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The Season of the Giving of the Torah

Shavuot is called “zeman matan Torahtenu,” the season of the giving of the Torah – interestingly not “the season of the receiving of the Torah.” That’s because the heart of the Torah may have been given on Mt. Sinai, but the receiving of the Torah happens we are open to hearing the Torah’s teachings, which can happen any day, not just on Shavuot.

Celebrating Shavuot, “the Feast of Weeks,” in Jerusalem is an amazing experience. Truth be told, for most other holidays there is not such a big difference being in Jerusalem than being in America. On the High Holidays, just like in America, it’s a long day in the synagogue, except here everything is in Hebrew and services are generally less creative – not so much use of things like choirs, not so much explanation of the prayers. I find I actually prefer “American-style” High Holiday services. Chanuka is very similar to America, except you see menorahs everywhere you go. Passover, being a home oriented holiday is also not so different here – you get together with friends or family for a seder. It’s nice that there are so many kosher for Passover restaurants, but the holiday itself is not so different.

But Shavuot—wow! What a difference. 

Receipt of the Divine Word

How does God communicate with us?

That, in essence, was the question that a group of six Palestinian Muslims and seven Israeli Jews explored over two half-day sessions, Thursday and Friday of last week, at the Austrian Hospice in Jerusalem’s Old City.

We were participating in a joint retreat of the Interfaith Encounter Association, an Israeli organization, and the Palestinian Peace Society.

The Jews were mostly “Anglos,” native English speakers, all immigrants to Israel. Professionally the group included two people on the staff of IEA (both of whom have PhDs in topics related to Jewish mysticism!), a hazzan/artist, a teacher, a businessman/rabbi, etc. The Palestinians were all from Hebron or Tulkarm and included a professor, a government official, an accountant, a businessman. Very diverse group, although it was interesting to me who was missing – no “sabras,”—Israelis born in Israel—or Israeli Arabs.

Fr. Markus Stephan Bugnyar, the rector of the Austrian Hospice (which is NOT what the term “hospice” connotes in contemporary American English – it is, rather, a guesthouse for tourists!) presented the Christian view of revelation.