The Rabbi's Discourse: The Torah as the Foundation of Jewish Distinction

We continue our cooperation with the Steinsaltz Center and publish material prepared specifically for the member communities of the EAJC. This article is published posthumously, following the passing of the great thinker of a generation, scholar and Hasid, Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, of blessed memory.

It is widely accepted that the day the Torah was given stands as the most defining moment in the long history of the Jewish people. Although the Jewish calendar is replete with significant dates—whether commemorating salvation and redemption, or mourning disaster and tragedy—all appear secondary in comparison to this central event: the Revelation at Sinai.

The Exodus from Egypt marked the beginning of the Jewish people's formation as a nation; the conquest of Canaan provided them with a homeland; the establishment of the Kingdom of David and the construction of the Temple laid the foundations of Jewish statehood and a permanent center for the nation. These and many other events were of immense significance, each marking a fateful historical turning point. However, they all yield in importance to the giving of the Torah, which stands alone as the defining center of all Jewish history.

To fully comprehend the significance of this event, we must examine several of its aspects. The giving of the Torah is unique because it shaped the distinct essence of the Jewish people and defined the characteristics of their historical existence and way of life. Other historical events, including those of great importance, are not unique to our nation. Many tribes have migrated, settled permanently, established states and kingdoms, and subsequently lost their independence (only a very few nations, having been exiled from their land, eventually returned to rebuild their statehood. This fact alone should be viewed as part of Jewish exceptionalism). All these key, often central, events in our history do not fundamentally differ from the experiences of other nations. This does not diminish their importance, but it strips them of uniqueness.

The Revelation at Sinai and the giving of the Torah present a different case. This is a unique event with no parallel in recorded history or the mythology of other nations. Its distinctive character lies not only in the acceptance of a new faith and way of life but in how it was accomplished: collectively, by the entire nation at once.

However, the giving of the Torah is unique not only regarding the complete acceptance of a new faith in its outward form; its primary feature is its formative influence on the very essence of the Jewish people. Due to its content and character, this event became the sole foundation of Jewish identity for all generations.

Undoubtedly, the fact that the Nation of Israel emerged from slavery at the dawn of its formation left an imprint on its character, but this would not have carried such significance without the giving of the Torah, which transformed the Exodus into a cornerstone of collective Jewish memory. The historical existence of a Jewish state, the flourishing of literary creation, and even the long period of exile could not have occupied their rightful place in Jewish history had they not been preceded by the giving of the Torah. It not only gave meaning to the subsequent course of history but also granted each event the capacity to shape the specific character, human archetypes, and creative power of our people. Following the giving of the Torah, everything that occurs to the Nation of Israel acquires a special significance that often enriches and develops its identity: everything we experience, both positive and negative, inevitably assumes a distinctly Jewish form.

One aspect of the special significance of the giving of the Torah is the irreversibility of this event. Throughout its history, the Jewish nation has repeatedly experienced periods of rise and decline, yet both peaks and valleys expressed only a specific side of its development, invariably countered by opposing factors. Thus, the conquest of the Land of Israel is countered by exile, the building of the Temple by its destruction, and wandering and persecution in foreign lands by periods of returning and rebuilding. Consequently, even the greatest events are, in essence, reversible. Every historical situation or national state has its antithesis, which can end it or alter its meaning. The giving of the Torah differs from all of these by the impossibility of turning back.

The transformation of the essence and status of the Jewish people as a result of accepting the Torah was so fundamental that from then on, even if the nation wished to, it could no longer return to its former state.

Having been transformed by the Sinai Revelation into a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6), the Nation of Israel can no longer be anything else. Naturally, individuals, significant segments, or even the entire nation may from time to time fail to fulfill their obligations, but their refusal cannot negate the unique Jewish essence: unable to change it, such actions are limited to avoiding its realization. The Sinai Covenant may not be observed during certain periods, but it cannot be annulled.
It must be noted that attempts to annul the covenant have occurred not only in recent centuries but throughout the millennia following the Sinai Revelation. However, such attempts are inevitably doomed to failure—"As for what you have in mind, it shall never happen, when you say, 'Let us be like the nations, like the families of the lands'" (Ezekiel 20:32). By entering the covenant, the Jewish people embarked on a distinct path they cannot leave. Therefore, any such attempt will lead to one of two outcomes: either the nation (or part of it) will eventually repent and accept the covenant a second or third time, or the part that rejects the covenant will sever itself from the nation and disappear.

In many historical situations, we faced the prospect of following the path of the ten tribes, who abandoned the path of the Torah and ultimately lost their national identity. Fundamentally, this is a question of life and death for the nation. Because the essence of the giving of the Torah is irreversible, there is no possibility of "returning" the Torah to the Giver while continuing to exist as the "Jewish people."