Spring is a favorite time for weddings. In the Jewish tradition, the ultimate wedding celebration happens in springtime. On the festival of Shavuot - May 19-20 this year - we celebrate the anniversary of the "marriage" of the Jewish people with God. The ketubah/marriage contract is the Torah.
Like many Jewish holidays, Shavuot has multiple meanings. It is first mentioned in the ancient biblical text as a harvest festival. After the destruction of the ancient Temple made the bringing of agriculture offerings impossible, the early rabbis linked the festival to the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. The days from Passover until Shavuot are counted down to parallel the Israelites' journey out of slavery and into the wilderness to receive the Torah.
What happened at Mount Sinai? We will never know. But we don't need to know in order to benefit from the deep teachings our tradition has developed around this holiday.
Shavuot is known as "Z'man matan Torateinu," the time of the giving of our Torah. For us, it can be a time to renew our connection to Torah, to Jewish learning and spiritual development. The Torah is given to us, but it is up to us to receive it.
As with a marriage, it is helpful to periodically revisit the original terms of the contract. Shavuot provides us with the opportunity to reflect on our relationship with our tradition, and with the divine as we understand it. It has evolved in modern times into a celebration of our children's learning, but it would be a shame to lose sight of its deeper meaning.
It is ironic, in fact, that many modern congregations have linked Shavuot with the end of the school year. In doing so, we are unwittingly conveying the message that Jewish learning is something that ends with a "graduation" of some sort. This is the furthest thing from the truth!
The deep message of Shavuot is that revelation - the Sinai experience - is ongoing. We don't believe that Torah was given at one moment in historic time, end of story. Rather, we believe that Torah is being given in every moment. It is for us to receive it, fresh and relevant, throughout our own lives.
What does this mean practically? For a start, think about the core of the Torah, the ten commandments. Relevant in your life? Why or why not? (If you can't list all ten, that's a message right there!)
Another source for reflection: The Book of Ruth, which is traditionally read on Shavuot. What's the connection? First, the story takes place during the spring harvest season. And second, it is the story of a woman who chooses to link her destiny with that of the Jewish people. (It's also a great love story.)
It happens that every year, the weekly Torah reading prior to Shavuot is the opening chapters of the book of Numbers. The Hebrew name for this biblical book is Bamidbar/in the wilderness. The question is asked, why is Bamidbar linked with Shavuot? Here is one answer among many:
This linking provides a hint that in order to prepare ourselves to receive the Torah - literally, the "instruction" - we need to become like the wilderness. We need to strip down to our essential nature, drop the defensive Ego, know that we know nothing. Standing in humility before the Mystery of life, we can open to hearing Torateinu - our Torah, the instruction that is meant for us in this moment.
And in receiving our instructions, the Torah that we need to be receiving right now, we once again renew our "wedding vows." Now this is a message worth conveying to our children.
Like many Jewish holidays, Shavuot has multiple meanings. It is first mentioned in the ancient biblical text as a harvest festival. After the destruction of the ancient Temple made the bringing of agriculture offerings impossible, the early rabbis linked the festival to the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. The days from Passover until Shavuot are counted down to parallel the Israelites' journey out of slavery and into the wilderness to receive the Torah.
What happened at Mount Sinai? We will never know. But we don't need to know in order to benefit from the deep teachings our tradition has developed around this holiday.
Shavuot is known as "Z'man matan Torateinu," the time of the giving of our Torah. For us, it can be a time to renew our connection to Torah, to Jewish learning and spiritual development. The Torah is given to us, but it is up to us to receive it.
As with a marriage, it is helpful to periodically revisit the original terms of the contract. Shavuot provides us with the opportunity to reflect on our relationship with our tradition, and with the divine as we understand it. It has evolved in modern times into a celebration of our children's learning, but it would be a shame to lose sight of its deeper meaning.
It is ironic, in fact, that many modern congregations have linked Shavuot with the end of the school year. In doing so, we are unwittingly conveying the message that Jewish learning is something that ends with a "graduation" of some sort. This is the furthest thing from the truth!
The deep message of Shavuot is that revelation - the Sinai experience - is ongoing. We don't believe that Torah was given at one moment in historic time, end of story. Rather, we believe that Torah is being given in every moment. It is for us to receive it, fresh and relevant, throughout our own lives.
What does this mean practically? For a start, think about the core of the Torah, the ten commandments. Relevant in your life? Why or why not? (If you can't list all ten, that's a message right there!)
Another source for reflection: The Book of Ruth, which is traditionally read on Shavuot. What's the connection? First, the story takes place during the spring harvest season. And second, it is the story of a woman who chooses to link her destiny with that of the Jewish people. (It's also a great love story.)
It happens that every year, the weekly Torah reading prior to Shavuot is the opening chapters of the book of Numbers. The Hebrew name for this biblical book is Bamidbar/in the wilderness. The question is asked, why is Bamidbar linked with Shavuot? Here is one answer among many:
This linking provides a hint that in order to prepare ourselves to receive the Torah - literally, the "instruction" - we need to become like the wilderness. We need to strip down to our essential nature, drop the defensive Ego, know that we know nothing. Standing in humility before the Mystery of life, we can open to hearing Torateinu - our Torah, the instruction that is meant for us in this moment.
And in receiving our instructions, the Torah that we need to be receiving right now, we once again renew our "wedding vows." Now this is a message worth conveying to our children.