The Ultimate Shavuot Guide

Essays, Rituals, Recipes and More

By PunkTorah.org

Edited by Patrick Aleph Cover Photo: R.K. McBride Cover Design: JAD Jones Copyright PunkTorah 2013 All rights reserved.

Table of Contents
Introduction History Essays
My Letterman-Style Top Ten Reason To Love Shavuot
4

7 7

Bride, Eve, and Infant: A Little Mind Stretching for Shavuot 9 Its A Bargain! A Shavuot Reflection A Grain of a Different Bran-d
12 13 15 20 20 23 29 29 29 30 30 35

Rituals and Readings

The Ten Commandments and Parallels (JPS 1917 Edition) Book of Ruth (JPS 1917 Edition) Three Minute Shavuot Blessing 

Before Lighting Holiday Candles After Lighting Holiday Candles Blessing Before Studying Torah
Akdamut

Recipes

Vegan Shavuot 

35 35 37 37 39

Soy Cheese Flatbread With Caramelized Onion & Tomato Cardamom Coffee Blintz Casserole Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta

Introduction
Imagine a mountainous buffet of ice cream, cookies, blintzes, cheesecake and pie. Imagine dozens of people sitting around, slamming coffee, cola and energy drinks, feverously debating Jewish law, telling fantastical stories from the Torah, breaking into discussions about contemporary issues like Israel and the state of Jews around the world. Imagine yourself there. Interested? Then keep reading. This spectacle is called Shavuot, the celebration of the Jewish people receiving the Ten Commandments. This holiday calls on us to study. And since every student needs a sugar fix, every Shavuot has piles of desserts and caffeinated drinks to make the study last all through the night. Sadly, Shavuot is not a holiday that most people observe. The idea of a holiday based around studying doesnt exactly ring the same bells as lighting a menorah on Hanukkah or even building an outdoor hut on Sukkot. Its a shame, because of all the holidays in the calendar, this one has the most cultural relevance to todays Jewish identity. Its about having a sense, whether literal or figurative, that we as a peoplehood have something to offer the world, and that in the Sinai experience, we received (or evolved, or whatever), that knowledge. The holiday revolves around open dialogue and academia, another Jewish value. And of course, like all other holidays, it involves food. Lots of food. This guide will help you to figure out what Shavuot means to you, and hopefully you will find a way to incorporate this holiday and its customs into your spiritual practice. Like all other books, it comes from the PunkTorah crowdsource style. Since there are all kinds of flavors of Judaism, it makes

sense to have a book be a group effort. I would like to thank for all their hard work and energy. Without these authors, there would be no Shavuot guide. I would also like to thank JAD, who continues to put up with my inability to understand how exactly eBooks are formatted, in spite of the fact that I have put together about eight eBooks to date. JAD, thanks for the wonderful editing and images. I would also like to thank you. Without you, the PunkTorah community would not exist. You are the community! And as a member of the community, I hope you will support PunkTorah, a non-profit organization, with your donations. Happy Shavuot!

History
By Howard Solomon

Shavuot is one of the oldest of all Jewish festivals and literally means weeks. It falls exactly seven weeks after the second day of Pesach on the sixth and the seventh days of the moth of Sivan. Shavuot is the only holiday mentioned in the Torah that has no specific calendar date. It is a celebration of the day we were freed as slaves, the giving to us of the Ten Commandments and as a harvest holiday. There is no explicit mentioning in the Torah that the Torah, itself, was given on Shavuot, though, the date can be determined from the sequence of events that occurred at Mount Sinai from the moment the Jews arrived there, which, the Torah says, was the first day of the third month. Unlike all of the other holidays, there are no special mitzvot associated with Shavuot other than the bringing of the two bread loaves, symbolizing the first fruits of the wheat harvest. Also, the Rabbis did not write a Talmud tractate for Shavuot as they did for all the other holidays. We do; however, read the book of Ruth, as it took place during the harvest season. It is believed that King David who descended from Ruth was both born on and died on Shavuot. In synagogue we chant Akdamut as a praise to Hashem for giving us the Torah. The melody is as familiar as that of the Kol Nidre. This is the perfect time for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. In a charming custom of pre-modern European Jewish communities, teaching Torah to children began on Shavuot. According to a Jewish legend, at exactly midnight on Shavuot, the heavens open for an instant and G-d will respond favorably to any prayer that is spoken then. This is also a holiday in which blintzes are religiously eaten because the Torah has been symbolized to milk and honey dairy. When we received

the Torah we could no longer eat meat that was slaughtered only dairy foods could be eaten.

