Shavuot is one of the most important religious holidays in Judaism. What does it celebrate? How do we observe the holiday as well as the period leading up to it? What is “counting the Omer”? Why is this important?
About two months ago, we celebrated the miracle of the Exodus from Egypt with the Jewish holiday of Passover. Or to put it in weeks, about 8 weeks ago. Actually, 7 weeks, to be exact. 49 days. You might be thinking, “Why in the world would she know the exact number of days? Has she memorized the entire Jewish calendar by heart?” Nope, not at all! The reason I know is due to an ancient Jewish custom of counting days: specifically, from Passover to the next holiday of Shavuot.
Counting the Omer – Counting Time
We are counting down to two particular events: the first is significant from an agricultural standpoint, but the other is the most momentous occasion in Jewish history.
Biblical Origins
Starting with the second night of Passover, we count each night for 49 days. Each night represents one “omer,” or sheaf of wheat. You might ask, “Why on earth are we counting wheat?” According to Leviticus 23:15 – 16: “And from the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering [the first day of Passover] – the day after the sabbath – you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete: you must count until the day after the seventh week – fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the Lord.”
In biblical times, the Israelites were a very agriculturally-focused people. The passage above references the timing of when crops would begin to ripen, in the late spring. When the first crops were harvested each year, they were to be brought to the Temple as an offering of thanks for a good season. This was the original focus of the countdown.
A Shift: Observing Moments in Time
In modern times, since society has shifted away from being primarily agricultural and the Temple no longer exists, counting the nights has shifted to a more abstract focus: the importance of time. We count with a different goal in mind other than the traditional festival of first fruits. At the same time of year occurred one of the bedrock events in Jewish history. We are counting up to a particular moment in time: as a child eagerly anticipates the last day of school, we are eagerly counting the days until this momentous event.
But unlike that child, we don’t yearn for these days to fly by, leaving all thought of them gone and forgotten. We often take time to reflect.
Spiritual Growth and Refinement
Each moment we have on Earth is precious: time to make new memories, time to see loved ones, time to connect with others. We must treasure these moments. Therefore, we physically count days, so not one gets left behind and forgotten. Experiences, both good and bad, make up who we become, so each one is important.
We also reflect on new ideas to encourage personal growth and prepare ourselves spiritually for the event of Shavuot. Below are a few reflection guides I found particularly helpful this year. (These can be used any year: they are not specific to this year.)
- This guide by Rabbi Jill Zimmerman helps you consider any “journey” you may be undertaking. This might include delving into a new endeavor or dealing with a struggle of some sort. She helps you evaluate what your goals are and how you’ve gotten to where you are now. You remember what “journeys” you’ve forged previously, what stumbling blocks you encountered, and how you overcame.
- This compilation by Rabbi Simon Jacobson discusses seven aspects of the human self and how they are inter-related. Most importantly, it gives you specific exercises for each day, to help you become a better person.
- The Omer Counter app by Chabad provides daily short meditation readings to aid with study as well. This app sends you daily reminders to count and provides the blessings in Hebrew (along with transliteration).
Utilizing study guides like these during the omer count can help you earnestly reflect on where you are now, where you’d like to be, and help you get there.
I particularly enjoyed a combination of Rabbi Jacobson’s guide on the 7 spheres of humanity and the Omer Counter app meditation thoughts. The 7 aspects include “chesed” (love/kindness), “gevurah” (discipline/boundaries), “tiferet” (grace/compassion), “netzach” (perseverance), “hod” (humility), “yesod” (foundation/bonding), and “malchut” (sovereignty/dignity). Each of these is a separate component of our soul and human actions; yet each of these is innately intertwined with all the others.
For example, there is an element of discipline, compassion, perseverance, humility, bonding, and dignity within the main sphere of love and kindness. Each day, we examine how each element relates to the others, and we build on our understanding and focus on improvement of each. Reading these in conjunction with the meditations has helped me see things in unusual ways.
An Additional Thought on Torah
This week in Torah study, we also begin the book of Numbers, which emphasizes counting and re-counting of Israelite people. Perhaps one reason this parshah falls at the end of counting the omer is to remind us of one thing. Even though we’ve counted the nights up till now, now that we’re at the end, we should go back and re-count all the experiences we’ve had during that time, to retain the knowledge we’ve gained. For going over something in your mind multiple times helps to retain it.
I have been journaling for each night of the omer. Therefore, I find it fitting to go back and re-read my reflections on Shavuot. This way I continue to keep fresh in my mind the mental connections I made and the lessons I learned. I’ll essentially recap my experience on the final day, perhaps making new discoveries I didn’t notice before.
Shavuot
Shavuot (pronounced “Shah-voo-oht” or “Shah-voo-ohs” depending on ethnic descent) is one of the 5 most important holidays in the Jewish calendar (the others being Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Passover).
What is Shavuot?
