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Thoughts on Shavuot 5775 - by Rabbi Bernie Fox, Head of School
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4 Sivan 5775 - May 22, 2015
Why Teach?
Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshua, and Yehoshua to the elders, and the elders
to the prophets, and the prophets transmitted it to the Sages of the Great Assembly… (Mesechet Avot 1:1)
1. The Sages dispute whether Moshe received the details of every commandment at Sinai
The precise order in which the Torah was transmitted by Moshe to the Jewish people is not completely clear. However, Maimonides,
in his introduction to his commentary on the mishne provides a basic description. Before we review this description, some
background is required.
Moshe received the Torah from Hashem at Sinai. According to our Sages, at Sinai, the taryag – 613 mitzvot were enumerated
to Moshe. The Sages disagree over the degree of detail that was provided to Moshe at Sinai. According to Ribbi Akiva, the
commandments and all of their details were revealed to Moshe at Sinai. According to Ribbi Yishmael, the details for many of
the commandments were not provided. These details were revealed over the forty years of the nation’s passage through the
wilderness.1
2. Moshe communicated the Torah to the people section by section
According to both of these opinions, Moshe did not teach the Torah to the nation in a single extended session. Instead, over the
course of the nation’s sojourn in the wilderness the commandments were taught to the people. In other words, it seems that
Moshe was instructed to communicate the Torah to the people in sections. Each section was composed of a commandment or
group of commandments. The various sections were transmitted to the people during the forty years of their travels through the
wilderness.2
Maimonides describes the process of transmission. He explains that each section was composed of a set of passages from the
Written Torah and the commentary or Oral Torah on the passages. Maimonides makes a distinction between the transmission
of the passages – the Written Torah – and the transmission of the commentary – the Oral Torah. The passages were transmitted
with emphasis placed upon the specific text – the exact words. This text was subsequently recorded. The commentary was not
communicated to the people as a specific text.3 This is because the commentary is a set of ideas and does not have a fixed text.
When Moshe was instructed to communicate a section, he first communicated it with its commentary to his brother Aharon.
Aharon then stationed himself to Moshe’s right. Aharon’s sons Elazar and Itamar were then instructed by Moshe. The sons stationed
themselves to the left and right of Moshe and Aharon. The elders entered and were instructed by Moshe. Finally, the entire nation
was invited to be instructed directly by Moshe.
When Moshe completed his instruction of the people, he departed. Aharon then began to instruct all those assembled – his sons,
the elders, and the nation. He reviewed all that they had been taught directly from Moshe. After completing his instruction of the
assembled, Aharon departed. His sons then resumed and repeated the instruction that they had received from Moshe. The sons
1 Mesechet Zevachim 115b.
2 This conclusion emerges from the discussion in Mesechet Gitten 60a.
3 Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Commentary on the Mishne, Introduction.
Northwest Yeshiva High School - www.nyhs.org
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Thoughts on Shavuot 5775 - by Rabbi Bernie Fox, Head of School
of Aharon then departed and the elders assumed the role of
instructors. They once more reviewed with the assembled
the material that they had received from Moshe. They then
departed. The people then dispersed but they continued the
process by reviewing with one another the material they had
received from Moshe.4
3. Three odd aspects of the process of transmission
There are a number of interesting aspects of this process. Let
us consider three of them. First, each participant was both a
student and a teacher in this process. Moshe was Hashem’s
student and he was the teacher of all others. Aharon, his
sons, and the elders were students and also were teachers.
Even the members of the nation who participated in the
assembly, were expected to teach one another the material
they had received from Moshe. Why was it necessary for
each student to also be a teacher?
Second, why was it necessary for Moshe to deliver his
presentation four times? Why could Moshe not instruct
Aharon and then Aharon instruct his sons, his sons instruct
the elders, and the elders instruct the nation?