Essays
My Letterman-Style Top Ten Reason To Love Shavuot
By Patrick Aleph

10. Cheesecake Brownies. Its like shooting heroine and cocaine at the same time, only healthy and legal. Dairy and Shavuot go hand-in-hand, and since I seldom eat meat this holiday glorifies everything I love that makes me fat. 9. You get to remember who Ruth is. Ruth is the national symbol of Jewish feminists. I kinda wish we read her Megillah instead of Esthers. Instead of booing Hamen, wed be applauding the Moabite. 8. Everyone stays up late studying Torah. Or just rockin the kiddush. If youre an early-to-bed-early-to-rise-type, just read PunkTorahs backlog of Shavuot articles. 7. Speaking as a convert, I just want to say that on Shavuot, converts get some respectfor about six hours. On Shavuot, youre the most Jewish person in the room, even if your name is Jesus Christianson. And converts are generally the only people who know what Shavuot is in liberal circles (unless youre a neo-Hasid), so you get to feel like some kind of tzadik for your intense knowledge. 6. Work restriction. Especially when Shavuot falls in the middle of the week, Shavuot completely destroys the workweek. You mentally check out the day before chag, then you have the entire day/night off, then you recover the next day, then suddenly its Shabbat, and oops, you have to leave early for Maariv! 5. Shavuot is a fairly minhag heavy holiday, in the sense that Ruth, studying and milchig is pretty much all there is to it and the rest is just customs to fill in the time. I like that because you never have to worry

about doing the wrong thing on Shavuot. 4. Weird conversations. I like Shavuot chavurot with eccentric people, because the combo of staying up late and heavy religious discussion always goes in strange directions: people passing out, talking in their sleep, stoner-like debates about whether or not Boazs foot was actually a foot or a euphemism forya knowthe male part. 3. Energy drinks. In my younger years, I used to slam energy drinks laced with vodka. I found the combination helped me stay up really late, and mellow out at the same time. Try it sometime. 2. The diversity of Jewish events. If you really want to pull an all day and all nighter, find a small child and force them to chaperone you to a Chabad family event. The ice cream sundaes are always incredible. In the afternoons you can generally find some JCC-type of place doing a late afternoon event catching after school/before dinner crowd, and then you can party (read: bang your head into a Chumash) with the grown ups all night. 1. The Torah! Come on, forget all that cultural junk. Its all about the Torah, people.

Bride, Eve, and Infant: A Little Mind Stretching for Shavuot

By Matthew Gindin

What is Shavuot? Most Jews today are not even aware it exists. Even among Jews who are reasonably observant it is not well understood, and does not have the high emotional and spiritual resonance of Rosha Hashanah, Sukkot, Pesach, Simchat Torah, or even Channukah. Yet Shavuot is doraita, commanded in the written Torah and one of the shalosh regalim, or three ancient pilgrimage festivals along with Pesach and Sukkot. Chanukkah and Purim; by contrast, were established by the Rabbis. Lastly it is said to celebrate the giving of the Torah (matan torah), but dont we have another holiday for that- Simchat Torah? Yet for Kabbalists Shavuot is of very deep importance indeed. In fact it is said to unite all of the holidays and in a sense seals them, giving all of them their power. In the Zohar, Rabbi Yehuda asks Rabbi Abba why whereas Pesach and Sukkot each have seven days (in Israel) Shavuot has only one day? R Abba responds that Shavuot represents the principle of unity, binding all the holidays together into one, therefore it has only one day. R Moshe Cordovero explains that whereas Pesach represents Chesed and Sukkot Gevurah, Shavuot represents Tiferet (Mikdash Melech). The Zohar further explains: Tiferet unites all of the sefirot in the center, as Israel unites heaven and earth. Tiferet is one, Shavuot is one, and Israel is one (Zohar 1:96a as explained by R Moshe Miller, www.chabad.org). Deeper insight is supplied by R Shimon bar Yochai. On Shavuot we stay up all night studying Torah because we are preparing the ornaments of the bride, or in other words, the Shekhina (1:9a). On this level of meaning the Shekhina represents the collective soul of Israel. We are beautifying the soul of Israel by learning all night so that we can receive the divine flow of wisdom from Hashem, which is compared to the flow of seed during lovemaking. Shavuot is basically our wedding to G-d and the consequent

