Foretaste of Redemption

Regarding the tablets given on Mount Sinai, the Torah says (Shemot 32:16): “The Luchot were the work of G-d and the writing was the writing of G-d, inscribed on the tablets.” On the word charut, inscribed, our sages say, “Do not read it as charut but as cheirut [freedom].” In other words, the tablets G-d gave us also liberated us. We find many examples of liberation and freedom that occurred at Mount Sinai.

The Talmud states that when the Torah was given, the nations of the world lost their ability to rule over or harm the Jewish people—freedom from the nations.

Rabbi Judah said that at the time we were also granted the ability to enter the Land of Israel and never be exiled from it evermore—freedom from exile.

Our sages say that at that moment it was also determined that we would be free of pain forever.

Rabbi Nechemia adds that the plan was that we would live forever—freedom from death. The Midrash says that the Angel of Death complained before G-d, “I was created in vain.” G-d answered, “I have given you power over all nations except for one, that I have liberated from you.”

However, we lost all these freedoms with the sin of the Golden Calf.

(Reish Lakish says that we should thank G-d that our ancestors sinned and were condemned to death, because their spiritual stature was so high that if they were still alive we would be like nothing compared to them.)

According to Chassidic teachings, on the anniversary of an event, the spiritual energy of that event repeats itself. This means that each year on Shavuot we have the power to relive this freedom—freedom from the nations, from exile, from pain and from the angel of death.

In the Hayom Yom, a daily Chassidic calendar compiled by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, it is written; “The holiday of Shavuot is a time of favor above, when G-d confuses the prosecutor of the Jewish people.” Regarding the Torah it is written, “There is no free man except one who studies Torah” (Avot 6:2). Torah is the path to achieving true freedom on a personal and global level, with the true and complete Redemption.