The Book of Ruth
The book of Ruth is read at this time. Again, there are varying reasons given for this custom, and none seems to be definitive. Ruth is the story of a Moabite woman who converted to Judaism and who eventually married a judge of Israel, Boaz . Traditional Torah commentators offer two major theses to explain the custom: that Ruth was the model of Torah acceptance, and that without her Jewish history could not continue.
The Yahrzeit / Yizkor Candle
There are 4 times a year when Jews light a special candle, called a Yahrzeit Candle, in memory of loved ones who have died. Yizkor is a memorial service which is recited on Yom Kippur as well as the last days of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Yizkor, which is the Hebrew word for "remember", asks G to remember those we mourn and to grant them proper rest.
A Yahrzeit Candle is lit at sundown on...
1. The night of Yom Kippur
2. The night of Shemini Atzeret (the 8th night of Sukkot)
3. The second night of Shavuot
4. The last night of Passover
The Yizkor service takes place the following day.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Shavuot and the Ten Commandments
Shavuot and the Ten Commandments
Shavuot is also known as Zeman Matan Toratenu, the Season of the Giving of Our Law, which commemorates the receiving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai.
After Moses and the Israelites fled the slavery of Egypt, they wandered the desert. G provided the travelers with food to eat (manna) and water to drink. After long months Moses brought his followers to the foot of a mountain called Sinai. Though the desert was dry and bare, the mountain was lush and green, covered with grass, flowers and trees. Moses and the Israelites set up camp at the base of the mountain.
On the third day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, Moses was commanded by G to prepare the Jewish people for G's decent and visit. The Israelites washed and purified their clothes and their bodies. Three days later, on the sixth day of Sivan, the people were awaken by thunder and lightning. Thick, dark clouds hung over the mountain. The sounds of the Shofar, the ram's horn, were heard echoing across the desert. The earth began to tremble and shake. Then the Israelites heard a voice, G's voice, as he spoke to them from out of the clouds. And G gave them the Ten Statements (Aseret HaDibrot) which are referred to as the Ten Commandments. In reality there are many more than ten commandments given in the Torah. Tradition counts them at 613.
1) "I am the Lord your G, Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery"
2) "You shall have no other gods but me"
3) "You shall not take the name of your Lord in vain"
4) "You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy"
5) "Honor your father and mother"
6) "You shall not murder"
7) "You shall not commit adultery"
8) "You shall not steal"
9)"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"
10) "You shall not covet your neighbor's goods. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his bull, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s."
Moses went up the mountain and returned with the Tablets that contained the Ten Commandments.
Through the centuries the Jewish people have celebrated this important event. It was at Mount Sinai that this band of worn and weary travelers would become the nation known as Israel.
Shavuot is also known as Zeman Matan Toratenu, the Season of the Giving of Our Law, which commemorates the receiving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai.
After Moses and the Israelites fled the slavery of Egypt, they wandered the desert. G provided the travelers with food to eat (manna) and water to drink. After long months Moses brought his followers to the foot of a mountain called Sinai. Though the desert was dry and bare, the mountain was lush and green, covered with grass, flowers and trees. Moses and the Israelites set up camp at the base of the mountain.
On the third day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, Moses was commanded by G to prepare the Jewish people for G's decent and visit. The Israelites washed and purified their clothes and their bodies. Three days later, on the sixth day of Sivan, the people were awaken by thunder and lightning. Thick, dark clouds hung over the mountain. The sounds of the Shofar, the ram's horn, were heard echoing across the desert. The earth began to tremble and shake. Then the Israelites heard a voice, G's voice, as he spoke to them from out of the clouds. And G gave them the Ten Statements (Aseret HaDibrot) which are referred to as the Ten Commandments. In reality there are many more than ten commandments given in the Torah. Tradition counts them at 613.
1) "I am the Lord your G, Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery"
2) "You shall have no other gods but me"
3) "You shall not take the name of your Lord in vain"
4) "You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy"
5) "Honor your father and mother"
6) "You shall not murder"
7) "You shall not commit adultery"
8) "You shall not steal"
9)"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"
10) "You shall not covet your neighbor's goods. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his bull, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s."
Moses went up the mountain and returned with the Tablets that contained the Ten Commandments.
Through the centuries the Jewish people have celebrated this important event. It was at Mount Sinai that this band of worn and weary travelers would become the nation known as Israel.
Celebrating the Day of the First Fruits
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 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.
