Shavuot: Revelation for the World - Not Just for the Jews

In any complex endeavor, clarity of vision and purpose is essential. As Neil Armstrong reflected on the Apollo 11 mission: “It was a culmination of the work of 400,000 people over a decade… We had a clear goal: to go to the Moon and return safely. That clarity helped drive every decision.”

This is especially true of the most consequential event in all of history: the revelation at Mount Sinai. It is therefore essential to seek clarity of vision and purpose regarding this monumental moment.

An interesting insight from the Zohar can shed light on this. The Zohar asks why the Torah juxtaposes the story of Jethro—who visits the Israelite camp and declares his faith in God—with the account of the Revelation at Mount Sinai.

The Zohar explains that this placement is intentional: it teaches that G-d was waiting for the world to become receptive to divine revelation. Although the Jewish people were prepared to receive the Torah, the moment would only be complete when even a righteous non-Jew—like Jethro—acknowledged the One G-d. Only then was the world truly ready for revelation.

This idea also reflects the ultimate purpose behind God’s revelation at Mount Sinai and the giving of the Torah to the world. The goal was to unveil the oneness of God as the true reality—that all of existence, both humanity and the universe, is in essence a manifestation of the Divine.

This vision will only be fully realized when God and the Torah’s universal values are embraced by all of humanity. As the prophets declared: “For then I will transform the peoples to a pure language, so that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord” (Zephaniah 3:9).

Indeed, this is why, when God gave the Torah to the Jewish people, He also entrusted them with a profound responsibility: to serve as a light to the nations by sharing the Torah’s universal values with all of humanity. Our sages teach that the Torah was translated into all seventy languages, symbolizing its relevance and accessibility to the entire world.

In today’s interconnected and interdependent world, humanity is yearning for a universal moral framework. As Jews, let us realign ourselves with the vision and purpose bestowed upon us at Mount Sinai. 

Now is the time!