Many have remarked on the apparent irony that unlike other yamim tovim, Shavuos, when we celebrate our receiving the Torah, does not have any specific mitzvos.
Even more, the gemara (Pesachim 68b) tells us that some maintain that there is no obligation for a person to enjoy delightful meals on the festivals – with the exceptions of Shavuos and Purim, when all agree that a person must enjoy himself. Why must one enjoy physical delights on Shavuos? The gemara answers that it is because it is the day the Torah was given to Klal Yisrael.
Is that logical? Wouldn’t this be the day that calls for complete spirituality? Shouldn’t it be a day completely devoted to prayer, study and the performance of special mitzvos?
The Torah is telling us that the answer is a resounding No!
We don’t commemorate receiving the Torah through some special act. We relive receiving it through every act. Torah is not just ceremonies and observances. Torah is not limited to eating matzah or lighting the Menorah. Torah is supposed to guide everything we do each day. The objective of the Jew is to live Torah.
So that is how we mark this special occasion: By doing nothing unique to this day. By insisting that we not only daven, sing praises to Hashem, and study, but that we enjoy food and drink. Because Torah is more than ritual, it is meant infuse our every action with sanctity; to make our gustatory delight an act of Divine worship.
May we all merit to a renewed personal kabbalas haTorah this Shavuos, and may we yet merit to meet as we are oleh regel together, this very Yom Tov.
Gut Yom Tov.
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