(ג) וְנוֹהַגִין לִשְׁטֹחַ עֲשָׂבִים בְּשָׁבוּעוֹת בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְהַבָּתִּים, זֵכֶר לְשִׂמְחַת מַתָּן תּוֹרָה
(3) Ramah: We have the custom to spread out plants on Shavuot in the synagogue and in houses, as a memory for the happiness of the receiving of the Torah.
שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם עֲשָׂבִים סָבִיב הַר סִינִי כְּדִכְתִיב
for there were grasses around Mount Sinai
וְאִישׁ֙ לֹֽא־יַעֲלֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ וְגַם־אִ֥ישׁ אַל־יֵרָ֖א בְּכׇל־הָהָ֑ר גַּם־הַצֹּ֤אן וְהַבָּקָר֙ אַל־יִרְע֔וּ אֶל־מ֖וּל הָהָ֥ר הַהֽוּא׃
No one else shall come up with you, and no one else shall be seen anywhere on the mountain; neither shall the flocks and the herds graze at the foot of this mountain.”
כׇּל דִּיבּוּר וְדִיבּוּר שֶׁיָּצָא מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִתְמַלֵּא כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ בְּשָׂמִים.
From each and every utterance that emerged from His cheeks, i.e., the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, the entire world was filled with fragrant spices.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָמָן֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ יֶשְׁנ֣וֹ עַם־אֶחָ֗ד מְפֻזָּ֤ר וּמְפֹרָד֙ בֵּ֣ין הָֽעַמִּ֔ים בְּכֹ֖ל מְדִינ֣וֹת מַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָ וְדָתֵיהֶ֞ם שֹׁנ֣וֹת מִכׇּל־עָ֗ם וְאֶת־דָּתֵ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֵינָ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים וְלַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֵין־שֹׁוֶ֖ה לְהַנִּיחָֽם׃
Haman then said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people, scattered and dispersed among the other peoples in all the provinces of your realm, whose laws are different from those of any other people and who do not obey the king’s laws; and it is not in Your Majesty’s interest to tolerate them.
I am not certain this is the Aramaic version of Targum Sheini
The English is a rough translation of the Targum Sheini
וַאֲמַר הָמָן לְמַלְכָּא אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ אִיתַי עַמָא חֲדָא מְבַדָר וּמִתְפָּרֵשׁ בֵּינֵי עַמְמַיָא וְאוּמַיָא וְלִישָׁנַיָא וּמִקְצַת מִנְהוֹן דַיְרִין בְּכָל פַּלְכֵי מַלְכוּתָא וּגְזֵרַת אוֹרַיְתֵהוֹן שַׁנְיָן מִכָּל עַמָא לַחְמָנָא וְתַבְשִׁילָנָא לֵיתְהוֹן טָעֲמִין חַמְרָנָא לֵיתְהוֹן שָׁתָן יוֹמֵי גְנוּסְיָא דִי לָנָא לֵיתֵיהוֹן נָטְרִין וְנִימוּסָנָא לָא מְקַיְימִין וְיַת גְזֵירַת דִינֵי מַלְכָּא לֵיתֵיהוֹן עָבְדִין וּלְמַלְכָּא לֵית לֵיהּ טִימֵי מִנְהוֹן וּמַה הֲנָאָה אִית לֵיהּ בְּהוֹן אִין יְשַׁבְּקִינוּן עַל אַפֵּי אַרְעָא:
...Haman’s said to King Achashverosh. The Jewish people have their own customs. Their laws are different from those of any other people and they do not obey the king’s laws. They go to the Synagogue and say prayers cursing the King and his ministers. On Shavuos they ascend to the roof of their synagogues and spread flowers. They gather up the flowers and say ‘the same way we gather up the flowers so our enemies may be gathered up’
נוֹהַגִין לְהַעֲמִיד אִילָנוֹת בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וּבְבָתִּים זֵכֶר שֶׁבָּעֲצֶרֶת נִדּוֹנוּ עַל פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן [מ"א]
There is a custom to stand trees in the synagogues and homes in remembrance that on Shavuot judgment takes place for the fruits of the tree.
