Top Ten Reasons to Celebrate Shavuot: Reason #10!!!

As if you needed yet another reason to celebrate this important festival, here is the ultimate reason: It allows us to celebrate the Torah and the Ten Commandments!

Top Ten Reasons to Celebrate Shavuot: Reason #9

The Forgotten Holiday – Why?

Shavuot is, as I have said before, tragically ignored by many of our congregants. I have at least three reasons why that might be:

1. Usually falls after the Religious School year, so we barely get to teach it to our students
   
2. It doesn't hold the same emotional impact as Pesach, and it isn't celebrated in the home
   
3. It doesn't include the same meaningful visual object as Sukkot
   

Do you have any other ideas of why we might not focus enough on Shavuot?

Top Ten Reasons to Celebrate Shavuot – Reason #7

Ready for the 7^th Reason to Celebrate Shavuot?

We have the privilege of remembering our loved ones who have passed away in the ritual of Yizkor. This memorial service takes place 4 times throughout the year (not just Yom Kippur!).

Thus, the four times are:

1. Yom Kippur
   
2. Sukkot
   
3. Pesach
   
4. Shavuot

Top Ten Reasons to Celebrate Shavuot – Reason #6

This one is going to blow your mind – There are NO actual Mitzvot associated with the holiday!

Other than abstention from work, tradition includes no laws for this festival. Rather, there are many customs associated with it:

• Eating dairy products (perhaps due to Song of Songs referring to Torah as similar to "milk and honey under your tongue" – Shir HaShirim 4:11). So, be sure to have some cheesecake, blintzes, and a milkshake to celebrate!
  
• The Book of Ruth is traditionally read. Since Ruth is considered a convert to Judaism, she is heralded as someone who readily chooses to "accept Torah."
  
• Decorating with Greenery, because of the connection to the harvest, as well as a midrash that teaches that Mt. Sinai suddenly blossomed with flowers in anticipation of the giving of Torah.
  
• Confirmation – Reform and many Conservative congregations will often hold Confirmation ceremonies on or close to Shavuot for 10^th graders. The celebration of Receiving Torah is a natural time to honor our students' continued learning of Jewish tradition.
  
• Tikkun Layl Shavuot, an all-night study of Torah and other Jewish texts. Traditionally, The Tikkun Leil Shavuot ("Rectification for Shavuot Night") consists of
  
  • excerpts from the beginning and end of each of the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible (including the reading in full of several key sections such as the account of the days of creation, The Exodus, the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Shema)
    
  • The 63 chapters of the Mishnah.
    
  • Sefer Yetzirah (a Kabbalistic text),
    
  • the 613 commandments as enumerated by Maimonides
    
    
  • excerpts from the Zohar, the central text of Kabbalah.
    

Top Ten Reasons to Celebrate Shavuot – Reason #5

The fifth reason to celebrate the wonderful festival of Shavuot!

Shavuot is Connected to the Harvest!

Shavuot was the first day to bring Bikkurim, First Fruits, as an offering to the Temple in Jerusalem.

Bikkurim were selected from the Seven Species known to grow in the Land of Israel:

Wheat

Barley

Grapes

Figs

Pomegranates

Olives

Dates

Top Ten Reasons to Celebrate Shavuot! Reason #4

Need another reason to celebrate Shavuot? Check this one out!

Reason #4:

Concludes the Counting of the Omer

We count a Week of Weeks – (7 X 7 Days = 49 Days) starting on the 2^nd day of Pesach. On the 50^th Day, we celebrate Shavuot.

The Counting of the Omer symbolizes the time between our Exodus from Egypt and the receiving of Torah. Anticipation for this exciting moment is great!

A Top Ten List

Hello, friends!! During my drive to work today, I heard a song on the radio that NEVER CEASES to break my heart each and every time I hear it. Thus, I have been inspired to create a top ten list: The TOP TEN SONGS THAT BREAK YOUR HEART every time you hear them (or, at least, every time I hear them....).....

1. I Can't Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt) - This version is the ultimate in gut-wrenching, sad, heart-breaking songs. The George Michael version is just as sad, but Bonnie takes the cake.

2. All Out of Love (Air Supply) - Ugh, that lyric, "I'm so lost without you." That says it all. And their voices are filled with such pleading...

3. More Than Words Can Say (Alias) - This was one of the first songs that I had to listen to OVER AND OVER in order to figure out the lyrics when I was younger. I would sit there with my boom box, hitting rewind and play, rewind and play, because the words moved me so.

4. I Don't Know How to Love Him (Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack) - Though these words are sung by Mary Magdalene, she is speaking for all women baffled by their partners, not sure what to do with them.

5. Eternal Flame (The Bangles) - It's not the lyrics as much as the beautiful, lullaby quality of the song. I just can't listen without being moved to tears.

6. What it Takes (Aerosmith) - Probably a surprising choice for some of you, but I am all about Monster Ballads sometimes. "Tell me what it takes to let you go" is a thought that I have had to ponder before, and I know there is a universality to its plea.

7. Everytime (Britney Spears) - A stripped-down, simply orchestrated song that allows Britney's voice to float over the piano, singing words like, "I may have made it rain/ please forgive me/ my weakness caused you pain/ and this song's my sorry."

8. You Don't Bring Me Flowers (Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand) - A classic song, so good for some karaoke melodrama, and it hasn't gotten me through a few breakups. "It used to be so natural/ to talk about forever / but used-to-be's don't matter anymore/ they just lay on the floor/ till we sweep them away." Those poor "used-to-be's!!!"

9. How Deep is Your Love (Bee Gees) - I really need to know!! A surprisingly deep song from the guys primarily known for lighter, disco fare. Love this song. Can't get enough.

10. In the Deep (Bird York) - A song featured heavily in the movie, Crash, this haunting piece both calms you and moves you to tears. "Thought you had all the answers to rest your heart upon. But something happens, don't see it coming, now you can't stop yourself."

What would you add?

Top Ten Movies of All Time (Well...)

I have given much thought to this upcoming post. And if you know me, you know how true this is. I had lots of time on my hands over the past week (plenty of free time due to Passover). In fact, I was watching hours and hours of tv on Sunday, and the movies that were on astonished me. Why is it that sometimes, if I may paraphrase Bruce Springsteen, there are 800 channels and nothing on? And then other times, like, 5 of your favorite movies are all on at the same time, and choosing is virtually impossible???!?!?

Inspired by this dilemma, I decided to begin a harrowing project - my own list of my favorite movies of all time. This is highly personal, and yet I would love feedback. Let's begin:

10. Dream a Little Dream
9. Grease
8. The Lion King
7. Wet Hot American Summer
6. The Mighty Wind
5. Shrek (both 1 and 2)
4. Labyrinth
3. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy
2. Hedwig and the Angry Inch

and...

1. Notting Hill

Phew - this has been so difficult, I can't even comment on my choices, but I feel like my work here is done :)