We are about to celebrate the moment of Great Meeting, as Arthur Waskow calls it. We people of Israel who have made the journey out of slavery gather at the mountain. We meet the Voice that is visible. We meet the Universe that speaks. Our weeks of anticipatory tension culminate in a festival: The Festival of Weeks.
When the Temple Stood
"When the Temple stood, family by family, in pilgrim parties made up by clans, districts, and provinces, huge numbers of Israelites would travel to the Temple in Jerusalem. Each family carried baskets of the bikkurim: the rich, baskets made of gold and silver; the poor, willow baskets. By night on their journey they slept in the public squares of the towns they passed through.
The Mishnah describes the scene:
And at the rise of the morning an official says: 'Rise and let us go up to Zion, to the House of the Lord our God!' An ox walked before them, its horns covered with gold, and with an olive-crown on its head. The chalil (flute) was played before them til they reached the vicinity of Jerusalem. Upon coming close to Jerusalem, they sent word ahead and decorated the bikkurim. The important officials went out to meet them . . . and all the tradesmen in Jerusalem stood before them and greeted them: 'Our brothers, the men of such and such a place, you have come in peace!'
The chalil was played before them till they reached the Temple Mount. Even King Agripas took the basket on his shoulders and carried it till he reached the courtyard. When the pilgrims reached the courtyard, the Levites sang: 'I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have saved me and You have not rejoiced my enemies over me!'
With the basket still on his shoulder, the Israelite read: 'I have told the Lord your God this day, that I have come to this land which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us . . . My father was a wandering Aramaean . . . . after completing the entire parsha the Jew places the bikkurim basket by the side of the altar, he bows down, and goes out.
And so every family publicly avows its share in the history of the people. Then the high priest acts on behalf of the people as a whole. He presented before the alter the special Shavuot wave-offering - two loaves of bread made of wheat, the first products of the spring wheat harvest that begins just as the barley harvest comes to an end. So Shavuot celebrates the success of the spring growing season - the growth of new sprouts of spring into full grown plants at summer time.
But there is a special twist in this celebration of growth. The two loaves are unusual - for they are explicitly the products of human labor. Not grain, not sheep or lambs or goats, straight from God's hand - but bread, mixed and kneaded and leavened and baked, is the distinctive offering of Shavuot. So Shavuot celebrates the partnership of human beings with God in giving food to the world. Having received from God the rain, the seed, the sunshine, we give back to God not just a dividend on the natural growth, but the value we ourselves have added to it.
So into the period of the Second Temple, Shavuot was viewed simply as the festival of first fruits. But toward the end of that period, different understandings of Shavuot became part of an important debate within the Jewish people."
Seasons of Our Joy
Arthur Waskow
The Mishnah describes the scene:
And at the rise of the morning an official says: 'Rise and let us go up to Zion, to the House of the Lord our God!' An ox walked before them, its horns covered with gold, and with an olive-crown on its head. The chalil (flute) was played before them til they reached the vicinity of Jerusalem. Upon coming close to Jerusalem, they sent word ahead and decorated the bikkurim. The important officials went out to meet them . . . and all the tradesmen in Jerusalem stood before them and greeted them: 'Our brothers, the men of such and such a place, you have come in peace!'
The chalil was played before them till they reached the Temple Mount. Even King Agripas took the basket on his shoulders and carried it till he reached the courtyard. When the pilgrims reached the courtyard, the Levites sang: 'I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have saved me and You have not rejoiced my enemies over me!'
With the basket still on his shoulder, the Israelite read: 'I have told the Lord your God this day, that I have come to this land which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us . . . My father was a wandering Aramaean . . . . after completing the entire parsha the Jew places the bikkurim basket by the side of the altar, he bows down, and goes out.
And so every family publicly avows its share in the history of the people. Then the high priest acts on behalf of the people as a whole. He presented before the alter the special Shavuot wave-offering - two loaves of bread made of wheat, the first products of the spring wheat harvest that begins just as the barley harvest comes to an end. So Shavuot celebrates the success of the spring growing season - the growth of new sprouts of spring into full grown plants at summer time.
But there is a special twist in this celebration of growth. The two loaves are unusual - for they are explicitly the products of human labor. Not grain, not sheep or lambs or goats, straight from God's hand - but bread, mixed and kneaded and leavened and baked, is the distinctive offering of Shavuot. So Shavuot celebrates the partnership of human beings with God in giving food to the world. Having received from God the rain, the seed, the sunshine, we give back to God not just a dividend on the natural growth, but the value we ourselves have added to it.
