ביום חתונתו זו מתן תורה
Chazal famously teach us that before Hashem gave the Yidden the Torah on Har Sinai, He went around to all the nations to offer them the Torah. Each nation asked Hashem to tell them what was written in the Torah. One by one, after hearing what was written there, they turned it down. When Hashem came to Klal Yisroel and offered them the Torah, they immediately answered: “Naaseh V’nishma,” without even asking what was written in it. So Hashem gave the Yidden the Torah.
We have been hearing this chazal from a very young age, but there is a point that needs clarification. Let’s say you were to be looking for an employee for your business. Two young men would walk into your office, seeking employment. You ask them, “Young men, do you have any idea what the job is about?” One answers, “No I do not. Please explain to me what the role entails and what my responsibility would be.” The second way says: “I do not know, and I do not care what the responsibilities are. I’ll take the job!”
Which one would you hire? Most people would probably rather hire the first one who asked the questions, because these questions show he is earnest yet responsible, whereas saying I am ready to do anything, without even knowing what it is, demonstrates that he isn’t taking this very seriously.
What was wrong with the nations of the world asking Hashem to tell them what it says in the Torah, and what was so great and amazing about Klal Yisroel saying “Naaseh V’nishma” without even asking what kind of responsibilities they were committing to?
The answer is that Hashem wasn’t looking for a work relationship with His special nation. He was looking for a nation to get married to!
A kallah will not ask her chosson under the chuppah what his salary will be, because she is marrying him, not his money. Nor would a chosson ask his kallah under the chuppah what she’s planning to make for supper next week.
Because getting married is much deeper than all the responsibilities that come along with it. Marriage is about forming an authentic, loving and vibrant relationship! All the responsibilities that a husband and wife have to each other are not the end goal of the whole marriage, but rather they stem from and grow out of their deep and loving relationship.
The nations of the world were considering a business relationship, and therefore needed to check whether the terms were good for them and if they could maintain their responsibilities. When they saw that the agreement would prohibit some of their favorite activities, they declined the offer.
The Jewish people quickly demonstrated that they were in it for the real deal. They wanted a loving and vibrant relationship with Hashem! They were not concerned by what was written in the Torah because they viewed any responsibilities in the Torah as a natural expression of a beautiful marriage.
This is why Naaseh V’nishma expressed such an amazing level, because we showed Hashem that we “get it.” We realized that Hashem doesn’t need employees. He needs a nation, who is completely in love with Him, to be married to.
An integral part of the avodah of Shavuos is to remember that it is our wedding anniversary. The core essence of our marriage is a deeply personal and intimate relationship with Hashem. We spend a lot of time taking care of our responsibilities in this marriage, but let’s always remember that every mitzvah is more than a rule — it is a special opportunity to express and deepen the marriage itself.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Nekuda Tova Listing.