Third, Aharon, his sons, and the elders each participated
in four iterations of the presentation. Aharon heard
four presentations from Moshe. His sons heard three
presentations from Moshe and one from their father. The
elders heard Moshe instruct them and the nation. They
participated in two additional presentations delivered by
Aharon and then by his sons. However, the people were
involved in five iterations. First, they were instructed by
Moshe; they were then instructed by Aharon, then his sons,
and finally by the elders. However, even after these four
iterations they were required to participate in a fifth iteration
from a peer. Why was this final iteration required?
4. Transmission was a process of instruction followed by
review
However, Maimonides seems to respond to this question
through a nuance in his description of the transmission
process. In his description of the final stage of the process,
Maimonides explains that the nation dispersed and the
individuals instructed one another in the Torah they had
received from the messenger – from Moshe.5 This is an odd
statement. It is true that the nation did hear the material
delivered by Moshe. However, they also were instructed
by Aharon, Elazar and Itamar, and the elders. Why does
Maimonides describe the people as instructing one another in
the material they received from Moshe when in fact they had
also received the material from these other sources?
Maimonides is explaining that there was a difference between
the instruction provided by Moshe and that provided by all of
the other participants. Moshe was the teacher. He was the
one who instructed the assembly and all of its participants.
Every other iteration was merely a review.
This analysis suggests that the process of transmission
consisted of two components: instruction and thorough
review.
This resolves the above questions. Every individual received
the Torah from Moshe. This was accomplished by Moshe
delivering his instruction to each and every group. Moshe
could not depart after instructing Aharon and allow his
brother to provide the instruction to his sons. It was Moshe’s
responsibility to instruct each and every group.
However, it is also evident from Maimonides’ presentation
that review was an essential element of the transmission
process. Receiving instruction from Moshe was not adequate.
This instruction was reinforced by thorough review – three
reviews. So, even after the people had received instruction
from Moshe, they participated in reviews provided by Aharon,
Elazar and Itamar, and the elders.
5. The beneficiaries of the review process
Let us more carefully consider this review process. When
Aharon, his sons, or the elders delivered their reviews whose
understanding was reinforced? Certainly, the recipient of
the review benefited. The recipient received yet another
presentation of the material. However, it seems that the
review was also designed to refine the understanding of the
presenter. In other words, each participant in the process of
transmission was not only required to relearn the material, he
was also required to enhance his understanding by presenting
the material – by becoming the teacher. This is the reason
that each participant was required to be both student and
teacher.
This interpretation is supported by the final step in the
process. The people dispersed and taught one another. Even
though the members of the nation had received their initial
instruction from Moshe and received reviews from Aharon,
his sons, and the elders, one further review was required.
This is not because the members of the nation had not yet
participated in a sufficient number of reviews. Each had
already participated in the standard number of reviews.
However, the members of the nation had not yet assumed
the role of teachers. The process of transmission was not
complete until each had taught another the Torah received
from Moshe.
6. A personal note
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as a teacher. I
aspire to teach my students, to inspire them, and to expand
and enrich their understanding of the Torah. I am also grateful
for the growth I experience as a teacher. The teaching
experience helps me clarify my own grasp of the Torah. My
students enhance my understanding of the material with their
daily insights and through their questions.
4 Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Commentary on
the Mishne, Introduction.
5 Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Commentary on
the Mishne, Introduction.