So into the period of the Second Temple, Shavuot was viewed simply as the festival of first fruits. But toward the end of that period, different understandings of Shavuot became part of an important debate within the Jewish people."
Seasons of Our Joy
Arthur Waskow
What's In A Name?
Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene II
What's in a name? that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet; so Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd . . .
What's in a name? that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet; so Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd . . .
(טז) וְחַ֤ג הַקָּצִיר֙ בִּכּוּרֵ֣י מַעֲשֶׂ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּזְרַ֖ע בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְחַ֤ג הָֽאָסִף֙ בְּצֵ֣את הַשָּׁנָ֔ה בְּאָסְפְּךָ֥ אֶֽת־מַעֲשֶׂ֖יךָ מִן־הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
(16) and the Feast of the Harvest, of the first fruits of your work, of what you sow in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in the results of your work from the field.
(כו) וּבְי֣וֹם הַבִּכּוּרִ֗ים בְּהַקְרִ֨יבְכֶ֜ם מִנְחָ֤ה חֲדָשָׁה֙ לַֽיי בְּשָׁבֻעֹ֖תֵיכֶ֑ם מִֽקְרָא־קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כָּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַעֲשֽׂוּ׃
(26) On the Day of the First Fruits, your Feast of Weeks, when you bring an offering of new grain to Adonai, you shall observe a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations.
We have ourselves three Biblical names for this holiday:
Chag HaKatzir
Yom HaBikurim
Shavuot
Indeed, what is in a name? What sense of this holiday do we get from each name? What personality?
Chag HaKatzir
Yom HaBikurim
Shavuot
Indeed, what is in a name? What sense of this holiday do we get from each name? What personality?
Quick Review
Passover's historical meaning: Commemorating the end of Egyptian slavery.
Passover's agricultural meaning: Spring festival linked to the beginning of the spring harvest season.
The agricultural side of Passover began (and begins) on the 2nd day and the ritual of the omer, the offering of a sheaf of barley - the earliest of the new cereal crops. The second day of Passover marked the beginning of the harvest season. The grain ripened 50 days later.
Israelites celebrated Shavuot with the offering of first fruits and concluding the celebration of the grain harvest.
Passover's agricultural meaning: Spring festival linked to the beginning of the spring harvest season.
The agricultural side of Passover began (and begins) on the 2nd day and the ritual of the omer, the offering of a sheaf of barley - the earliest of the new cereal crops. The second day of Passover marked the beginning of the harvest season. The grain ripened 50 days later.
Israelites celebrated Shavuot with the offering of first fruits and concluding the celebration of the grain harvest.
Do The Thing!
The Life and Death of King John
Strong reasons make strong actions.
Strong reasons make strong actions.
(כב) וְחַ֤ג שָׁבֻעֹת֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לְךָ֔ בִּכּוּרֵ֖י קְצִ֣יר חִטִּ֑ים וְחַג֙ הָֽאָסִ֔יף תְּקוּפַ֖ת הַשָּׁנָֽה׃
(22) You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the first fruits of the wheat harvest; and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year.
(יז) מִמּוֹשְׁבֹ֨תֵיכֶ֜ם תָּבִ֣יאּוּ ׀ לֶ֣חֶם תְּנוּפָ֗ה שְׁ֚תַּיִם שְׁנֵ֣י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֔ים סֹ֣לֶת תִּהְיֶ֔ינָה חָמֵ֖ץ תֵּאָפֶ֑ינָה בִּכּוּרִ֖ים לַֽיי׃
(17) You shall bring from your settlements two loaves of bread as an elevation offering; each shall be made of two-tenths of a measure of choice flour, baked after leavening, as first fruits to Adonai.