לשטוח עשבים.... נוֹהַגִין לְהַעֲמִיד אִילָנוֹת בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּבַבָּתִּים ונ"ל הַטַּעַם שֶׁיַּזְכִּירוּ שֶׁבָּעֲצֶרֶת נִידוֹנִין עַל פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן וְיִתְפַּלְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם
......there is a custom to put up trees in synagogues and houses in order that we remember that on Shavuos the fruit of the tree is judged and we pray for them…
בְּאַרְבָּעָה פְרָקִים הָעוֹלָם נִדּוֹן, בְּפֶסַח עַל הַתְּבוּאָה, בַּעֲצֶרֶת עַל פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן...
At four times of the year the world is judged: On Passover judgment is passed concerning grain; on Shavuot concerning fruits that grow on a tree ...
והגר"א בִּטֵּל מִנְהָג זֶה מִשּׁוּם שֶׁעַכְשָׁו הוּא חֹק הָעַמִּים לְהַעֲמִיד אִילָנוֹת בַּחַג שֶׁלָּהֶם
....... The Vilna Gaon abolished this custom because now it is the ritual of the (non-Jewish) nations to put up trees on their holiday.
(ג) כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֧ה אֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֛יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשַׁבְתֶּם־בָּ֖הּ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ וּכְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנַ֡עַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶתְכֶ֥ם שָׁ֙מָּה֙ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ וּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א תֵלֵֽכוּ׃
(3) You shall not copy the practices of the land of Egypt where you dwelt, or of the land of Canaan to which I am taking you; nor shall you follow their laws.
(כא) לֹֽא־תִטַּ֥ע לְךָ֛ אֲשֵׁרָ֖ה כָּל־עֵ֑ץ אֵ֗צֶל מִזְבַּ֛ח ה' אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃
(21) You shall not set up a sacred post—any kind of pole beside the altar of Hashem your God that you may make
(א) לא תטע לך אשרה ..... בעבור שהוא מנהג עובדי עבודה זרה לטעת אילנות בפתחי בתי עבודה זרה שלהם
...because it was the custom of idolaters to plant trees by the entrances of their houses of idolatry....
Idolatrous tree has two meanings the tree that is intended for worship even if it was meant to be worshipped by someone else at some future time and any kind of tree planted near the temple water because it was the custom of idolaters to landscape the temples to attract worshippers (Ramban) that’s we see that the Torah places it’s emphasis on what takes place inside the courts and Synagogue is not on the beauty of their exteriors - see artscroll commentary
(ב) וַתַּ֥הַר הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֹתוֹ֙ כִּי־ט֣וֹב ה֔וּא וַֽתִּצְפְּנֵ֖הוּ שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה יְרָחִֽים׃ (ג) וְלֹא־יָכְלָ֣ה עוֹד֮ הַצְּפִינוֹ֒ וַתִּֽקַּֽח־לוֹ֙ תֵּ֣בַת גֹּ֔מֶא וַתַּחְמְרָ֥ה בַחֵמָ֖ר וּבַזָּ֑פֶת וַתָּ֤שֶׂם בָּהּ֙ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וַתָּ֥שֶׂם בַּסּ֖וּף עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר׃
(2) The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw how beautiful he was, she hid him for three months. (3) When she could hide him no longer, she got a wicker basket for him and covered it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child into it and placed it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.
... אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם מִי שֶׁעָתִיד לְקַבֵּל תּוֹרָה מֵהַר סִינַי בְּיוֹם זֶה יִלְקֶה בְּיוֹם זֶה בִּשְׁלָמָא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר בְּשִׁשָּׁה בְּסִיוָן מַשְׁכַּחַתְּ לַהּ תְּלָתָא יַרְחֵי דְּאָמַר מָר בְּשִׁבְעָה בַּאֲדָר מֵת וּבְשִׁבְעָה בַּאֲדָר נוֹלָד מֹשֶׁה וּמִשִּׁבְעָה בַּאֲדָר וְעַד שִׁשָּׁה בְּסִיוָן תְּלָתָא יַרְחֵי...
