Shavuos as the root of Torah and tefillah

וכ' וביום הביכורים כו' מנחה חדשה כו'.

And it is written: "And on the day of the Bikkurim (first-fruits)… a new meal-offering," etc. (Bamidbar 28:26).

The Sefas Emes begins with the Torah's description of Shavuos, the day on which a "new" minchah (meal-offering) is brought.

שיום הזה הוא שורש כל המתנות שניתן לבנ"י לכן מצוה לזכור תמיד מעמד הר סיני ומתחדשים ביום זה כל הענפים היוצאים מן התורה.

For this day is the root of all the gifts given to Bnei Yisrael; therefore it is a mitzvah to remember always the standing at Har Sinai, and on this day all the branches that emerge from the Torah are renewed.

Shavuos, the day of Matan Torah, is the source of every gift Hashem bestows on Bnei Yisrael. Because of this we are obligated to constantly recall maamad Har Sinai, and on this day every "branch" that grows out of the Torah receives fresh renewal.

ולכן איתא בעצרת על פירות האילן שדנין כל א' כפי האחיזה שיש לו כל השנה בהתורה ובודאי כפי הזכירה של מתן תורה בכל הימים כך מתגלה לכל אחד ביום הזה.

Therefore it is taught that on Atzeres (Shavuos) judgment is rendered concerning the fruits of the tree (Rosh Hashanah 16a) — that each one is judged according to the grasp he has on the Torah all year long; and certainly, in accordance with one's remembrance of Matan Torah throughout all the days, so is it revealed to each person on this day.

The Mishnah says we are judged on Shavuos regarding the fruit of the trees; the Sefas Emes reads this spiritually — a person is judged by how strongly he holds onto Torah all year, and the degree to which he kept Matan Torah in mind throughout the year determines how much spiritual bounty is revealed to him on Shavuos.

וכן ע"י תשובה נתקן הכל ועיקר התשובה להתורה כמ"ש השיבנו כו' לתורתך לכן כ' ועתה אם שמוע הוא בכל עת ע"י תשובה ותפלה כמ"ש במדרשות כי ועתה הוא תשובה פי' העת שמשיגין על ידי תשובה ותפלה.

And likewise, through teshuvah everything is rectified, and the essence of teshuvah is to the Torah, as we say, "Bring us back… to Your Torah." Therefore it is written "and now, if you will surely hearken" (Shemos 19:5) — which applies at every moment, through teshuvah and tefillah, as is said in the Midrashim that "and now" means teshuvah; meaning, the "time" that one attains through teshuvah and tefillah.

Teshuvah repairs everything, and its core is a return specifically to Torah. The word "v'atah" ("and now") at Sinai is not limited to that one moment but applies "now," at all times, for through teshuvah and tefillah a person can re-attain the spiritual "moment" of standing at Sinai whenever he wishes.

ואיתא עומר מתיר במדינה ושתי הלחם במקדש ששורש כל הקרבנות נעשה בעת מתן תורה כמ"ש העשוי' בהר סיני.

And it is taught: the Omer permits [the new grain] in the country, and the Shtei HaLechem (Two Loaves) permit it in the Mikdash (Menachos 68b) — for the root of all the korbanos was made at the time of Matan Torah, as it is written, "that which was offered at Har Sinai" (cf. Shemos 24:5).

The Omer offering releases the new grain for ordinary use, while the Two Loaves of Shavuos permit it for the Bais Hamikdash. The Sefas Emes explains that the root and source of all the korbanos was established at Sinai, where offerings were already brought.

לכן בכל שנה נפתח זה השער ביום מתן תורתנו.

Therefore every year this gate is opened on the day of the Giving of our Torah.

Because the source of avodah lies in Matan Torah, each year on Shavuos the spiritual "gate" through which all service flows is reopened.

וכמו כן תפלות שבמקום תמידין תקנו.

And likewise the tefillos, which were instituted in place of the daily korbanos (Berachos 26b).

Just as the korbanos draw from the wellspring of Sinai, so too our tefillos, established as a substitute for the daily Temidim, are rooted in that same source.

וכ' קרוב ה' כו' לכל אשר יקראהו באמת ואין אמת אלא תורה שכל תפלה הבאה מתוך דברי תורה מתקבלת כמ"ש בגמ' לעמוד לתפלה מתוך דברי תורה.

And it is written, "Hashem is near… to all who call upon Him in truth" (Tehillim 145:18) — and "truth" is nothing other than Torah, for every tefillah that comes out of words of Torah is accepted, as is said in the Gemara: to rise for tefillah out of words of Torah (Berachos 31a).

Hashem is close to those who call upon Him "in truth," and since emes refers to Torah, a tefillah that flows from Torah learning is the one that is accepted; the Gemara therefore teaches to begin davening directly from divrei Torah.

ומכש"כ בזה היום שהוא כולו תורה הוא עת רצון לעבודה שבלב זה תפלה לכן הרמז במגילת רות בלידת דוד המלך ע"ה שורש התפלה כמ"ש לעיל:

And all the more so on this day, which is entirely Torah, it is an eis ratzon (a time of favor) for the "service of the heart," which is tefillah (Taanis 2a); therefore the hint in Megillas Rus is in the birth of David HaMelech, peace be upon him — the root of tefillah, as mentioned above.

Since Shavuos is wholly Torah, it is an especially auspicious time for tefillah, the avodah she'balev (service of the heart). This is why we read Megillas Rus, which culminates in the birth of David HaMelech — the great master of tefillah and the very root of the power of prayer.

Summary: Shavuos, the day of Matan Torah, is the root of every gift Hashem gives Bnei Yisrael; on it all the branches of Torah, the source of korbanos, and the power of tefillah are renewed. One is judged according to how he held onto Torah and remembered Sinai all year, and through teshuvah and tefillah — which must flow from Torah — a person can re-attain that Sinai "moment" at any time. Fittingly, the day's Megillas Rus culminates in David HaMelech, the root of tefillah.