The Legends and Customs of Shavuot
Many of the traditions and customs of Shavuot have evolved from the legends and stories describing the experiences of the Israelites at Mount Sinai. According to tradition the Israelites actually overslept on the morning of G's visit. To compensate for this negligence, Jews hold a vigil on the eve of Shavuot. They stay awake from dusk to dawn, keeping themselves busy with the readings of the Torah and the Talmud. A digest of readings has evolved called Tikkun Leil Shavuot, the "Restoration of Shavuot Eve," which includes selections from the Torah, the Prophets, the Talmud, and the Zohar.
Another Shavuot custom is the eating of dairy foods. One explanation states that this comes from a passage in the Torah which reads: "And He gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey". Another explanation comes from a legend stating that before the visit from G the Jews did not keep kosher or follow the Kashrut (dietary) laws. It was on this first Shavuot that they found out that their utensils were non-kosher and thus unfit for use. So finding themselves without kosher meats or utensils the Israelites were forced to eat only dairy foods. Today Jews celebrate Shavuot by eating blintzes, cheesecake, and other dairy dishes.
Another legend tells the story of the Israelites finding Mount Sinai blooming and lush with greenery and flowers. From this legend grew the custom to decorate the Jewish home and synagogue with tree branches and flowers. Some temples decorate the Torah scrolls with wreaths of roses.
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 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.
The Legends and Customs of Shavuot
Many of the traditions and customs of Shavuot have evolved from the legends and stories describing the experiences of the Israelites at Mount Sinai. According to tradition the Israelites actually overslept on the morning of G's visit. To compensate for this negligence, Jews hold a vigil on the eve of Shavuot. They stay awake from dusk to dawn, keeping themselves busy with the readings of the Torah and the Talmud. A digest of readings has evolved called Tikkun Leil Shavuot, the "Restoration of Shavuot Eve," which includes selections from the Torah, the Prophets, the Talmud, and the Zohar.
Another Shavuot custom is the eating of dairy foods. One explanation states that this comes from a passage in the Torah which reads: "And He gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey". Another explanation comes from a legend stating that before the visit from G the Jews did not keep kosher or follow the Kashrut (dietary) laws. It was on this first Shavuot that they found out that their utensils were non-kosher and thus unfit for use. So finding themselves without kosher meats or utensils the Israelites were forced to eat only dairy foods. Today Jews celebrate Shavuot by eating blintzes, cheesecake, and other dairy dishes.
Another legend tells the story of the Israelites finding Mount Sinai blooming and lush with greenery and flowers. From this legend grew the custom to decorate the Jewish home and synagogue with tree branches and flowers. Some temples decorate the Torah scrolls with wreaths of roses.
The customs and meanings of Shavu'ot the Week of Weeks
The Story of Shavuot
Shavuot, the Feast of the Weeks, the second of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance (the other two are Passover and Sukkot). Shavuot’s agricultural origin is part of the Jewish celebration of 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 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.
Shavu'ot is not tied to a particular calendar date, but to a counting from Passover. Because the length of the months used to be variable, determined by observation (see Jewish Calendar), and there are two new moons between Passover and Shavu'ot, Shavu'ot could occur on the 5th or 6th of Sivan. However, now that we have a mathematically determined calendar, and the months between Passover and Shavu'ot do not change length on the mathematical calendar, Shavu'ot is always on the 6th of Sivan. Outside of Israel, for those who accept that traditional counting, both the 6th and 7th are celebrated. The Jewish calendar is lunar, with each month beginning on the new moon. The new months used to be determined by observation, no small trick considering that the new moon is not visible. When the new moon was observed, the Sanhedrin declared the beginning of a new month. Notice was sent out by messengers and signal fires to tell people when the month began. People in distant communities could not always be notified of the new moon and therefore, of the first day of the month, so they did not know the correct day to celebrate. They knew that the old month would be either 29 or 30 days, so if they didn't get notice of the new moon, they celebrated holidays on both possible days. Adding to the difficulty is the fact that the Samaritans would purposely light signal fires on the wrong day, just to mess with us.)
Historically, it celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, and is also known as Hag Matan Torateinu (the Festival of the Giving of Our Torah). Shavuot commemorates the anniversary of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai. In Traditional circles, the Ten commandments are the “Table of Contents” for all the Mitzvot in the Torah and so we say that on Shavuot we were given Torah..
It is noteworthy that the holiday is called the time of the giving of the Torah, rather than the time of the receiving of the Torah. The sages point out that we are constantly in the process of receiving the Torah, that we receive it every day, but it was first given at this time. Thus it is the giving, not the receiving, that makes this holiday significant. Dvar Aher {which means: a different point of view}: The Torah was given only at one time. But it is up to us to open our hearts minds and souls, to reach that higher level of soul searching understanding and awareness, in order to receive the spirit questing power of Torah.