Northwest Yeshiva High School - www.nyhs.org
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Thoughts on Shavuot 5775 - by Rabbi Bernie Fox, Head ofHEBREW
School
LANGUAGE AWARD
Presented to ESTHER GOLDBERG 2016
Dedicated in loving memory of Rebecca Cohanim Z”L
by Beth & Bobby Cohanim and Porta Lee Cohanim
HISTORY & GOVERNMENT AWARD
Presented to MAYA POGREBINSKY 2016
LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD
Presented to YOELA ZIMBEROFF 2017
Dedicated in loving memory of
Ruth Oppenheimer Z”L and Fortunate Goldman Z”L
by Kaden & David Oppenheimer
MATH AWARD
Presented to MAYA POGREBINSKY 2016
Dedicated in loving memory of
Bronia & Markus Wiederkehr Z”L
and Esther & Jeno Sandorffy Z”L
by Henrika & Michael Sandorffy
MEN’S ATHLETICS AWARD
Presented to JEFFREY OWEN 2017
PERFORMING ARTS AWARD
Presented to NAAMAH LAMPERT 2017
Dedicated in loving memory of
Hellen Heller Z”L & Howard Heller Z”L
by Andrea Darvas & David Heller
BILL HESSE SOCIAL SCIENCE AWARD
Presented to VICTORIA COLEMAN 2017
CHESED AWARD
Presented to SAM AMIEL 2017
Sponsored by Susan & Barry Aaronson
in dedication to their parents and grandparents
CHUMASH AWARD
Presented to TAMAR JACOBSON 2018
Sponsored by Gabi Feuer & Dr. Malki Feuer
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Presented to RICHELLE WILLNER-MARTIN 2015
COMPUTER SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AWARD
Presented to RAPHAEL ALCABES 2016
ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
Presented to YONATAN KINTZER 2015
Dedicated in loving memory of Barbara Engelstein Z”L
by The Engelstein Family
FINE ARTS AWARD
Presented to RUTH BOLDOR 2015
Dedicated in loving memory of Irwin Treiger Z”L
by Betty Lou Treiger
HALACHA AWARD
Presented to JACOB GLICK 2017
Dedicated in honor of Leya & Rabbi Morton Moskowitz
by Ruthie & Rabbi Ben Aaronson
Northwest Yeshiva High School - www.nyhs.org
SCIENCE AWARD
Presented to ALBERT HANAN 2015
Dedicated in loving memory of
Beulah & Ben Owen Z”L and Sam Owen Z”L
by Ruben Owen
SPANISH LANGUAGE AWARD
Presented to MARILYN GLADSTEIN 2015
Sponsored by Porta Lee Cohanim and David Cohanim
and Melissa Rivkin in loving memory of
Bahram Cohanim Z”L
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Presented to JED CHAPMAN 2016
TALMUD AWARD - MEN
Presented to ASHER YOUNG 2015
Dedicated in loving memory of
Irwin Treiger Z”L and Henrietta and Max Friedman Z”L
by Bayla & Louis Treiger
TALMUD AWARD - WOMEN
Presented to SHLOMIT MENASHE 2017
Dedicated in loving memory of
Jack Genauer Z”L by Ruth Genauer
TANACH AWARD
Presented to BENEDICTE KNUDSON 2017
Dedicated in honor of their parents and grandparents
by Elaine & Marshall Hartholz
WOMEN’S ATHLETICS AWARD
Presented to YAEL WEISS 2017
Page 3
Thoughts on Shavuot 5775 - by Rabbi Bernie Fox, Head of School
Come learn with
NYHS Faculty
on SHAVUOT!
Shavuot Night, May 23-24, 2015
11:00 pm
Come and learn with Rabbi and Mrs. Farkash at
24121 SE Black Nugget Rd, Issaquah. Hospitality room available.
11:30 pm
Rabbi Weiss will be learning with high school girls at his home.
Contact Rabbi Weiss at [email protected] for more details.
3:30 am to 4:30 am
Rabbi Benjy Owen @ SBH
Monday, May 25, 2015
10:30 am
Rabbi Chaim Weiss will deliver the sermon @ SBH
12:00 pm
Lunch and Learn with Mrs. Malka Popper at Ohr Chadash
on the topic of Sefirat Haomer: Let's Make it Count
6:30 pm
NYHS Students, Esther Goldberg 2016 and Yoela Zimberoff 2017,
will deliver divrei Torah at BCMH along with other young women of the community.
8:50 pm
Rabbi Bernie Fox at Ohr Chadash on the topic of
The Torah and its Authorship:
How Much of the Torah is the Word of God
Northwest Yeshiva High School - www.nyhs.org
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