The ministering angels said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, should the one who in the future will receive the Torah on Mount Sinai on this day be stricken on this day? As this was also the date on which the Torah was received. The Gemara asks: according to the one who says that Moses was placed in the water on the sixth of Sivan, you find that there can be three months during which Moses was hidden after his birth; as the Master said (Tosefta 11:7): Moses died on the seventh of Adar, and Moses was born on the seventh of Adar. And based on this, from the seventh of Adar until the sixth of Sivan there are three months, which correspond to the three months Moses was hidden before being placed in the water...
וְחַ֤ג שָׁבֻעֹת֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לְךָ֔ בִּכּוּרֵ֖י קְצִ֣יר חִטִּ֑ים וְחַג֙ הָֽאָסִ֔יף תְּקוּפַ֖ת הַשָּׁנָֽה׃
You shall observe the Festival of Shavous, of the first fruits of the wheat harvest; and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year.
(26) On the day of the first fruits, your Feast of Weeks, when you bring an offering of new grain to ה', you shall observe a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations.
So is my darling among the maidens.
רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אוֹמֵר, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ פַּרְדֵּס נָטוּעַ שׁוּרָה שֶׁל תְּאֵנִים וְשֶׁל גְּפָנִים וְשֶׁל רִמּוֹנִים וְשֶׁל תַּפּוּחִים, וּמָסַר לְאָרִיס וְהָלַךְ לוֹ, לְאַחַר יָמִים בָּא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהֵצִיץ בַּפַּרְדֵּס לֵידַע מֶה עָשָׂה, וּמְצָאוֹ מָלֵא חוֹחִין וְדַרְדַּרִין, הֵבִיא קַצָּצִים לְקֻצּוֹ, וְהֵצִיץ בְּאוֹתָן הַחוֹחִין וְרָאָה בוֹ שׁוֹשַׁנָּה אַחַת שֶׁל וֶרֶד, נְטָלָהּ וְהֵרִיחַ בָּהּ וְשָׁבַת נַפְשׁוֹ עֲלֵיהּ, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּשְׁבִיל שׁוֹשַׁנָּה זוֹ יִנָּצֵל כָּל הַפַּרְדֵּס. כָּךְ כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ לֹא נִבְרָא אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל תּוֹרָה, לְאַחַר עֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁשָּׁה דּוֹרוֹת הֵצִיץ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּעוֹלָמוֹ לֵידַע מֶה עָשָׂה, וּמָצָא מָלֵא מַיִם בְּמַיִם, דּוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ מַיִם בְּמַיִם, דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל מַיִם בְּמַיִם, דּוֹר הַפְלָגָה מַיִם בְּמַיִם, וְהֵבִיא קַצָּצִים לְקוֹצְצוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים כט, י): ה' לַמַּבּוּל יָשָׁב וגו', רָאָה בוֹ שׁוֹשַׁנָּה אַחַת שֶׁל וֶרֶד, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּנְטָלָהּ וֶהֱרִיחָהּ, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנָּתַן לָהֶם עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, וְשָׁבַת נַפְשׁוֹ עָלָיו, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שמות כד, ז): נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּשְׁבִיל שׁוֹשַׁנָּה זוֹ יִנָּצֵל הַפַּרְדֵּס, בִּזְכוּת תּוֹרָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל יִנָּצֵל הָעוֹלָם.
Rabbi Azaria in the name of Rabbi Y'hudah son of Rabbi Shimon says: The matter may be compared to the case of a king who had an orchard planted with one row of fig trees, one of vines, one of pomegranates, and one of apples. He entrusted it to a tenant and went away. After a time, the king came and looked in at the orchard to ascertain what it had yielded. He found it full of thorns and briars, so he brought woodcutters to raze it. He looked closely at the thorns and noticed among them a single rose-colored flower. He smelled it, and his spirits calmed down. The king said: "The whole orchard shall be saved because of this flower." In a similar manner, the whole world was created only for the sake of the Torah. . . . God saw a single rose-colored flower, to wit, Israel. God took it and smelled it when God gave them [the Israelites] the Ten Commandments, and God's spirits were calmed when they said, We will do, and we will hear (Exodus 24:7). Said the Holy One, "The orchard shall be saved on account of this flower. For the sake of the Torah and of Israel the world shall be saved."
