Jewish Law And Shavuot: What You Need To Know

Shavuot is a Jewish holiday, one of the biblically ordained Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan and is celebrated for one day in Israel and two days in the diaspora. It is a low-key, pensive holiday, unlike Passover, with no specific laws attached to it other than the usual festival requirements of abstaining from creative work. The holiday is marked by the reading of the Book of Ruth, the decoration of synagogues with greenery, the consumption of dairy foods, and the custom of staying up all night to study Torah. While there are no specific laws around carrying on Shavuot, there are general work restrictions on Jewish holidays, including prohibitions on travel and the use of electrical devices.

Restrictions on work and travel

Shavuot is a Jewish holiday that falls on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. It is one of the biblically ordained Three Pilgrimage Festivals. In the 21st century, it occurs between May 15 and June 14 on the Gregorian calendar.

Shavuot is a day of rest and study, and no work, writing, commerce, or travel is permitted. The holiday begins at sundown on the evening before and concludes at nightfall on the last day. All normal business, school, and secular activities must cease several hours before sundown on the eve of the holiday to allow for adequate preparations. Actual holiday restrictions go into effect approximately half an hour before sundown and end approximately one hour after sundown on the last day. No travel or restricted activities are permitted until then.

The Talmud refers to Shavuot as ʻAṣeret, referring to the prohibition against work and the conclusion of the Passover holiday season. Shavuot is also the only biblically ordained Jewish holiday with no specific laws attached to it other than the usual festival requirements of abstaining from creative work.

Laws on food and drink

Shavuot is a Jewish holiday, one of the biblically ordained Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, which is between May 15 and June 14 on the Gregorian calendar.

There are no specific laws on food and drink for Shavuot, but there are customs. It is customary to eat dairy foods, such as cheesecake, cheese blintzes, and cheese kreplach. This is because, before the Torah was given, the Israelites were not obligated to follow its laws, including those on kosher slaughter and kashrut. As they now had to make their meat pots and dishes kosher, they opted for dairy foods.

Another reason for eating dairy is that the Torah is compared to milk by King Solomon, who wrote: "Like honey and milk, it lies under your tongue" (Song of Songs 4:11). The gematria of the Hebrew word ḥalav (חלב) is 40, which corresponds to the 40 days and nights Moses spent on Mount Sinai before bringing down the Torah.

In addition, according to the Zohar, each day of the year correlates to one of the Torah's 365 negative commandments. Shavuot corresponds to the commandment: "Bring the first fruits of your land to the house of God your Lord; do not cook a kid in its mother's milk" (Exodus 34:26).

On Shavuot, it is also customary to eat two meals—one dairy and one meat—because the first day to bring Bikkurim (the first fruits) is Shavuot.

Some Jews, such as Yemenites, do not eat dairy foods on Shavuot.

The lighting of candles

Shavuot is a Jewish holiday, one of the biblically ordained Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, which in the 21st century falls between May 15 and June 14 on the Gregorian calendar.

Shavuot is a time for celebration, and as with all Jewish holidays, it begins at sunset the evening before. This means that the lighting of candles is a key part of the festival.

On the Sabbath and Yom Tov (festival days), candles are lit 18 minutes before sunset to welcome the holiday. Two candles, a minimum, are lit, and then both hands are waved towards the face, symbolically drawing in the light of the candles and the sanctity of the day. The eyes are then covered and the blessing is recited:

> Baruch atah Ado-nai, Ehlo-haynu Melech Ha-olam, asher kideshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzeevanu l’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov. Blessed are you L-rd, our G-d, Ruler of the world, who sanctified us through His commandments and commanded us to kindle the lights of Yom Tov (festival).

An additional blessing, Sheh’heh’cheyanu, is also included to acknowledge the good fortune of being able to experience the holiday:

> Baruch atah Ado-nai, Ehlo-haynu Melech Ha-olam, sheh’heh’che’yanu v’kee’manu v’hee’gee’anu la’zman ha’zeh. Blessed are you L-rd, our G-d, Ruler of the world, Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.

The woman of the house usually makes the blessings on the candles, and it is important that the candles are lit before the Kiddush blessing is recited.

The reading of the Book of Ruth

Shavuot is a Jewish holiday, one of the biblically ordained Three Pilgrimage Festivals, which occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. It is also known as the Festival of Harvest, the Festival of Reaping, and the Day of the First Fruits.

The Book of Ruth is read on the second day of Shavuot. The story of Ruth, a Moabite woman who follows her Israelite mother-in-law, Naomi, into the Jewish faith, is one of kindness and audacity. Her famous pledge to Naomi, "Wherever you go, I will go...your people shall be my people, and your God my God", demonstrates her commitment to her new faith and community.

There are several reasons why the Book of Ruth is read during Shavuot:

• Shavuot is believed to be the birthday and yahrzeit (death anniversary) of King David, and the Book of Ruth records his ancestry. Ruth and her husband Boaz were King David's great-grandparents.
• The scenes of harvesting in the Book of Ruth are appropriate for the Festival of Harvest, as Shavuot also marks the wheat harvest.
• Ruth's sincere conversion to Judaism mirrors the experience of all Jews during Shavuot, as it commemorates the acceptance of the Torah and its precepts.
• Both the Torah and the Book of Ruth emphasise the importance of kindness and generosity (hesed).
• At Mount Sinai, the Israelites, like Ruth, took upon themselves the obligation to obey the Torah.
• According to one tradition, King David was born and died on Shavuot, and the Book of Ruth concludes with his lineage.
• Shavuot is connected to the barley harvest, which is also a significant element in the story of Ruth.

The decoration of synagogues

There is no single style or blueprint for synagogues, and their architectural shapes and interior designs vary greatly. However, there are some common features and decorative elements that are often found in synagogues.

The most important feature of a synagogue interior is the Torah ark, also known as the aron qodesh or hekhal, which holds the Torah scrolls. The ark can be made of any material and can be any size or shape, but it is often adorned with architectural elements, columns, Jewish symbols, and inscriptions. In early synagogues, the Torah scrolls were kept in movable chests, but by the 16th century, the ark had become a substantial architectural component of the interior design.

Another essential element is the bimah, the platform where the leader of the service stands and reads the Torah. The physical relationship between the ark and the bimah is important, as it reflects their roles in the Jewish service and creates a strong dynamic. The placement of the bimah varies depending on the tradition, with Sephardi synagogues often placing it at the opposite end of the room from the ark, and Ashkenazi synagogues positioning it more centrally.

Synagogue interiors may also feature artwork and decorations, although there are no strong traditions governing their decoration. In Antiquity, it was common for synagogues to be decorated with representation and narrative art, and this became more popular in the 20th century. However, most synagogue decor today consists of inscriptions and abstract designs, with a focus on the activity of the service and the sound of prayer animating the space.

Windows are also an important feature of synagogues, as they provide light needed for reading and have symbolic meaning. The Talmud requires that synagogues have windows, based on the example of Daniel's place of prayer, where "his windows were open in his upper chamber" (Daniel 6:11). Over time, builders have incorporated various artificial sources of light, including candles, elaborate candelabras, chandeliers, and electric lighting.

Overall, while there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the decoration of synagogues, certain elements such as the Torah ark, the bimah, windows, and artwork or inscriptions play a significant role in creating functional and meaningful spaces for Jewish worship.

Frequently asked questions