Shavuos drashah of 5773
The sefer Minhag Yisroel Torah brings from Yismach Yisroel a minhag for the Rav not to darshan ‘Torah’ on the first night of shavuos to show that derech eretz kadmah LaTorah.
So we will speak about derech eretz.
Its quite a statement to say derech eretz Kadmah LaTorah.
We say on Pesach, ilu kirvanu lifnei har sinai vlo nusan lanu es haTorah, Dayenu. R Yeruchom & others explain, that for us to reach a status of being READY to accept the Torah is a tremendous accomplishment of its own! In spirituality we say only a keli malei is machzik - how full of ma’alos we were just to be a receptacle for Torah!
The preparation for mattan Torah seems like derech eretz. (see also medrash shmuel avos 2.2 – “talmud Torah im derech eretz” Refers to peace & brotherliness with others. (This works well with the well known pre-requisite of vayichan shum Yisrael.) R’ Yeruchom though points out that on the other hand we know that “ reishis chochma Yiras Hashem”?
However the two are not really different. As a matter of fact from b.k. 92a its clear that Avraham’s claim of “rak ki ein yiras elokim bamakom hazeh” - was in response to Avimelech’s asking about Sarah - which Rashi calls a lack of Derech Eretz.
What’s the connection between Derech eretz & Yirah?
The simplest form of Yirah is recognition of limits. That I am not free to do anything I feel like. That same self restriction or discipline can be on a non religious level as well - derech eretz, or on a more lofty and spiritual level - yiras elokim.
Minhag Yisroel Torah brings from the Birkei Yosef that when Haman blasphemed the Jews to Achashveirosh, he also said "they set up assavim (grass in shuls) on shavuos....". What’s the lashon hara about that???
I’d like to say the title derech eretz means that even on a non-religous or spiritual level, just simply “eretz”, - which seems hefker & without restriction, also must have a derech. A road that has definition, limitations, guidelines & a goal. Even before Torah & religion, the simple world around us needs some form & guidelines with boundaries & a starting point and destination. The world must be recognized Not as a hefker velt even from a non religious perspective. Eretz has a Derech, & it is possible to be “off the derech” of derech eretz totally unrelated to religious requirements .
Achashveirosh wanted to show the Jews that even the material world can be enjoyed & used without limitation & with no purpose. (This was to show that not necessarily is there another world of eden.)
Haman looked at the Jews who take the most hefker disorderly, unlimited natural product of eretz - assavim - wild grasses - (he didn’t say flowers) & place them near the Torah on Shavuos showing that all of nature has guidelines & requires discipline in their use and a purpose! Can there be a greater antithesis to the ideas of Achashveirosh!?
Beyond derech eretz KADMAH laTorah... There is also the Torahs specific guidelines how to use the world on an elevated plain. That is the Lachem of shavuos - how Moshe Rabeinu debated with the angels for the Torah.
Let us use the lachem of Shavuos properly.
The Yesod Vshoresh HoAvodah intsructs very strongly that when we sleep & eat on shavuos it shouldn’t be regular. Rather full of Joy & thankfulness to Hashem. Don’t allow the eretz of the 2 days of Shavuos to be hefker. it should at least be with discipline, guidelines, - on a derech. And perhaps even elevated - to a means of ahavas Hashem.
