Shavuot: Stay Until Sunday
By: Rav Judah Mischel
As a therapist and guide, the prominent author of Living in the Presence, Rabbi Dr. Benjamin Epstein, integrates traditional mindfulness with spiritual and cognitive behavioral techniques. In advance of Zman Matan Toraseinu, the celebration of the giving of the Torah on Shavuos, my dear friend (and bandmate) shares the following instructive maaseh:
There was a busy Chassidic businessman who was putting off his regular visit to see his rebbe. When he finally found the time to visit, he decided he would stay for Shabbos and leave immediately after.
Normally, he would receive a warm welcome from the tzaddik upon arriving, but this time the rebbe barely acknowledged him. The chassid felt insulted and asked if everything was okay. The rebbe looked at him and responded: “A chassid who can’t stay until Sunday doesn’t need to be here on Shabbos either.”
The chassid had a change of heart and regretted the way he had come to his rebbe. He said, “I’m here as long as the rebbe wants me to be.”
That Shabbos at Shalosh Seudos the rebbe taught the pasuk of Matan Torah: Vayomer Hashem el Moshe, Alei Alai heHara, veHeyeh Sham (Shemos 24:12), “Come up to me to the Mountain and be there.” The rebbe asked, “What does the seemingly extra phrase veHeyeh Sham teach us? Sometimes there’s a chassid who is coming to see his rebbe, and while on his way, he’s already leaving. So certainly, even when he is there, he isn’t really there.”
Hashem tells Moshe—and instructs each one of us—that it’s not enough to ascend the Mountain. “I just want you to be with Me, veHeyeh Sham, be there.”
When it comes to celebrating Shavuos, Zeman Matan Toraseinu, the Time of the Giving of Our Torah, there are a lot of minhagim that come along with it. Whether it’s learning Torah all night, going to the mikveh at dawn, or eating milchigs, we sometimes go about the yom tov like busy “businessmen.” It’s easy to forget that the main focus of Shavuos is simply to stop, be present, and “receive the Torah.” On Shavuos, Hashem invites us to come up to the Mountain of Revelation and just be there with Him.
A common misconception regarding Shavuos is that the primary way to celebrate it is through learning Torah. Kabbalas haTorah is not the same as Limud haTorah; receiving the Torah is not the same as learning Torah.
Every day, we pursue the value of Talmud Torah K’neged Kulam, “The Torah study takes precedence over all.” All year round, we attempt to observe “VeHagisa Bo Yomam v’Laila—and meditate in it day and night.” There is no set time for the mitzvah of Talmud Torah. We are called to Torah both day and night, everywhere, at all times. Thus, “Limud HaTorah,” studying, is not essentially connected to the observance and celebration of Shavuos.
On Shavuos we simply aim to relive the experience of Revelation, our Maamad Har Sinai, standing in awe at Mount Sinai. We focus on experiencing our collective joy at receiving the Torah. This experience is beyond the activity of delving into the information, the mitzvos, and the philosophy of Torah. It is beyond observing the specific minhagim of the yom tov. Shavuos is a holiday of dveykus, being with Hashem, connecting with and celebrating our relationship with the Nosein HaTorah, the Giver of the Torah.
The Zohar teaches, Istakel b’Oraisa uBara Alma: “Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world.” Torah predates Har Sinai, and therefore even when we are not learning, we are connected to it. On Shavuos, we realize that Torah is the context of our lives; Ki Heim Chayeinu: “Torah is our life itself.”
This brings us to a deceptively profound and deep teaching of our Bubbies and Savtas: “Shavuos is the best of the Shalosh Regalim, the Three Festivals. On Pesach we may eat wherever we want, but not whatever we want. On Sukkos, we can eat whatever we want, but not wherever we want. But on Shavuos, we can eat whatever we want, whenever we want, and wherever we want!”
Whether we are davening or reciting the Tikkun Layl Shavuos in shul, celebrating at home, or eatingmilchigs or fleishigs at a yom tov seudah; whether it is day or night, we are sleeping or awake, the main expression of Zeman Matan Toraseinu is the awareness of this special opportunity to “be with Hashem.”
Whatever we’re doing, it is to celebrate our receiving the Torah by affirming that Torah embraces and addresses every facet of our lives. Wherever we are, whatever we’re doing, Hashem wants us to “be with Him,” and to enjoy! n
Excerpted from Rav Judah’s upcoming “Baderech: Along the Path of the Torah” (Summer 2026/5786).
Rav Judah Mischel is executive director of Camp HASC, the Hebrew Academy for Special Children. He is the founder of Tzama Nafshi and the author of the “Baderech” series. Rav Judah lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with his wife Ora and their family.
