Shabbat Shavuot

Renny Grinshpan June 7th, 2003, Sivan 7, 5763

As part of my preparation for my Dvar Torah, I read a story set in Barcelona Spain, in 1497, during the Spanish Inquisition. It is about a young Jew named Don Eldra who studied Judaism secretly because it was forbidden for Jews to practise their religion in Catholic Spain. During the Omer, which is the counting down from Pesach to Shavuot, Don Eldra and his friends became more and more afraid to study their own religion, as the investigations and punishments for Jews who were discovered were becoming exceedingly harsh. Don Eldra was afraid to own a Jewish calendar so he didn't think he'd know when Shavuot was.

Then Don Eldra thought up an idea. They would use Esther's plan! When Esther lived in Ahashverosh's castle, she hid her Jewish identity. Since Esther was secretly a Jew, just like Don Eldra, she made up a plan that would aid her in knowing when the day of Shabbat arrived since she couldn't keep a Jewish calendar. She appointed seven women a number and on their assigned day they would come to her. When the seventh woman came to Esther, she would know that it was Shabbat. And so, the following day Don Eldra appointed each person from his business a number from ten to forty-nine and with the very significant job of coming to him on their day to report on the job. This way Don Eldra would know when Shavuot came around. Finally the big day of Shavuot arrived. However, that night, Erev Shavuot since people were terrified of being caught, they were one short of a minyan. Then the forty-ninth worker came to Don Eldra's door, and he explained that he knew what Don Eldra was doing. He confessed that he understood his plan because he himself was a Jew who wished to participate in his minyan. Stunned, Don Eldra happily welcomed him into his home.

This story touched me deeply because it shows us how difficult it was in the past to be a Jew and how some Jews, even with the risk of death, chose to find a way to celebrate Judaism and to seek other Jews. This story also shows how Shavuot unites Jewish people, as all Jewish holidays do. In particular the forty-ninth worker took a chance in coming to Don Eldra's home, because Don Eldra may not have been Jewish. And Don Eldra took a chance by inviting this stranger into his home because he could have been a spy.

From this story I have learned a lot about Jewish tradition and identity. For one thing, this story takes us into the life of a Jew during the Spanish Inquisition. It teaches us that we are extremely fortunate to be living in a time and place such as Canada in 2003. Back then, they weren't even able to show their love and affection for the Jewish religion publicly. Today we have rights and are treated equally. We can observe Judaism with the same care and respect as everyone surrounding us observes their religion. I learned that our tradition during the Spanish Inquisition was very hard to keep as we were going through very tough times. We can be proud that so many of our ancestors refused to give up on our religion even when times got tough. This reflects our very strong relationship with G-d and our oath of loyalty to him or her for that matter.

I believe that Shavuot was particularly important to Don Eldra because it relates to how we live our lives as free Jews. Don Eldra dreamt of having the freedom to observe the Ten Commandments and the Jewish festivals publicly and without fear. I think that the reason why Pesach is connected to Shavuot by means of Sefirat Ha-Omer is because Pesach is a holiday celebrating our freedom from slavery in Egypt and Shavuot is a holiday celebrating the giving of the Ten Commandments, how we live our freedom. The freedom that the Israelites were granted when they left Egypt was not the freedom to do whatever they wanted. Rather, it was the freedom to observe their own laws, and traditions, not the rules imposed by Pharoh.

Now that I am Bat Mitzvah I am more aware of my Jewish heritage, and its importance to the Jewish people, and how I am able to stand here today because of its importance to our people throughout the generations. Like Don Eldra, I will make sure that it is guarded and passed on to the next generation. My Bat Mitzvah caused me to think about the way I am going to live my Jewish life in order to protect my religion. For example, I am going to raise my children Jewish, I am going to support Israel, and if G-d forbid, Canada ever forced me to choose between my country and religion I would give up my country to stay Jewish. We are fortunate to live in a country that does not force us to make such a decision. I am glad to have had the opportunity to be Bat Mitzvah and realize the importance of my religion to me.