consummation of our relationship, which explains its significance and its unifying and central nature. Kabbalistically speaking this is also the reason for the Sefirat HaOmer period leading up to Shavuot. The 49 days of Sefirat HaOmer are said to be 49 steps of purification. On the morning of Shavuot there is a custom to dip in a mikvah. This symbolizes the mikvah before lovemaking, and is said to purify nukva, the feminine soul of Israel, for union with the Holy One. If that symbolism isnt strange enough for you theres two more levels still. It is stated in the Zohar (3:79a and 1:48b) that Hashem prepared Eve for her wedding with Adam by adorning her with 24 ornaments (the numerical value of the word and He brought her [in Hebrew, vayevieha] to Adam (Gen. 2:22) is 24). Kabbbalistically the snake is said to have contaminated her with 24 types of toxin (and I shall place enmity between you and her (Gen. 3:15) also being 24). The Zohar states that when we received the Torah at Mt. Sinai, we were purified from these toxins (understood as destructive internal urges) and the 24 ornaments were restored to us, the new Eve. These 24 ornaments are manifest as the 24 books of the Bible (the 5 books of Moshe, the 7 books of the Prophets, and the 9 books of the Writings). This is called the tikkun- the repair- of the 24 ornaments of the bride. As a result of this there is no earthly lovemaking the night of Shavuot, as we prepare for celestial lovemaking (so to speak). Lastly R Shneur Zalman of Liadi, ztl, explains that Pesach represents the birth of the soul, and the 49 days of the Omer period are the maturing of the emotional soul. Each day of the Omer period corresponds to one of the emotional attributes of the soul (multiplying the seven emotional sefirot by themselves: chesed of chesed, chesed of gevurah, etc.). This is like the period when an infant is nursed on breastmilk and gradually matures,

acquiring all of its faculties. The Alter Rebbe explains that a child doesnt achieve intellect, symbolized by speech, until it weans from milk and begins eating grain. This is based on the Talmud, Berakhot 30a, which states, A child does not yell Mother or Father until it begins eating grain [Likkutei Torah]. The grain here is the Torah. Once we are given the Torah by Hashem we are able to speak, ie we are able to develop our intellect for a relationship with our mother/father, i.e., Hashem. Ok, thats Shavuot, but how do you explain Simchat Torah? Well, it turns out Simchat Torah is not a celebration of the giving of the Torah its a celebration of the Torah itself. Ending a yearly cycle of readings, we pause to celebrate before beginning a new one. If Shavuot is like a wedding, a new beginning or a rebirth, Simchat Torah is an anniversary. Rav Yehuda Lev Ashlag, ztl, explains that Hashem, in its transcendent essence, called Shochen (dweller) and the vessels through which Hashem is revealed in the worlds are called the Shekhina (dwelled in) (Shamati Discourse 2). As weve seen the Shekhina here represents the soul of Israel. Fundamentally Shavuot is about preparing ourselves as vessels to receive the light of the Shochen within our hearts. Our soul then becomes a weaned infant ready to comprehend and grow; a bride exultant in ecstatic union; and a new Eve- now mature and ready for the Garden.

Its A Bargain!
By Howard Solomon

A very famous piece of Shavuot humor... There is a well known Midrash (legend) about how G-d offered the Law to a number of nations, which all refused it, before He offered it to the Jews. What isnt known very well is the inside story. G-d first went to the Egyptians and asked them if they would like a commandment. Whats a commandment? they asked. Well, one of them goes, Thou shalt not commit adultery, replied G-d. The Egyptians thought about it and then said, No way, that would ruin our weekends. So then G-d went to the Assyrians and asked them if they would like a commandment. They also asked, Whats a commandment? Well, said G-d, one says, Thou shalt not steal. The Assyrians immediately replied, No way. That would ruin our economy. So finally G-d went to the Jews and asked them if they wanted a commandment. They asked, How much? G-d said, Theyre free. The Jews said, Great! Well take ten.

A Shavuot Reflection
By Akiva Yael Martin

The moon emerges in a springtime sky, coffee percolates, and books are opened in bright spaces around the world. Night is luminous with the prayers of a thousand ages and the hum of community. This tradition travels to us from the mystics of Safed. Recreating the experience of standing at Mt. Sinai, Isaac Luria and his students remained awake until dawn, studying Torah. Today, some of us do the same, fueling our bodies with caffeine, and igniting our minds with kindling culled from our tree of life. It is said that all Jewish souls were present when the Torah was revealed. Together with the Israelites, we peered through the smoke and opened our hearts to the piercing tones of the shofar. Many of us embrace the belief that our Torah of ink on parchment is simply a gateway. While certainly significant on its surface, the Torah exists also as an invitation. It beckons us to increasingly profound experience, encouraging each of us to delve ever more deeply into its meaning and mystery. More mystical still, as we gathered at Sinai each of us was gifted a portion of Torah only we can understand. Within each of us lives a slice of sacred knowledge that only we may interpret and impart to our world. On Shavuot, the Book of Ruth, for centuries the template of Jewish conversion, is read and discussed. We focus on Ruths adoption of a people and an identity, and of her role as the great-grandmother of King David. But if Ruth, a woman whose life influenced the trajectory of Judaism, held her own special measure of Torah, what could only she unveil? Would she speak defiantly of originating in a reviled community? Whisper of the early years of marriage and the sudden loss of her husband? Would she sigh, stretch her limbs, and smile, telling the story of a relationship with Naomi that shifted and strengthened with time? What is missing from the Megillat is Ruths voice, unique among our people. What new vistas of Torah might be viewed through the lens of a life recounted in her own words?

