Shavu'ot

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You shall count for yourselves -- from the day after the Shabbat, from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving -- seven Shabbats, they shall be complete. Until the day after the seventh sabbath you shall count, fifty days... You shall convoke on this very day -- there shall be a holy convocation for yourselves -- you shall do no laborious work; it is an eternal decree in your dwelling places for your generations. -Leviticus 21:15-16, 21

Shavu'ot, the Festival of Weeks, is the second of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance (the other two are Passover and Sukkot). Agriculturally, it commemorates the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the Temple, and is known as Hag ha-Bikkurim (the Festival of the First Fruits). 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).

The period from Passover to Shavu'ot is a time of great anticipation. We count each of the days from the second day of Passover to the day before Shavu'ot, 49 days or 7 full weeks, hence the name of the festival. See The Counting of the Omer. 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 idolatry and immorality. Shavu'ot is also known as Pentecost, because it falls on the 50th day; however, Shavu'ot has no particular similarity to the Christian holiday of Pentecost, which occurs 50 days after their Spring holiday.

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.

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 (the 6th and 7th outside of Israel. See Extra Day of Holidays.)

Work is not permitted during Shavu'ot.

It is customary to stay up the entire first night of Shavu'ot and study Torah, then pray as early as possible in the morning.

It is customary to eat a dairy meal at least once during Shavu'ot. There are varying opinions as to why this is done. Some say it is a reminder of the promise regarding the land of Israel, a land flowing with "milk and honey." According to another view, it is because our ancestors had just received the Torah (and the dietary laws therein), and did not have both meat and dairy dishes available. See Separation of Meat and Dairy.

The book of Ruth is read at this time. Again, there are varying reasons given for this custom, and none seems to be definitive.

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The Counting of the Omer

You shall count for yourselves -- from the day after the Shabbat, from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving -- seven Shabbats, they shall be complete. Until the day after the seventh sabbath you shall count, fifty days... -Leviticus 23:15-16

You shall count for yourselves seven weeks, from when the sickle is first put to the standing crop shall you begin counting seven weeks. Then you will observe the Festival of Shavu'ot for the L-RD, your G-d -Deuteronomy 16:9-10

According to the Torah (Lev. 23:15), we are obligated to count the days from Passover to Shavu'ot. 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. This grain offering was referred to as the Omer.

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, you would say "Today is sixteen days, which is two weeks and two days of the Omer." The Orthodox Union has a chart that provides the transliterated Hebrew and English text of the counting day-by-day.

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 forbidden. The 33rd day of the Omer (the eighteenth of Iyar) is a minor holiday commemorating 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). See Hebrew Alphabet for more information about using letters as numbers.

There was at one time a dispute as to when the counting should begin. The Pharisees believed that G-d gave Moses an oral Torah along with the written Torah, and according to that oral Torah the word "Shabbat" in Lev. 23:15 referred to the first day of Passover, which is a "Shabbat" in the sense that no work is permitted on the day (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are both referred to as "Shabbat" in this sense, though they cannot both occur on a Saturday in the same year; see Lev. 23:24 and 23:32; see also Lev. 23:39 the first and eight days of Sukkot are called "Shabbat" ). In this view, held by most Jews today, the counting begins on the second night of Passover, that is, the day after the non-working day of Passover. The Tzedukim (Sadducees) rejected the idea of an oral Torah and believed that the word "Shabbat" in Lev. 23:15 referred to the Shabbat of the week when Pesach began, so counting would always begin on a Saturday night during Passover. The Sadducees no longer exist; today, only a small sect call the Karaites follow this view.

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The Book of Ruth

In many synagogues the book of Ruth is read on the second day of Shavuot. There are several reasons for this custom:

A) Shavuot is the birthday and yahrtzeit (day of passing) of King David, and the book of Ruth records his ancestry. Ruth and her husband Boaz were King David's great-grandparents.

B) The scenes of harvesting, described in the book of Ruth are appropriate to the Festival of Harvest.

C) Ruth was a sincere convert who embraced Judaism with all her heart. On Shavuot all Jews were converts having accepted the Torah and all of its precepts.

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Eating Dairy Foods

It is customary to eat dairy foods on Shavuot. There are a number of reasons for this custom:

With the giving of the Torah the Jews now became obligated to observe the laws of Kashruth. As the Torah was given on Shabbat no cattle could be slaughtered nor could utensils be koshered, and thus on that day they ate dairy.

Another reason is that the Torah is likened to milk. The Hebrew word for milk is chalav. When the numerical value of each of the letters in the word chalav are added together - 8; 30; 2 - the total is forty. Forty is the number of days Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah.

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Blintzes

Blintzes are a traditional dish for the holiday of Shavuot. Top with sour cream, apple sauce or cinnamon and sugar.

