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Shavuot
This year (5770-2010), Shavuot, also called Zman Matan Torateinu, (the "Time of the Giving of Our Torah") starts at sundown, Tuesday, May 18th, and lasts for two days, Wednesday, May 19th and Thursday, May 20th, the 6th and 7th of Sivan.
Shavuot also celebrates the time when the first fruits of the Seven Species with which Eretz Yisrael is blessed, were harvested and brought in elaborately decorated baskets to the Beit Hamikdash, and is also known as Chag Ha-Bikkurim (the Festival of the First Fruits). Shavuot is also the wheat harvest festival - Chag HaKatzir (the Feast of Harvest). The beginning of the wheat harvest throughout Eretz Yisrael was preceded by the offering of shtay halechem (two loaves) as a meal-offering in the Beit Hamikdash
Candle Lighting in Toronto 8:21 P.M.
Candle Lighting in Thornhill 8:21 P.M.
Yizkor
A Yahrtzeit Candle is lit at Sundown (from an existing flame) on the Second night of Shavuot, the 6th of Sivan, Wednesday May 19th, 2010 the Yahrtzeit Candle should be lit after 9: 31 P.M and not before). The "Yizkor" Service, better named the "Memorial Prayers" service, are recited on the morning of the second day of Shavuot, 7th of Sivan, Thursday May 20, 2010, and are intended to be recited in a synagogue with a minyan; if one is unable to be with a minyan, one can recite it without one.
What is Shavuot?
Re-accept the Torah-Reaffirmation of our commitment to Torah
The Torah was given by G-d to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai more than 3300 years ago. Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G-d's gift and G-d "re-gives" the Torah.
The word Shavuot means "weeks." It marks the completion of the seven week counting period between Passover and Shavuot.
The giving of the Torah was a in-depth spiritual event—one that touched the essence of the Jewish soul for all times. Our Sages have compared it to a wedding between G-d and the Jewish people. Shavuot also means oath and on this day G-d swore eternal devotion to us, and we in turn pledged everlasting loyalty to Him.
The holiday of Shavuot is a two-day holiday, beginning at sundown of the 5th of Sivan, Tuesday May 18, 2010 and lasting until nightfall of the 7th of Sivan, Thursday May 20, 2010.
Minhagim- Customs of Shavuot
Flowers and Greens
A beautiful long-standing Shavuot tradition is the decoration of our homes and shuls (synagogues) with fragrant flowers, leaves, tree branches, and greens. Many reasons have been given for this custom.
Flowers: Our Sages taught that although Har Sinai was situated in a desert, in honor of the Torah the desert bloomed and sprouted flowers.
Greens: Our Sages taught that on Shavuot judgment is rendered regarding the trees of the field.
Tikun Leil Shavuot
A well established Minhag (custom) calls for all-night Torah study on the first night of Shavuot, because on the day the Bnei Yisrael were to receive the Torah, the nation overslept. As an atonement, the Zohar says that certain pious individuals would remain awake the entire night of Shavuot as a means to rectify this lapse.
Many people read the Tikkun Leil Shavuot, a formal guide of study for Shavuot, originally formulated by the Arizal, and subsequently enhanced by the Sh’lah Hakadosh. It contains passages from every Parsha in the Torah, each book of Tanach, the first and last Mishnah of every Tractate, a listing of the 613 Mitzvot, and some sections of the Zohar.
In some congregations, Rabbis lecture deep into the night, either to enable the entire congregation to study the same topic or perhaps to accommodate those who are not capable of studying by themselves.
Dairy Meals
It is customary to eat a dairy meal at least once on Shavuot. Others eat dairy products (but not hard cheese) before the main (meat) lunch meal.
There are several reasons given by our Sages for the custom of eating a dairy meal on Shavuot. One of them is, that on Shavuot, the Bnei Yisrael had just received the Torah (and the laws of Kashrut), and they did not have both meat and dairy dishes yet, and were unable to use their dishes that day (Shabbat) until they were rendered Kosher by the proper process of "kashering" utensils. Thus their meal was a dairy meal.
Another reason is that the Torah is compared to Milk.
The word for milk, Chalav, has the numerical value of 40, corresponding to the 40 days Moses spent on Har Sinai.
Akdamut
On the first day of Shavuot, after the Kohain has been called to the Torah, but before he recites his blessing, Akdamut is read responsively, the chazzan saying two verses, and the congregation saying the next two. It was composed as an introduction to the Aseret Hadibrot. Consisting of ninety verses, composed by Rabbi Meir ben Yitzchak, it is probably one of Judaism's best known and most beloved Piyut (liturgical poem). It is a description of Hashem's creation of the world and close look at the splendors of Olam Habah (the World to Come). It describes the Malachim's praise of Hashem and the greatness and the suffering of Bnei Yisroel.