וּבְזֶה יִתָּכֵן כִּי זֶה מַאֲמָר הַכָּתוּב וְיֵלֵךְ רְאוּבֵן בִּימֵי קָצִיר חִטִּים הוּא עֶרֶב שְׁבוּעוֹת שֶׁאָנוּ מְצֻוִּים לִקְצֹר חִטִּים בָּאֹפֶן שֶׁהַלַּיְלָה הוּא לֵיל שְׁבוּעוֹת הוּא לֵיל מַתָּן תּוֹרָה.
... שֶׁהוּא לֵיל רָצוֹן שֶׁל מַתָּן תּוֹרָה וְעַל כֵן יָצָא יִשָּׂשכָר שֶׁכָּל תּוֹרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה בְּשִׁבְטוֹ..... וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יִשָּׂשכָר בִּשְׁתֵּי שיני"ן שֶׁהוּא עַל כַּוָּנָתָהּ עַל תּוֹרָה וְזֶהוּ יֵ֨שׁ שָׂכָ֤ר שֶׁהוּא עַל אוֹהֲבֵי הַתּוֹרָה הוּא שֵׁבֶט יִשָּׂשכָר....
...
It is possible that one can understand from the verse that it was Erev Shavuos, because on that day we are commanded to gather in the wheat harvest. In that sense - on that evening, it was the night of Shavuos, which is the night of Matan Torah.
…the time of Matan Torah It is an evening of a ‘desirous’ time. Therefore, Yissachar emerged from that union. All the learning of Torah in Israel is attributable to his tribe….she called his name Yissachar; with double because the Torah intended deliberate play on words. יֵ֨שׁ שָׂכָ֤ר . The merit of learning Torah is due to the tribe of Yissachar.
(טז) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר ה' מִנְעִ֤י קוֹלֵךְ֙ מִבֶּ֔כִי וְעֵינַ֖יִךְ מִדִּמְעָ֑ה כִּי֩ יֵ֨שׁ שָׂכָ֤ר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ֙ נְאֻם־ה' וְשָׁ֖בוּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ אוֹיֵֽב׃
Restrain your voice from weeping,
Your eyes from shedding tears;
For there is a reward for your labor
—declares the LORD:
They shall return from the enemy’s land.
״לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשׂוֹן וִיקָר״. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: ״אוֹרָה״ — זוֹ תּוֹרָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר״. ״שִׂמְחָה״ — זֶה יוֹם טוֹב, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְּחַגֶּךָ״. ״שָׂשׂוֹן״ — זוֹ מִילָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״שָׂשׂ אָנֹכִי עַל אִמְרָתֶךָ״.
שנאמר אשריכם זורעי ואין זריעה אלא צדקה שנאמר (הושע י, יב) זרעו לכם לצדקה וקצרו לפי חסד אֵין מַיִם אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה שנאמר (ישעיהו נה, א) הוי כל צמא לכו למים
....אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ תּורַת אֱמֶת וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוכֵנוּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' נותֵן הַתּורָה:
...….who gave us the Torah of Truth and implanted eternal life within us. Blessed are You Hashem, Giver of (who gives) the Torah
בְּרָכָה אַחֲרוֹנָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת זוֹ תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵנוּ הוּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבַּעַל פֶּה:
Seed in mud dark place completely decomposes
Seed looks like a speck of dirt – nothing to show you have mud on your hands
Breaks through the surface – after a few days shoots
One leaf becomes 2 leaves
Then after a month you see a bud
Beautiful flower
We are like plants Torah is the water and the light – without it we cannot survive
We are all that seed
We came from deep dark Egypt impurity of Egypt
We have the desire to grow
We have to make sure we have roots
We need water – אֵין מַיִם אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה
Need light Orah is Torah Megilla 16b כי נר מצוה ותורה אור
Shavuos – looks hopeless but every jew we may start low and looks hopeless
Light and beauty and excitement
Whatever looks hopeless can emerge to a beautiful flower
See the hand of Hashem in Nature
Nature is the miracle that keeps going on a daily basis
We should appreciate the miracle of nature
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
this is a possible source for praying for the welfare of the state