‫בס"ד‬

‫שבועות‬
A Night of Inspiration
(for girls too!)

As the meal ends and the men head off to shul, I pull out my Tehillim, wishing I
knew what else I could do to grow, learn, and feel connected to this Yom Tov.
Here is our way of giving you that opportunity.

Step One: Find a chavrusa to learn with.

*You can also create a group in your neighborhood or find out if there is already an existing group in your
community that you can join. (Email us and we will tell you!)

Step Two: Print out this booklet, cut the first 5 pages into squares/rectangles. Print multiple copies of the square
mitzvah cards, (the first two pages) depending on the size of your group. Ex: 2 girls, 3 copies / 5 girls, 4 copies
That creates a game called Distraction.*

Step Three: On Leil Shavuos, meet with your group at the designated house. The first step is to play the game.
Next, you'll read through the packet either by taking turns, or by electing a "Maggid Shiur." Be sure to use the
questions as conversation starters, in order to bring the learning to a deeper and more interesting level.

Step Four: Eat your cheesecake knowing that you grew this Shavuos!

*Distraction:
Here's how to play:
Make one stack of rectangle distraction cards and one stack of square Mitzvos Cards. Be sure to
shuffle the square distraction cards into the pile well. Put both stacks face down on the table.
Starting with whoever in your group has the next birthday, and take turns flipping over the square
cards into a pile in the middle. When the first person flips, they need to say the mitzvah out loud
and make sure everyone is paying attention. The next person will flip the second card on top of that
card, saying their mitzvah out loud and the previous mitzvah in the stack. The third person will then
flip a third card, saying all three mitzvos in order, starting from the first one. Keep flipping until
someone hits a card that says distraction! That player will then choose a card from the distraction
deck, and will have to answer the question or do the task, and then list the previous sequence of
mitzvos in order! Keep doing this until all the cards are complete, and whoever has all six of the
mitzvos memorized at the end of the game wins!

Once again, Project Light provides us beautiful and inspirational Torah in a warm, colorful, and
engaging format. Logic dictates that the mitzvos that Hashem placed upon us every single
moment of our lives are the ones that are most crucial to our essence as Jews. Therefore, how
valuable and appropriate it is on Shavuos to learn and delve into the 6 constant mitzvos, which one
receives reward for every time he thinks of them and lives by them. May Hashem bless Rachel
Shamah and the rest of the Project Light Team for the great efforts they placed into this meaningful
project, and may Project Light continue to illuminate our lives with the radiance of Torah!

-Rabbi Moshe Don Kestenbaum

The outline of this material was adapted from Rav Noach Weinberg and Aish.com.
‫ְׁש ַמ ע ִי ְׂש ָר ֵא ל‬ ‫ְו ָא ַה ְב ָּת ֵא ת ה’‬ ‫ָא ֹנִכ י ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶֶֶֶֶק יך‬

‫ֹלא־ִי ְה ͏ֶיה־ְל ָך‬ ‫ְו ֹלא־ָת תּורּו‬

‫ֱא ֹלִק ים‬ ‫ַא ֲח ֵר י ְל ַב ְב ֶכ ם‬
‫ֲא ֵח ִר ים ַע ל־ָּפ ַ͏ָני‬ ‫ְו ַא ֲח ֵר י ֵע יֵנ יֶכ ם‬
‫ֶא ת־ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶק יָך‬
‫ִּת יָר א‬

‫ְׁש ַמ ע ִי ְׂש ָר ֵא ל‬ ‫ְו ָא ַה ְב ָּת ֵא ת ה’‬ ‫ָא ֹנִכ י ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶֶֶֶֶק יך‬

‫ֹלא־ִי ְה ͏ֶיה־ְל ָך‬ ‫ְו ֹלא־ָת תּורּו‬

‫ֱא ֹלִק ים‬ ‫ַא ֲח ֵר י ְל ַב ְב ֶכ ם‬
‫ֲא ֵח ִר ים ַע ל־ָּפ ַ͏ָני‬ ‫ְו ַא ֲח ֵר י ֵע יֵנ יֶכ ם‬
‫ֶא ת־ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶק יָך‬
‫ִּת יָר א‬
‫ְׁש ַמ ע ִי ְׂש ָר ֵא ל‬ ‫ְו ָא ַה ְב ָּת ֵא ת ה’‬ ‫ָא ֹנִכ י ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶֶֶֶֶק יך‬