As the hours of this night slip away, perhaps we are called to remember that each of our own voices is unique as well. In the stillness we find space to reflect on our own experiences, on the transcendent beauty and undeniable tragedies we each know intimately. Shavuot is an opportunity to illuminate our Torah with the light of our lives, unequalled and irreplaceable. In the unfolding narrative of our people, we each have a contribution to make. Torah is history and revelation. It remains both ancient and infinitely renewed. On Shavuot, what of your story can enrich our text? What can only your voice reveal?

A Grain of a Different Bran-d

Rabbi Steven J. Rubenstein

Each spring, my daughters volunteered at the local food pantry to help sort the thousands of cans and boxes of food collected by the US Postal Service during their annual campaign. Whatever was brought in by truck was sorted according to various categories and placed in milk crates before they were positioned on the shelves of the pantry itself. The process was slowed by the fact that not all of the donations were acceptable. Quite often we came across a can that was outdated or a box that was partially eaten. Although the intentions were good, people who donated did not actually consider the dignity of the recipients. Just as we are selective in what we buy and what we choose for meals, the recipients, according to Jewish law, must de treated with the same honor and respect. This lesson did not fall on deaf ears as both of my daughters watched the number of canned goods that were tossed into a central barrel for permanent disposal. It was a heartbreaking sight that stayed with them into the autumn months as Chanukkah approached. They asked me what they could do to help the homeless in addition to the meals that we prepared each month. So, we decided to go food shopping during the holiday, with the recipients of our trip to the grocery store being the food pantry. Each of the two girls were given a certain amount of money for their shopping spree. In anticipation, the two of them collaborated with each other as they created their shopping lists. I even found them going through the Sunday newspaper several weeks in a row in advance, clipping coupons. What gave me the greatest joy was watching them go up and down the aisles as they filled their baskets, stopping in front of the shelves in various places as they agonized over the economics of what to buy, and in what quantity and size. They contemplated what it meant to choose the store brand, which was cheaper than the name brands, and how much they could save

if they had a coupon for those labeled foods. I heard the two of them interact with each other as they argued how it would be better to receive a soup marked Campbells than it would with the name that is unfamiliar and a label that is less attractive. Yet, how much more could they spend if they opted for the generic brand! As a father, I reveled in their decisions as they chose wisely, in some cases going with the generic because it meant that they could buy one more item that would indeed be special. How gratifying it was for me to watch the two of them deliver it to the food pantry and receive the accolades of the coordinator who thanked them for such a wonderful idea to offer his own grandchildren as a Christmas activity. Another project that has captured the hearts and the imagination of my daughters throughout the years of their childhood has been my annual Omer campaign of Boxes on the Bima. Each year we count the days between the pilgrimage festivals of Pesach and Shavuot. In the evening we recite a prayer and keep count of the days, recalling how our ancient ancestors went out to the fields and collected a measure of barley each day, and brought the sheaf to the priests as an expression of their gratitude. For many years I have helped my community visualize that experience by making their own contribution of grain as an offering and as an expression for the many blessings in their own lives. Each Shabbat I invited my congregants to bring a box of cereal to the synagogue and to place it on the bima as we kept count of the days. At first, the response was slow. Initially, the only boxes that I received were the generic ones because they were cheaper. A message went out to the congregation noting that such behavior was not in keeping with Jewish law. Although the gesture was nice, buying a box that was not appealing did not take into consideration the feelings as well as the needs of the recipients. In the ensuing weeks, the complexion and the colors of the boxes changed. However, a new trend was developing. Never before had I

