Shavuot: The Little Jewish Holiday Worth Celebrating

By COREY PODELL

Not being one of the big players in our plethora of well-known Jewish festivities, Shavuot, the little holiday that could, is one of the most meaningful as far as social justice is concerned, though probably one of the least celebrated.

Shavuot is not explicitly mentioned in the Torah but nonetheless commemorates one of our most important moments, as a people, when we were handed the Ten Commandments by God at Mt. Sinai. These Commandments have guided us through centuries of persecution, triumph, and struggle as a community, and they still guide us today. The culmination of The Counting of the Omer (the anticipation and counting of days before the Torah was handed down) occurs annually on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. But Shavuot represents even more than this momentous event. Shavuot is also the day on which the Bikkurim (first fruits from the seven species for which Israel is praised) were brought to the Temple in Jerusalem. These species are: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. Does anyone doubt that a feast is in the making? We are Jews, after all, and what is a commemorative day without a commemorative spread of delicious foods?

Unlike other Jewish holidays, Shavuot has no special mitzvah commandments other than the usual festival observances of special prayers and, what else, a special holiday meal. Most Shavuot meals are dairy-based and traditionally include blintzes, cheesecake, and ice cream.

Besides the ritual meal, Shavuot also gives us an opportunity to recommit ourselves to tikkun olam, repairing the world. Any time we, as Jews, indulge in a special meal, we must think of and remember those that do not have that luxury, who are poor and hungry. Because Shavuot is connected to the harvest and to the land, historically Rabbis would save a portion of the harvest for the poor. The Book of Ruth, typically read during this holiday, emphasizes the importance of reaching out to strangers and fulfilling the communal obligation to the needy. Jews partake in this action by donating food to pantries, inviting those in need to their family or community meal, and by performing small but significant actions such as drinking or serving fair trade coffee. Even little actions can contribute to tikkun olam.

Shavuot celebrates the fruits and grains that come from the earth, and we are reminded that the earth that has sustained us for centuries is fragile and changing. It makes our bond to the earth that much deeper. We are also reminded on Shavuot that, with harmful pesticides and herbicides, we as Jews need to make more earth-conscious decisions, not just on this holiday but throughout the year. We must remember to vote and advocate on behalf of environmental awareness in the larger community.

Pirkei Avot, another popular piece read on this holiday, states, (Hillel) “If I am not for myself who will be for me? And if I am only for myself alone, then what am I? And if not now, when?” (Avot 1:18) Because there is a counting of days leading up to Shavuot, there are seven weeks to focus on studying and learning and on getting involved in noteworthy projects that lead up to the sixth day of Sivan itself. Some progressive communities focus on different social justice topics for each of the weeks, for example, “Philanthropy” or “Social Action Role Models,” while other communities focus on one big project or goal that will usually be finished by the day our Torah was handed down. And of course a celebration, replete with good food, will ensue. Shavuot should be roundly celebrated. It deserves its place among the Jewish holidays.