Megillat Ruth-The Scroll of Ruth
Megillat Ruth is read on the second day of Shavuot, before the reading of the Torah. Many reasons are given for this practice:
The entire Torah is loving kindness, and this Megillah consists of loving kindness, therefore it is read on the day of the giving of the Torah (Midrash Rabbah).
The act of Ruth's conversion took place during the harvest season, 'at the beginning of the barley harvest' to the 'end of the wheat harvest.' This period includes the Yom Tov Shavuot.
Matan Torah marks the beginning of the Jewish Nation, when they entered into the Covenant with Hashem. Megillat Ruth tells how Ruth entered into that Covenant.
Megillat Ruth is the history of the roots of King David. The last verse, which continues the line of Boaz’ descendants, ends with David. Since Shavuot is the birthday and Yahrzeit (day of death) of King David, we read Ruth on Shavuot.
The central character is the heroine - Ruth. Her son, born of her marraige to Boaz, was Oved, grandfather of King David, first of the royal family of Israel—the House of David. The Talmud calls Ruth Ima Shel Malchut, (mother of royalty), because her progeny included King David and King Solomon, and the future Moshiach who will end all exiles, return Israel to its greatest glory, and lead all the world to the destiny for which it was created.
The Reading of the Ketubah
Many Sephardic communities practice this ritual for Shavuot. After the ark is first opened on Shavuot morning, congregants read a ketubah (marriage contract) between God, the groom, and Israel, the bride. In the text of the ketubah God invites the bride to His palace and promises to bind Himself to her forever. The bride replies, “Na’aseh v’nishmah,” “We will do and we will listen.”
The Four Who Entered Pardes
The Talmud speaks of four rabbis who entered some place called 'Pardes,' and the effects of doing so (Chagigah 14b). From the calamitous results to three of the four FAMOUS rabbis, we quickly get the impression that their journey into this 'Garden' was no normal walk in a park.
Tradition confirms this. For, as we are taught, 'Pardes' is a Hebrew word composed of four letters, each of which is the first letter of a different word: Pshat, Remez, Drush, Sod (PARDES) -- Simple (Meaning), Hinted (Meaning), Exegetical-Critical Explanation (Meaning), and, Kabbalistic (Meaning). These are, of course, the four levels upon which Torah can be learned.
A simple example. The very first word of the Torah is the word 'Bereishit,' which, classically, is translated as, 'in the beginning.' That is called the 'pshat' of the word, the simplest meaning possible.
However, as Rashi points out, in the context provided by the Torah, 'Bereishit' is grammatically incorrect for the most obvious pshat of the pasuk: In the beginning, G-d made the Heaven and the Earth. In such a construct, Rashi teaches, the word 'berishonah' would be correct, and, assuming that G-d knew this -- a fair assumption -- Rashi moves up to the level of 'Remez' to explain a deeper, intended meaning of the word: for the sake of 'reishit' -- that which is 'first' to G-d, that is, Torah and the Jewish people, G-d made Heaven and Earth.
Rashi -- a 'pashtan' by definition -- stops there and satisfied.
However, if you look into the holy books, you will eventually find even deeper meanings of the word, not so visible to the eye. After all, the Zohar HaKodesh has no less than SEVENTY explanations of this first word of the Torah, one of which divides the word into two parts: bera-sheit -- He created six ('shis' is Aramaic for 'six'), as in the six days of creation, at the initial moment that G-d made ALL matter. That is the 'drush' of the word.
What is the 'sod' of this word? It is similar to the 'drush,' except that the 'shis' refers to the six Sefirot: Chesed, Gevurah, Tifferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod, all of which govern the six thousand years of history of which we are a part, one for each of the six millennia. Thus, the 'pshat' on this level would be: He created six sefiros (with which) Elokim created the Heaven and Earth. Our Sages tell us that we are in the sixth day of creation. One day equals one thousand years so if this were reduced to one week we are living in the erev Shabbat of The week of Geulah-redemption (a whole drasha on its own).
