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 Shavuot:
Shavuot, the Feast of the
Weeks, is the Jewish holiday celebrating the harvest season in
Israel. Shavuot, which means "weeks", refers to the timing
of the festival which is held exactly 7 weeks after Passover.
Shavuot
also commemorates the anniversary of the giving of the Ten
Commandments to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai.
Shavuot is known also as Yom Habikkurim, or "the Day of the
First Fruits", because it is the time the farmers of Israel
would bring their first harvest to Jerusalem as a token of
thanksgiving.
Celebrating the Day of the First Fruits
The
farmers of Israel would begin their spring harvests with the barley
crop at Passover. The harvest continued for seven weeks as the other
crops and fruits began to ripen. As each fruit ripened, the first of
each type would not be eaten but instead the farmer would tie a
ribbon around the the branch. This ribbon signified that these
fruits were Bikkurim, or the first fruits.
At
Shavuot the farmers would gather the Bikkurim into baskets and bring
them to the city of Jerusalem where they would be eaten in the holy
city. The farmers living close to Jerusalem would bring fresh
fruits, while those who had to travel a long distance carried dried
raisins and figs. This joyful occasion was celebrated with the music
of fifes, timbres, and drums. As the pilgrims approached the city
walls they were greeted by the inhabitants of the city. Sometimes
the King himself would join the procession to the Temple Mount. The
Bikkurim ritual is no longer practiced in present day Israel.
This Holiday is known by several names: It is called Chag
Shavuoth, Festival of Weeks, concluding 7 weeks since Passover, and
the Giving of Torah (Z'man Matan Torateinu), Festival of the
First-Fruits (Chag HaBikurim), and Festival of the Harvest (Chag
Hakazir).
 Shavuoth
commemorates the Revelation at Mount Sinai 3,315 years ago when G-d
gave Israel the Holy Torah, including the Ten Commandments
and the 613 Mitzvah observances.
At Sinai, the Jewish people were charged with the privilege and
responsibility to be a “Light to the World.”
The Shavuoth holiday is alive with flowers and greenery,
highlighted by Torah study, and flavored with the taste of milk and
honey.
Timeless Torah
The Torah is not a mere collection of human knowledge that is
subject to revision. The Torah represents Divine laws and immutable
universal guidelines that have been tested by the Jewish people over
several millennia in every country and culture throughout the world.
Torah provides a framework for daily living based on the most
authoritative moral code. The Torah is a most precise and eternal
yardstick against which to measure our deeds and lifestyles. The Ten
Commandments combine two sets of relationships: Duties between man
and G-d, and our duties from person to person.
 Hearing the Ten Commandments
Even young children and infants should be brought to the
Synagogue to hear the Ten Commandments. Although they may not yet
understand the words, their souls hear the message. It also
demonstrates that the children are our Torah Guarantors.
The Children as Guarantors
Before G-d consented to give the Torah to the Jewish people, He
demanded guarantors, who would assure and guarantee the Torah's
continuity over the ages.
Initially, the Jews suggested other possible guarantors, from the
patriarchs to the prophets, but G-d was not satisfied, until the
little children were offered as the guarantors.
Only Torah educated children serve as the true guarantors and
transmitters of Torah for all time.
Ladies First!
To assure that the Torah would be well received and perpetuated,
G-d told Moses to first address the women: “Say to the House of
Jacob” (referring to the women) was followed by “Tell the sons of
Israel” (Exodus 19:3) (referring to the men).
Torah knowledge is also obligatory for women, so they learn to
know how to fulfill the Mitzvot and live a full Jewish life.
The woman influences her home and environment. It is the mother
who primarily instills values in her children, encourages her
husband to observe and study Torah, and affects others through her
hospitality, warmth and teaching.
The Book of Ruth
Some communities read the Book of Ruth on the second day of
Shavuoth. Ruth was a righteous convert to Judaism, who became the
grandmother of David, King of Israel. Like Ruth, all of Israel
underwent conversion when they received the Torah on Shavuoth.
In the exceptional story of love, faith, dedication and devotion,
Ruth says to her mother-in-law Naomi: “Where You go, I go...Your
people are my people, Your G-d is my G-d” (Ruth 1:16).
King David
Shavuoth is the Yartzeit of King David, composer of the Book of
Psalms. The line of descent from King David will ultimately lead to
the righteous Moshiach who will redeem us from exile.
The Baal Shem Tov
On Shavuoth we also observe the Yartzeit of Rabbi Yisroel Baal
Shem Tov, founder of the Chasidic movement, who revealed the inner
secrets of the Torah. His teachings draw us closer to achieving the
unity with G-d initiated at Mount Sinai, which will culminate in the
final and complete Redemption, soon in our days!
Floral Decorations
It is a Shavuot tradition to adorn the synagogue and the home,
with greenery, fragrant flowers, leaves, boughs and trees.