seen such a collection of nuts and twigs as an offering for breakfast. With the help of my daughters, we developed a new campaign in our second year of collecting cereal boxes. Pesach approached and a letter was sent to the congregation regarding our Boxes on the Bima campaign, noting the mitzvah in the time of the Temple to bring an offering of grain as an obligation incumbent upon every person including the women and children. One box per family would not do. Everyone was required to make a contribution. This time, however, an appeal was made to bring a box of YOUR favorite cereal. If you do not eat it, do not consider bringing something in its place. A transformation was made. My daughters made a castle out of the boxes of sugared cereals that made its way into the lobby of the congregation. However, another observation led to an additional message to the kids. Some of the boxes that included a prize inside were found to be open, because the gift was usually placed between the wax paper holding the cereal and the cardboard box. A simple note stating how disappointing it would be to the Hebrew School children if they were to discover a surprise gift missing in their cereal box led to a change in some flaps discovered open. Throughout the years several Bar and Bat Mitzvot candidates invited their friends to help them with the collection of boxes, often donating some of their own money to purchase cereal boxes for the bima in place of flowers, and miniature boxes to set on the tables as decorations for their simchah. In this way the program grew in popularity from year to year. In an effort to increase our yield and to add more blessings to our growing pile of boxes, at the suggestion of my daughters, I appealed to the families of my congregation that they ought to bring an additional box of cereal on Shavuot itself one that included a fruit, such as raisins to honor the Bikkurim offering in the Temple, the offering of the first fruits that

distinguish this festival. When it came time to deliver our collection of cereal boxes to the local pantry and to the kosher food pantry, there was little room for both girls and all of the boxes in one excursion. When my family and I left the synagogue world for my new position in Colorado at a senior living facility, I discovered that I could not ask the residents of the nursing home to go out and purchase cereal for the mitzvah of honoring the Omer. Again, my youngest daughter came to the rescue and suggested that we collect empty cereal boxes from the breakfast table and pile them in the sanctuary of their spiritual home as a reminder of what it means to celebrate the many blessings in our lives. To create some excitement, I volunteered to make a 10 cent contribution to Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger and to the local Kosher food pantry for each box the residents donated. One man made sure that their rabbi would be rich in his donation by grabbing a garbage bag and filling it each morning by going from table to table collecting the individual boxes of cereal on each of the three floors of the skilled nursing facility. By the time that the residents of Shalom Park were done with their collection on Shavuot, house-keeping was tired of my daily requests for more large boxes to hold our growing collection. The visual display in the sanctuary resulted in several family members of the residents to make their own financial contribution to our communal effort to bring blessings into the lives of others who cannot afford the same benefits that a good breakfast each morning does for the health and well-being that is a part of our own daily lives. I am amazed and awed at the enthusiasm of my residents who collected boxes beyond Shavuot. I am indeed grateful to have been a member of the Board of Directors of Beverly Bootstraps while serving as the rabbi of Temple Bnai Abraham and to the many congregants who were inspired by my spiritual direction. Just

as I admire my daughters for their recognition of what it means to touch an individual in such unique ways, I am hopeful that the traditions that I have set in motion continue to grow from year to year, as we recognize our ability to bring blessings into the lives of those who are not as fortunate as we are, fulfilling the blessing that G-d gave to Abraham and Sarah, who then passed it on to future generations. Even those who live in a place where all of the amenities of life are provided to them, I glow in their response of giving, knowing that they, too, are capable of fulfilling this obligation Christian and Jew alike with a simple gesture of saving a box of cereal from going into the trash, and transmitting it into a mitzvah. In this way, they, too, are transformed in their wheel-chairs and their walkers. There is no greater satisfaction for me than the morning when a dementia patient, sitting in the front row of Shabbat services, interrupted me by pointing to the colorful collection of boxes by the side of the bima, asking without words to hold onto one of the open boxes. When I handed it to her, the image of her smiling from ear to ear is forever imprinted upon my heart, for even in a place like this, where people are limited in their capacity to experience life, there is joy!
Rabbi Steven J. Rubenstein is the current Director of Spiritual Care at Shalom Cares, a senior living facility in Aurora, Colorado.

Rituals and Readings

The Ten Commandments and Parallels (JPS 1917 Edition)
Exodus Chapter 20:1-13

1 And G-d spoke all these words, saying: 2 I am the LORD thy G-d, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 3 Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 4 thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I the LORD thy G-d am a jealous G-d, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; 5 and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments. 6 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy G-d in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. 7 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 8 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; 9 but the seventh day is a sabbath unto the LORD thy G-d, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; 10 for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 11 Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy G-d giveth thee. 12 Thou shalt not murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 13 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbours.

