RABBI'S THOUGHTS:  Shavuot

The Midrash tells us that when G-d wanted to give the Torah to Israel, he said to them, "Do you accept My Torah?"
"Yes," replied the Jewish people.

"Give Me a guarantor who will uphold it," demanded G-d.
"Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be our guarantors."

"Not good enough."
"Our prophets will be our guarantors."

G-d was still not satisfied.
"Our children will be our guarantors."

G-d accepted them immediately [as guarantors] and gave the Torah to Israel.

Although the Torah is the source of Jewish pride, there is still a danger that our involvement with other concerns will cause us to be lax in this regard. As with every loan where there is a danger of default, G-d required some form of guarantee that the Torah would be upheld.

At first the Jews offered their parents as guarantors. We have older parents. They are already retired and can comfortably study the Torah, and they will be our guarantors.

G-d did not accept this, so the Jews offered their prophets as guarantors. The word for "prophet" (navi) actually means "orator." The Jews said: "Our rabbis will keep Judaism alive! We will hire rabbis, and it will be their job to study on our behalf."

G-d wasn’t satisfied with this solution either. His intent is that every Jew have access to Torah, not only the rabbis or the elders.

That is why the when they finally offered the children, G-d was satisfied. Like anything else, the only way to pass on Judaism is to be sure that the next generation, the children, our future – know about it.

Good Yom Tov