The greenery recalls the grass on Mount Sinai, when the Jewish
people were commanded, “the flocks shall not graze at the foot of
this mountain” (Exodus 34:3).
Trees and branches also recall that Shavuoth is a Day of Judgment
of fruit trees, which we mention in our prayers.
During the offering of the “Bikurim” First Fruit in the Holy
Temple on Shavuoth, the horns of the leading ox were wreathed with
luxuriant olive leaves, and the first fruit baskets were ornamented
with wreaths.
The greenery also recalls how Moses was saved when his mother hid
him in a wicker basket among the reeds by the Nile to escape
Pharaoh's decree to drown Hebrew children (Exodus 2:1-3). This
occurred on Shavuot, for Moses was born on the 7th day of Adar and
three months later is the 7th of Sivan.
Roses are Shavuoth favorites. The verse “The decree (dat) was
proclaimed in Shushan (Esther 8:14) is interpreted 'the Law was
given with a rose (shoshan).
A medieval book of customs states: “It is customary to scatter
spices and roses on the synagogue floor to celebrate the festival.”
Beautiful paper flower cutouts called 'shevuoslekh reizelekh' or
'shoshanta' were pasted on windowpanes facing the streets. Among the
intricate designs of folk art creations were motifs and patterns
relating to Shavuoth and the Torah.
Milk and Honey
Certain Shavuoth dairy culinary customs have evolved over the
generations, and various reasons have been advanced for this
tradition.
Dairy Foods
It is customary to eat dairy foods such as blintzes and
cheesecake (why not some Kosher Pizza?) on Shavouth. Full Dairy
courses can be served as the main holiday meal, or as a light snack
followed by a traditional meat holiday dinner.
One explanation for eating dairy is that when the Jews received
the Torah on Shavuoth, they were not ready with utensils for kosher
meat preparation, so they ate dairy, which is relatively easy to
prepare instead of meat.
The Torah is compared to milk and honey. The verse “honey and
milk shall be under your tongue” (Song of Songs 4:11) implies that
the words of the Torah shall be as dulcet to your heart and as milk
and honey are sweet to your tongue. David, King of Israel, declares
“G-d’s precepts are sweeter than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalms
19.9-11).
Another explanation relates the law of the First Fruits being
mentioned in the Torah in juxtaposition to the law concerning the
separation of milk from meat (Exodus 23:19).
The custom of indulging in dairy on Shavuot is also derived from
this verse: Minhah hadashah la-Hashem be-Shavuotekhem (your Feast of
Weeks, when you bring an offering of new grain; Numbers 28.26). The
initials of the four Hebrew words spell me-halav (from milk), that
dairy foods are recommended on Shavuot.
The Kabbala mystics note that the numerical equivalent of halav
(milk) is forty-the number of days Moses spent on Mount Sinai. Also,
Mount Sinai is called 'Har Gavnunim,' (Psalm 68) a word related to
'gevinah,' Hebrew for cheese.
Most delectable of Shavuot foods are the “blintzes,” rolled
pancakes filled with cheese. Among other tempting tidbits are cheese
knishes, butter cakes and cheesecakes and cheese kreplakh. Kreplakh
are three-cornered, based on the talmudic statement: “Blessed be G-d
who gave the threefold Law [Torah, Prophets, Writings] to a people
comprising three classes [Kohen, Levi, Israel], through a third born
[Moses, the third child of his parents], in the third month [Sivan].
Sephardic women took pride in baking a seven-layer cake for
Shavuot called 'Siete Cielos' (Seven Heavens), symbolic of the seven
celestial spheres G-d traversed to present the Torah to Moses on
Mount Sinai. Fashioned in seven circular rising tiers, one smaller
than the other with the smallest on top, it was decorated with
various symbols such as a star of David, the rod of Moses, the two
tablets of the Law, manna, Jacob's ladder, and the ark of the
covenant. Others topped the cake with a seven-rung ladder to recall
Moses ascending Mount Sinai.
Similar elaborate pastries called 'Sinai Cake' alluded to the
mountain. A large cake or bread with raisins, known as 'pashtudan'
or 'floden' when baked for Shavuot, was also called Sinai. Some
Sephardic women baked 'baklava' a sweet cake made with nuts, sugar
and honey.
Jews of Kurdistan prepare large quantities of butter and cheese
for Shavouth. Their dish was ground wheat cooked in sour milk with
butter and flour dumplings.
In Tripoli, women baked wafers in various shapes: a ladder, to
recall Moses rise up Mount Sinai; a hand, denoting hands extended to
receive the Torah; the two tablets of the Law; eyeglasses, to see
the words of the Torah, and other symbolic forms.
In North African communities it was customary to serve matzah
remaining from Passover, because Shavuot is the culmination of the
Exodus from Egypt. The matzah was shredded into bowls of milk and
honey.
When Yemenite Jews read “Tikkun” in the synagogue Shavuot night,
each brings a choice delicacy such as spiced coffee or candy to
share with those studying through the night.
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