Makor MiMakor מקור ממקור  A New Lens on My Blog
Shvuot: To Swear on Seven:
A Shavuot Conversation with the Bronx Senior Center

This blog model is called “Makor MiMakor”--the source from the source.  Every month or so, I will share a piece of Torah or a quote or article (the Makor)  that I learned with a member of the Kinneret community-- either a group of students, teachers, parents or senior citizens from our school’s intergenerational learning program (A Makor). I will then share their thoughts and reactions and conclude with a brief takeaway from that conversation.  This blog’s subject is about the mitzvah of tochekah—of giving criticism.

The Makor:
R. Shimshon Refael Hirsch on Gen. 21:23-
'R. Hirsch points out that the word  הִשָּׁבְעָה “seems to be formed from הִשָּׁבְעָ meaning seven and in its reflexive form, would mean literally “to give oneself up to the seven.”  As the world was created in 6 days and on Shabbat, God rested, the number seven refers to God and the holy.  “Now taking an oath means: submitting yourself and all of your visible material world to the Invisible One.”   
Shvua, the word for oath, is directly related to sheva, the word for seven--the seventh day, Shabbat, is the ultimate symbol of belief.

A Makor:Wisdom from the Bronx Senior Center

In our monthly learning with the participants at the Bronx Senior Center, we ended up talking about the idea of 7’s and how every seven (sheva brachot, sitting shiva, the 7 days of the week) are all about how we bring God into the world.  Every word we say and every action we take should be about doing our best to bring holiness and goodness into the world.
The best line was from a participant who said, “maybe that’s why seven is the lucky number in Vegas.” Everyone has their “seven” lens...
Shavuot is the commitment to our word as we are all inspired toward holiness from the 7 weeks from Pesach to the giving of the Torah. Chag sameach.