2008 - Saying Yes to Being The Vessel - A Shavout Reflection

A Shavout Blessing:  June 2008

Shavout begins tonight – Sunday June 8^th and continues through June 10^th.

On Shavout we celebrate the revelation of the Torah at Mt Sinai.

There is a Midrash that God's angel went to all the nations asking each one if they wanted the Torah.  

Each one asked -  “What is written in the Torah”
and the angel told them about one specific commandment
The nation said - "No, Thank you."

This went on from nation to nation, each nation receiving a different commandment yet each responding the same way. This continued until the angel approached the Jews.

The angel asked the Jews, “Do you want the Torah?”
They answered "Naaseh Vnishma, we will do and we will hear"

In other words they made a commitment to do God's will before they knew what was required of them.  

I believe that from all of us the question is asked –

“Do you want to serve?- Do you want to be a vessel?”

Some of us ask –

“What is required of me in order to be of service?”

And when the answer comes, it is too frightening; too much responsibility and we say “No, thank you.”

But for those of us who are lucky, when that question comes our way, we don’t ask what is required of us. Somehow we know that if we were to know what we were committing too, then we would not do it. So we say, “YES!” and we step in fully. We sign up to be on the path of healing and spiritual growth. We make the commitment to be of service, knowing that we have no idea what it is that we are getting ourselves into.

We say – I will do and I will listen! Show me the path and I will walk it. 

Show me where I need to go next and I will follow. I will be guided by that which knows. I will allow Spirit to work through me.

By opening ourselves to possibilities we make space for revelation to occur.

Welcome my friends to being the vessel. This holiday is about revelation. What will be revealed? I do not know… Neither did the Jews at the foot of the mountain. All they knew was that something inside of them was calling, and they answered that call.

May we all be blessed to answer that call; to walk into the place of being channels. May we allow the universe to work through us. May this answering allow that which needs to be revealed, to be revealed.. and may we have the courage to step into our greatness.  

May the world be at Peace.

Chani