מועדים לשיחה; מהדורה משפחתית, שבועות, מעשה שהיה בשבועותCeremony and Celebration Family Edition, The Hagim, Shavuot, It Once Happened on Shavuot
א׳
1There are two famous midrashic accounts of the Giving of the Torah that paint very different pictures of what led to the Israelites receiving the Torah on Har Sinai. They are retold here:
ב׳
2When Hashem was ready to give the Torah to the children of Israel, He offered the Torah to all the other nations as well. First Hashem went to the children of Esav and asked them, “Will you accept the Torah?” They replied to Him, “Master of the universe, what is written in it?” He said, “You shall not murder.” They replied to Him, “Killing has always been part of our way of life. We cannot accept the Torah!”
ג׳
3Then He went to the children of Amon and Moav, and asked them if they would accept the Torah. They asked Him, “Master of the universe, what is written in it?” He told them, “You shall not commit adultery.” They replied to Him, “Adultery has always been part of our way of life. We cannot accept the Torah!”
ד׳
4Then He went to the children of Yishmael, and asked them if they would accept the Torah. They asked Him, “Master of the universe, what is written in it?” He told them, “Do not steal.” They replied to Him, “Theft has always been part of our way of life. We cannot accept the Torah!”
ה׳
5Finally He came to Israel. They simply said, “We will do and we will listen” (na’ase venishma) (Shemot 24:7).
ו׳
6Pesikta Rabbati, 21
ז׳
7The Israelites actually stood underneath the mountain, as Hashem held the mountain upside down above their heads like a gigantic barrel, and He said to them: “If you accept the Torah, excellent, but if not, I will drop the mountain on top of you and this will be where you are buried!”
ח׳
8But if this is true then the Jewish people can claim they had no choice and were forced into accepting the Torah! Does this mean we don’t need to keep it if we do not want to today? Ah, but then the people re-accepted it voluntarily at the end of the Purim story.
ט׳
9Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 88a
י׳
10❖ Points to Ponder
1. Do you find anything troubling about these two stories?
1. Do you find anything troubling about these two stories?
י״א
112. What lessons can we learn from the ways the Rabbis told the story of the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai in these midrashim?
י״ב
123. Which of these two stories best articulates how you see the relationship between the Jewish people and the Torah?
י״ג
13MAKE A DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE FOR YOUR WHOLE FAMILY!
י״ד
14INGREDIENTS
ט״ו
15Graham cracker crust
ט״ז
164 oz. graham crackers (see note)
י״ז
172 tbsp melted dark chocolate
י״ח
184 tbsp (½ stick) butter, melted
י״ט
19Cheesecake top
כ׳
2012 oz. full-fat soft cheese (such as Philadelphia cream cheese)
כ״א
21100 grams caster sugar (½ cup granulated sugar)
כ״ב
22¾ cup thick plain or vanilla yoghurt (plain Greek yoghurt)
כ״ג
23300 ml or ½ pint double cream (1¼ cups whipping cream)
כ״ד
246 oz. (1 cup) dark chocolate, melted
כ״ה
256 oz. (1 cup) white chocolate, melted
כ״ו
261 chocolate bar such as Elite’s mekupelet, optional
כ״ז
27METHOD
כ״ח
28Part 1: Graham cracker crust
כ״ט
29Line an 8-inch baking tin with baking paper (use either a spring-form tin or loose-bottom tin).
ל׳
30Place the graham crackers in a sealed plastic food bag, and crush them using a rolling pin until you have a bag full of very small chunks.
ל״א
31Mix the crushed graham crackers, melted chocolate, and melted butter in a bowl.
ל״ב
32Pour the mixture immediately into the tin and smooth it down with a spoon, so that it’s spread evenly over the bottom of the tin. This is your crust. Now you just need to leave it to set.
ל״ג
33Part 2: Cheesecake top
ל״ד
34Mix the cheese and sugar with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.
ל״ה
35Pour in the yoghurt (still using your wooden spoon) and mix well.
ל״ו
36Whisk the cream separately (using either a hand whisk or electric beaters) until the cream is just holding its shape. Then fold the cream into the sugar-cheese mixture.
ל״ז
37Divide the mixture into two equal bowls and get ready to add the chocolate.
ל״ח
38Mix all the melted white chocolate into one of the bowls and all the melted dark chocolate into the other bowl.
ל״ט
39Take the tin with the biscuit base and create a rough chessboard pattern by spooning alternate tablespoonfuls of the two cheesecake mixtures. Then add a second layer, continuing to alternate your spoonfuls of white and dark, but this time also try to place white on top of dark and vice versa. Continue layering until all the mixture in both bowls has been used.
מ׳
40Very gently, pull a fork through the mixture in the tin to create a “marbled” effect.
מ״א
41Level the top with a knife or palette knife, then have fun creating a pattern by raking a fork across the top.
מ״ב
42If using the mekupelet, crush and sprinkle it on top.
מ״ג
43Refrigerate for at least 90 minutes, until you are ready to serve your cake.
מ״ד
44Note: Biscuits or toasted oat cereal can be used instead of graham crackers. If you choose one of those options, omit the melted chocolate from the crust.