Shavuot - 5786

Shavuot - 5786

Rabbi Hal Miller

There is a widespread custom to stand in shul during the reading of the Aseret HaDibrot (Ten Commandments) on the morning of Shavuot. What is the purpose of this custom and exactly how widespread is it?

Certainly not every person nor every shul have this custom. Rambam was very emphatic in his criticism of it, saying that any person or any congregation standing should be rebuked and made to sit down. Sephardim for the most part follow Rambam on this and do not stand, although this is not universal. Rambam's reasoning is that for one to stand for only one part of the Torah readings might be interpreted as meaning that only that one portion is really important or Divine in origin, and that the rest is mere commentary, thus to stand like this is heretical. But the majority of Israel do stand. Why do they stand, and how do they deal with Rambam's opinion?

Peninei Halakha and Rashi cite Pesikta d'Rav Kahana that "God said to the Jews, My children, read this portion every year and I will consider it as if you are standing before Sinai and receiving the Torah" thus our standing now for the reading is a remembrance of Sinai. We stand for elders or parents, so Peninei Halakha considers it a greeting to God. Given the fact that nobody today understands this as being the only mitzvot of importance, Rambam's heresy claim is not an issue for that standing, so why would it be for the standing for Aseret HaDibrot?

One might ask whether this standing applies every time we read the Aseret HaDibrot, whether in Yitro or Va'etchanan, whether on Shavuot or during weekly Torah portions. Rav Soloveitchik explains the tradition that there are two cantillations for this reading, one called the upper (or festive) and one called the lower (or regular). We use the lower version for all readings but Aseret HaDibrot on Shavuot when we use the upper one. It is only for that reading that we stand, which is then a partial answer to Rambam's claim about heresy, since we treat the section of Aseret HaDibrot like all sections for regular readings throughout the year. Rambam did not have this differentiation of cantillation, so always used the lower one. In general, Chabad follows Rambam on this and does not stand, but the Chabad rule is that if most of the congregation does stand, then all must stand even if those others have the custom not to do so.

Rav Moshe Feinstein notes that we also stand for Az HaYashir, the Song at the Sea, and nobody makes any heresy claims about that. He says that the purpose of standing for Az HaYashir and Aseret HaDibrot is for people to feel attachment to the receipt of the Torah. Rav Moshe Sternbuch says that the only time we might run into the Rambam's heresy issue is for someone who only reads this one reading on Shavuot but does not read the rest of the Torah over the course of the year.

The Shulchan Aruch [146:4] rules that it is not necessary to stand for Torah readings, but this ruling refers to general readings rather than specifically the Aseret HaDibrot on Shavuot. The Rama brings and concurs with the Maharam who says that it is a good idea to stand for all Torah readings (I do this but am typically the only one in the shul who does). These are not halachic rulings, just customs and good advice. The Mishnah Berurah agrees with those who say that standing for this particular reading on Shavuot is a reminder of the receipt of the Torah, thus he relates it back to the standing at Mount Sinai. Rabbi David Brofsky (Hilchos Moadim) notes that in the festival davening we refer to Shavuot as "zman matan toroteinu", the time of the giving of our Torah, which although not specified in the Torah itself, does strengthen the case for relationship to Sinai.

All Jews are obligated to hear the Aseret HaDibrot. Although we hear it in two ordinary parshiot during the year, the Shavuot reading seems to be what this obligation applies to. This is similar to the way we handle the reading of Amalek, for which most people do not stand. Perhaps the difference is that we did not stand at the time we were told to fight Amalek, but did stand for receiving the Torah. Rabbi Shmuel Pinchas Gelbard (Rite and Reason) refers to Shemot 20:16, "and they trembled and stood afar" as the tie to Sinai.

As with all customs, one should follow the custom of their kehilla. If they stand for Aseret HaDibrot, then one should join them, and vice versa. Most poskim nowadays believe that Rambam's concern is no longer valid, and in any event, not a halacha. Those who sit also have a custom to fall back on even without the Rambam.