Shavuot, Siyums, and Siblings

 

Shavuot. A few years ago, the congregation allowed me to take a special trip to Israel just to observe this incredible holiday in Israel. Yet Shavuot is the least well known and most underrated of all the major Jewish Holidays. Ask someone if they have heard of Chanukah, and the answer is almost always yes. Ask about Shavuot, and even most Jews are befuddled. Shavuot celebrates the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. It is actually one of the three great Pilgrimage Holidays, along with Passover and Sukkkot. But Passover has the Seder and Sukkot has the Sukka (temporary hut like dwelling), and Shavuot, often occurring after school has been let out, doesn't quite have the attention grabber. But it does have great traditions, including the eating of dairy foods (the reasons are  manifold), as well as the tradition to stay up all night studying sacred Jewish texts, called Tikkun Leil Shavuot. Back home, we only make it until Midnight. Here in Israel, most of the sessions don't start until almost Midnight. I attended all night at the liberal Yeshiva called Pardes, and all the sessions were inspiring, as I expected they would be. There are just so many amazing teachers here in Israel. 

The program at Pardes for Tikkun Leil Shavuot

When the sessions end, it seems like half the city makes a pilgrimage to the Western Wall (the picture at the top is not my picture, but that is really what it's like. Seeing tens of thousands of people streaming to morning prayer in the one location is incredibly inspiring, the closest one can get to what it must have been like in ancient Israel when the great Temple (Beit Hamikdash) stood, and people made the pilgrimage from all over the land of Israel. I also ran into my Yeshiva classmates forming a giant circle in the Old City (but not at the Wall) and sang prayers with them with full adrenaline and lack of sleep. The holiday was everything I hoped it would be.

Siyum. Speaking of the Yeshiva, the Orthodox learning center called Oraita where I have been studying with a bunch of 19 year olds on their gap year, the program just ended this week. Most of them return to the United States for the summer and go to standard American universities, though a few stay on for a 2nd year and a few join the Israeli army. We ended with what is called a Siyum (which means completion and is done when you complete a tract of Talmud), and it is celebrated with a meal. This was a great experience for me. The learning with Rabbi Dardik and others was incredible, and being with these 19 year olds made me feel almost like my sons were with me. I feel very blessed to have been allowed to participate in their program. 

Final page of Tractate Makkot in Talmud

My Talmud classmates at the Oraita Yeshiva

Celebration of learning below

Sibling. Karen and I were treated to a wonderful visit with my brother Barry and his wife Lauren. We had the chance to host them for Shabbat, show them parts of Jerusalem, and they took us out to one of the best Kosher restaurants in the world, The Eucalyptus. 

This coming week, despite my classes having ended, will still be busy, as we welcome neighbors Ronn and Joan and do a little bit of traveling within Israel. More to come...