have torn down your altars they have killed your prophets By The Sword and I have remained alone and they seek my life to take it he says you've given me this impossible job I am trying to be so good I am trying my best and I am having no effect on people and now what happens so then Hashem says go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord behold the Lord passes a great and strong wind splitting mountains shattering Boulders before the Lord but the Lord was not in the wind and after the wind and earthquake not in the earthquake was the Lord and after the earthquake fire but not in the fire was the Lord and after the fire a still small sound so what is this obviously meant to remind us of what is he re living there's 40 days and 40 nights what does that remind us of obviously is referencing Moshe receiving the Torah and there's this whole sound and light show things are shaking things are storming it's just like Sinai then Hashem says I'm not in that I'm in the still small sound that humble quiet sound that comes after that Revelation and and then comes verse 13 and Hashem asks him again what are you doing here Elijah meaning Hashem is saying you've gone on the wrong Journey do you get that you've come back to sin what are you doing here and he says the same exact answer I've been zealous for the Lord and he says the same exact thing in 14 meaning nothing has changed he's not getting something that we're supposed to be that he's supposed to be getting and us as the readers are supposed to be getting at this very moment What's the next thing that happens Elijah gets fired that was the end verse 16 it says that Alisha the son of shafat from Mah you shall anoint him to be a prophet in your stad meaning at that moment Elijah is done with his prophesizing that is the end of the road for him where did he go wrong see seemingly he did the right thing he sanctifies hashem's name on Carmel he gets persecuted he runs away to save himself he's so despondent the angel tells him he has a long road now what is the road what is the long way that he's supposed to go well where are you supposed to meet Hashem shouldn't you seek connection with Hashem in the place where Hashem revealed himself the most but Hashem just seems frustrated with him he seems to be trying to connect with hasem he goes to Sinai and Hashem seems as doing here what are you doing here Hashem keeps asking him where was he supposed to go when we look at the verse how is he supposed to understand from the angel the angel said you have a long road ahead of you in Hebrew it's the way will be too long for you what is he being told that he's missing why is he attracted to Sinai but that's not the right place so I was looking into this verse the way the the path is too long for you there's only one yes one other time that that phrase appears in the Bible and it's in devari Deuteronomy 14: 24 it's talking about going wait for this to Jerusalem it says and if the way is too long for you and you are unable to carry it it's talking here about the second tithes to the place that the Lord your God will choose to establish his name therein if it is too far for you so then you can turn it into money here we're being commanded and what's known as second tithes everyone knows that you need to tithe your Harvest for the priests and the Levites but not everyone always remembers that you need to also siphon off 10% that you eat in Holiness in Jerusalem when you do the pilgrimages for the festivals now the verse says it could be that Jerusalem the place where Hashem chose to make his home will be too far for you and your food won't stay good so you can if you can't carry your food then you can turn it into money and then eat it in Holiness in Jerusalem so Hashem uses a verse speaking to Elijah about the place he's supposed to go to using a term that only appears one other time in the Bible when talking about going where going to Jerusalem the verse was like a hlink telling him to go to Jerusalem Hashem doesn't tell him this straightforward because it seems to be a test Elijah are you still the one who's meant to lead Israel in Prophecy and spirituality you need to understand you need to understand this on your own so hasm is giving him a hint to see if he understands but he doesn't hear it where does he want to go he wants to go back to Sinai Sinai is his comfort zone how we know Sinai is Elijah's comfort zone because look at the miracle that he does on Mount Carmel Big Mountain everyone's looking miraculous Revelation everyone accepts upon thems themselves Hashem is the king it's so amazing what a great show it is an absolute Rel reliving of shavu so he has a his personality is a drum like a magnet to Sinai because Sinai is who he is but what's wrong with Sinai something happened at Sinai only a revelation what happened right after the revelation after the Revelation comes the golden calf like two seconds after the miracle the people have already lost it and they didn't fundamentally change the same exact thing that happened at Carmel oh Hashem is the god Hashem is God back to back to our Reg regularly scheduled sinning and profit killing right no change he wants more siai but Hashem says why are you here Elijah and then Hashem relives Sinai with him he does the whole light show that that he's so yearning for oh that's shaking and there's wind and there's fire and he goes but don't think that's where I am Elijah the Lord is not in the Thunder the Lord is not in the wind and not in the fire because after the Thunder after the wind after the fire there is post SI there's the time when you don't really feel so much spiritual excitement that is when you are likely to fall