Deuteronomy 5:4-21

4 The LORD spoke with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire- 5 I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare unto you the word of the LORD; for ye were afraid because of the fire, and went not up into the mount--saying: 6 I am the LORD thy G-d, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 7 Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, even any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 8 Thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I the LORD thy G-d am a jealous G-d, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate Me, 9 and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments. 10 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy G-d in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. 11 Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD thy G-d commanded thee. 12 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; 13 but the seventh day is a sabbath unto the LORD thy G-d, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou. 14 And thou shalt remember that thou was a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy G-d brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD thy G-d commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. 15 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy G-d commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee, upon the land which the LORD thy G-d giveth thee. 16 Thou shalt not murder. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17 Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbours wife; neither shalt thou desire

thy neighbours house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbours. 18 These words the LORD spoke unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice, and it went on no more. And He wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them unto me. 19 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain did burn with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 20 and ye said: Behold, the LORD our G-d hath shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen this day that G-d doth speak with man, and he liveth. 21 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our G-d any more, then we shall die.
Exodus 34:10-28

10 And He said: Behold, I make a covenant; before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been wrought in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD that I am about to do with thee, that it is tremendous. 11 Observe thou that which I am commanding thee this day; behold, I am driving out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest they be for a snare in the midst of thee. 13 But ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and ye shall cut down their Asherim. 14 For thou shalt bow down to no other god; for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous G-d; 15 lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go astray after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and they call thee, and thou eat of their sacrifice; 16 and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go astray after their gods, and make thy sons go astray after their gods. 17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods. 18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt

thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, at the time appointed in the month Abib, for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt. 19 All that openeth the womb is Mine; and of all thy cattle thou shalt sanctify the males, the firstlings of ox and sheep. 20 And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before Me empty. 21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest; in plowing time and in harvest thou shalt rest. 22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, even of the first-fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the turn of the year. 23 Three times in the year shall all thy males appear before the Lord GOD, the G-d of Israel. 24 For I will cast out nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders; neither shall any man covet thy land, when thou goest up to appear before the LORD thy G-d three times in the year. 25 Thou shalt not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning. 26 The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy G-d. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mothers milk. 27 And the LORD said unto Moses: Write thou these words, for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel. 28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten words.

Book of Ruth (JPS 1917 Edition)

Ruth Chapter 1

1 And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem in Judah went to sojourn in the field of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. 2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and

the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem in Judah. And they came into the field of Moab, and continued there. 3 And Elimelech Naomis husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth; and they dwelt there about ten years. 5 And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband. 6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the field of Moab; for she had heard in the field of Moab how that the LORD had remembered His people in giving them bread. 7 And she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. 8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law: Go, return each of you to her mothers house; the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. 9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. 10 And they said unto her: Nay, but we will return with thee unto thy people. 11 And Naomi said: Turn back, my daughters; why will ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say: I have hope, should I even have an husband to-night, and also bear sons; 13 would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye shut yourselves off for them and have no husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand of the LORD is gone forth against me. 14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth cleaved unto her. 15 And she said: Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her god; return thou after thy sisterin-law. 16 And Ruth said: Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy G-d my G-d; 17 where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried; the LORD do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me. 18 And when she saw that

she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking unto her. 19 So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was astir concerning them, and the women said: Is this Naomi? 20 And she said unto them: Call me not Naomi, call me Marah; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me back home empty; why call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the field of Moab--and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Ruth Chapter 2

1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husbands, a mighty man of valour, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi: Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find favour. And she said unto her: Go, my daughter. 3 And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and her hap was to light on the portion of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4 And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers: The LORD be with you. And they answered him: The LORD bless thee. 5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers: Whose damsel is this? 6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said: It is a Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the field of Moab; 7 and she said: Let me glean, I pray you, and gather after the reapers among the sheaves; so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, save that she tarried a little in the house. 8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth: Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither pass from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens. 9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them; have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. 10 Then

she fell on her face, and bowed down to the ground, and said unto him: Why have I found favour in thy sight, that thou shouldest take cognizance of me, seeing I am a foreigner? 11 And Boaz answered and said unto her: It hath fully been told me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband; and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people that thou knewest not heretofore. 12 The LORD recompense thy work, and be thy reward complete from the LORD, the G-d of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge. 13 Then she said: Let me find favour in thy sight, my LORD; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken to the heart of thy handmaid, though I be not as one of thy handmaidens. 14 And Boaz said unto her at meal-time: Come hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers; and they reached her parched corn, and she did eat and was satisfied, and left thereof. 15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying: Let her glean even among the sheaves, and put her not to shame. 16 And also pull out some for her of purpose from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and rebuke her not. 17 So she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 And she took it up, and went into the city; and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned; and she brought forth and gave to her that which she had left after she was satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said unto her: Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she told her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said: The mans name with whom I wrought to-day is Boaz. 20 And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law: Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off His kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her: The man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen. 21 And Ruth the Moabitess said: Yea, he said unto me: Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. 22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter-in-law: It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with

his maidens, and that thou be not met in any other field. 23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.
Ruth Chapter 3