BATTER
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 package vanilla sugar
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. oil

CHEESE FILLING I
1/2 pound farmer cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
4 Tbsps. honey or
maple syrup
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg yolk

CHEESE FILLING II
1 pound cottage cheese,
strained
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsps. flour
2 Tbsps. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla sugar
1/4 cup raisins (optional)

USE: 7 inch skillet
YIELDS: 12 blintzes

BATTER: In a large mixer bowl combine eggs, milk, water and blend well. Gradually add flour, then both sugars, salt and oil. Beat well until there are no lumps in the batter.

FILLING I: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat well. Or combine all the ingredients in a blender container and blend until smooth.

FILLING II: Combine all ingredients, except raisins, in a bowl and beat well. Or all the ingredients can be combined in a blender container and blended until smooth. Then add raisins.

TO ASSEMBLE CREPES: 1. Prepare batter and filling of your choice. Using a paper towel or basting brush, apply a thin coating of oil to a 7 inch skillet. Place skillet over medium heat until skillet is hot but not smoking.

2. Ladle approximately 1/3 cup of batter into the skillet. Tilt pan to swirl the batter so it covers the bottom of the skillet.

3. Fry on one side until small air bubbles form, and top is set. Bottom should be golden brown. When done, carefully loosen edges of crepe and slip out of skillet onto a plate..

4. Repeat the above procedure until all the batter is used. Grease the skillet as needed..

5. Turn each crepe so that golden brown side is up. Place 3 tablespoons of filling on one edge in a 2 1/2 inch long by 1-inch wide mound..

6. Roll once to cover filling. Fold the sides into the center and continue rolling until completely closed..

7. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet and place each crepe seam side down in the skillet and fry 2 minutes on each side, turning once.

VARIATION: Whole wheat pastry flour can be used instead of white flour.

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Orange Yogurt Crepes

BATTER
4 eggs
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 Tbsps. oil
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp. Salt
2 Tbsps. sugar

FILLING
1 pound cottage cheese
1 egg
3 Tbsps. sugar
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
or cookie crumbs
1 tsp. grated orange rind
2 Tbsps. margarine

BATTER: In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add orange juice, milk, yogurt, oil, flour, salt, and sugar. Beat until smooth. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

FILLING: In a large bowl, mix cottage cheese, egg, sugar, crumbs, and orange rind. Beat until smooth and place in refrigerator until needed.

TO ASSEMBLE: Heat a 7 inch skillet. Brush with oil or margarine and spoon in 2 tablespoons of batter. Tilt skillet so that batter covers the bottom of pan evenly. Cook over medium flame 15 to 20 seconds, until edges of crepe pull away from sides of pan; lift crepe with fingers and immediately turn crepe onto waxed paper. Repeat until batter is used up, oiling pan for each crepe.

Place 3 tablespoons of filling on browned side of crepe. Shape filling into 3 inch oblong. Roll once to cover filling. Fold the sides to the center and continue rolling until completely closed. Melt 2 tablespoons of margarine in large skillet and fry for 4 to 5 minutes until golden, turning once.

USE: 7 inch skillet
YIELDS: 12 servings

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Mushroom Cheese Blintzes

BATTER
1 Recipe Classic
Cheese Blintzes Batter

FILLING
3 Tbsps. margarine
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup diced green pepper (optional)
3 Tbsps. flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. basil
1 pound mozzarella or
Monterey lack cheese, grated

USE: 7 inch skillet
10 inch skillet
YIELDS: 12 blintzes

TO ASSEMBLE CREPES: 1. Prepare batter and filling of your choice. Using a paper towel or basting brush, apply a thin coating of oil to a 7 inch skillet. Place skillet over medium heat until skillet is hot but not smoking.

2. Ladle approximately 1/3 cup of batter into the skillet. Tilt pan to swirl the batter so it covers the bottom of the skillet.

3. Fry on one side until small air bubbles form, and top is set. Bottom should be golden brown. When done, carefully loosen edges of crepe and slip out of skillet onto a plate..

4. Repeat the above procedure until all the batter is used. Grease the skillet as needed..

5. Turn each crepe so that golden brown side is up. Place 3 tablespoons of filling on one edge in a 2 1/2 inch long by 1-inch wide mound..

6. Roll once to cover filling. Fold the sides into the center and continue rolling until completely closed..

7. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet and place each crepe seam side down in the skillet and fry 2 minutes on each side, turning once.
FILLING: Melt margarine in a 10 inch skillet and saute onion, garlic, mushrooms, and green pepper, if used, for 10 to 15 minutes. Add flour and stir. Slowly add milk while stirring; add salt, pepper, and basil. Cook, stirring, over low heat until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese. Once thick, set aside.

TO ASSEMBLE: Fill and fry.

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Spinach Blintzes

BATTER
4 cups milk
6 eggs
2 Tbsps. margarine or
butter, melted
Pinch of salt
4 cups flour
Butter or margarine
to coat pan

FILLING
2 pounds spinach or
Swiss chard
2 Tbsps. margarine
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 tsp. salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
2 Tbsps. grated mozzarella

TOMATO SAUCE
(OPTIONAL)
3 Tbsps. oil
1 large onion, diced
5 plum tomatoes, cut up
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

USE: 7 inch skillet
Small saucepan
YIELDS: 3 dozen blintzes

BATTER: Prepare batter in two batches. Place half of the milk, eggs, melted margarine, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth and light. Continue blending while gradually adding half of the flour. Pour into large bowl. Repeat with other half of the ingredients. Add to large bowl and let rest half an hour. While batter is resting prepare filling.

