Shavuot About the
Holiday Guide
Holiday
Shavuot is a major Jewish festival commemorating the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai, and is one of the three pilgrimage festivals mentioned in the Torah. The other two are Pesach and Sukkot. The Hebrew date of Shavuot is the sixth and seventh of Sivan, this year beginning on Sunday, May 16 (candle lighting at 8:18 pm) and continuing May 17th and May 18th (ending at 9:32 pm on Sunday). In Israel, and in liberal Jewish observance, Shavuot is celebrated for one day. The word Shavuot means weeks and the holiday falls on the fiftieth day following the seven-week Sefirah count begun on the second night of Pesach – Sefirat Ha-Omer. Shavuot is known by several names, each of which reveals a facet of the holiday’s character. Chag Ha-Katzir, Festival of the (wheat) Harvest, and Chag HaBikkurim, Festival of the First Fruits, highlight the ancient agricultural side of the holiday, which has been revitalized in the modern state of Israel. Z’man Matan Torateinu, the season of the giving of our Torah, emphasizes the spiritual and communal aspect of the holiday. At the moment God gave, and the Jews accepted, the Torah at Sinai, a covenantal community was created. God had previously entered into covenantal relationships with individuals. When B’nai Yisrael pledged, “Na’aseh V’Nishma,” We Will Do, And We Will Hear,” the entire community became part of a committed relationship with God. Our Rabbis teach that all of the Jewish people were standing at Sinai, those alive at that time, those yet unborn, and those who during the course of their lives would choose to become Jews. Shavuot is linked to Pesach by the counting of the Omer, and without Shavuot and the receiving of the Torah, Pesach loses its essential conclusion. Without Shavuot, the dramatic liberation of Pesach would merely have let us out into the desert.
How We
Celebrate at PJA
Because Shavuot is associated with the receiving of the Torah, it is a traditional day for studying Torah. Many congregations hold a Tikkun Leil Shavuot, an all-night Torah study session, on the first night of the festival. This tradition of studying a wide selection of Jewish texts all Shavuot night was begun by medieval Jewish mystics. During the day, the account of the revelation of the Ten Commandments is read from the Torah in the synagogue. Everyone is encouraged to go to the synagogue on the first day of Shavuot to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments. In many shuls, the congregation stands to mark the significance of this reading. Women and girls are encouraged to light holiday candles to usher in the holiday, as we do to welcome the Shabbat. On the second day of Shavuot (or on the first when one day is observed), the Book of Ruth is read. Megillat Rut beautifully and lovingly tells the story of a righteous young woman who actively chooses to become Jewish. Ceremonies connected with Torah learning are often held by Jewish schools at this time of year. In our youngest grades, kindergartens are having their Chagigat Torah (Torah celebration), and kitah alef is having their Siddur (prayer book) celebration, at which they receive their very own Siddur to be used through their schooling here. In earlier generations, Shavuot was the time that a child’s formal Jewish education began. In many communities it was the custom to spread honey over the letters of the alef-bet on a slate, which the young student licked off as letters were learned. The Midrash (Midrash Shir HaShirim 1:4) tells that before God would give the Torah to Israel, God told Moshe that the Jews would have to provide a guarantor who would prove that they would continue to observe the Torah. First the Israelites offered their holy ancestors, the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, as guarantors. But God would not accept it. Then they suggested the prophets, people of passion and vision. But still, the Holy One was not satisfied with their suggestion. Finally, the Israelites said that their children would be the guarantors of their observance and veneration of the Torah. This God accepted. Striving to make Judaism come alive for our children may be the act that moves us to rediscover our heritage for ourselves. As we transmit the Torah to the next generation, we may confront it for the first time on an adult level. Thus, as we pass the Torah to our children, we are touched by this inheritance ourselves, motivated to learn more, with a new comprehension that the words of Torah are indeed, richer than milk, sweeter than honey. In Israel, children wear garlands of flowers, and the agricultural aspect of the holiday is stressed with harvest pageants on kibbutzim and moshavim. Baskets of produce are decorated with flowers. Traditional foods for Shavuot are dairy delicacies such as blintzes and cheesecakes, which allude, among other things, to Israel as a “land flowing with milk and honey,” and to the words of the Torah that are compared to, in biblical words, “milk and honey…under your tongue.”
