Unity at Sinai
Adapted from Rabbi Braun’s sermon in 5778
There are times when phrases and ideas become too familiar; they then become mantras and truisms that we don’t actually think about and learn from.
As the Jews prepared to receive the Torah at Sinai we read
שמות פרק יט
בַּחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י לְצֵ֥את בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם
In the 3rd month after the children of Israel left Egypt..
ב) וַיִּסְע֣וּ מֵרְפִידִ֗ים וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ מִדְבַּ֣ר סִינַ֔י וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיִּֽחַן־שָׁ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נֶ֥גֶד הָהָֽר
They travelled from Refiddim and came to the Sinai desert. And they (plural) camped in the desert; and Israel camped (singular).
Everyone is bothered by the repetition and the change from plural to singular, in the same verse no less. The children of Israel camp – plural- and Israel camped there (singular) demands explanation.
Two of my favorite commentators, Eben Ezra and the Netziv give what is probably the pshat answer. They explain that the verse actually refers to two different groups.
The children as Israel plural all camped in the desert. A smaller group of tribal leaders and wise men were nearer to the mountain than everyone else. That is why it is singular – to teach us that it is a smaller group.
Rashi quotes a Midrash which explain that both phrases refer to the people of Israel as a whole. The children of Israel camped in the desert. The singular teaches us the manner in which they camped- like one person with one heart. That is the famous mantra!
We hear that quoted all the time – they were united, they had achdus. The one time in history!
Why did that have to be? What is the connection of Achdus and Sinai? What does it actually mean and teach us?
The Kli Yakar explains that it was a prerequisite for receiving the Torah. They had to be united otherwise they would argue over the halacha and end up with different Torot. The unity was necessary to preserve the truth of Torah.
No one can explain how they managed to achieve it at that moment.
There is another Midrash, an older Midrash that learns a very powerful message from the singular vayichan.
The Mechilta of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai – they camped as one, it was placed in their hearts that they must be as one so that they should love one another and accept the Torah.
That is much more than simple unity. Did they really have to love each other to receive the Torah? Why should that be?
There is a beautiful piece written in 1958 by Rav Shaul Yisrael, Rosh Yeshiva of Mercaz Harav which I believe sheds light on the idea.
He writes that you can have a group of people who are camped together but are not united. They fight, they look out for themselves even though they are living in the same camp. That is the people of Israel camped in the desert.
One camp united means that their hearts are united; they care about each other and give to one another.
What differentiates the two – one simple question. Do you see yourself as the one that you are out to help and take care of, or do you understand that you are a part of creation and that you are responsible for all of creation, for every human being out there?
The former looks out for themselves and by definition is isolated from others.
The latter is united with the rest of humanity.
And it is only the latter who can receive the Torah for two reasons:
- That is the essence of the Torah. When the convert comes to Hillel and asks for the Torah on one foot, Hillel responds – veahavta l’reacha kamocha. Only one who is connected to the other can achieve veahavta.
- If your primary interest is your needs not only do you block out the other, you block out Hashem as well.
There is a great chashidesha story that illustrates that point. There is a poor guy who is trying to become a part of the shul. He tries to help out in every way but is rejected at every turn. He gets no aliyot, can’t be a gabbai, can’t join a committee despite a sincere desire to help. Alas he sits in the back of the shul dejected when God comes down and asks what is wrong. The man says – I try so hard to get in here, but they just won’t let me in. Don’t feel so bad says God – they won’t let me in here either.
When you are arrogant or self-centered there is no room for others and no room for God, and such a people cannot receive the Torah.
The message for us is a beautiful one.
The unity at Sinai was not simply that we didn’t argue, (although we would take that) it was a recognition that we live life with a higher purpose that is greater than ourselves, and that entails being sensitive to and taking care of others as well as accepting the will of Hashem. Unity means not focusing selfishly on ourselves, rather it entails seeing one’s self as:
A: part of the Jewish and human community
and
B: A servant to Hashem.