1 And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her: My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? 2 And now is there not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing-floor. 3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the threshingfloor; but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. 4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. 5 And she said unto her: All that thou sayest unto me I will do. 6 And she went down unto the threshing-floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn; and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. 8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. 9 And he said: Who art thou? And she answered: I am Ruth thine handmaid; spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman. 10 And he said: Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter; thou hast shown more kindness in the end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou didst not follow the young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou sayest; for all the men in the gate of my people do know that thou art a virtuous woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. 13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsmans part; but if he be not willing to do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth; lie down until the

morning. 14 And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before one could discern another. For he said: Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor. 15 And he said: Bring the mantle that is upon thee, and hold it; and she held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; and he went into the city. 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said: Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her. 17 And she said: These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me: Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law. 18 Then said she: Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest, until he have finished the thing this day.
Ruth Chapter 4

1 Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there; and, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; unto whom he said: Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said: Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 3 And he said unto the near kinsman: Naomi, that is come back out of the field of Moab, selleth the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelechs; 4 and I thought to disclose it unto thee, saying: Buy it before them that sit here, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it; but if it will not be redeemed, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said: I will redeem it. 5 Then said Boaz: What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi--hast thou also bought of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance? 6 And the near kinsman said: I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance; take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it. 7 Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour; and this was the attestation in Israel. 8 So the near kinsman said unto Boaz: Buy it for thyself. And he

drew off his shoe. 9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people: Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelechs, and all that was Chilions and Mahlons, of the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I acquired to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place; ye are witnesses this day. 11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said: We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel; and do thou worthily in Ephrath, and be famous in Beth-lehem; 12 and let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman. 13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in unto her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 And the women said unto Naomi: Blessed be the LORD, who hath not left thee this day without a near kinsman, and let his name be famous in Israel. 15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of life, and a nourisher of thine old age; for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him. 16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. 17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying: There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed; he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; 19 and Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; 20 and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; 21 and Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; 22 and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

Three Minute Shavuot Blessing

(from Siddur Ahavah Rabbah 5772)

Before Lighting Holiday Candles

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melech haolam asher kiddeshanu bmitzvotav vitzivanu lehadlik ner shel yom tov Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with commandments, and commanded us to kindle the holiday light.

After Lighting Holiday Candles

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melech haolam shehecheyanu vkiyimanu vhigianu lazman hazeh 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.

Blessing Before Studying Torah

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melech haolam asher kiddeshanu bmitzvotav laasot bdvrei Torah Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with commandments, and commanded us to study Torah

Akdamut
Rabbi Meir bar Yitzchak (Nehorai) of Orlans

Before I begin to read his Words (The Ten Commandments), I will ask Permission, Of the One Whose Might is such that Even if all the heavens were parchment, And all the reeds pens, And all the oceans ink, And all people were scribes, It would be impossible to record the Greatness of the Creator, Who Created the World with a soft utterance, And with a single letter, the letter heh, The lightest of the letters.

And Angels of Heaven of all kinds, All full of fear and terror of their Master, Have permission to praise him only at set times, Some once in seven years, Others once and no more,

How beloved is Israel! For the Holy One leaves the Angels on High, To take the People of Israel as His lot And they make Him their King, And declare, Holy! Holy! Holy! Twice a day, Morning and Evening

And all His Desire is that His Chosen People Will study His Torah and pray to Him, For they are inscribed in His Tefillin, Who is like Your People, Israel, One nation in the World!

Thus it is the will of the Holy One, That I speak in praise of Israel, And though all the nations come and ask, Who can it Be, for Whom you give up your lives, O most beautiful of the nations? But come with us, And well satisfy all your desires!

And Israel responds with wisdom, Only a bit of the truth do they reveal, What is your greatness, say they to the nations, Compared to the reward that He has in store for us! And when He sheds upon us His great light, While you go, then are destroyed in darkness!

Yerushalayim will be rebuilt! The Exiles will return, The Gates of Gan Eden will Re-Open, And all their Brilliance will be Revealed to us We will enter those Gates and take Pleasure, In the Radiance of the Divine Presence, Whom we will point to, and say Here is our G-d, in Whom we hoped, He will save us!

And each righteous one under his canopy will sit, In the Sukkah made from the skin of Leviathan, And in the future He will make a dance for the righteous ones,

And a banquet in Paradise, From that Great Fish and the Wild Ox , And from the Wine preserved from the Creation Happy are those who believe and hope and Never abandon their faith forever!