Thus, as one moves from the simplest to the Kabbalistic explanation of an idea, the concepts become more complex and more abstract. However, they also become more accurate in terms of their description of reality, and therefore, truer expressions of the will of G-d and His Divine Providence:
"... This is the main rectification that comes from the learning of Kabbalah more than from any other level of Torah-learning. For, all other levels are 'enclothed' in everyday matters, unlike Kabbalah, and especially the words of the Arizal, which are built upon the deep secrets of the Zohar ... and the (more direct) light of G-d." (Rabbi Shlomo Eliyashev; 1841 - 1925)
In other words, when an abstract idea is brought 'down-to-earth,' it may be easier to fathom, but, it is also less accurate a truth. It is like answering a difficult question for a child, knowing that his mind can only handle so much information and only so much sophistication. You haven't lied to the child, but, you haven't given the child the entire story either.
If we are talking about the 'simplest explanation' of an idea, then 'pshat' is it. However, if it is the most accurate description of reality that we seek, then, the higher one climbs the ladder of 'Pardes,' the more accurate their understanding of G-d and Divine Providence will be.
This is what Rebi Yehoshua ben Levi told his son, who had just suffered a near-death experience, and described to his father what he had seen (Pesachim 50a). "It was an upside down world I saw," his son told his father, "where, what is up over here is down over there, and, what is down over here is up over there."
Rebi Yehoshua ben Levi corrected his son: "No, my son -- THERE is where everything is right-side up; it is here that everything is upside down, and, you have just gotten used to it."
Thus, we walk around in pursuit of 'pshat' and afraid of 'sod,' thinking that we know all we must to make life work as it should, and then wonder why it doesn't. It is 'Sod' that is closest to G-d in the hierarchy of learning, and though you can't soar in the clouds until you learn to first walk on earth, you must learn to walk on the earth with the goal to one day soar in the clouds.
Chag Samayach -A Joyous Holiday
Yitzchak Alloul
This Parshah Preview is sponsored by Cars And Trucks 4 Less, Sales, Leasing and Financing. If you are in the market for a New or Used Vehicle give us a call “we will steer you in the right direction”. Please call 416-829-1461.
If you would like your company or service listed here please do not hesitate to ask. I do not take a fee for this. It is very important for us to support and promote local Jewish businesses. We spend so much time looking for the best deal possible that we lose sight of obligation to support our “brothers”. It’s forbidden to give business to others, we obligated to do business with fellow Jews. Trust me when I say that the other nations put the welfare of their own first and not looking for the best deal in town.
http://parshapreview.blogspot.com or http://apps.facebook.com/liveblog/entry/479021
Shavuot
This year (5770-2010), Shavuot, also called Zman Matan Torateinu, (the "Time of the Giving of Our Torah") starts at sundown, Tuesday, May 18th, and lasts for two days, Wednesday, May 19th and Thursday, May 20th, the 6th and 7th of Sivan.
Shavuot also celebrates the time when the first fruits of the Seven Species with which Eretz Yisrael is blessed, were harvested and brought in elaborately decorated baskets to the Beit Hamikdash, and is also known as Chag Ha-Bikkurim (the Festival of the First Fruits). Shavuot is also the wheat harvest festival - Chag HaKatzir (the Feast of Harvest). The beginning of the wheat harvest throughout Eretz Yisrael was preceded by the offering of shtay halechem (two loaves) as a meal-offering in the Beit Hamikdash
Candle Lighting in Toronto 8:21 P.M.
Candle Lighting in Thornhill 8:21 P.M.
Yizkor
A Yahrtzeit Candle is lit at Sundown (from an existing flame) on the Second night of Shavuot, the 6th of Sivan, Wednesday May 19th, 2010 the Yahrtzeit Candle should be lit after 9: 31 P.M and not before). The "Yizkor" Service, better named the "Memorial Prayers" service, are recited on the morning of the second day of Shavuot, 7th of Sivan, Thursday May 20, 2010, and are intended to be recited in a synagogue with a minyan; if one is unable to be with a minyan, one can recite it without one.
What is Shavuot?
Re-accept the Torah-Reaffirmation of our commitment to Torah
The Torah was given by G-d to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai more than 3300 years ago. Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G-d's gift and G-d "re-gives" the Torah.
The word Shavuot means "weeks." It marks the completion of the seven week counting period between Passover and Shavuot.
The giving of the Torah was a in-depth spiritual event—one that touched the essence of the Jewish soul for all times. Our Sages have compared it to a wedding between G-d and the Jewish people. Shavuot also means oath and on this day G-d swore eternal devotion to us, and we in turn pledged everlasting loyalty to Him.
The holiday of Shavuot is a two-day holiday, beginning at sundown of the 5th of Sivan, Tuesday May 18, 2010 and lasting until nightfall of the 7th of Sivan, Thursday May 20, 2010.
