Chag HaShavuos 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- May 22
- 2 min read
ובאו כולם בברית יחד נעשה ונשמע אמרו כאחד ... (זמירות שבת)
MASHAL: World renowned speaker, R’ Elimelech Biderman shlita, related the following story about his grandfather, the tzaddik, R’ Pinchas Menachem Malach zt”l, who was known for his relentless diligence in Torah study. For most of his life, he was accustomed to staying awake for many late hours, immersing in his studies. In his later years, however, his physical strength began to wane, and he no longer possessed the stamina required to maintain his rigorous, late- night learning sessions. Yet, his deep love for Torah never faded. Every single night before going to sleep, he would take out various seforim and prepare them on his table.
Bewildered by this nightly ritual, his son finally asked, “Tatteh, why are you taking out all these seforim if you aren’t going to learn from all of them?”
R’ Malach answered. “My son, I’m taking out the seforim that I would have learned had I had the strength to learn!”
Although he lacked physical capability, setting the seforim out was an expression of his burning desire to learn. And because his yearning was so genuine, he explained, Hashem considered it as if he had actually learned from them.
NIMSHAL: The essence of Shavuos is the heart’s longing for Torah. When Klal Yisroel stood at Har Sinai, and accepted the Torah with the enthusiastic declaration of “Na’aseh V’Nishma,” it demonstrated a powerful commitment and desire that preceded their actual understanding or ability to fulfill the mitzvos. We still possess that strength! True Torah dedication is not only measured by limud Torah, but by the relentless desire to connect with it, even when the body can necessarily keep up.