into the golden G calf that's when you are likely to fall into idolatry but that is the moment where Hashem appears in that small silence and that quiet voice that you need to seek out because that is where Hashem is going to really be found in your life in that humble hard work that you do to maintain your relationship with Hashem after the big inspiration that strikes you and where is that where is that humble work where is that seeking of Hashem with a humble heart ready to learn ready to change that's not symbolized with sin that's symbolized with Jerusalem my father he was just a Wandering aramean I'm just a humble farmer but I've been blessed and I know where my blessing comes from so I bring my first fruits to you hasem I come to Jerusalem I don't really know anything I don't really know much but I'm willing to learn I'm willing to try I'm willing to study the Torah and Hashem gives Elijah one more chance to understand this idea you're not here to do magic shows for the people he's saying to Elijah he's saying go to Jerusalem take the people who just experienced this miracle and give them a Jerusalem experience it's going to be a long road it's too long it's a really long road to get to Jerusalem the angel tells him it's a difficult road because it's a tiresome Road of constant effort and study and frustration it's going to be a long road but it's a long road of humble study that will lead the people to a deep connection with Hashem when they know what they don't know they can start studying with a humble heart to learn what there is to know from the Torah and Hashem says one more time Elijah why are you here but he's stuck in his ways he repeats the same thing over and over showing that it's not going into his heart and that's when he gets fired his prophecy is over so there's this justos of Sinai versus Mount Carmel versus Jerusalem and then I found this fascinating mid I can't say that I found it actually because it's if if I'm not mistaken I think it's the first midash I ever learned as a child and I think it's the first midash most children learn and that's why I kind of become like a little cute story that Jewish children say and I never actually went back to the text itself there's a midash on Psalm 68 it says why was Mount Si chosen over all other mountains for Revelations I mean it's not the tallest mountain it's not the most beautiful mountain and every child learns this story and it's really cute one mountain came and said I'm the tallest I should be chosen and one mountain said I'm the Wiest I should be chosen and then Sinai said I'm the littlest and humblest Mountain don't choose me and that is why Hashem chose Sinai and then your teacher says to you that's why you should shouldn't boast and brag because Mount sin didn't boast and brag it seems like a cute sort of childish story but when I returned to the midash now as an adult I saw it's not quite what the mid says when I went to the text it actually says which mountains were vying for the job they're not random tall Mountains they're actual mountains it says in the midash that Carmel and Tavor each said we should be the mountains that have the revelation of the Torah and then Hashem you know Sinai was such a humble mountain and and then Hashem chose it now T Carmel and Tavor we know what happened in Carmel what happened in the mountain of Tavor there's only one really meaningful story in the Hebrew Bible about Tavor and that is the story of d'vorah and Barak beating the army of cisra it says in judges four that King yaven was terrorizing the Israelites for 20 years and no one was actually standing up to them or doing anything and after 20 years of helplessness d'vorah the propheus says it says she sent out to call Barack the son of abinoam of Kesh nealian she said to him indeed the Lord God of Israel commanded go and draw towards Mount Tavor take with you 10,000 men the children of talian and the children of zun so now we know that CIS was killed by yel but there was a really impressive Victory right there on Mount Tavor with the courage of the Israeli Fighters combined with the Miracles that Hashem did confusing the army of cisra now so if we look back understanding this at the mountains that are vying to be the place of Revelation what does that mean that the mountains were really arguing with each other and like no it what it's me it's me what is the midash telling us it's telling us that Carmel the idea of Carmel and the idea of Tavor were fighting to be the conceptual foundations of the revelation of Hashem in the world in Tavor that's like when Hashem shows his presence in the world through military might giving Hashem Hashem giving his people the strength to be stronger than all the other kings and armies Tavor says that's what's going to create ongoing faith and then Carmel says no no no no no what what happens on Carmel has shows his spiritual might his power that's greater than all the other gods greater than the Baal greater than all the other Idols that's what's going to create ongoing faith and hasm says no no no no no Sinai is the most humble of mountains nothing was so special about it lights and sounds and miracles and excitement I can do that on S but that doesn't create long lasting Faith what is going to be the fundamental idea of the Revelation it's that there will be Miracles and Hashem can appear miraculously but that's not what's important it's not about what a moment of belief but what what comes after that small silence the quiet after the miracle when hashem's voice is not so loud who do you become do you go right back to who you used to be or do you you know do you make a golden calf do you worship the ball or do you