Minhagim- Customs of Shavuot
Flowers and Greens
A beautiful long-standing Shavuot tradition is the decoration of our homes and shuls (synagogues) with fragrant flowers, leaves, tree branches, and greens. Many reasons have been given for this custom.
Flowers: Our Sages taught that although Har Sinai was situated in a desert, in honor of the Torah the desert bloomed and sprouted flowers.
Greens: Our Sages taught that on Shavuot judgment is rendered regarding the trees of the field.
Tikun Leil Shavuot
A well established Minhag (custom) calls for all-night Torah study on the first night of Shavuot, because on the day the Bnei Yisrael were to receive the Torah, the nation overslept. As an atonement, the Zohar says that certain pious individuals would remain awake the entire night of Shavuot as a means to rectify this lapse.
Many people read the Tikkun Leil Shavuot, a formal guide of study for Shavuot, originally formulated by the Arizal, and subsequently enhanced by the Sh’lah Hakadosh. It contains passages from every Parsha in the Torah, each book of Tanach, the first and last Mishnah of every Tractate, a listing of the 613 Mitzvot, and some sections of the Zohar.
In some congregations, Rabbis lecture deep into the night, either to enable the entire congregation to study the same topic or perhaps to accommodate those who are not capable of studying by themselves.
Dairy Meals
It is customary to eat a dairy meal at least once on Shavuot. Others eat dairy products (but not hard cheese) before the main (meat) lunch meal.
There are several reasons given by our Sages for the custom of eating a dairy meal on Shavuot. One of them is, that on Shavuot, the Bnei Yisrael had just received the Torah (and the laws of Kashrut), and they did not have both meat and dairy dishes yet, and were unable to use their dishes that day (Shabbat) until they were rendered Kosher by the proper process of "kashering" utensils. Thus their meal was a dairy meal.
Another reason is that the Torah is compared to Milk.
The word for milk, Chalav, has the numerical value of 40, corresponding to the 40 days Moses spent on Har Sinai.
Akdamut
On the first day of Shavuot, after the Kohain has been called to the Torah, but before he recites his blessing, Akdamut is read responsively, the chazzan saying two verses, and the congregation saying the next two. It was composed as an introduction to the Aseret Hadibrot. Consisting of ninety verses, composed by Rabbi Meir ben Yitzchak, it is probably one of Judaism's best known and most beloved Piyut (liturgical poem). It is a description of Hashem's creation of the world and close look at the splendors of Olam Habah (the World to Come). It describes the Malachim's praise of Hashem and the greatness and the suffering of Bnei Yisroel.
Megillat Ruth-The Scroll of Ruth
Megillat Ruth is read on the second day of Shavuot, before the reading of the Torah. Many reasons are given for this practice:
The entire Torah is loving kindness, and this Megillah consists of loving kindness, therefore it is read on the day of the giving of the Torah (Midrash Rabbah).
The act of Ruth's conversion took place during the harvest season, 'at the beginning of the barley harvest' to the 'end of the wheat harvest.' This period includes the Yom Tov Shavuot.
Matan Torah marks the beginning of the Jewish Nation, when they entered into the Covenant with Hashem. Megillat Ruth tells how Ruth entered into that Covenant.
Megillat Ruth is the history of the roots of King David. The last verse, which continues the line of Boaz’ descendants, ends with David. Since Shavuot is the birthday and Yahrzeit (day of death) of King David, we read Ruth on Shavuot.
The central character is the heroine - Ruth. Her son, born of her marraige to Boaz, was Oved, grandfather of King David, first of the royal family of Israel—the House of David. The Talmud calls Ruth Ima Shel Malchut, (mother of royalty), because her progeny included King David and King Solomon, and the future Moshiach who will end all exiles, return Israel to its greatest glory, and lead all the world to the destiny for which it was created.
The Reading of the Ketubah
Many Sephardic communities practice this ritual for Shavuot. After the ark is first opened on Shavuot morning, congregants read a ketubah (marriage contract) between God, the groom, and Israel, the bride. In the text of the ketubah God invites the bride to His palace and promises to bind Himself to her forever. The bride replies, “Na’aseh v’nishmah,” “We will do and we will listen.”
The Four Who Entered Pardes
The Talmud speaks of four rabbis who entered some place called 'Pardes,' and the effects of doing so (Chagigah 14b). From the calamitous results to three of the four FAMOUS rabbis, we quickly get the impression that their journey into this 'Garden' was no normal walk in a park.
