ChaBaD YOUR HOLIDAY GUIDE: Shavuot 5783 - 2023 (May 25-27)

 ChaBaD YOUR HOLIDAY GUIDE: Shavuot 5783 - 2023 (May 25-27)

Holiday Guide

Shavuot begins this year on Thursday evening, May 25 and continues until nightfall, Saturday, May 27, 2023. Your Shavuot Guide - 2023 Out of respect for the sanctity of Shabbat and the holiday (Thursday evening, May 25-27, 2023), please print out this holiday guide before the onset of the holiday, and keep it handy throughout for reference purposes. What Is Shavuot (Shavuos)? What Is Shavuot? Shavuot (May 25-27, 2023) is a two-day holiday that commemorates the date when G‑d gave the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai over 3,000 years ago. Preceded by 49 days of counting in eager anticipation, Shavuot is celebrated through desisting from work, candle-lit dinners, staying up all night to study Torah, listening to the reading of the Ten Commandments in synagogue, enjoying dairy foods and other festivities. Shavuot is a two-day holiday, beginning at sundown following the 5th of Sivan and lasting until nightfall of the 7th of Sivan (May 25-27, 2023). In Israel it is a one-day holiday, ending at nightfall of the 6th of Sivan. What Shavuot Commemorates The word Shavuot (or Shavuos) means “weeks.” It celebrates the completion of the seven-week Omer counting period between Passover and Shavuot. The Torah was given by G‑d to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai on Shavuot more than 3,300 years ago. Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G‑d’s gift, and G‑d “re-gives” the Torah. The giving of the Torah was a far-reaching spiritual event—one that touched the essence of the Jewish soul for all times. Our sages have compared it to a wedding between G‑d and the Jewish people. Shavuot also means “oaths,” for on this day G‑d swore eternal devotion to us, and we in turn pledged everlasting loyalty to Him. Learn more about the giving of the Torah and what it means to us today. In ancient times, two wheat loaves would be offered in the Holy Temple on Shavuot. It was also at this time that people would begin to bring bikkurim, their first and choicest fruits, to thank G‑d for Israel’s bounty. Learn about bikkurim here. How Is Shavuot Celebrated? Women and girls light holiday candles to usher in the holiday, on both the first and second evenings of the holidays. Read the holiday candle-lighting procedure here. It is customary to stay up all night learning Torah on the first night of Shavuot. Read how and why we stay up here. All men, women and children should go to the synagogue to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments on the first day of Shavuot. Learn about the Ten Commandments here. As on other holidays, special meals are eaten, and no “work” may be performed. More on how we “rest” on Jewish holidays. It is customary to eat dairy foods on Shavuot. Menus range from traditional cheese blintzes to quiches, casseroles and more. Learn the reasons for eating dairy on Shavuot here. On the second day of Shavuot, the Yizkor memorial service is recited. Brush up on Yizkor here. Some communities read the Book of Ruth during morning services, as King David—whose passing occurred on this day—was a descendant of Ruth the Moabite. Read the Book of Ruth here. Some have the custom to decorate their homes (and synagogues) with flowers and sweet-smelling plants in advance of Shavuot. Read 7 classic reasons for this custom here. Hear the Ten Commandments on Shavuot The holiday of Shavuot is the day on which we celebrate the great revelation of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, more than 3,300 years ago. You stood at the foot of the mountain, as did your grandparents and great-grandparents before them. The souls of all Jews, from all times, came together to hear the Ten Commandments from G‑d Himself. What are the 10 Commandments? This year, on Friday May 26, 2023, go to your local synagogue to hear the Ten Commandments and reaffirm the covenant with G‑d and His Torah. The Lubavitcher Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory—explained that there is special significance to bringing children, even the youngest of infants, to hear the Ten Commandments on Shavuot morning. Find a friendly synagogue service near you Before G‑d gave the Torah to the Jewish people, He demanded guarantors. The Jews made a number of suggestions, all rejected by G‑d, until they declared, “Our children will be our guarantors that we will cherish and observe the Torah.” G‑d immediately accepted them and agreed to give the Torah. “By listening to the Ten Commandments on Shavuot morning,” the Rebbe explained, “the words of Torah will be engraved in the hearts and minds of the children. And through them, the Torah will be etched within their parents and grandparents with even greater intensity. Thus, the