Ep. 500: How Should We React to the Rescue of the Four Hostages?

Rabbi Jacobson will discuss the following topics:

• MyLife: Chassidus Applied Episode 500 
• Tribute to Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky a”h 
• How should we react to the rescue of the four hostages? 

• What happened on this day 3336 years ago? 
• Why is it important for us to honor it? 
• What is Torah? 
• What is Torah from G-d's perspective? 
• Why was the Torah not given at the beginning of creation? 
• Why is it called Mattan Torah? Why is G-d giving us a gift? 
• Why did the Jews have to restrain themselves for three days before Mattan Torah? 
• Why don’t we dance with the Torah on Shavuot as we do on Simchat Torah? 
• Did we receive the Torah willingly or were we coerced? 
• Why is saying naaseh v’nishma considered such a big thing? 
• Why were crowns placed on the heads of the Jewish people at Sinai, and why did the angels and not G-d Himself place these crowns on their heads? 
• What is the significance of a crown (keser)? 
• What is the difference between the two levels of Keser, arich and atik? 
• How does the Rebbe Rashab explain the idea of keser in Hemshech Ayin Beis? 
• Why did G-d offer the Torah to the other nations? 
• Was it possible that the Jews could have chosen not to receive the Torah? 
• What lessons do we learn from Mattan Torah in our present lives and challenges? 
• What shape were the tablets? 
• Why do we read the Book of Ruth on Shavuot? 
• Is the last week of Sefirah, when we focus on malchus, connected with Moshiach? 

What does Shavuot teach us today?