Suggestions for Family
Celebration
Many families decorate the house with greenery and flowers to recall the spring harvest in Israel as well as the tradition that Mt. Sinai burst into bloom with greenery as the Torah was given. Bikkurim, first fruit baskets may be decorated with flowers. Families might enjoy participating in a Tikkun Leil Shavuot held at one of our local synagogues, or you may wish to create a celebration just for your family. Suggestions include a retelling of the Ten Commandments or a retelling of the story of Ruth – how about a puppet show? Families might enjoy a game of Biblical charades, acting out Torah stories, or reading from the book, “Sedra Scenes,” which contains a lighthearted dramatization of each Torah portion. Torah Jeopardy is another possibility. Any celebration would be enhanced by dairy treats, such as make-your-own sundaes, honey cookies in the shape of Hebrew letters, cheese and crackers, or mini-cheesecake.
A Final Word
We celebrate Shavuot as the “Season of the Giving of the Torah.” Another holiday that celebrates the Torah is Simchat Torah - “The Joy of the Torah.” Why are there two festivals to remember the same event? On Simchat Torah we conclude our annual reading of the Torah. We end the Book of Devarim – Deuteronomy and immediately begin Bereishit - the Book of Genesis. We rejoice at the achievement. We celebrate by dancing with the Torah. Simchat Torah reminds us that there is a deep-rooted, innate connection to the Torah for all Jews, even those for whom the Torah has remained a closed book all year. “The Torah that Moses commanded us is the heritage of the entire Congregation of Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 33:4) Each and every Jew, the entire congregation, has an intrinsic relationship with Torah. The Torah is not the private property of the intellectual elite. Scholars or simple folk, academics or the unlettered, Torah belongs to one and all. Like that lengthy biography that sits on your bookshelf for many years, there does comes a time when you have to open the book. We have to open, read, study, ask, learn and become more familiar with our heritage. We need to get to know Torah from the inside, to understand the Torah as a guide. Shavuot reminds us that the Torah is not only a beautiful, cherished ceremonial ornament to revere and dance with on Simchat Torah, it is a source of wisdom, knowledge and understanding about life and how we are to live it. It is a book of wisdom, a moral code, an ethical system, and a guiding light in our lives. Practically speaking, Shavuot is the chag (holiday) on which to commit oneself to a regular time for Torah study. At Portland Jewish Academy, through Limmud 2.0, there are many opportunities for adult learning. Likewise, within the larger community there are also many options to choose. Wherever we are in our Jewish education, learning must be an ongoing, life-long pursuit.
Holiday Recipes + Nutrition STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PARFAITS
CAULIFLOWER “MAC” AND CHEESE
Ingredients • 2 medium stalks of rhubarb (or 2 cups frozen), thinly sliced • 1½ cups sugar • 12 strawberries, or 3 cups frozen, sliced • 1 cup heavy whipping cream • 1 cup unflavored thick yogurt (I like Greek yogurt) • Zest of 1 lime • Garnish: sliced strawberries
• 1 small head cauliflower cut into small florets about 5-6 cups • 1/2 small onion, diced • 1 teaspoon olive oil • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper • 1/4 cup (Passover) panko • 2 tablespoons parsley • 1 teaspoon paprika • 2 tablespoons butter • 2 tablespoons flour • 1 1/4 cups milk, (whole milk or coconut is best) • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic • 1 teaspoon mustard (optional) • 1/2 teaspoon paprika • 2 1/2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese (reserve 1/2 cup)
In a small saucepan, simmer rhubarb and 1 cup sugar until rhubarb breaks down and softens, about 6 minutes. Add strawberries and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until strawberries soften slightly. Cool berry mixture. Whip heavy cream with remaining sugar until medium peaks form. Whisk yogurt with lime zest and fold in whipped cream. Layer berries and cream mixture in glass canning jars or dessert glasses. Garnish with sliced berries. - Chef Laura Frankel www.joyofkosher.com
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place cauliflower florets on a baking sheet, mix with diced onion and oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes tossing half way through until browned. 2. Lightly toast panko in a frying pan or oven and toss with parsley and paprika. 3. Warm the milk in the microwave, so it is just heated through (this helps prevent the cheese sauce from clumping). Heat a medium saucepan over medium med-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and flour then whisk for 2 minutes (until a smooth roux is made), add milk and continue whisking until sauce thickens. Once smooth add salt and pepper and other spices. Then add the cheese reserving 1/2 cup. Mix with spatula and add cauliflower, stir gently. Now add the reserved cheese, mix just enough to evenly distribute. 4. Place mixture into a 8x8 inch greased casserole dish and cover with panko mixture. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until toasty and bubbly. - Tamar Genger MA, RD www.joyofkosher.com Portland Jewish Academy Infants through 8th grade 503.244.0126 • www.pjaproud.org 6651 SW Capitol Hwy. Portland, 97219