If you’re having a bad day, consider this. It couldn’t be worse than Ronald Wayne's. On April 12, 1976 Ronald Wayne sold his ten percent stake in Apple for $800, now worth $58,065,210,000!! (That’s Fifty-eight billion, sixty-five million, two-hundred and ten thousand dollars!).
Interestingly, we are all shareholders in one of the world’s most valuable companies. Torah Tzivah lanu Moshe Morasha kehillat Yaakov, The Torah which Moses taught us (from G-d) is the birthright of each and every Jew.
On Shavuot we hold our annual shareholders meeting, as we gather to celebrate that awesome moment when G-d revealed Himself to mankind at Sinai and gave us the Torah. We read the Ten Commandments to remember this incredible moment when, for no reason other than His choosing us, we became partners in the world's most important company!
The shareholders are paid dividends at the meeting and year round, in the form of ample livelihood and national survival which are both inexplicable phenomena impossible to deny.
All that is required of us to maintain our shares in good standing is to use them. Use it or lose it- When making us shareholders of this precious gift, G-d demanded of the Jewish People a guarantor. It was only when they promised to actually use it and to pass it on to the next generation that G-d allowed the deal to close.
But the deal is tentative and only lasts as long as we fulfill the promise. If we fail to study the Torah, and never discover her dazzling wisdom, we stand the risk of forfeiting the incredible windfall that has literally fallen into our laps.
Let us not make the same mistake as Ronald Wayne who now lives in a trailer park in Pahrump, Nevada selling stamps to make a living. If you had to choose between $800 and $58 Billion, the choice would be clear- this is exactly the same choice we each face.
Ever wonder what would happen if we treated the Torah as we treat our Cell phone?
What if we:
...carried It around in our purse or pocket every day?
...looked through It many times each day?
...turned back to go get It if we forgot it?
...always checked It for messages?
...treated It as if we couldn't manage a day without it?
...gave It to our children as a special gift?
...always took It, and used It, when we traveled?
...always thought to use It in case of an emergency?
---Oh, and one more thing......Unlike our Blackberry (or Cell phone), we don't have to worry about Torah being disconnected, because Its “Carrier” never fails.