A Tale of Two Days

On all our holidays, the second day of Yom Tov is an “artificial” holiday, observed solely by Diaspora Jewry, to maintain our ancient tradition from times when it was unclear what the actual day of the holiday was.

In a sense, however, the second day of Shavuot is the “real” holiday, because while there is a debate in the Talmud regarding the actual date on which the Torah was given, the accepted view is that the Torah was given on the seventh day of Sivan, the second day of Shavuot. This anomaly was famously pointed out in the 17th century by R. Avraham Gombiner in his commentary to Shulchan Aruch, Magen Avraham. He wonders why we refer to Shavuot as zman mattan Toratenu if the Torah was actually given the day after Shavuot (i.e., the second day of Shavuot).

In fact, according to the Talmud, it had originally been G-d’s intention to give the Torah on the 6th of Sivan. Moshe, however, for certain technical reasons, made an “executive decision” to postpone the event for one day. As the Gemara in Shabbat 87a puts it, “Hosif Moshe yom echad midato,” Moshe added one day on his own.

We therefore are commemorating mattan Torah on the anniversary of the intended day rather than the actual day. Why?

We refer to Shavuot as zman mattan Toratenu, the anniversary of the giving of the Torah, rather than zman kabbalat Toratenu, the anniversary of our receiving the Torah. Had the Torah indeed been given on the 6th of Sivan, it would have indeed been purely a “given” Torah, one that brooked no human input. However, there was human input — Moshe arranged for it to be given a day later. This was no longer mattan Torah, but rather kabbalat Hatorah!

From the very beginning, essential to the giving of the Torah, there have been those human beings who actively receive the Torah, who derive insights from the Torah, and who can apply the principles of the Torah to our world. Moshe Rabenu began that process even before the Torah was given, and it has continued until this very day. Indeed, Moshe kibel Torah miSinai, Moshe received the Torah; he was not merely a passive recipient but an active part of the process, as are the Sages in every generation.

Yom Hadin, the Day of Judgement

The first Mishna in Massechet Rosh Hashanah tells us that on Shavuot the world is judged regarding the output of trees, “Baatzeret al perot ha’ilan.”

This appears to be connected to the agricultural aspect of Shavuot, referring to its Biblical name of Yom Habikurim, the “Holiday of the First Fruit.” Is there any connection between fruit trees and the fact that it is zman mattan Toratenu?

Sfat Emet wonders why our Sages in Pirkei Avot (2:12) exhort us to “expend effort in the study of Torah for it is not an inheritance.” After all, the Torah does describe itself as being the inheritance of the Jewish nation — Torah tziva lanu Moshe morasha kehillat Yaakov.

Sfat Emet explains that both are true. Torah is compared to a tree — a tree of life. A tree has a trunk and branches. The trunk was given to us at Sinai and was inherited by subsequent generations. Thus, we speak of mattan Torah. 

But each and every Jew has his or her own branch. We and only we can develop that branch and make it bear fruit. This is not an inheritance — this needs to be cultivated by us.

This interpretation gives us new insight into the meaning of the fruit of the trees being judged on Shavuot. The simple meaning of course refers to the actual output of the trees — e.g., the number of almonds that will grow in California. [Did you know that California produces over 90% of the world’s almonds? And that they import truckloads of bees every season to pollinate the trees?]

But the deeper meaning is that we are judged on our own branch. Did we develop our own individual branches to their greatest potential? Did we produce all the fruit that we are capable of producing? And how much do we intend to produce for the coming year?

Every single one of us can contribute to Torah learning and Torah output in the world. We all have our own branch, our own share of Torah.

Celebrating Our Accomplishments

The Gemara in Pesachim 88b tells us that R. Yosef, the celebrated amora and rosh yeshiva, took special care to have an elaborate feast on Shavuot, remarking that “if not for the Torah, I would be no different than all the other Yosefs in the world.”

Some commentators struggle to understand R. Yosef’s statement, for it is highly unlikely to imagine that he was bragging about how great he was, or about how much honor he received. 

R. Yosef was teaching a very important lesson. We must not only celebrate the giving and receiving of the Torah on Shavuot, we must also celebrate our own individual accomplishments in the study and observance of the Torah. Not only should we celebrate mattan Torah in general, we should also be proud of our individual accomplishments — much as we celebrate a siyum. 

R. Yosef was not boasting at all. He was thanking G-d for giving us a Torah that we can all study and use to achieve personal greatness. Everyone achieves something unique, all because of mattan Torah.