Shavuos Special Issue: Five Pieces from the Maharsham
Published: Tue, 05/19/26
THE MAHARSHAM ON SHAVUOS AND MATTAN TORAH
Five pieces from the Maharsham's writings on Shavuos, the giving of the Torah, and what it means to receive it.
Dedicated le'iluy nishmas
Rebbe Pinchos of Kechnia, Hy"d
ben Rebbe Sholom, Ab"d Lanshin, zy"a
and his Rebbetzin, Shlomtza, Hy"d, bas the Rebbe Reb Meir of Kretchnif, zy"a
who were murdered al kiddush Hashem in Auschwitz on 3 Sivan
Sponsored le'iluy nishmas Chaya Roiza bas R' Yosef, a"h • Yahrtzeit 3 Sivan
WHAT'S INSIDE
I. Adorning the Shul on Shavuos. The Gr"a opposed placing trees in the shul. The Maharsham upheld the minhag with two arguments from the sources, showing how a cherished minhag Yisrael rests on firm halachic ground.
II. When to Daven on Shavuos Night. Must we wait until after tzeis hakochavim to daven Maariv? The Maharsham defines exactly where the concern of temimus applies: to Kiddush, not to Maariv.
III. Bringing Everyone to the Aseres Hadibros. If a minyan has already heard the Torah read, may another reading be made for those who missed it? The Maharsham discusses when a new Krias HaTorah with berachos may be justified.
IV. Building the Inner Mikdash. From the Techeiles Mordechai on Parshas Pekudei: the doubled phrase in Moshe's blessing points to a mikdash built not only as a structure, but within each person.
V. Stories of Kavod HaTorah. Three stories: the Maharsham's hundred-and-first time through the Tur, his refusal of wine on his deathbed, and his achrayus to explain every din Torah to the losing party.
A thread runs through these pieces. The Maharsham upheld a cherished minhag Yisrael rather than abolish it; he carefully defined where the halachic concern of the Omer applies; he ruled toward bringing even one more Yid to hear the Aseres Hadibros; he taught that a central avodah of Kabbalas HaTorah is the building that happens within; and he gave his whole life, to its final hour, to a Torah he understood must reach every Yid with clarity and emes.
Gut Yom Tov!
A freilichen Shavuos to all of Klal Yisrael.
The Maharsham Project • www.kechnia.org/maharsham
L’illui nishmas R’ Shalom Mordechai HaKohen Schwadron zt”l • [email protected]