By saying “we will do” before “we will learn,” the Jewish people declared that they were prepared to fulfill G‑d’s will unconditionally – accepting His commandments even before they knew what they were. It is still on the condition of this commitment that G‑d continues to “give us the Torah” today – i.e., revealing Himself and His will to us as we study the Torah and perform its commandments.
Conventional thinking may deem it irrational to commit oneself to a contract before the terms of the contract are spelled out. And we can indeed connect to G‑d as He reveals Himself within creation without first committing ourselves to do whatever He wants. But the only way we can connect to G‑d Himself – i.e., as He is beyond creation and rationality – is by likewise rising above the limits of rationality. Therefore, nowadays, just as when the Torah was first given, the way we connect with G‑d Himself is by devoting ourselves to His Torah unconditionally.1
Join the Discussion