Shavuous is a time we remember receiving the holy Torah at Mount Sinai. It is said in the holiday prayers, Chag Hashavuous hazeh, z’man matan toraseinu (the Feast of Weeks, the season of the Giving of our Torah), yet this is not a time of pride.

It is written: “With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit (Isa. 57:15)…. for behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, ignored all the mountains and heights and caused His Shechinah to abide upon Mount Sinai, but did not elevate Mount Sinai up to Himself.” (Sotah 5a)

There was excitement in the town, as a holy rabbi came to visit. The holy rabbi went into the old wooden shul (synagogue), pulled a holy book from the shelf and began to study. Slowly the holy rabbi pushed the book aside, stood up and walked to the window and began to stare at the mountains.

It seemed as though the whole town turned out to catch a glimpse of the holy rabbi. All of the important people and the most learned of the scholars came into the shul (synagogue) just to meet the holy rabbi hoping to grasp his hand and wish him shalom (peace) and maybe get a blessing from him.

The holy rabbi did not turn to face them. He just stood looking through the window at the high mountains in the distance. Everyone who had gathered in the old wooden shul had hoped to hear some lessons or wisdom from his holy lips, but the rabbi remained gazing out the window in deep meditation.

Among all those who came into the old wooden shul was a young man whose learning and prominent family were equaled only by his pride and self-importance. He was very rigid in his approach to study and prayer and as he looked at the holy rabbi he assumed that the rabbi was not showing the proper honor and respect due to the many dignitaries and scholars who had come out to meet him.

The longer the young man stood, the angrier he became. The young man could see no reason for the rabbi’s behavior and so he began: “Rabbi, would you please explain why you are gazing so intensely at that hill, which is, after all, only a pile of dust?”

The holy rabbi took a deep breath and then slowly answered: “that is indeed what amazes me, how can a plain pile of dust blow itself up so mightily until it becomes a proud mountain?…”

The young proud and conceited man had learned his lesson as he prayed:

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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