Shavuous
CHASTE VISION
It is a remarkable fact that when klal Yisroel were offered
the Torah at Sinai, not a single Jew raised any objections or
even hesitated. This outstanding phenomenon is recorded
in the zemiros that we sing on Shabbos, the day when the
Torah was given - ובאו כולם בברית יחד נעשה ונשמע אמרו כאחד . In
general, Jews are somewhat contentious; yet, in this instance,
there was not one dissenting voice!
The reason could well be based on something which our
Sages reveal. In parashas Va’eschanan the verse says אתה הראת
לדעת...אין עוד מלבדו . These words mean, “You have been shown,
in order that you should know, that Hashem is the sole power
in the universe” (Devorim 4:35). What exactly were they
shown? Rashi explains that at Sinai, God opened up all the
seven heavens so that every Jew, without exception, perceived
the Divine sovereignty. For one glorious moment, they caught
sight of ’ מלכות ה in all its splendour and, having feasted their
eyes on this revelation, the Torah was willingly accepted by
the entire nation.
There is a well-known yalkut (Bamidbar 684) which records
a complaint by the other nations that the Jewish people
enjoyed undue favouritism at Sinai - although they had also
been offered the same Torah and had rejected it! Rav S. Brach
(Kashow) suggested that their grievance could well be based on
the fact that only the Jews had been privileged to experience
such an inspiring sight, which won them over, whereas the other
nations had not been given this preferential treatment.
However, to counter this accusation, Hashem responded
by saying to the other nations הביאו לי ספר היוחסין שלכם כשם שבני
מביאים . In other words, the Jewish people were entitled to this
revelation because of their unique extraction. To be able to
see a מראה אלקים , one needed eyes that were pure, and only klal
Yisroel possessed this quality of chasteness - an inheritance
from their ancestors.
Right from the beginning this distinction was apparent.
When Noach drank strong wine and became exposed, his
son Cham, who fathered the Canaanites, gazed unashamedly
at his naked parent, whereas Shem, our forebear, carefully
averted his eyes (Bereishis 12:11). Avrohom Ovinu was even
careful not to stare at his own wife, although she was one of
the four most beautiful women in the world (Megillah 15a).
Likewise, Yosef resisted every force and torture so as not to
look directly at Potifar’s wife and be ensnared by her charm.
These roots gave rise to descendants who pitched their tents
in the desert in such a way that no family could see into its
neighbour’s dwelling. Bilaam was amazed at such refinement
and exclaimed, מה טובו אהלך יעקב - but what does a non-Jew
know about shemiras ha’einayim!
Unfortunately, however, this is one of the dreadful temptations
of our decadent age. So many people are enticed into
looking at things and images that are out of bounds for Jews,
and they do not realise the harmful effect that such sights
have on our innate kedushas Yisroel. On the one hand, we
want to discern Hashem directing the world - we daven
daily והאר עינינו בתורתך . Yet, at the same time, we are not careful
to avoid glancing at immodest spectacles or reading suggestive
articles in the newspaper. When the sefer Torah is held
aloft, everyone strains to look at its letters radiating holiness
- but with eyes that all too often are tarnished with profanity.
Our ancestors toiled to project the sanctity of their vision
and that is why their descendants at Sinai merited אתה הראת
לדעת...אין עוד מלבדו , a Divine manifestation that inspired them
to embrace the Torah. The other nations, without that legacy,
were unfit for such a revelation and, therefore, lost out on the
most precious gift offered to mankind.
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