The period from Passover to Shavu'ot is a time of great anticipation. According to the Torah (Lev. 23:15), we are offered a sacred connection by counting the days from the second night of Passover to the day before Shavu'ot, seven full weeks. This period is known as the Counting of the Omer. An omer is a unit of measure. On the second day of Passover, in the days of the Temple, an omer of barley was cut down and brought to the Temple as an offering.
Every night, from the second night of Passover to the night before Shavu'ot, we recite a blessing and state the count of the omer in both weeks and days. So on the 16th day, we would say "Today is sixteen days, which is two weeks and two days of the Omer."
The counting is intended to remind us of the link between Passover, which commemorates the Exodus, and Shavu'ot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah. It reminds us that the redemption from slavery was not complete until we received the Torah.
This period is a time of partial mourning, during which weddings, parties, and dinners with dancing are not conducted, in memory of a plague during the lifetime of Rabbi Akiba. Haircuts during this time are also traditionally forgone. The 33rd day of the Omer (the eighteenth of Iyar) is a minor holiday commemorating, according to tradition, a break in the plague. The holiday is known as Lag b'Omer. The mourning practices of the omer period are lifted on that date. The word "Lag" is not really a word; it is the number 33 in Hebrew, as if you were to call the Fourth of July "IV July" (IV being 4 in Roman numerals).
The counting reminds us of the important connection between Passover and Shavu'ot: Passover freed us physically from bondage, but the giving of the Torah on Shavu'ot redeemed us spiritually from our bondage to the life of the “narrow place (this is a pun on Mitzrayim/Egypt) a life of idolatry and immorality.
Winnie the Pooh's favorite mystical month 'Iyar!'
The Month of Iyar
"Iyar" is the second of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. In the Bible, the month of Iyar is called the month of "Ziv" (radiance). Iyar comes from the word for light and in the Jastrow dictionary we find Ziv and Iyar snuggling together in meaning. Iyar can also float up as an acronym for "I am G your Healer" (Exodus 15:26). So this is a good time to take our annual physical. And while we are at it, we should probably take a spiritual as well.
Letter: "Vav."
"Vav" in Hebrew grammar is a link. It can mean ‘and’ or ‘but’. Iyar is like the vav, it is a link in the chain of months. The month before is Nisan the time of our escape from the narrow minded, narrow spirited slavery that Egypts represents. Sivan is the month after Iyar, and it represents the offer of the sacred guide to freedom through Shavuot the time of the giving of the Torah. For freedom is not simply the absence of slavery, it is also the nobility of purpose. The link in the chain, which is Iyar, is punctuated by the counting of the Omer which begins in Nisan continues through the entire month of Iyar and ends during Sivan.
Mazal: "Shor" (Taurus-ox).
The "shor" (the left face of the Divine Chariot in Yehezkel’s vision) represents the "animal soul" of the Jew. The month of Iyar is the offering, the opportunity to realize, rectify and reunite our animal aspect with the other aspects of our soul by refining and restoring our innate character traits (see our blog on Omer) as we prepare to receive the gift of the guide, the teachings of Torah in Sivan. In Hebrew, "shor" also means to look or observe. Iyar is our time for looking inward.
Tribe: Yisachar.
According to tradition, Yisachar is the scholarly tribe of Israel. I imagine them all wearing glasses stoop shouldered and probably talking too much. Tradition teaches that the Sanhedren was mostly composed of scholars from the tribe of Yisachar. It is also taught that man Yisachar was a person of meditation and good council. It is said that he served as the "advisor" to the tribes of Israel.
Sense: Thought in the sense of introspection and calculation
The word Heshbon means accounting, or a bill. In a restaurant, after a meal they make a Heshbon and we pay that Heshbon. The sense attached to Iyar is an introspective calculation. And the word for that in Hebrew, again, is Heshbon. It comes from HShV, meaning to think. But it goes deeper. It is to look in and make an accounting of our spiritual life. The counting of the Omer is a guide to looking inward, making the accounting, and paying our spiritual bills. Sighting in on our soul is called insight. Making a deep accounting of our soul strength and where we need to be, is called Heshbon HaNefesh. What is the bill that must be paid for our lack of inner work.
Controller: Right kidney.
Believe it or not our sages taught that we should “take the kidney’s advice." The kidneys are where we find the "conscience," as it is written "by night my kidneys chastise me" (Tehillim 16:7) They meant something deeper than bladder trouble. This is part of the “Hesbon HaNefesh". This is simply a spiritual ‘check in’. During the counting of the Omer set aside a little time every day for 49 days and do a quick check in with the soul engine seeing if the conscience has been sullied, if there are any holy hurdles to be overcome and any flushing out that needs to be done.
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