Tradition confirms this. For, as we are taught, 'Pardes' is a Hebrew word composed of four letters, each of which is the first letter of a different word: Pshat, Remez, Drush, Sod (PARDES) -- Simple (Meaning), Hinted (Meaning), Exegetical-Critical Explanation (Meaning), and, Kabbalistic (Meaning). These are, of course, the four levels upon which Torah can be learned.
A simple example. The very first word of the Torah is the word 'Bereishit,' which, classically, is translated as, 'in the beginning.' That is called the 'pshat' of the word, the simplest meaning possible.
However, as Rashi points out, in the context provided by the Torah, 'Bereishit' is grammatically incorrect for the most obvious pshat of the pasuk: In the beginning, G-d made the Heaven and the Earth. In such a construct, Rashi teaches, the word 'berishonah' would be correct, and, assuming that G-d knew this -- a fair assumption -- Rashi moves up to the level of 'Remez' to explain a deeper, intended meaning of the word: for the sake of 'reishit' -- that which is 'first' to G-d, that is, Torah and the Jewish people, G-d made Heaven and Earth.
Rashi -- a 'pashtan' by definition -- stops there and satisfied.
However, if you look into the holy books, you will eventually find even deeper meanings of the word, not so visible to the eye. After all, the Zohar HaKodesh has no less than SEVENTY explanations of this first word of the Torah, one of which divides the word into two parts: bera-sheit -- He created six ('shis' is Aramaic for 'six'), as in the six days of creation, at the initial moment that G-d made ALL matter. That is the 'drush' of the word.
What is the 'sod' of this word? It is similar to the 'drush,' except that the 'shis' refers to the six Sefirot: Chesed, Gevurah, Tifferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod, all of which govern the six thousand years of history of which we are a part, one for each of the six millennia. Thus, the 'pshat' on this level would be: He created six sefiros (with which) Elokim created the Heaven and Earth. Our Sages tell us that we are in the sixth day of creation. One day equals one thousand years so if this were reduced to one week we are living in the erev Shabbat of The week of Geulah-redemption (a whole drasha on its own).
Thus, as one moves from the simplest to the Kabbalistic explanation of an idea, the concepts become more complex and more abstract. However, they also become more accurate in terms of their description of reality, and therefore, truer expressions of the will of G-d and His Divine Providence:
"... This is the main rectification that comes from the learning of Kabbalah more than from any other level of Torah-learning. For, all other levels are 'enclothed' in everyday matters, unlike Kabbalah, and especially the words of the Arizal, which are built upon the deep secrets of the Zohar ... and the (more direct) light of G-d." (Rabbi Shlomo Eliyashev; 1841 - 1925)
In other words, when an abstract idea is brought 'down-to-earth,' it may be easier to fathom, but, it is also less accurate a truth. It is like answering a difficult question for a child, knowing that his mind can only handle so much information and only so much sophistication. You haven't lied to the child, but, you haven't given the child the entire story either.
If we are talking about the 'simplest explanation' of an idea, then 'pshat' is it. However, if it is the most accurate description of reality that we seek, then, the higher one climbs the ladder of 'Pardes,' the more accurate their understanding of G-d and Divine Providence will be.
This is what Rebi Yehoshua ben Levi told his son, who had just suffered a near-death experience, and described to his father what he had seen (Pesachim 50a). "It was an upside down world I saw," his son told his father, "where, what is up over here is down over there, and, what is down over here is up over there."
Rebi Yehoshua ben Levi corrected his son: "No, my son -- THERE is where everything is right-side up; it is here that everything is upside down, and, you have just gotten used to it."
Thus, we walk around in pursuit of 'pshat' and afraid of 'sod,' thinking that we know all we must to make life work as it should, and then wonder why it doesn't. It is 'Sod' that is closest to G-d in the hierarchy of learning, and though you can't soar in the clouds until you learn to first walk on earth, you must learn to walk on the earth with the goal to one day soar in the clouds.
Chag Samayach -A Joyous Holiday
Yitzchak Alloul
This Parshah Preview is sponsored by Cars And Trucks 4 Less, Sales, Leasing and Financing. If you are in the market for a New or Used Vehicle give us a call “we will steer you in the right direction”. Please call 416-829-1461.
If you would like your company or service listed here please do not hesitate to ask. I do not take a fee for this. It is very important for us to support and promote local Jewish businesses. We spend so much time looking for the best deal possible that we lose sight of obligation to support our “brothers”. It’s forbidden to give business to others, we obligated to do business with fellow Jews. Trust me when I say that the other nations put the welfare of their own first and not looking for the best deal in town.
