Thursday, February 16, 2017

Is Mount Sinai a 'Holy Place'?





Is Mount Sinai a 'Holy Place'?  



Mount Sinai, the sight of the revelation, is not considered a holy place in Judaism.  Its location has never been verified, and it's location has never been considered a sacred spot or a historical monument, and within the Jewish community there has been very little effort to even locate the mountain.   


The role of Sinai was a temporary one.  It was not the mountain itself that gave Holiness (Kedushah).  The reverence and awe was directed towards the majesty of the Torah revelation through the Divine Presence (Shechina).  Once the revelation experience was over the Holiness also dissipated.  Therefore the Rabbis say "It is not the place that honors the man; it is the man who honors the place."  (Talmud Bavli, Taanit 21b)  This gives us a unique perspective on the human interaction between man and place.      

- Rabbi Baruch Plotkin

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