Ten Commandments, which include within them the entire Torah, will become a part of our lives throughout the entire year.” Thanks to the Rebbe’s urging, Shavuot at the synagogue, replete with ice-cream parties and games, is an increasingly popular part of Jewish childhood. Let us make sure to bring along all our “guarantors” to the synagogue on the first day of Shavuot. Find a friendly synagogue service near you Shavuot Calendar 2023 During the course of the holiday we don’t go to work, drive, write, or switch on or off electric devices. We are permitted to cook, to kindle a stove with a flame that existed before the holiday (or which was lit from such a flame), and to carry outdoors. Thursday Sivan 5—May 25 Shavuot eve (Erev Shavuot) It is customary to decorate synagogues and homes with flowers and boughs. All decorations must be done today, before the holiday starts. The holiday of Shavuot begins tonight. Women and girls light candles tonight to usher in the holiday. Click here for candle-lighting times in your city, and click here for the blessings one recites while lighting. After the holiday evening prayers, a festive holiday meal, complete with the recitation of the holiday kiddush, is enjoyed. On this night it is customary to remain awake and study Torah until dawn. Friday, Sivan 6—May 26 First day of Shavuot Torah reading: Exodus 19:1–20:23; Numbers 28:26–31 Haftorah: Ezekiel 1:1–28; 3:12 Reading of the Ten Commandments. All men, women and children should go to the synagogue to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments. Click here to find a synagogue near you. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, encouraged the bringing of even the youngest of children to the reading of the Ten Commandments in the synagogue on Shavuot. This is in commemoration of the Jewish people declaring: “Our children are our guarantors [that we will keep the Torah].” This, the Midrash states, was the only guarantee acceptable to G‑d. Many communities chant the Akdamut poem before the reading of the Torah. The priests bless the congregation with the Priestly Blessing during the Musaf prayer. Kiddush is recited, and a holiday meal follows. It is customary to eat dairy foods today. Click here for delicious dairy recipes. Candle-lighting, from a pre-existing flame, before nightfall. Click here for candle-lighting times in your city, and and click here for the blessings. In some communities, whoever will say yizkor tomorrow lights a yahrtzeit candle tonight before lighting Shabbat candles, also from a pre-existing flame. After the holiday evening prayers, a festive holiday meal, complete with the recitation of the holiday kiddush, is again enjoyed. Shabbat Sivan 7—May 27 Second day of Shavuot Torah reading: Deuteronomy 15:19–16:17; Numbers 28:26–31 Haftarah: Habakkuk 2:20–3:19 Some communities have the custom to read the Book of Ruth on the second day of Shavuot. The Yizkor memorial service is recited (and charity is pledged) for the souls of departed loved ones. The priests bless the congregation with the Priestly Blessing during the Musaf prayer. Kiddush is recited, and a holiday meal follows. The holiday ends tonight at nightfall. Click here for end of holiday times in your location. Candle-Lighting Blessings Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm ah-sher ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nehr shehl (on the second night: shah-baht vih-shehl) yohm tohv. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲ-דֹנָי- אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל (שַׁבָּת וְשֶׁל) יוֹם טוֹב Translation: Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the (on the second night: Shabbat and) holiday light. Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-heh-kheh-yah-noo veh-kee-mah-noo ve-hih-gee-ah-noo liz-mahn hah-zeh בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲ-דֹנָי אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְמַן הַזֶּה Translation: Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion. Useful Shavuot Links: Shavuot Mega-Site Global Shavuot Event Finder The Story of Shavuot Shavuot Personalities 7 Lessons From Ruth About Living With Purpose 11 Shavuot Myths and Misconceptions Shavuot Kids’ Zone Traditional Shavuot Recipes Shavuot Audio Classes, Videos and Songs Donate © 1993-2023 Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center *** Ariel your Representee,  Representee of Ephraim and adviser (not a rabbi but friendly adviser) for Bet Yisrael international on the Har HaBayit and to all the Israeli people. I am born in Holland and became on a later age a Ba’al Teshuva: Originally, the term referred to a Jew who transgressed the halacha (Jewish law) knowingly or unknowingly and completed a process of introspection to "return" to the full observance of Elohim's mitzvot. Read my story.