In compliance with the Divine imperative, Moshe gave a special Sefer Torah to the tribe of Levi. Upon hearing this, Bnei Yisrael reacted in an unanticipated manner. They said, “Moshe, we also stood at Mount Sinai and received the Torah, why should you give dominance to the people of your tribe over it? In the future your descendants might claim it was given only to them and not to all of us. This could, Heaven-forbid, lead to the Torah ultimately being lost from Klal Yisrael.” When Moshe heard their reaction he responded, “Today, you have become a nation. This day I have come to know that you cleave and long for Hashem”.
This is the meaning of today, for only today was Am Yisrael‘s true devotion to Hashem clearly revealed. It seems incredible that a nation which had clung relentlessly to their belief in Hashem throughout their bitter Egyptian bondage, that had accepted the Torah on Mount Sinai with the words of “we will first do, then we will listen,” should still need to convince Moshe of their devotion to Hashem. What was so unique about their expression “today” that finally substantiated their faithfulness to Moshe? The answer lies in their demonstration of true anguish for the perpetuation of Torah in Klal Yisrael. The ultimate proof of devotion is the ability to exhibit one’s concern for the perpetuation in future generations. Personal piety and mitzvah performance are not sufficient, if they are limited to the present time and to the specific individual. The overall concern for Torah dissemination in generations to come reflects one’s inner sensitivity to Torah. The amount of mitzvos we perform is overshadowed by the degree of anxiety we have for the education of our children and others. Through our involvement in the continuity of the Torah we become part of one of history’s greatest miracles. It is our sacred obligation as Jews to uphold the Torah‘s tenets and plan for its vibrant transmission from generation to generation.