As noted above, in biblical times, Shavuot represented the Festival of the First Fruits. The current year’s harvest would begin to ripen, and an offering of new grain would be brought to the Temple as thanks to G-d. It was specifically noted in the Torah as one of the few festivals each year when all Jews were to come to the Temple to give thanks. As it is said in Leviticus 23:21, “On that same day you shall hold a celebration; it shall be a sacred occasion for you; you shall not work at your occupations. This is a law for all time in all your settlements, throughout the ages.”
Shavuot is also associated with the most momentous occasion in Jewish history: the actual giving of the Torah from G-d to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The Torah is the holiest Jewish text, a guide to living an ethical and moral life as individuals and in society. (Many of its commandments are actually part of laws and moral ethics followed in normal society today.) The association of Shavuot with this event is actually not referenced in the Bible itself, but Torah scholars going way back have agreed that the holy text was provided at this time, on the 6th of Sivan on the Jewish calendar. It represents the moment G-d entered into a covenant with not just the Jewish forefathers, but with all Jews for all time. A popular teaching is that the Torah was granted to all Jews who were present at Mt. Sinai as well as those souls not yet born on Earth. Therefore, we treat this holiday as the day that G-d gave each one of us personally His holy gift.
Customs of the Holiday
- All-night Torah study: In celebration of this special gift, religious Jews will often stay up the entire night of Shavuot studying Torah texts in depth. It is their way of showing thanks to G-d. (In addition, it is said that the night before the event at Mt. Sinai, the Israelites overslept; therefore, we make amends by staying up all night!) To join others studying virtually this year on Sunday night, May 16, 2021, you may join the Marlene Meyerson JCC of Manhattan or the DAWN by Reboot arts and culture festival from San Francisco, at any time of the night!
- Special synagogue services: Traditional Jews will refrain from work on the holiday and go to special services. (It is not as common among Reform Jews to observe Shavuot.) As with other major holidays, a special memorial Yizkor service remembering those who have left us is included. The Book of Ruth is commonly read during the holiday services, since it denotes the story of the first person to actively choose Judaism rather than being born into it. Ruth was also the predecessor to the famous King David (whose birthdate and death date were supposedly both on Shavuot as well) and to the eventual Moshiach, or Messiah, who will usher in an era of widespread peace.
- Dairy-based dishes: Dairy foods (rather than dishes with meat) are commonly eaten on Shavuot to celebrate. It is thought that when the Israelites received the Torah including the kosher diet laws, they discovered that the meat currently in their possession wouldn’t meet kosher requirements. Therefore, their first meal would have been comprised of dairy and veggie-based items. Feasts on Jewish tables today may include Greek and Israeli salads, French onion soup, cheese lasagna, cheesy quiches, cheese enchiladas, blintzes, ice cream sundaes, cheesecakes, or a variety of other yummy dairy dishes. (For some yummy recipes, click here!) I started observing Shavuot in recent years and have highly enjoyed the fact that we celebrate with cheesecake and ice cream!
The book The Jewish Holidays: A Guide and Commentary (full citation in Reference List below – p. 81) makes a beautiful point about Shavuot versus Passover. At Passover, we strive to relive the experience of liberation from Egypt, to “make” it happen to us. For Shavuot, we don’t follow this same logic because we are constantly “accepting” the Torah and choosing to follow its morals. We continually and regularly study its words to remind ourselves of its lessons, that we may not forget them or be tempted to purposely do wrong. It’s not a one-time gift, but rather a gift we accept every day.
Takeaway
The time leading up to and including Shavuot is filled with spiritual rejuvenation and growth. As part of our faith, we count the days leading up to the holiday, eagerly anticipating the holy gift of Torah but ensuring we are spiritually worthy of receiving it. We must engage with life, savoring it, learning from it, and molding into our very self those experiences that help us to be better humans. We present ourselves before G-d, hearts yearning for His gift. Then upon receipt, we acknowledge our gratitude and immerse ourselves in it, longing to prove we are and can be good people, worthy of each other’s and G-d’s unconditional love.
For related reading, check these out:
Sources referenced and utilized:
Note: The book titles below include affiliate links to Amazon. This simply means that any purchases through these links may generate a small commission for us, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. More info can be found in our full disclaimer here. I personally own all of these books, consulted them for this article, and highly recommend if you’re interested in further learning. Thank you for your support!
JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh: The Traditional Hebrew Text and The New JPS Translation, Second Edition. The Jewish Publication Society. 1999.
Jewish Literacy: Revised Edition. by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. William Morrow, HarperCollins Publishers. 1991, 2001, 2008.
The Jewish Holidays: A Guide and Commentary. by Michael Strassfeld. William Morrow, HarperCollins Publishers. 1985, 2001.
chabad.org: a wealth of information regarding all things Jewish, with an Orthodox/modern Orthodox point of view.
Cover image photo credit: IStockPhoto.com/photovs
