Shavuot, one of the major festivals of the Jewish year, occurs this month, beginning
Tuesday evening, May 25, and concluding Thursday evening, May 27. I look forward to seeing
you in the synagogue for these holy days.
The period between Pesach and Shavuot is called Sefirah (literally "counting"), referring to the counting of the Omer. The Omer was a measure of barley that was collected each day for seven weeks and brought as a Temple offering, culminating with the holiday of Shavuot. Since the destruction of the Temple, the Sefirah period remains significant as a means of counting from Pesach, the Festival of Freedom, until Shavuot, the Festival of the Giving of the Torah. These seven weeks have taken on numerous levels of meaning throughout Jewish history.
There are many elements of sadness during Sefirah. According to the Talmud (Yevamot 62b) it was during this period that twelve thousand of Rabbi Akiva's students died. Terrible events of the Crusades and the Holocaust are also associated with the days between Pesach and Shavuot.
Because of the sadness, it has been customary to avoid weddings, haircuts and joyous events involving music during this period.
There are some exceptions to this rule of sadness. Included in the Sefirah period are the beginnings of two months, Rosh Chodesh Iyyar and Rosh Chodesh Sivan, both of which are days of mini-celebration. The fifth of Iyyar is Yom HaAtzma'ut, Israel Independence Day, another day dedicated to joy.
Then there is Lag BaOmer, the thirty-third day of the counting, which falls on the eighteenth day of Iyyar. It was on this day that the plague afflicting Rabbi Akiva's students came to a halt. Not only was it a day of physical recovery, but also a revival of Torah study and the spirit of the Jewish people. In addition, Lag BaOmer is the yahrzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the talmudic patriarch of Jewish mysticism. Lag BaOmer is an appropriate day to celebrate and have a picnic. This year Lag BaOmer falls on Sunday May 9.
In addition to suspending the sadness on Rosh Chodesh, Yom HaAtzma'ut and Lag BaOmer, there are many who permit celebrations for the entire two weeks from Lag BaOmer until Shavuot.
What's most important to remember is that the Sefirah is a time to prepare our hearts and minds for the annual renewal of our commitment to God's gift of Torah on Shavuot. To help prepare for this magnificent event it is customary to study the Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) on Shabbat afternoons. On the first night of Shavuot, it is appropriate to study Torah and commentaries; some stay up all night in this pursuit. During the morning service of Shavuot, we read Megillat Ruth, which describes the passion displayed by the non-Jewish title character in her desire to embrace the Torah and the Mitzvot. May we follow in her example and similarly embrace Torah, on Shavuot, during the seven weeks leading up to the holiday, and everyday of the year.