The ultimate royal wedding
The ultimate royal wedding

The ultimate royal wedding.  That’s how our prophets describe the revelation of Hashem to His people at Mount Sinai. The anniversary of which we celebrate on Shavuot. The King of kings entered into a lasting, covenantal bond with His people. We recall this every Friday night in the Lecha Dodi when we sing, “Yasis Aalayich Elokayich, Kimsos Chattan Al Kallah – May Hashem continue to rejoice with our people in the same way as a bride and groom rejoice together.”

This was also recorded by the prophet Hoshea, who in the concluding verse of the Haftara of Bamidbar, cites the words of Hashem, “Ve’erastich Li Leolam – That I will betroth you unto Me forever, Ve’erastich Li B’tzedeck Uve’Mishpat – I will betroth you unto Me with righteousness and justice, Uve’Chessed Uve’Rachamim – and with lovingkindness and with mercy, Ve’erastich Li B’Emunah – I will betroth you unto Me with faithfulness, V’Yadaat Et Hashem – and you will know the Lord.”

We have here, not only the ingredients of that remarkable relationship between the Almighty and His people, but also the ingredients for any successful marriage.

First of all, “Ve’erastich Li Leolam,” one needs to be in this for the long term. Doing whatever possible to guarantee that this will be a lifelong, wonderful relationship.

“Ve’erastich Li B’tzedeck Uve’Mishpat.” In one’s home there needs to be righteousness and piety, justice and fairness in every action that one carries out.

And also, “B’Chesed Uve’Rachamim,” of course, there must be  lovingkindness, selflessness, mercy and acts of empathy in which people readily and naturally give up themselves for others.

“Ve’erastich Li B’Emunah.” It goes without saying that there must be faithfulness, fidelity and loyalty.

The last ingredient is so crucially important, “V’Yedaat Et Hashem.” A great relationship is one in which there is an awareness of the presence of Hashem, where there is an abundance of spirituality to guide and to inspire us.

At Shavuot Time, we are mindful of how the relationship forged between the Almighty and our people at Sinai, continues to exist and thrive to this very day. So too, our blessing for every husband and wife is that they should apply those very same ingredients that exist between Hashem and ourselves into their marriages in order to guarantee, please G-d, that they will have lifelong meaning, fulfilment, happiness, joy and success.