50 days after we sat down at Seder we celebrate Shavuot.
Shavuot is the festival of the giving of the Torah at Sinai. After leaving Egypt the Israelites made their way to Sinai for one of the most momentous events in human history. Let's have a look at some of the mitzvot and traditions of this Yom Tov.
Fresh & Floral
The wilderness is a barren and arid area of land, flowers and wildlife don't really thrive. Sinai, located in the middle of the desert wasn't the most regal of places for an occassion such as the giving of the Torah. A Midrash related that in honour of the occassion Mount Sinai sprouted with luscious lawns and flowers befitting the event to occur. Shavuot is also called "The Festival of Reaping" (Chag Ha-katzir) in the Torah as this festival coincides with the wheat harvest. The agricultural connection is another reason we decorate our homes and synagogues with flowers.
All Night Learnathon
Many of us have pulled all nighters, from having a major deadline at work to leaving your essay until the last minute, we have had work through the night hoping time would slow down to give us a chance!
Shavuot features an all nighter, Tikkun Leil Shavuot, is a chance for Jews around the world to spend the night learning Torah. This practice is intended to be a "Tikkun", a rectification, of the Israelites who slept in the morning of the day the Torah was given on Sinai. Instead of having a festive meal and going to sleep, we demonstrate as a nation we don't want to make the same mistake again and are eager to receive the Torah year after year.
The Book of Ruth
Purim has the Book of Esther, and Tisha B'av the Book of Lamentations. On Shavuot we read the Book of Ruth. Reading a Megillah on a festival allows people to relect and think about the messages to be learnt on these days.
The Book of Ruth is read for various reasons. It is a story about occurences over the harvest period, which is when Shavuot falls. The protagonist Ruth, was a convertwho entered the covenant between God and His people which took place at Sinai. King David, a descendant of Ruth, is said to have been born and die on Shavuot.
Cheesecake, blintzes and more
Its not a yomtov without food, and Shavuot has staked a claim on dairy delights. Various reasons exist for eating dairy on Shavuot.
King Solomon compares the Torah with milk, "Like honey and milk, it lies under your tongue". Furthermore, the hebrew word for milk, Chalav (חלב), has a gematria of 40. Moses stayed on Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights before bringing down the Torah. Additionally before the Torah was given, the Israelites hadn't been observant of Shechita, but once they accepted the Torah at Sinai they had to kosher their utensils, and in that time they ate dairy foods.
Who knows Ten?
Ten are the commandments! Shavuot is foremost a celebration of the giving of the Torah. On that fateful day 3,324 years ago, God issued the Ten commandments to all of Israel. Every year we read the portion of the Torah retelling the revelation at Sinai.