seek to hear Hashem in that almost imperceptible silent voice and maybe that is why shabot in the Torah seems to have no mention of Sinai or Revelation because that happened but that's not what we're supposed to relive If you experience in your life you know wild inspiration and Revelation and miracles you're lucky but that's not the thing shabot was not a completely successful holiday because it was followed by continued evil and I you know and and and not listening to Hashem the revelation of shabo was not a one-off thing that you're supposed to live and relive again and again but rather is a partial experience that needs to be completed and fixed how do we fix and complete it through the long long road of that pilgrimage to Jerusalem and that verse that brings us back to the verse of second tithes what are the second ties the verse says we bring our food to eat in Jerusalem what does hasem want us to do why do we have to save money and food to eat in Jerusalem well if you don't have saved up money to eat in Jerusalem even if you want to make a pilgrimage you're not going to be able to feed yourself and provide for yourself when you're there now why do you make pilgrimages in Jerusalem you're only going to stay there for as long as you have Provisions right now the mid says something really interesting it says and I I read this uh in a in a Torah of ra mamad he says there's an ancient Midas in the cfre on that verse about second tithes in Deuteronomy and it says if you give ties it brings one to the study of the Torah what does studying Torah and second ties have what do they have to do with each other well if you think about it it's actually really logical when people made pilgrimages to Jerusalem what do you do there you're on the holiday you're not working that is when the priests taught Torah to the people it was spiritual tourism you will only learn as much Torah as the amount of food that you brought will last you so Revelation is nice but it's the only way to maintain Revelation is that long road to Jerusalem where you come with enough provision saying I am coming for the Long Hall ready to learn Elijah wanted to relive siai but Hashem was trying to send him to do the real job to bring the nation to Jerusalem to do the hard work of Torah study and spiritual growth that can't be achieved through any one exciting Miracle now it really speaks to me to I think what we're feeling now after October 7th you know with all of the horrors that we went through I think that everyone felt that the world will just understand now like there was this amazing Awakening of unity in Israel that we're already together to fight against the evil of Kamas and everyone got it and the world got it there was like this horrible one moment where everything became clear and The Masks were taken off but now I think it's not really like that anymore like the haters of Israel are hating Israel the anti-semites are being anti-semites and within Israel everyone has kind of gone back to their old camps like the left still says well we should give up a little bit more then maybe Hamas will like us maybe Hamas will be happy everyone's sort of going back to to their original Comfort zones and even though the fight isn't over and I think the message of shabot is that there is no shortcut there is no moment in time that will change everything all just like that there's there's sin and there's the other side of the coin it's Jerusalem it's the humble heart of the first fruits of openness to work and to learn in our connection with Hashem to know what you don't know and want to make the sacrifices that are taken that they need to be taken to get there and that is what Israel needs to go through but it's not only Israel that goes through that because eventually Jerusalem will be the end Jerusalem will be the the destination for the whole world because we know in Isaiah chapter 2 it says and it will be in the end of days that the mountain of the Lord shall be firmly established on the top of the mountains it shall be raised above the hills and the Nations shall stream to it many people shall go and they shall say come let us go to the Lord's Mountain to the house of the god of Jacob and let him teach us of his ways and we will go on his paths for out of Zion shall come for the Torah shall come forth in the word of the Lord from Jerusalem now it's so interesting because I've never noticed this I've read this verse and probably here on the fellowship a dozen times but Rashi says on that verse something I never noticed before he says the mountain will be raised above all Hills he says you know which mountains it will be raised above it says this mountain will be greater in its miracles than Sinai Carmel and Tavor how interesting is that meaning the Future Vision is also going to include overcoming these misconceptions and the mountain of Hashem will be raised over these mountains being don't go to si in the end of days the nations are not going to seek out the Sinai they're not going to seek out Carmel or Tavor one day we will be seeking God not through Miracles and thunder but through a humble heart in Jerusalem together because that is the deeper meaning of Sinai that is the original attribute that Sinai came to bring to the world that that humility that silent Small Voice that comes after the Revelation that says in our Simplicity we're coming to you Hashem an to learn there's no shortcut to our spiritual work but a hard and humble road that ultimately leads us back to Jerusalem where we seek out the god of Jacob together to walk in his ways so with that I wish you guys a happy and we should all meet together in Jerusalem to learn the Torah bye guys