BH
Tuesday, Sivan 1, 5776 / June 7, 2016 (45th day of the Omer) Hakhel year
Today is Rosh Chodesh Sivan- the first day of the new month, Sivan. On this day, Rosh Chodesh Sivan, six weeks after their Exodus from Egypt, in the year 2448 (3328 years ago), the Jewish people arrived at Mount Sinai in preparation to receive the Torah.
They received the Torah six days later, on the sixth of Sivan, which was on Shabbat.
We celebrate Shavuot on the sixth of Sivan. This year, Shavuot begins Saturday night, June11. In the Diaspora we celebrate two days (Sunday & Monday). In Israel only one day (Sunday) is celebrated.
One of the ways Jews prepared for receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai, was unity. In the words of our sages, “They were as one person with one heart." They exhibited extraordinary unity and love for each other, which brought about G-d’s Giving of the Torah.
They expressed their unity and caring for each other by accepting responsibility for each other. We, too, in preparation for Shavuot, should remember our responsibility for each other and to help others in their spiritual as well as physical needs.
The following customs are associated with Shavuot: 1) The first day of Shavuot we eat dairy.
2) The synagogue is decorated with branches and greenery.
Reasons for eating dairy on Shavuot: At Mount Sinai, the Jewish people were given the Ten Commandments along with the rest of the Torah including the laws of Kashrut. As a result, when they returned to their tents after receiving the Torah, they couldn't use their cooking utensils which they used before as they were now "Treif" (non Kosher). Without cooking utensils, they had no choice but to eat dairy on that day. We too, eat dairy on this day.
Another reason:The Torah tells us, "And Moshe was on the mountain forty days and forty nights" (Exodus 24:18). "Milk in Hebrew is "Chalav". The numerical value of Chalav is 40 (Chet = 8, Lamed = 30, Vet = 2). This alludes to the 40 days Moshe stayed on the mountain receiving the Torah.
Reason for decorating the synagogue with trees: The Torah was given at Mount Sinai which is in the desert. However, in honor of the Giving of the Torah G-d performed a special miracle and the entire area surrounding the mountain sprouted trees and grass. To commemorate this miracle we decorate the synagogue on Shavuot with branches, trees and plants.
“G-d does not perform miracles in vain,” say our sages. G-d performed this miracle to teach us that Torah can transform one's life and surroundings from a spiritual wasteland and wilderness into a fruitful landscape filled with wisdom and purpose.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & WONDERFUL CHODESH