Many of the traditions and customs of Shavuot have evolved from the legends and stories describing the experiences of the Israelites at Mount Sinai. According to tradition, the Israelites actually overslept on the morning of G-d’s visit. To compensate for this negligence, Jews hold a vigil on the eve of Shavuot. They stay awake from dusk to dawn, keeping themselves busy with the readings of the Torah and the Talmud. A digest of readings has evolved called Tikkun Leil Shavuot, the “Restoration of Shavuot Eve,” which includes selections from the Torah, the Prophets, the Talmud and the Zohar.

The reading occupies the pious until morning; others finish it at midnight. The Torah reading contains three to seven verses from the beginning and the end of every parashah. Some of the important sections are read in full. The same method is used with the excerpts from the Prophets. Ruth is read in full; and some of the Psalms. The order of the 24 books of the Scriptures is different from the accepted one: probably it is an ancient order. Next, the excerpts from mishnayyot are read, the beginning and end of every treatise, in all 63, with some important chapters more fully; next, the Sefer Yetzirah; the 613 precepts as enumerated by Maimonides. Later, during the time of the Kabbalists and Mystics, excerpts from the Zohar bearing on the subject were added, with opening and concluding prayers. The whole reading is divided into 13 parts, after each of which a Kaddish di-Rabbanan is recited.

The Zohar calls the time between Passover and Shavuot the “courting days of the bridegroom Israel with the bride Torah.” The Zohar has two epigrams on Shavuot: (1) “In the twin month [zodiac sign of Gemini] the twin Law [written and oral] was given to the children of twin Israel [Jacob and Esau].” (2) “In the third month Sivan the treble Law [Torah, Prophets and Writings] was given to the choice people” (Zohar, Yitro, 78b).

A popular custom on Shavuot is to eat dairy foods and cheesecakes in honor of the Law, which is likened to “honey and milk.” The meat meal, which is required to be eaten on all Festival days, follows the milk meal. These two meals represent the two loaves of bread, formerly offered in the bikkurim offering at the Temple service.

Another explanation comes from a legend stating that before the visit from G-d the Jews did not keep kosher or follow the Kashrut laws. It was on this first Shavuot that they found out that their utensils were non-kosher and thus unfit for use. So finding themselves without kosher meats or utensils the Israelites were forced to eat only dairy foods. Today Jews celebrate Shavuot by eating blintzes, cheesecake and other dairy dishes.