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Why is Shavuos called 'giving of the Torah (תורה)' when only the Ten Commandments were spoken and no physical Torah transmitted? The shiur develops that Torah represents access to infinite divine wisdom, not just information. The 'giving' at Sinai established an eternal relationship with God's infinity, transforming the Jewish people from finite to infinite existence.
This shiur provides a comprehensive analysis of the concept of 'giving of the Torah (תורה)' on Shavuos, addressing fundamental questions about its meaning and significance. Rabbi Zweig begins with a historical overview of the Sinai event in the year 2448, noting that only the Ten Commandments were spoken on Shavuos itself, while Moshe received the actual tablets 40 days later. This raises the question of why we call Shavuos the 'giving of the Torah' when no physical Torah was transmitted that day. The shiur explores why the Gemara (גמרא) in Sanhedrin marks the beginning of the 'years of Torah' with Avrohom and Sarah's conversions in Parashat Lech Lecha, 448 years before Sinai. Rabbi Zweig questions why the Torah describes Shavuos primarily in terms of counting the Omer and new grain offerings rather than Torah transmission, and why Moshe himself hadn't yet learned the Torah on the day we celebrate its giving.
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Gemara Shabbos 88a - Sinai coercion teaching
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