FILLING: Soak and carefully check the spinach or Swiss chard. Trim stems. Cook in saucepan with water that clings to leaves for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Melt margarine in frying pan and saute diced onion until transparent. Add green pepper and continue cooking 5 minutes more. Next add spinach or chard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook 10 minutes. Remove from flame and stir in grated cheese.

SAUCE: Heat oil in small saucepan and saute onion. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings and stir. Lower flame and simmer until heated through.

TO MAKE BLINTZES: Using a basting brush or paper towel apply a thin coating of oil to a 7 inch skillet and heat. Pour a small amount of batter into pan, tilting pan so that batter covers the entire bottom. Brown each crepe lightly on both sides.

TO ASSEMBLE: Place 2 tablespoons of filling on each crepe. Roll once to cover filling. Fold the side to the center and continue rolling until completely closed. Blintzes may be served with Tomato Sauce, and can be eaten either hot or cold.

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Adorning the Home with Greenery & Flowers

It is customary on Shavuot to adorn the home and synagogue with fruits, flowers and greens. The reason is that in the time of the Temple, the first fruits of harvest were given on Shavuot. As well, our Sages related that although Mount Sinai was situated in a desert, when the Torah was given the mountain bloomed and sprouted flowers.

NOTE: All arrangements should be done early on Tuesday May 22, 2007, before the onset of the Holiday, to respect the sanctity of Shavuot.

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Shavuot for Kids: A Pajama Party with Ice Cream

Shavuot has at least two traditions that can easily and memorably be transformed for children and adolescents. The two traditions are all-night study (or at least late-night study) and eating dairy foods. What does this mean for children? A pajama party with ice cream.

All-night study is called Tikkun Leyl Shavuot (Pronounce "Tikkun" with the accent on the second syllable, which rhymes with "moon." Pronounce "Leyl" to rhyme with "veil." )

The tradition of eating dairy foods has many explanations, including these: Israel is a land flowing with milk and honey; the Song of Songs likens the Torah to "milk and honey...under your tongue"; and on Shavuot, we accepted the Torah, Kashrut, and separating milk and meat.

There are also a number of Shavuot activities to make Tikkun Leyl Shavuot for children and adolescents more than a slumber-and-ice-cream party. Here are a few ideas:

· Read books. A Child's Book of Midrash by Barbara Diamond Goldin contains at least two midrashim or interpretive stories, which you can consider short stories, appropriate for Shavuot, '"Why God Chose Mount Sinai" and "The Most Precious Gift." (When you're done preparing for Shavuot, make time to read the rest of this wonderful book.)

· Read and/or act out the story of Ruth. The Book of Ruth, which celebrates the mother-daughter bond as well as the pivotal role of "Jews by Choice" in Judaism, is read on Shavuot.

· Make flower decorations or arrangements for your home. Flowers and greenery are another Shavuot tradition. Make wreaths or garlands to wear to Shavuot services.

· Another name for Shavuot is Yom Habikurim--Holiday of First Fruits. You can make and decorate bikurim (first fruits) baskets.

· Make decorations of cut paper, another Shavuot tradition.

· Make tablets of the 10 commandments out of clay or similar material.

A Midrash for Shavuot

One of my favorite stories connected with Shavuot is retold by Julie Hilton Danan: "The Midrash (Midrash Shir HaShirim 1:4) tells that before God would give the Torah to Israel, he told Moses 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 that they would observe the Torah. And God accepted."

When I began gathering material about Shavuot, I considered writing about how parents could help children feel the awe that our ancestors felt at Mount Sinai. God's giving of the Torah, which Shavuot commemorates, was accompanied by thunder, lightning, and the blast of a supernal shofar.

Why not recreate those sights and sounds? There are at least two important reasons not to do that. The first, as my neighbor Dick Israel pointed out, is that children have limited "databases." To hear the shofar sounded on Rosh HaShanna and Shavuot would confuse them. Second, and I quote Michael Strassfeld directly, because he put it so eloquently:

On Shavuot, we remember the tradition that states that all of us were present at the Revelation at Sinai. Yet on Shavuot we do not really try to re-experience or reenact the Sinai Revelation [as we re-experience Exodus at the Passover seder]...

The reason we don't is that Sinai is a continuous event ...The Revelation continues to occur as the Torah unfolds before us, if we pay attention to it. Thus Sinai needs fulfillment, not re-experiencing; enactment, not reenactment ... Any time a person studies Torah with devotion and holiness is a zeman matan torah the moment of the giving of the Torah.

So forget the thunder and lightning. Do something seemingly ordinary. Go to Shavuot services with your children. After all, they are the guarantors of the Torah.

May this Shavuot and the day after, and the day after that include a personal moment when you receive the Torah.

Ken Bresler