‫ֹלא־ִי ְה ͏ֶיה־ְל ָך‬ ‫ְו ֹלא־ָת תּורּו‬

‫ֱא ֹלִק ים‬ ‫ַא ֲח ֵר י ְל ַב ְב ֶכ ם‬
‫ֲא ֵח ִר ים ַע ל־ָּפ ַ͏ָני‬ ‫ְו ַא ֲח ֵר י ֵע יֵנ יֶכ ם‬
‫ֶא ת־ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶק יָך‬
‫ִּת יָר א‬

‫‪i‬‬‫‪o‬‬‫‪n‬‬‫!‬ ‫‪a‬‬‫‪c‬‬‫‪t‬‬‫‪i‬‬‫‪o‬‬‫‪n‬‬‫!‬ ‫‪a‬‬‫‪c‬‬‫‪t‬‬‫‪i‬‬‫‪o‬‬‫‪n‬‬‫!‬

‫‪t‬‬ ‫‪Dist‬‬‫‪r‬‬ ‫‪Dist‬‬‫‪r‬‬
‫‪Distrac‬‬
‫ְׁש ַמ ע ִי ְׂש ָר ֵא ל‬ ‫ְו ָא ַה ְב ָּת ֵא ת ה’‬ ‫ָא ֹנִכ י ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶֶֶֶֶק יך‬

‫ֹלא־ִי ְה ͏ֶיה־ְל ָך‬ ‫ְו ֹלא־ָת תּורּו‬

‫ֱא ֹלִק ים‬ ‫ַא ֲח ֵר י ְל ַב ְב ֶכ ם‬
‫‪i‬‬‫‪o‬‬‫‪n‬‬‫!‬ ‫‪a‬‬ ‫‪c‬‬ ‫‪t‬‬‫‪i‬‬‫‪o‬‬ ‫‪n‬‬‫!‬ ‫‪a‬‬ ‫‪c‬‬ ‫‪t‬‬ ‫‪i‬‬ ‫‪o‬‬ ‫‪n‬‬ ‫!‬
‫‪r‬‬‫‪a‬‬‫‪c‬‬‫‪t‬‬ ‫ֲא ֵח ִר ים ַע‪str‬‬
‫ל־ָּפ‪ָ͏ַ i‬ני‬ ‫ְו ַא ֲח ֵר י ֵע ‪r‬יֵנ‪t‬יֶכ‪is‬ם‪D‬‬
‫‪ָ ist‬ך‪D‬‬ ‫‪D‬‬
‫ֶא ת־ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶק י‬
‫ִּת יָר א‬
 If you could If you had to
What’s your
be any change your
favorite part
dessert, what first name,
about
would you what name
Shavous?
choose? would you
choose?

What’s one What’s the What is your

subject you’d last book you favorite day
like to learn read? of the week?
more about?

What’s the What‘s your

nicest Are you a favorite
compliment morning or a minhag in
anyone ever night person? your family?
gave you?
 What’s your What’s the What food
favorite thing best present can't you live
Project Light you ever without?
ever did? received?

Let us know! ;)

What book What’s your

When is your
would you favorite
best friend’s
want to live inspirational
birthday?
in? quote?

Compliment Count Say "hello" in

the person to backwards three
your right from 25 languages
 List your
Sing the
Do ten whole
chorus of
jumping jacks family’s
your school’s
birthdays
G.O. song

Say everyone Say the ABCs List all of

in the room’s backwards as your teachers
names in a fast as you
British accent can

(Or American if you’re British :))

Spell your Tell everyone

name in Eat a piece of
your morning
Hebrew out candy/food
routine
loud
 ‫בס״ד‬
For best results, start by reciting three Perakim of Tehillim

6 Constant Mitzvos

’‫ְו ָא ַה ְב ָּת ֵא ת ה‬ ‫ָא ֹנִכ י ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶֶֶֶֶק יך‬

…‫ֹלא־ִי ְה ͏ֶיה‬ ‫ְו ֹלא־ָת תּורּו‬

‫ְׁש ַמ ע ִי ְׂש ָר ֵא ל‬ ‫ֶא ת־ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶק יָך ִּת יָר א‬

When someone has a goal in life, it’s usually to become the greatest at what they’re
doing. Whether it’s a businessman that wants to get the most sales, a doctor that
wants to cure the most patients, or a lawyer who wants to win the most cases,
everyone wants to accomplish the most they possibly can.
So too, a Jew should always want to be able to develop the strongest relationship
with Hashem that they can possibly have!

