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June 2, 2006
The beauty of Shavuot
Celebrating spring in the land of milk and honey.
DVORA WAYSMAN
The festival of Shavuot, which falls this year on June 2 (6th Sivan),
is also known as the Feast of Weeks and as the Festival of the Covenant.
It is probably the most popular Jewish festival, particuarly in
Israel. Exactly seven weeks after Passover, it marks the beginning
of the spring wheat harvest and the end of the barley harvest, so
it has yet another name: Chag Habikurim, Festival of the
First Fruits.
There are several underlying principles to Shavuot. The earth depends
for its fertility not only on the labors of men, but also on the
co-operation of G-d. He supplies the rain, dew, sun and wind, making
Him a full partner. Thus the presentation of the first fruits becomes
a payment of the dividend on His investment. If we translate that
into broader terms, it means that the relationship between G-d and
humans is not one of master and servants, but of mutually dependent
partners in the joint enterprise of continuous creation.
The agricultural theme is only one strand in the celebration of
Shavuot. The scriptural narrative (Exodus 19:1) states clearly that
the children of Israel reached Mt. Sinai in the third month after
their departure from Egypt, which is when they received the Ten
Commandments. So Shavuot is also the birthday of Israel, the anniversary
of the day on which the Covenant was concluded between G-d and His
people. Shavuot is also known as "the season of the giving
of our law."
According to tradition, we all stood at Sinai and received the Torah
directly. Out of this arose the custom, known as Tikkun L'eil Shavuot,
to stay up the entire night studying and discussing Torah. Many
Jews study a small section from every book of the entire body of
Jewish writings. I am always fascinated by the belief that the heavens
open up at midnight on Shavuot, making it easier for our prayers
to ascend directly to our Creator. Whether taken literally or not,
there is great beauty in staying up all night studying, and then
greeting the dawn and receiving the Torah anew.
In Jerusalem, many people finish their night of study by walking
to (or dancing at) the Western Wall, praying there as the sun rises
and bathes the sombre grey stones with rays of golden light.
All Jewish festivals seem to have a gastronomic tie-in. With Shavuot,
it is dairy products, because after Sinai, the Jews did not want
to spend a lot of time preparing meat, which involved slaughtering
and kashering, and also because the Torah is compared to milk and
honey. Hence we can indulge in luscious cheesecakes. We decorate
our homes and synagogues with greenery as a reminder that, on Shavuot,
the world is judged through the fruit of the trees, a judgment demonstrated
by the richness or paucity of the harvest.
The Book of Ruth is read on Shavuot, recording events that happened
at the time of Israel's grain harvest. Ruth, the Moabite, clung
to the Jewish people and their faith. From her was descended King
David who, according to the Talmud, was born and died on Shavuot.
In Israel, the agricultural theme is most meaningful in the kibbutzim,
moshavim and small farms, where people experience the special joy
of harvesting crops they themselves planted. Even in non-religious
kibbutzim, there are decorated tractors and, on stage, men and women
working in the vineyard, orchard, cowshed or chicken run, tell of
their work and their plans. Their ties to the land are expressed
in readings, song and dance.
The new customs that Israelis introduced to Shavuot have brought
us full circle. Again we are celebrating it as an agricultural festival
in which all Israelis can participate. With it comes the realization
that the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai marked Israel's entry
into national maturity. By accepting the law of justice and morality
and its commandments, we have been promised eternal existence.
Dvora Waysman is the Australian-born author of nine books.
She is a syndicated journalist and teacher of creative writing.
She has lived in Jerusalem for 35 years. She can be reached at [email protected]
or through her website: www.dvorawaysman.com.
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