SHABUOT: The Five customs

Tonight we will celebrate Shabuot, when we stood at the foot of Mt. Sinai to be appointed as God's chosen people and receive the Torah.

There are 5 Minhaguim (customs) that most Jews follow on Shabuot. To remember them, keep in mind the Hebrew word A /CHA/ R/ I/ T.

A:Akdamot or Azharot. Poems describing the 613 Mitzvot we received in the Torah.

CHA: Chalab (milk), the custom to eat dairy food on Shabuot (click HERE to read: Why dairy in Shabuot?).

R: Ruth. During Shabuot we study Megilat Ruth. Among the many reasons for reading Rut is that Ruth converted to Judaism. And in a sense, by receiving the Torah we also became converts to Judaism. Another given reason is that from Ruth we learn the dependency of the written Torah on the Oral Torah, because by the "letter" of the Torah, a Moabite, could not been accepted as a convert. Read more about Rut HERE

I: Yerek (Green). Many communities have the custom to decorate their Synagogues with plants, flowers and tree branches to remember Mt Sinai. When the Torah was given --we still treasure this image in our genetic collective memory--Mt. Sinai was green, blossoming with grass and flowers. For this reason, in the Persian tradition Shabuot is known as moed gol (the festival of flowers).

T: Tikun (Reparation). We stay awake during the night of Shabuot (Tuesday night until Wednesday morning) studying Torah, to "repair" for our ancestors who went to sleep the night of the sixth of Sivan instead of waiting vigilantly for the giving of the Torah, which was taking place the following morning.

For times of candle lighting, activities, and prayers for Shabuot in the Mashadi community, see HERE

Click HERE to read THE LAWS OF YOM TOB from Rabbi Obadia Yosef

SHABUOT: Becoming the chosen People (Part 2)

Today is the 4 of Sivan, 5771. 48 days of Omer (6 weeks, 6 days)

As we saw last week (Click Here), to be the chosen people is not about having more rights but more obligations. After all, we are the sole witnesses of God's existence. The case of God existence does not rest on evidences but on our testimony.

Maimonides in one of his letters (Igeret Teman) explains that the first thing a Jewish parent should teach his child is what happened in Shabuot. When we witnessed God's revelation, when we stood at the feet of Mt. Sinai. This is how our children become witnesses of God themselves.

The worst offense in Judaism is Chilul haShem, desecration of God. Which happens when a Jew--one of God's witnesses--misbehaves in a public context. If one makes a personal mistake in judgment, then it is a private matter to be resolved (and absolved) between a Jew and God. But when a member of the Jewish people acts inappropriately in public or when his misbehavior becomes public knowledge, then his act is considered Chilul haShem, a desecration of the name of God.

Why?

In a court of law a witness could be disqualified for a questionable immoral conduct. Some unethical acts will affect the credibility of the witness and his or her testimony will be inadmissible.

If a Jew acts with dishonesty, cheats, misbehaves, offends, then his character as a witness is affected and his testimony is rejected.

It is a desecration of the name of God because one disqualified witness for the case of God, definitely weakens the case for God.

Being a Jew is a huge responsibility. It implies the permanent awareness to live as a credible witness.

(I would like to thanks my friend, Mr R.A. for inspiring me these ideas).

ISRAEL TODAY

Click HERE to read a refreshing and surprising article about Israel, the Palestinians and the Arabs neighbors.

Written by Mudar Zahran, a Palestinian writer and academic from Jordan, who now resides in the UK as a political refugee.

SHABUOT: Becoming the chosen People

Today is 1 of Sivan (ROSH CHODESH SIVAN) 5771/ 45 days of Omer (6 weeks, 3 days)

In six days, BH, we will celebrate Shabuot, one of the major Holidays of the Jewish calendar. Shabuot is known as Chag Matan Torah, the day in which we received the Torah. The giving of the Torah was actually the conclusion of a larger process: the choosing of the Jewish People as the Nation of God. We arrived at the Sinai dessert on the first day of Sivan (today!). HaShem Almighty ordered us to camp and to get ourselves ready for the greatest event. For the following days people had to purify themselves, and prepare themselves physically and spiritually.

Then HaShem made us His offer: ve'ata im shamo'a tishme'u bekoli... and now, if you accept my commandments, keeping a covenant with Me, you will be for Me a Kingdom of Priests and a Special Nation (goy kadosh).

To be the "chosen people" means basically these two things.

1. Kingdom of priests: The priests are those dedicated to the service of God. The Jewish People was offered to dedicate their lives to serving God. Same as the Kohanim (Jewish priests) for the privilege to serve God, they will be imposed more limitations and responsibilities than those who are not priests.

2. Goy Kadosh: To be a special people (or a 'separated' people) means that HaShem Almighty will supervise us directly, so to speak, guarantying that, as a people, we will never disappear from the face of the earth. This direct supervision also implies that He expects from us an exemplary behavior. God will be examining our conduct closer than the rest of the nations. See Amos 3:2. Rak etchem yadati mikol mishpechot ha'adamah "You alone did I chose from among all the families of the earth; therefore I will hold you to account for all your iniquities..."

(to be continued...)

Shabbat Shalom!!!

Candle lighting in NYC: 8:04

Shabbat ends in NYC: 9:12

WATCH THIS AMAZING VIDEO by Charlie Harary

Shavuot, the secret inspiration

SHABUOT: The day we received the Torah (Part 2)

Today is the 5th of Sivan, 5770 (49 days of Omer. 7 weeks)

Tonight we celebrate Shavuot, when we stood at the foot of Mt. Sinai to be appointed as God’s chosen people. Being chosen does not imply that we have more rights, on the contrary, while God gave to humanity 7 commandments He gave us 613.

There are 5 Minhaguim (customs) that most Jews follow on Shavuot (to remember them recall the Hebrew word A /CHA/ R/ I/ T).

A: Akdamot or Azharot. Poems describing the 613 Mitzvot (see yesterday’s HOTD).

CHA: Chalav (milk), the custom to eat dairy food on Shavuot (see yesterday’s HOTD).

R: Rut. During Shavuot we read and study Megilat Ruth. Among the many reasons for reading Rut is that she was a convert and in a sense, by receiving the Torah we also became converts to Judaism. Another given reason is that from Rut we learn the total dependency of the written Torah on the Oral Torah, because by the “letter” of the Torah rut, a Moabite, could not been accepted as a convert.

I: Yerek. Green. Many communities have the custom to decorate their Synagogues with plants and tree branches to remember Mt Sinai. When the Torah was given –we still treasure this image in our genetic collective memory- Mt. Sinai was green , blossoming and flowering. For this reason, in the Persian tradition Shavuot is known as moed gol (the festival of flowers).

T: Tikun. Reparation. We stay awake during the night (Tuesday night until Wednesday morning) studying Torah, to “repair” for our ancestors who went to sleep the night of the sixth of Sivan instead of waiting vigilantly for the giving of the Torah, which was taking place the following morning.

Chag Shavuot Sameach!!!

Watch this inspiring 5 min. video: http://www.aish.com/h/sh/t/48970071.html