Hi friends. I hope this message finds you well.
This month, we’re focusing on preparing spiritually for Shavuot—the festival that commemorates our collective receiving of the Torah at Sinai.
Many of us were taught to relate to that experience as a one-time event in the distant past. And while this historical moment continues to reverberate through Jewish life, Sinai can sometimes feel far away—almost like a relic.
But there’s another way to see it—one that views revelation not as something that ended, but as something still unfolding. This isn’t as radical as it might sound. After all, Jews who pray daily recite a blessing over Torah study, which reads:
Barukh atah Adonai, noten haTorah.
“Blessed are You, Timeless Presence, for giving us Torah.”
The Hebrew word noten, ‘giving,’ is in the present tense—suggesting that revelation is happening right now.
The Hasidic tradition takes this proposition seriously, teaching that we can receive chidushim—fresh Torah insights—from within, here and now. But this requires quieting the noise of the mind and listening deeply for the sacred wisdom bubbling up deep inside.
I call this paradigm ‘Torah from the well,’ because it doesn’t require us to climb to the mountaintop to experience revelation. Instead this paradigm invites us to dig down—to peel away layers of conditioning, fear, and confusion until we reach the clear, refreshing waters of our inner Torah.
What might we discover if we truly believed that new Torah is available to us here and now? How might we cultivate the habits of heart and mind that allow us to receive it? How could this inner Torah guide us toward greater wholeness, wisdom, and connection—and breathe new life into our relationship with our inherited tradition?
To explore these questions together, I invite you to join me for a 5-part meditation series that I offered through the IJS Daily Sit in May 2021: Standing (or Sitting) at Sinai, Here and Now. It’s available on demand, free of charge, on our YouTube channel. You can find the five sessions by clicking on the link in this blog post.
I hope this offering helps you tap into the Torah that’s already alive within you. I’m wishing you a meaningful journey toward Shavuot.
Take good care.