Rebuke Before Shavuot

The great prophet and scribe, Ezra, made numerous decrees for the benefit of the Jewish people. He was the spiritual leader that helped rebuild Jewish life, when the second Beit Hamikdash was built.

One of his decrees was to set up the cycle of the weekly Torah reading, so that the two תוכחות, or rebukes, that are found in the Torah, would fall shortly before Shavuot and Rosh Hashanah.

These were the two times that we could use a little “shaking up.” On Shavuot, we celebrate the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. This isn’t something to be taken lightly. Each year, we are to imagine ourselves standing at Sinai and hearing G-d utter the first two of Ten Commandments. We are to renew the special bond and destiny that we have as Jews.

The rebuke that precedes Shavuot is meant to remind us why we are here. The task placed upon us is a great one. We are to declare the Oneness of our Creator, and make it clear that He is the King of Kings, that must reign over the entire earth.

The rebuke before Rosh Hashanah is to impress upon us the need for Teshuvah, and returning to G-d. It is a gift that we receive every year that Ten Days of Repentance are given to us, to clean our slate where all of our sins are forgiven.

It is understandable why it is said of Ezra, that if the Torah would not have been given to Moshe Rabbeinu, the next worthy candidate would have been him.