A Bit on the Parshas Vaeschanan

When you will inquire about the earliest days that were before you, from the time that G-d created man on the earth and from one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens, was there anything so great as this or has anything like it been claimed!? Has a nation heard the voice of G-d speaking from the midst of the fire like you have heard, you, and survived?" (Deut. 4:22-23)

In this week's Parsha, the Torah says that we will never have a claim to the experience we had at Mt. Sinai. We don't have witnesses, we don't have people coming and telling us a story about their grandfather's experience or their father's trials and tribulations at the location. So how are we supposed to KNOW there is a G-d based on this verse: "I am Hashem your G-d that took you out of the land of Egypt." The verse was spoken to that entire nation an estimated 3 1/2 million people. But we didn't hear it ourselves. How then are we supposed to know and believe that Hashem exists. Ultimately, we have all experienced this great event at Mt. Sinai. We were all there, says the Torah. Hashem introduces himself. That's how we know.

But how do we know today? We know through our historical records. Not one person said "you" instead of "I" experienced. Not one text of the major montheistic faiths quotes G-d speaking to anyone. Was anyone actually there at the moment of this gigantic epiphany? History demonstrates that nothing even slightly comparable to this moment has ever happened in our existence, though there have been a great and many imitations.

But can we actually prove that it happened? Yes, say some. No, say others. But the Torah says so, according to this Parsha and that's why the Jews believe.

So when you approach me on the street and ask me to believe in Allah or Jesus because you can't prove the event at Mt. Sinai--don't be surprised if I don't go skipping over to your faith.

No, I don't have any tangible evidence of the great moment at Mt. Sinai. But I have far greater proof--it's called the Torah!

Good Shabbos and please daven with the Jewish settlers taken from their homes in the West Bank in mind.