Why Do We Observe Shavuot by Studying All Night?
Since the Rabbinic period, Shavuot has been tied to the story of the Israelites receiving the Torah at Sinai. Because of this, Shavuot has come to be dedicated to the idea of Torah study and Jewish education.
I Will Shelter You
Way back in July 1990, when my daughter Katie was two years old, Ellen turned to our little girl and said, "Tell Daddy something he doesn't know." Katie whispered, smiling shyly, "Today is Mommy's birthday." Can you say doghouse?
How Do We Make God Holy?
The point of being Jewish is to have a relationship with God. Yet, a relationship implies a certain give and take, and there is precious little in the Torah that talks about what we have that God could possibly need. What can we give to God?
Tearing a Hole in Being
At the end of Parashat Emor, a disturbing incident is related. In the heat of a fight, a man curses God and is stoned to death for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:10-23). It is understandable that readers may be repulsed by this narrative, and shocked and angry to find it in the Torah.
Sadie’s Snowy Tu B’Shevat
The Shavuot Story for Families
Shavuot in Jerusalem: A Night of Study and a Day to Surf
I know that Shavuot is near when I can hear the fruit vendors in the shuk (open-air market) extolling the virtues of the newly arrived crops of peaches, plums, apricots, and nectarines.
Shavuot: The Day God and the Jewish People Wed
The day the Israelites stood at the foot of Mount Sinai, preparing to encounter God, is understood in midrash as the day of marriage between God and the Jewish people.
On Shavuot, Diverse Voices in One Community
Shavuot provides an ideal Jewish textual grounding for celebrating our diversity, and lifting up various and dissenting voices within our community.