I Was At Sinai

I was at Sinai
I remember what I was wearing
what the ground felt like
who was standing next to me

the looks on everyone’s face
when Moses came down with the stones
telling us, this is gonna be good
pay attention people
you’ll be telling your children about this

I was at Sinai
my wisdom was young and old then
now I’m just old and my wisdom
has left the building or
maybe it’s still at the mountain

I was at Sinai well before they put in the gift shop
Back when the only gift was a golden calf and in the end
no-one wanted it
Not our best moment, but it was our moment
we’ve had so many moments
like remember the time when

When I was at Sinai
we didn’t look at our watches
Forget about the fact that there weren’t watches
we didn’t even want them

Don’t you get it, we’re still there now
we are all a part of the circle
we are the beginning and the end
we receive it every day
This is your permanent online status

Sinai was the first place we held hands
but not the last, in fact I never let go
we are still holding hands
I choose to be a part of the circle
as if I have a choice

I could ignore the circle
travel a thousand miles from the circle
but turn around and see I haven’t gone anywhere
It’s a big circle orbiting you Sinai
where the property values are holding steady

Oh Sinai, to say I was with you is to pretend I left
is to conceive I was ever anywhere else

Oh Sinai, I tweet your commandments to the masses
I spin around in your circle
I see the world through your eyes

your holy eyes
(Rick Lupert, A Shavuot poem)

On Saturday night Shavuot begins, the festival that is the culmination of Pesach. For 50 days Jews around the world have counted each day as a step towards Mt Sinai, the revelation of the 10 Commandments and the celebration of Shavuot. Pesach is a cornerstone of the festival year, with its re-enactment of leaving slavery and going towards freedom, and yet many Jews do not consider Shavuot that important. We like cheesecake and dairy products, but seem less engaged with the story of how we became responsible for our own choices, one of the foundations of being a free person. Perhaps it is easier to relate to the freedom tale and work on how to help others, whereas celebrating rules and their importance is a much harder sell?

And rules might not even be the right word, nor are commandments. Perhaps, as is so beautifully shown in the Rick Lupert poem, Shavuot is about the choice to metaphorically hold hands and join the circle.

However you want to join, whether through online study and discussion for Tikkun Leil Shavuot with Rabbi Sandra and the community in Copenhagen, reading Jewish poetry, eating cheesecake or blintzes, or celebrating it belatedly at the Chavurah Annual Shabbat Picnic on 10th June, there are many ways to hold hands and join the circle.