The Young Haflaah Picks Masechta Shavuos
After the Seder, young Pinchas Horowitz, later the Haflaah, explains to his father why Masechta Shavuos, about oaths, is the right way to prepare for Shavuos.
One of the Chasam Sofer’s rebbeim was Rav Pinchas HaLevi Horowitz (author of the Haflaah). The following story occurred when he was a young boy.
It was the second night of Pesach, after the Seder and at the start of Sefiras HaOmer. The venerable Rabbi Zvi Hirsch gathered his two young sons. With reverence, he asked: “My dear sons, which masechta shall we begin learning now, as we count the days until Shavuos?” The older son, Shmuel Shmelke, replied confidently: “Masechta Shavuos—one daf a day will complete it just in time.”
Their father smiled but challenged the answer. “Is that appropriate? Masechta Shavuos is about oaths, not the festival.”
The younger son, Pinchas, spoke up: “No, Abba. I know it’s about oaths. But that’s why it’s perfect. On the first Shavuos, at Har Sinai, we took an oath to uphold the Torah. Learning about oaths reminds us how serious that moment was and how careful we must be to keep our commitment.”