According to Jewish tradition, King David, who ruled for 40 years was born as well as passed away on Shavuot. David was the youngest of Yishai’s sons and he was in charge of shepherding the flocks. David’s experience as a shepherd gave him the courage to fight...
Megillat Ruth (1:1-5) opens with Boaz and his family making “Yerida”, leaving Israel: In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land; and a man of Bethlehem Yehuda, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the country of Moav....
At the beginning of Megillat Ruth (1:1-2) we read about Elimelech’s journey from Beit Lehem Yehuda to Moav: In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land; and a man of Beit Lechem Yehuda went to reside in the country of Moav, he, his wife...
In Vayikra, Chapter 23, God commands Moshe to teach B’nai Yisrael about the holidays in the following order: Shabbat, Pesach, the Omer, Shavuot, Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. The list of the holidays flows smoothly until Shavuot and then we find one...
The past three Fridays in Jerusalem consisted of bicycle races. The first Friday was the GFNY race with roads closed early in the morning so that the cyclists could have the streets of Jerusalem to themselves. The second Friday, the world renowned Giro...
In Megillat Rut, 1:8,11 and 12, after Naomi’s husband, Elimelech and sons, Machlon and Chilion die in Moav, Naomi, who is on the way back to the Land of Israel tries to send away her daughters in law, Rut and Orpah three times : “Go, return, each of you...
On Shavuot we are celebrating two things: The receiving of the Torah on Har Sinai The bringing of the Bikkurim (first fruits) to Jerusalem, appreciating the Land of Israel The desert and the blooming Land of Israel are actually total opposites. The...
As Shavuot approaches, we try to look for ways to strengthen our relationship with God and our connection to the Torah. Some study the Torah all night at a Tikkun Leil Shavuot, others commit to studying more Torah throughout the year, yet others commit to putting...
On Shavuot, we reenact Maamad Har Sinai, God’s revelation at Mt. Sinai. We all stand while the Ten Commandments are read, just as B’nai Yisrael did when we first received the Torah. When one listens to the Ten Commandments, it is important to have the...