Tonight, we’re going to delve deeper into the 6 Constant Mitzvos- you hear that?
Constant! You can receive schar for doing these mitzvos at any time of any day!
Through loving and fearing Hashem, knowing He is One, noy following another god
or our desires, and by just knowing that Hashem is there, we will strengthen our
relationship with Hashem!
 ‫בס״ד‬

‫ָא ֹנִכ י ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶֶֶֶֶק יך‬

Know There is a G-d

The basis of this commandment seems a little backwards. Doesn’t anyone reading and
abiding by these Mitzvos already know that there’s a G-d? Why do we need to say it again?
Rav Noach Weinberg states that it’s not enough to intellectually know that Hashem is in
charge of everything; you must also know it in your heart.

Every day in Aleinu we say, “You shall know this day, and understand
it in your heart, that the Almighty is G-d" More than knowing in your
‫“ְו ָי ַד ְע ָּת ַה ּיֹו ם‬
head is understanding in your heart. Once you have an emotional
understanding that Hashem is there, it will affect how you conduct ‫ַו ֲה ֵׁש ֹבָת‬
yourself in life. A child will jump off of a ledge into his father’s arms ‫ֶא ל־ְל ָב ֶב ָך ִּכ י ה׳‬
because he trusts his father. If you truly believe and understand
that Hashem is always there, you will be able to “jump into His “‫הּוא ָה ֱא ֹלִק ים‬
arms” whenever you may need.

Chovos Halevavos gives 4 steps to having

The Chofetz Chaim once explained a complete Trust in Hashem:
method of fundraising. You need to
adjust the amount of money you ask for Recognize that Hashem loves you even more than a parent’s
depending on who you’re asking. If love for their child! Deep down we all know that Hashem loves us
and that even if we do many things wrong, He is always there for
you’re asking a delivery boy you might
us. Even someone that ignored Hashem all their life will call out
ask him for $20. If you’re asking a to Hashem in times of need. As the saying goes, there is no
successful businessman you can ask for atheist in a foxhole.
a few thousand. And from a billionaire,
you can even ask for a million. When it We have a direct line of connection with Hashem. The U.S.
Defense Department spends millions of dollars each year to
comes to asking Hashem, there is no
send broadcast signals to distant stars, in the hope that there's
limit! You can ask Hashem for life out there. It may take 2,000 years for the signals to get there,
absolutely anything and He will be able but they're still listening at all times. Now think, have you ever
to give it to you! You just need to have had a prayer answered? That’s the Creator of the whole universe
Emunah and trust that this is true! directly communicating with you! Hashem is constantly there
and will pick up any signals you send Him!

Hashem can do it all! When a person does something for

someone else, they are physically losing something whether it’s
time, money, or even energy! If a parent gives a child even a
dollar it is technically making their net worth lower. However,
In which areas of life do you Hashem constantly gives to us, and He doesn’t lose out on
anything! Hashem is ‫הכל יכול‬, and He can and will give you
feel it is easier to have everything you need (even if it's not what you think you need).
Bitachon? Harder?
Hashem knows what's good for us and He wants us to have the
best of everything. In our limited minds, we may think we know
what we want and need, but Hashem knows better! Just like a
In which areas do you feel parent won’t let a child have 5 cookies every night and the child
you tend to make Hashem thinks the parent is being mean, we sometimes misunderstand
Hashem’s care as unfairness.
your first option for help?
 ‫בס״ד‬

‫ֹלא־ִי ְה ͏ֶיה־ְל ָך ֱא ֹלִק ים ֲא ֵח ִר ים ַע ל־ָּפ ַ͏ָני‬

Don’t Believe in Any Other Power

The reward for a ‫ מצות לא תעשה‬only comes if someone is in the situation that they are
tempted to do what they are not allowed to do and overcome the temptation. So the fact
that this mitzvah is a constant commandment must mean that the temptation of believing
in other gods is constant. How can that be? Let’s delve deeper!

In Tehillim, Dovid Hamelech writes that one shouldn’t have a “strange god in his heart.” We
may think that this doesn’t apply to us today, but it most definitely does! The Gemara
explains that this strange god can be referring to the Yetzer Hara. The Yetzer
Hara tries to make us forget what the real source of our fulfillment and
success is. It distracts us and makes us rely on beauty, money, status, and
fame instead of acknowledging that everything is straight from Hashem!

When we accomplish things in life, we need to know that it isn’t us, and we are just
fulfilling what Hashem initially decreed. To think you're doing it alone, and that it is ‫כחי‬
‫ועצם ידי‬, is to "believe in powers other than G-d." Why is this so destructive? Because
attributing success to our own power shortchanges us from accomplishing more.
Whenever something becomes too difficult or painful to undertake, you'll say, "I can't."
You'll reason that, "Everything I've done until now, I've done with my own power. What
is being asked of me now – to change the world, to perfect myself – that is
impossible." Traditional idol worship may not be common today, but today we have
an even greater challenge: Will we attribute our success to Hashem – or to ourselves?

