Shavuot, the Jewish holiday marking the anniversary of the Israelites receiving the Torah, is also the anniversary of the cosmic marriage between God and the Jewish people. Underlying their collective choosing to say "yes" to this marriage is a love story anyone can learn from.
The biblical narrative relates how difficult the journey from Egypt to Mount Sinai was for the newly freed Israelites. Yet by the time they reached the mountain, they had become clear on one thing. As they trembled at the awesomeness of God revealing Himself to them, the Israelites declared in Exodus 24:7, "We will do and we will hear." In that statement, the people were saying, "Because we trust in You and Your love for us, we will love You in return and demonstrate it by doing whatever you ask of us and understand it later."
The Israelites spoke a truth that is part of any committed relationship. Going into one, it is impossible to know exactly what you are getting yourself into. No matter how well you think you know someone, there will be revelations about who they are that might challenge you. Plus, the twists and turns of life guarantee rocky times where you will question whether or not you made the right decision in entering the marriage or relationship. Isn't it true that any of us who marry with good intentions declare, "I say yes then I will understand what I have committed to"? That has certainly been my own experience!
Even with all the unknowns entering into a committed relationship entails, the joy and promise in choosing to make a life together is worthy of great celebration (there is a reason why no matter how a marriage turns out, the wedding is usually a great party!). The Jewish tradition of staying up all night in study to commemorate Shavuot might not seem as much as fun as other forms of revelry, but for those whose hearts are into it, it gets the job done!
Love is about choosing time and time again to stay in the relationship (assuming the core values of love and trust are still possible to reclaim if they have been lost). Shavuot returning in its annual cycle is an opportunity to renew the marriage vow that was made the previous year. It is a time to get clear on what really matters and celebrate the "yes" made the previous year again. Perhaps if more of us renewed our own marriage vows on a yearly basis we would be happier and healthier couples.
Shavuot teaches us that committing to love is a big responsibility. By doing so, we are called to act out of love, in particular when we don't understand exactly why we are doing something that is important to our partner. Through saying "yes" to something greater than ourselves, we are elevating ourselves and our partner as a reflection of the divinity that lives in each of us. The love relationship between God and the Israelites illustrates that committing to love for eternity is a precious, sacred act that needs great attention or it can wither.
What is your experience in a committed relationship? What have you needed to let go of to keep love alive? I welcome your sharing your own love stories and lessons of how "I will do and understand later" has worked out for you.
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Sentimentality: When the emotions are not supported by the facts.
Superstition: When the beliefs are supported by sentimentality.
Insanity: A range of conditions in with one common thread throughout--an aversion for reality.
Did he just say horrifying?
Yes i did.
"Because we trust in You and Your love for us, we will love You in return and demonstrate it by doing whatever you ask of us and understand it later." What is this if not sheepish obedience to dictatorship? One should also keep in mind that according to the story, as soon as Moses was up the mountain, the people got Aaron to build them the golden calf. Upon Moses' return he was so furious that he shattered the tablets (which were apparently man made and susceptible to being shattered) and ordered the massacre of about half the people of Israel. Later on, the loving god of the Jews also commands that adulterers, witches, disobedient children, and people who do as little as collect sticks on Saturday be stoned to death. All this was followed by the genocide of the Amalekites and many other peoples, while keeping the young virgin girls as sex slaves.
You are free to celebrate this dark iron aged tribal brutality as much as you want. Just don't be surprised when people like me point out some of the finer points of this brutal desert myth.
But the other points you made are good!
First, you do know that the whole story is just a myth. There is absolutely no archeological or historical proof that any of this ever happened. Just to prove this point, the 600,000 people you mentioned were just the men. The story also includes women and children and many other peoples who were also supposedly there. The estimated number of people in front of mount Sinai was actually around 2 million. Considering the fact that the entire Egyptian population was around 3 million and that the population in Canaan was around 50,000, you would think that an enormous movement of population like that would be mentioned or discovered in the many historical writings the Egyptians left behind or in the local archeology. The Sinai peninsula couldn't even support that large a number of roaming people today, even with modern technology and agriculture. The whole story, from beginning to end is just a myth, and a brutal and immoral one at that.
As for the supposed tablets being supposedly made by god - do i even need to argue this childish point? "No one look while i climb up a mountain and after a good deal of time, come back down with some tablets i claim were inscribed by god". Come on. All one needs to do is look at the Joseph Smith story to see how easy it is to recreate something like that.
I totally agree with your statement, "I say yes then I will understand what I have committed to." I was barely 20 years old when my husband and I married 29 years ago, and I can honestly say that knowing what I know now, I'd say yes all over again! Through every season - yes; Years of infertility, then the overwhelming joy of giving birth to our only child after 12 years of marriage - yes; Aging parents, then experiencing the loss of one while being caregivers to another - yes; Watching our son become a young man, knowing we'll only have him home for another year before he heads off to college - yes; And then one day, when it's back to just the two of us - of course, I'll say yes! The covenant we've made with each other is the "how" and the "why" we remain "us" after all this time, and it will continue to see us through our great adventure!
Did I say something inappropriate? If so, please accept my deepest apologies. I was merely expressing something that would seem obvious to a normal observer.
If I offended your delicate sensibilities in any way, please accept my apology. In the future, I will try to refrain from pointing out the obvious to those who make a living by ... er ... pointing out the obvious.
Another "obvious" question for you: "Is Love of greater value than Purity?"
It's a fairly "obvious" question ... but, in the end, is there any point to it? I've done this philosophical jazz before and it always leads nowhere. Ole Levi here, is busily asking questions that no one (in the real world) asks, then answering himself as if that produces some result. Hogwash.
We live in the REAL world. If you want to be a religious leader ... lead in the REAL world. I'm sick of pseudo-philosophers pretending to make a difference in order to make a living.
Regarding what you said: folklore, stories, ancient tradition and colourful heritage - does it matter whether it's all based on reality or not? Is it just like leprechauns to the Irish? (Well, maybe they are also pesky cosmic beings...).
It is a very special thing to feel yourself so closely connected to everyone and HaShem.
To then think about this in your own relationship to the divine and see it as a marriage, a vow you have taken, personally not just collectively is a very powerful thing.
Also, to then translate this to your own marriage or special partner is truly to see the divine in everyone. I think this is one of the greatest things that Religion can give to people, to see God in everyone.