Now you my listeners, When you hear your praise in this song, Be strong in your faith! And you will merit to sit in the company Of the holy and righteous ones In the World-to-Come! If youve listened well to my words, Which were uttered in holy majesty Great is our G-d! The First and the Last! Happy are we, for He loved us, And gave us His Torah.

Recipes
Vegan Shavuot (from the NewKosher Jewish Vegan Cookbook)
By Patrick Aleph

Traditionally a dairy-laden holiday, this Shavuot menu pays tribute to the all night Torah study most common on the holiday, but without all the cheesiness.

Soy Cheese Flatbread With Caramelized Onion & Tomato

1 bag Daiya cheese Flatbread (any kind will do including naan or pita) 1 jar garden vegetable pasta sauce 1 medium onion, sliced Dash sugar 2 tablespoons margarine or oil plus oil for crisping flatbread salt and pepper cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Set oven to broil. Lightly spray or spread oil on flat bread. Broil until bread becomes crisp and golden brown. Set aside. In a pan, saut onion, sugar, salt, pepper in oil/margarine until onions are caramelized. Toss in tomatoes and cook for two more minutes. On a cooled piece of crisp flat bread, smear a few tablespoons of pasta sauce. Cover with cheese. Add a small spoonful of the tomato/onion mixture.

 Chocolate Strawberry Swirl Vegan Ice Cream

I have one culinary regret in my life: I no longer own my ice cream machine. If I did, I would be making vegan ice cream all over the place! 2 cups soy creamer 1 cup soy milk, almond milk or coconut milk 3?4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons arrowroot 2 teaspoons good vanilla extract chocolate and strawberry sauce cup chopped dark chocolate cup frozen chopped strawberries (available frozen in bags)

Mix cup of soy milk with the 2 tablespoons of arrowroot and set aside. Mix the soy creamer, milk, vanilla and sugar in a saucepan on low-medium heat. When the mixture just starts to rumble, take off the heat and stir in the arrowroot mixture (this is a lot like thickening a soup/stew). Allow to cool and pour into ice cream machine according to directions, along with your chocolate chunks and strawberries. If you dont have an ice cream machine, buy one. The chillit-scrape-it-chill-it technique just isnt the same. Slowly add chocolate and strawberries. Churn according to machine directions. Two minutes before stopping the machine, slowly drizzle strawberry and chocolate sauces.

Note: do not pour too much in. You want just enough to create a light swirl and nothing more. Otherwise, the ice cream will turn into a giant mess.

Cardamom Coffee
I love Turkish style coffee but hate the sludge at the bottom. This is my own recipe, which is half Turkish coffee flavor with an Americanized coffee shop latte approach.

2 tablespoons good quality ground coffee, normal blend 4 whole cardamom pods, smashed cup warmed vanilla soy milk (other milks are fine, but soy milk is richer) 2 tablespoons cinnamon 4 cups water

Pour four cups of water into a coffee maker. Place 2 tablespoons coffee into filter, mixed with cinnamon and cardamom pods. After brewing coffee, pour into a carafe with warmed vanilla soy milk.

Blintz Casserole
By Stefanie Papps

Batter:

4 large eggs 1 cups milk 2 tbsp sour cream

 cup butter, melted tsp vanilla extract 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tbsp sugar 1 tsp baking powder
Filling:

1 1 2 2 2

packages cream cheese (16-ounce) container ricotta large eggs tbsp sugar tbsp lemon juice Preheat over to 350 Butter baking dish Mix all batter ingredients in a blender or food processor until very smooth Pour 1 cups of batter into prepared baking dish Bake in preheated over for 10 mins Combine all filling ingredients and mix well After the 10 mins, remove baking dish from oven Spread filling over baked batter in baking dish Pour remaining batter mixture over filling mixture Return baking dish to the over and bake for 35-40 mins Top should be set when removed from the oven Let cool for at least 10 mins Serve with fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries

Directions:

Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta

This is a favorite of mine. Can be served at room temp.
Rabbi Janie Grackin

1 - 15 oz. can of Pumpkin puree (not Pie Filling) 2 cups - Vegetable broth 1 small onion diced 2 cloves of garlic diced 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated Goat Cheese Zucchini, Broccoli, Asparagus, Green Beans (your choice, preferring green to add color, flavor and added nutrition) In a saucepan, saut onion and garlic in olive oil. Add vegetable broth and pumpkin and stir until smooth, cooking on low/med heat. Add parmesan cheese and vegetables and simmer for 15 minutes. Add Goat Cheese. Serve over your choice of pasta.