Three Things People Commonly Take Credit For:

Natural Abilities: Accomplishments: Doing What’s Right:

Taking credit for pretty hair, Of course, a hard-working A human intrinsically wants to do
nice colored eyes, or 20/20 person deserves credit for what’s right. Through mitzvos,
Hashem gives us the opportunity,
vision is like taking credit for something that they
the ability, the incentive, and the
a cake you bought from the accomplish, but you need to ultimate reward. When you do
bakery! Hashem gave these make sure you acknowledge what’s right, thank Hashem for
things to you; you that the talents required to do the opportunity!
didn’t work for them! so are all from Hashem!

What do you naturally take credit for? Thank Hashem for three skills you
have that enable you do to
Are you truly the one who deserves that credit? mitzvos!

Why or why not?

 ‫בס״ד‬

‫ְׁש ַמ ע ִי ְׂש ָר ֵא ל ה’ ֱא ֹלֵק ינּו ה׳ ֶא ָח ד‬

Know Hashem is One

The Rambam says that one of the highest levels of wisdom that humans can have is to
understand the Oneness of Hashem. Before Hashem created the world, He was the only
One in existence. Even now, Hashem is the only real entity, and we and all creations are
just a part of Him.

If everything in this world is just a part of Hashem, that must include

the Yetzer Hara... If the Yetzer Hara is part of Hashem, then it must be,
by definition, good. How can the Yetzer Hara be good?

Take, for example, a child learning to swim…

An experienced swim instructor will slowly let go of the child and then inch
away further and further from them as they swim closer to reach the
instructor. Once the child can easily swim that distance, the instructor
will move even further back. At first this may seem tricky or even cruel,
but in the end it is this practice that teaches the child to swim!
The same is with the Yetzer Hara. Although the Yetzer Hara seems to be
pulling us away from Hashem, it actually provides opportunities to
grow closer. We can try to view challenges as something to help our
growth, not hinder it. When your Yetzer Hara comes and tells you to sin,
he's really saying, "Here's a challenge. Let's see you overcome this one!"

When you set goals in life, they should be flexible enough to

accommodate new challenges. That's Hashem’s way of steering and
guiding us. He may "change the weather" to make sure we're heading in
the right direction. If our plans are so clearly defined that they can't
accommodate changes, that's a lack of belief in "Hashem is One."

What are three ways that the Yetzer Hara does good for us?
Try to have this in mind when you say Shema tonight and
tomorrow morning!
 ‫בס״ד‬

‫ְו ָא ַה ְב ָּת ֵא ת ה’ ֱא ֹלֶק יָך ְּב ׇכ ל־ְל ָב ְב ָך‬

Love Hashem

The Rambam says that you can only love someone as much as you know them. We all want
to live a life full of ‫ אהבת ה׳‬but we can only love Hashem if we truly “know” Him. The Torah
tells us three ways in which we can come to get close to Hashem. Through our Heart, our
Soul, and our Possessions.

To love To love
To love
Hashem with Hashem with
Hashem with
your soul is to use all of your possessions is to
your heart is to avoid
your talents and energy use all your material
the wrong thing because
to serve Hashem, even if things for Hashem. This
it’s not your desire. For
it may cost you comfort includes giving tzedakah,
example, leaving a job
and, in certain spending money on
that makes you work
circumstances, Mitzvos and making
on Shabbos.
your life. brachos.

The complete depth of the If you study world history you One of the first questions
Torah is beyond any human can see how Hashem has we're asked when we come
comprehension because the ensured the survival of the up to Shamayim is, "Did you
Torah is the mind of Hashem. Jewish people despite taste all of Hashem’s fruits?" –
If you love learning Torah you impossible odds. If someone in other words: Did you
will come to love Hashem, has proven he'll go to great appreciate Hashem’s gifts in
because you will understand efforts for you – even to the this world? If someone gave
that Hashem is the source of point of saving your life – then you a car as a gift and
all of this wisdom and we'll be forever grateful to needed to borrow it for a day,
meaning. Therefore, personal them. Hashem has done all of course you would let them!
goals and desires cannot that and more for us, so it's Think about all of the gifts
compare to this depth. You'll our pleasure to devote our Hashem gave us in nature. Of
then drop anything which is time, abilities, and if need be, course, we want to give back
not consistent with the will of our very life to serve Hashem. in any tiny way we can - and
Hashem, thereby That is serving Hashem serve Him with our
serving Him with love. with your soul. possessions.

