Shavuot

It is impossible to whole-heartedly take upon oneself the yoke of Torah if one is not open-minded.

we can elevate the entire world through the Torah and proclaim God as the King of Kings.

It is impossible to whole-heartedly take upon oneself the yoke of Torah if one is not open-minded.

Prior to Shavuos in previous years, I published articles on the topics of producing and eating dairy bread, how to make kosher cheese, whether Shavuos is preceded by Parshas Bamidbar or Parshas Naso, and about the laws of making pareve foods. All of these articles can be accessed on RabbiKaganoff.com This year, I decided to distribute an article by my close friend, Rabbi Avraham Rosenthal, on the Ashkenazic custom of reciting Akdamus on Shavuos.

There is a unique mitzvah of joy, both spiritual and physical, on Chag Shavuot* When Shavuot falls on Motzei Shabbat as it does this year, Seudah Shilishit should be eaten earlier, and preparations from Shabbat to Chag are prohibited * Showering on Shabbat and Chag * When, and how to properly prepare and light the candles for Chag Shavuot * ‘Birkot HaShachar’ for someone who remained awake all night * Eating and drinking during the night of Shavuot and before the morning prayers * The custom of eating dairy foods as an expression of the sweetness of the Torah, and its ability to turn impure to pure

During the upcoming holiday of Shavuot, we will not be fulfilling any mitzvot that are specific to this holiday – not mitzvot from the Torah and not even mitzvot derabbanan. (In the time of the Beit Hamikdash, there was a special korban brought, called shtei halechem.)

The joy of the Shavuot holiday is both spiritual and material. A true enjoyment of the holiday this year entails knowing how to go from Sabbath observance into yomtov, in addition to the laws of the yomtov itself.