Regarding the giving of the Torah, the Torah states (Shemot 19): “They traveled from Refidim and they came to the Sinai Desert, and they camped in the desert. The Jewish nation camped opposite the mountain.”
The saintly Ohr Ha’Chaim asks that in the previous verses, the Torah already states that they arrived at the Sinai Desert, if so, why does the Torah need to state that they camped in the desert. Isn’t that redundant and obvious?
The Ohr Ha’Chaim explains that this verse teaches us three fundamental principles regarding accepting the Torah, without which Hashem would not have agreed to give the Torah to the Jewish nation.
The first principle is hinted in the words, “They traveled from Refidim.” The word Refidim in Hebrew alludes to looseness and laziness, for the Jewish nation at the time was acting in care-free manner, as is common with recently freed slaves. Nevertheless, they overcame their natural tendencies and prepared themselves to accept the Torah with passion and alacrity so as to avoid treating the Torah lackadaisically. Indeed, the Torah requires constant strengthening, and this is why anytime the Torah mentions Torah study, it uses passionate and boosting phrases such as, “This book of Torah shall not cease from your mouth, and you shall delve in it day and night. You have been charged to be strong and resolute!” This travel from Refidim represents the Jewish nations rise from laziness to alacrity and joy to receive the Torah, which was one of the criteria necessary for them to merit the crown of Torah.
The second principle is hinted in the words “And they came to the Sinai Desert, and they camped in the dessert.” The Jewish nation reached a high spiritual level where they resembled a desert, which everyone steps on and treads through. Similarly, the Jewish nation reached a place of humility and modesty which is a prerequisite for receiving the Torah, for the Torah cannot rest among the arrogant of heart and spirit. It is for this reason why Moshe Rabbeinu merited being the conduit of the Torah between Hashem and the Jewish people, for he was the quintessential symbol of the greatest humility known to man. Furthermore, the Torah was given on Mount Sinai, the smallest of all mountains, as a sign that the Torah cannot rest on the haughty. Only in the merit of this humility was the Jewish nation able to receive the Torah.
The third principle is hinted in the words “The Jewish nation camped opposite the mountain.” The word “camped” is written in the Torah in the singular tense to symbolize that the Jewish nation had achieved tremendous unity, like one man with one heart, for the Torah was not given to individuals; rather, Hashem presented the Torah to the entire cohesive unit of the Jewish people. This is why the Torah must always be studied in a public forum to the extent that our Sages spoke negatively of those who learn alone, without a study partner who can correct one when one is mistaken. (Once one is established enough in the foundations of Torah learning, one may begin to study alone in the words of the Acharonim, for doing so will likewise correct one’s mistaken perceptions.) Fortunate is the nation who bands together to study Torah publicly on the night of Shavuot just as we did when we first received the Torah at Mount Sinai.
May we merit the light of Torah by constantly strengthening our resolve in Torah, working on our humility, and seeking to unify our nation in pursuit of the will of Hashem. In this merit, may Hashem rest his presence on us and award us with the crown of the Torah, Amen!
Chag Sameach and Tizku Le’Shanim Rabbot!