Share one example for each section: How else can you
How do you personally serve Hashem use these things for
with your Heart, Soul, and Possessions? Hashem?
 ‫בס״ד‬

‫ֶא ת־ה׳ ֱא ֹלֶק יָך ִּת יָר א‬

Fear Hashem

Imagine hidden cameras monitoring your progress through life with the whole world watching.
When all those people are staring, won't you be careful with every move?

Walk with a constant awareness of Hashem. Everything is recorded on videotape. Think about if
you are we maximizing every opportunity, because one day we'll have to answer for our actions.
That fear can motivate us to achieve greatness.

Be motivated by fear. It is thrilling to be afraid! Go to an amusement

park and watch people getting off the roller coaster. Everyone's
giggling for the first block: "It's great to be alive." By the second block,
they're getting more serious as they begin to remember their
problems. By the third block, they're back to their old selves... Life is
boring without fear. Notice how "successful" people inevitably look for
new risky ventures. It may be an unpredictable financial investment, or
it may be hang-gliding lessons. The key to getting the most out of life?
Feel like you're constantly getting off a roller coaster.

Everyone is born with the ability to sense pain. If

we're stuck with a pin or burned by fire, our ‫ חּוץ‬,‫“ַה ֹּכל ִּב יֵד י ָׁש ַמ ִי ם‬
hand jumps back instinctively. Some people,
however, are born without a pain response.
“‫ִמ ִּי ְר ַא ת ָׁש ַמ ִי ם‬
They feel nothing if their hand is put into fire.
Sure, it's nice not to feel pain., but someone who We learn that everything is in the hands of
feels no pain is in constant danger. Pain is Hashem but ‫ יראת שמים‬is up to us. Then, in
essential to our survival! The purpose of fear of our Tefillah, we ask for ‫ַח ִּיים ֶׁש ֵיׁש ָּב ֶה ם ִיְר ַא ת‬
Hashem is to keep ultimate consequences ‫ָׁש ַמ ִים‬. If ‫ יראת שמים‬is in our hands, how can
clearly in mind. It helps us think twice before we we ask Hashem for it? Because at the end
insult someone or yell at our parents. Fear of of the day everything is in the hands of
punishment is like a pain reflex. It keeps us Hashem. If we ask Him for ‫ יראת שמים‬and He
from doing things that will cause us sees that we really want it, Hashem will
harm later on. grant us with opportunities to grow in it!

When can fear be helpful in Avodas Hashem?

How else can we translate fear?

 ‫בס״ד‬

‫ְו ֹלא־ָת תּורּו ַא ֲח ֵר י ְל ַב ְב ֶכ ם ְו ַא ֲח ֵר י ֵע יֵנ יֶכ ם‬

Don’t Follow Your Desires

Life is filled with sensory stimulation: radios, billboards, and Internet. The desire to go after
these things is constant. The Jewish idea is to follow logic instead of indulging in these
temptations. Because the pull is so strong, it is a constant challenge – a constant Mitzvah –
to refrain from veering off and stay on the proper course.

Imagine this: A body is to the soul, as a car is to the driver. You have to
maintain your car mechanically and fuel it with quality gasoline. If you abuse
the car, it won't take you where you want to go...but of course the car is not
more important than the driver! Someone who neglects his family and instead
spends endless hours waxing and coddling his car has obviously lost his sense
of priority. So too, with the body and soul. Sometimes you should indulge your
body, so your soul can accomplish more. After you've completed a difficult
project, for example, you might reward yourself with a meal at a fancy
restaurant. Keep the body feeling good so the soul can tackle life's challenges.
Just don't indulge in physical pleasure for its own sake. Don't make materialism
the goal of your existence.

How do we avoid getting caught up in materialism?

The key is to uplift and elevate the mundane world. On Friday night, we raise a cup of wine
and use it – not to get drunk – but to make Kiddush and sanctify Shabbos. When doing any
physical activity – eating, sleeping, talking – stop for a moment and ask yourself: Why am I
doing this? What's the goal? Am I using it to dull reality, or will it energize me to accomplish
higher things? Will it bring me closer to Hashem, or further away?

When you have a cup of coffee, what will you do with that burst of energy?

The outside world is always showing us things that will make our life “better.”
When we see these images, we fantasize about how wonderful life could be "If I
only had product X.” Thinking this way is only tricking ourselves into believing
What helps that materialism means something in life. That is a violation of "Don't stray after
your eyes." So how do we avoid this trap? The key is to stay out of tempting
you separate
situations. If you were on a diet, you wouldn't bring donuts into the house every
your seichel day. So too, if you want to keep your eyes and mind where they belong, create
from your a protective fence:
Avoid temptation. Avoid compromising situations in the first place.
desires? Set enforceable boundaries for yourself to ensure success!