(ה) וְעָנִ֨יתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ֜ לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ יי אֱלֹקֶ֗יךָ אֲרַמִּי֙ אֹבֵ֣ד אָבִ֔י וַיֵּ֣רֶד מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וַיָּ֥גָר שָׁ֖ם בִּמְתֵ֣י מְעָ֑ט וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֕ם לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל עָצ֥וּם וָרָֽב׃ (ו) וַיָּרֵ֧עוּ אֹתָ֛נוּ הַמִּצְרִ֖ים וַיְעַנּ֑וּנוּ וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עֲבֹדָ֥ה קָשָֽׁה׃ (ז) וַנִּצְעַ֕ק אֶל־יי אֱלֹקֵ֣י אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע יי אֶת־קֹלֵ֔נוּ וַיַּ֧רְא אֶת־עָנְיֵ֛נוּ וְאֶת־עֲמָלֵ֖נוּ וְאֶת־לַחֲצֵֽנוּ׃ (ח) וַיּוֹצִאֵ֤נוּ יי מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם בְּיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבְמֹרָ֖א גָּדֹ֑ל וּבְאֹת֖וֹת וּבְמֹפְתִֽים׃ (ט) וַיְבִאֵ֖נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֙נוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃ (י) וְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּ֤ה הֵבֵ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־רֵאשִׁית֙ פְּרִ֣י הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תָּה לִּ֖י יי וְהִנַּחְתּ֗וֹ לִפְנֵי֙ יי אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֔יתָ לִפְנֵ֖י יי אֱלֹקֶֽיךָ׃ (יא) וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֣ בְכָל־הַטּ֗וֹב אֲשֶׁ֧ר נָֽתַן־לְךָ֛ יי אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ וּלְבֵיתֶ֑ךָ אַתָּה֙ וְהַלֵּוִ֔י וְהַגֵּ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ׃ (ס)
(5) You shall then recite as follows before Adonai your God: “My father was a fugitive Aramean. He went down to Egypt with meager numbers and sojourned there; but there he became a great and very populous nation. (6) The Egyptians dealt harshly with us and oppressed us; they imposed heavy labor upon us. (7) We cried to Adonai, the God of our ancestors, and Adonai heard our plea and saw our plight, our misery, and our oppression. (8) Adonai freed us from Egypt by a mighty hand, by an outstretched arm and awesome power, and by signs and portents. (9) God brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. (10) Wherefore I now bring the first fruits of the soil which You, Adonai, have given me.” You shall leave it before Adonai your God and bow low before Adonai your God. (11) And you shall enjoy, together with the Levite and the stranger in your midst, all the bounty that Adonai your God has bestowed upon you and your household.
Okay. So again we remember liberation from Egypt. We travel to Jerusalem. We offer our first fruits. We bring bread. What's up with this enjoying part?
The Torah gives us no historical or political context for Shavuot, unlike both of the other regalim - pilgrimage festivals.
The wandering of Jacob and the enslavement of the Children of Israel become the background for the joy of the liberation from Egypt.
What do you make of being instructed to rejoice in "all the good" - "b'chol hatov" - that God has given you with "the Levite and the stranger"?
The wandering of Jacob and the enslavement of the Children of Israel become the background for the joy of the liberation from Egypt.
What do you make of being instructed to rejoice in "all the good" - "b'chol hatov" - that God has given you with "the Levite and the stranger"?
To Be, We Must!
Hamlet
We know what we are but know not what we may be.
We know what we are but know not what we may be.
Things got a little dicy when the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in 70 CE. What was there to do with sacrifices and first fruits and no Temple to bring them to? Not a thing. The rabbis had to get creative. They linked Shavuot with the theophany - a manifestation of the Divine - at Mount Sinai. Exodus chapters 19 and 20 describe the experience in fantastic detail, and the section includes the Ten Commandments. But how did they get there?
"On several occasions Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik suggested that the Rabbis were eager to show a strong nexus between the holidays of Pesah and Shavuot in order to emphasize the notion that the physical freedom achieved by the Jewish people was not complete until they also had a spiritual/religious emancipation that came with their embracing of the Torah. Thus, Passover — z’man heruteinu (the time of our freedom) — is tied to Shavuot — z’man matan torateinu (the time of the giving of our Torah). They emphasized this connection by referring to Shavuot as Atzeret. The latter, coming from the word atzar, which means to “hold back” (in Modern Hebrew — to “stop”), would thus connect Shavuot with Pesah just as the holiday of Shemini Atzeret holds back the Sukkot holiday from ending and the seventh day of Pesah does the same for that holiday. Shavuot in similar vein holds back the completion of the holiday of physical freedom until the full realization of freedom is achieved with the giving and receiving of the Torah." Rabbi Isaac Mann
Resources
Seasons of Our Joy
Arthur Waskow
Every Person's Guide to Shavuot
Ronald Isaacs
Seasons of Our Joy
Arthur Waskow
Every Person's Guide to Shavuot
Ronald Isaacs