Every ritual tells a story.
The Torah reading during Shabbat services is a reenactment of Har Sinai, according to Rav Soloveitchik.
In this week’s parsha after 7 perniciously painful plagues Pharaoh finally acquiesces and concedes to Moshe’s request to allow the Jewish people a three day pilgrimage into the wilderness to serve God. Pharaoh inquires, “Who is going on this religious endeavor?”
Moshe responds “with our youth and with our elders we will go, with our sons and with our daughters” that is who will be participating in this religious experience. Pharaoh says only the men need to go. That experience would eventually turn out to be the giving of the Torah.
So we have two different viewpoints about who should participate. Moshe is inclusive of all ages and genders and Pharaoh is discriminatory.
Who should be in shul on shabbos to hear Kriyat HaTorah, the reading of the Torah portion? In the words of Moshe everyone! The entire community needs to be in attendance or no one is going.
Whose side is God on?
We have another event that is a recreation of Matan Torah, it is called Hakel. Mentioned in Devarim once every seven years the entire nation is required to gather in Jerusalem to hear the king of Israel read from the Torah. The king would recite the same blessing on the Torah that we do today when a man is called up to the Torah on Shabbat morning.
The halacha is very specific in the Mishnah and the Gemara about Hakel. Everyone is required to be present- Moshe’s opinion. Men, women and children of all ages must be present.
The Torah reading during Shabbat services is a reenactment of Har Sinai, according to Rav Soloveitchik.
In this week’s parsha after 7 perniciously painful plagues Pharaoh finally acquiesces and concedes to Moshe’s request to allow the Jewish people a three day pilgrimage into the wilderness to serve God. Pharaoh inquires, “Who is going on this religious endeavor?”
Moshe responds “with our youth and with our elders we will go, with our sons and with our daughters” that is who will be participating in this religious experience. Pharaoh says only the men need to go. That experience would eventually turn out to be the giving of the Torah.
So we have two different viewpoints about who should participate. Moshe is inclusive of all ages and genders and Pharaoh is discriminatory.
Who should be in shul on shabbos to hear Kriyat HaTorah, the reading of the Torah portion? In the words of Moshe everyone! The entire community needs to be in attendance or no one is going.
Whose side is God on?
We have another event that is a recreation of Matan Torah, it is called Hakel. Mentioned in Devarim once every seven years the entire nation is required to gather in Jerusalem to hear the king of Israel read from the Torah. The king would recite the same blessing on the Torah that we do today when a man is called up to the Torah on Shabbat morning.
The halacha is very specific in the Mishnah and the Gemara about Hakel. Everyone is required to be present- Moshe’s opinion. Men, women and children of all ages must be present.
RSS Feed