Let Them Eat
(Cheese)cake

Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah.

LYNNE MEREDITH COHN STAFF WRITER

I

n some Jewish communities,
milk manufacturers and cream
cheese producers may see a
surge in sales next week.
Shavuot, one of three major
Jewish festivals — following
Sukkot and Passover — comes 50
days after Passover, this year on
June 11-12 (Sivan 6-7). And it is
customary in many areas to serve
at least one dairy dish, if not all
dairy meals, during the two-day
festival that celebrates receiving
the Torah at Mt. Sinai.
The dairy association is custom,
not law. Rabbi Elliot Pachter of
Congregation B'nai Moshe in
West Bloomfield cites one theory:
The custom derives from the
verse, "Honey and milk shall be
under your tongue" (Song of

Songs).

Those words, says Rabbi
Pachter, "refer to the Torah. Some
have suggested that ... at the time
of the giving of the Torah, [Jews]
had to eat dairy because they

weren't learned enough in the
specifics of eating meat [according
to Jewish law]."
Rabbi Shmuel Imes, of the Kol-
lel Institute in Oak Park, concurs.
But the dairy custom plays out
differently throughout the com-
munity, he says. "Some will only
have dairy at the kiddush. Others
have all dairy meals. Our partic-
ular custom is that at night we
have a dairy meal, blintzes and
cheesecake."
Shavuot marks the giving of the
Torah by God to the Jewish peo-
ple at Mt. Sinai 3,309 years ago.
The Hebrew word Shavuot, mean-
ing "weeks," stands for the seven
weeks during which the Jewish
people prepared for receiving the
Torah.
The Torah is composed of two
parts: the written law and the oral
law. The written Torah contains
the Five Books of Moses, the
Prophets and the Writings. At Mt.
Sinai, Moses was also given the

oral law, which explains and clar- Adat Shalom holds its learning
ifies the written law. It was trans- session at the home of Rabbi Spec-
mitted orally for generations and tre from 10 p.m.-1 a.m.
"All over Oak Park, the shuls
eventually transcribed in the Tal-
are literally full of people learning
mud and Midrash.
The giving of the Torah was far the whole night," Rabbi Irons says.
more than an historical event. Ac- "Little kids are up that night,
cording to the Chabad Lubavitch learning. It's a real yontif feeling."
Various theories for the learn-
movement, sages have compared
it to a wedding between God and ing tradition abound. Rabbi Irons
suggests that "based
the Jewish people.
on the Midrash, [the
It is a time for
v1 -17,n i.nr)f t e .rii711
Jews] slept the
Jews to strength-
2 . night before they re-
en their relation-
ceived the Torah.
ship with God
How could one sleep
through study of
before that mo-
Torah. Every
ment? Therefore,
man, woman and
[earlier sages] de-
child, including
veloped the custom
young infants, are
[of learning all
encouraged to at-
night] to show how
tend services and
[Jews] treasure the
hear the reading of
Torah."
the Ten Com-
Rabbi Arnie
mandments.
Sleutelberg of Con-
At B'nai Moshe,
Congregation Shavuot marks God's gift of the gregation Shir Tik-
vah in Troy says in
Shaarey Zedek, Torah on Mt. Sinai.
the Reform tradition,
Adat Shalom Syn-
agogue and several other shuls, Shavuot is the time for confir-
learning sessions will be held the mation ceremonies for ninth- or
10th-graders. The Reform move-
first night of the holiday.
At Shaarey Zedek, tikkun Lail ment observes Shavuot for one
Shcwuot (learning) begins at 7:30 day, on which there is a yizkor
p.m. Tuesday, June 10. At B'nai (memorial) service.
The Conservative and Ortho-
Moshe, the tikkun starts at 8:45
p.m., concluding with a 6 a.m. dox movements observe Shavuot
Schacharit service on Wednesday. for two days, with yizkor on the

second day. In some shuls, it is
customary to read the Book of
Ruth, says Rabbi Pachter.
But the emphasis on learning
all night is "a mystical tradition.
It's connecting ourselves to re-
ceiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai ...
it's a little bit analogous to fast-
ing. Going without sleep is like
going without food, and if you do
it once in a while, it's very spiri-
tually uplifting," he says.
According to Chabad, every
Jew at Sinai saw a vision of the
Divine Chariot. That vision, says
Chabad, is the core of Kabbalah.
It is also customary on
Shavuot to decorate synagogues
and homes with fruits, greens
and flowers, "because this is rem-
iniscent of [the vegetation] of Mt.
Sinai," says Rabbi Irons.
"Shavuos is very unusual be-
cause [when] you take away
these special customs — milk, -\
staying up, flowers — there's no
specific, unique ceremony. On Pe-
sach you have matzahs, on
Sukkos you have the sukkah and
lulay."
"On Shavuos, you don't have
an object to grab onto. And per-
haps that has to do with the fact
that it's associated with the giv-
ing of the Torah. Perhaps it's fit-
ting that it's not object-associated.
It's idea-associated, philosophy-
associated." ❑

Let's Take it Outside!

-\

Moosejaw Mountaineering

CHECK OUT THE
NORTH FACE
SUMMIT SHOP

Announces the Opening
of Our Newest Location

833 SOUTH HUNTER • BIRMINGHAM

(Between 14 & 15 Mile, next to the new Border's)

START PACKING
FOR CAMP AND YOUR
SUMMER ADVENTURES

(248) 203-7777

Also visit our 2 other locations

_ _

Cr)

w

(J)

The Best Selection of

Great Backpacks, Steeping

F-

0

CC

F-
LU

L1J

555 E. GRAND RIVER 3405 ORCHARD LAKE RD.
KEEGO HARBOR
EAST LANSING
(248) 738-5291
(517) 333-4000

These are the services that set us apart...
from new construction management, to furniture on the cutting
edge of design, to the simple addition of the right accessory...
our clients will be the first to tell you...
the finished project speaks for itself.

Bags, Tents, Hiking Boots,

Outerwear, Canoes,

Kayaks, Raingear,

and Much, Much More!

20

Robert Stewart Photography

Website Address:'www.moosejawonline.com

32506 Northwestern Highway
Farmington Hills, MI • (248) 851-7540

