The Midrash states that the Torah was given through the media of fire, water, and wilderness. The commentators differ in communicating the message of this Midrash. Horav M. Shapiro, z.l., suggests that these three elements reflect the magnitude of Klal Yisrael’s devotion to Hashem to the point of their self-sacrifice.
Fire alludes to the fiery caldron into which Avraham Avinu was thrown because of his staunch belief in Hashem. This, however, only illustrates self-sacrifice on the part of the individual Jew. Water, which symbolizes Klal Yisrael’s passage through the Red Sea, represents our unwavering devotion to Hashem as a whole nation. Yet, these two examples alone still do not provide sufficient proof of Klal Yisrael’s loyalty. Surrounded by threatening animals, Klal Yisrael travelled in a wilderness devoid of nourishment for forty years. Throughout this period, they displayed their constant, unstinting love for Hashem. Mesiras nefesh, which is demonstrated by this threefold pattern of individual, collective, and constant devotion to Hashem, is evidence of the strength of our nation’s bond to Hashem.
