Friday, Sivan 4, 5776 / June 10, 2016 (48th day of the Omer) Hakhel year
I am writing this Torah Fax from Cleveland, Ohio, where we will be celebrating the holiday of Shavuot together with our dear children and grandchildren, B”H.
Saturday night will begin the holiday of Shavuot, celebrating receiving the Torah. On the first day of Shavuot (Sunday), it is customary to eat dairy. Our Rabbis give many reasons. Here are six:
* At Mount Sinai, G-d gave the Jewish people the Ten Commandments as well as the rest of the Torah. Rabbi Sadya Gaon, in one of his works, explains how the 10 Commandments contain all 613 commandments of the Torah. Thus, on Shavuot, they also received the laws of Kashrut. As a result, all their utensils from before were "Treif" (non Kosher). Without the use of their utensils they had no choice but to eat dairy on the day of Shavuot. To commemorate this, we eat dairy on this day.
* When Jews received the Torah, they were considered as newborns. Just as an infant is nourished through milk, we too eat dairy on Shavuot to symbolize the birth of the Jewish nation.
* Shavuot occurs exactly three months after the 7th of Adar - Moshe's birthday. The Torah tells us that when Moshe was three months, his mother placed him in a basket in the river. Pharaoh's daughter found him, pulled him from the river and gave him to an Egyptian woman to nurse. Moshe refused to nurse from the Egyptian and as a result, he was given to his mother, Yocheved, to nurse. On Shavuot, we eat dairy foods to recall this episode in Moshe's life, when he was returned to his mother.
* Milkin Hebrew isChalav. The numerical value of Chalav in Hebrew is 40 (8+30+2=40). This alludes to the 40 daysMoshe stayed on the mountain receiving the Torah.
* The 613 Mitzvot are comprised of 248positive Mitzvot and 365negative Mitzvot (prohibitions). The 365 prohibitions represent the 365 days of the year. The Mitzvah of not mixing meat and milk corresponds to the day of Shavuot. To show that we observe this mitzvah, we begin the Shavuot meal with dairy, wait the appropriate time and then eat meat.
* When Moshe came up to receive the Torah, the angels said to G-d, "Why give the Torah to man? Better keep it in heaven for us!" G-d told Moshe to reply to them. Moshe said to the angels, "When the three angels came to Abraham disguised as people Abraham gave them milk and meat, which they ate. How can G-d give you the Torah which prohibits eating meat and milk together? You had the Torah in Heaven, yet you weren't careful with this mitzvah at Abraham's house!" Because this mitzvah was a factor in getting the Torah on Shavuot, we show that we are careful not to mix meat and milk together. Instead, we eat first the dairy and only after, eat meat!
Make sure to attend synagogue on Sunday to hear the Torah reading of the Ten Commandments.
Next Torah Fax, in one week - Thursday after Shavuot.
SHABBAT SHALOM, CHAG SAMEACH – MAY WE RECEIVE THE TORAH WITH JOY!
Montreal candle lighting times: Friday: 8:25 / Saturday: 9:41 / Sunday: 9:41- Holiday ends: Monday night at 9:42