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Some years an Eruv Tavshilin is made. This permits cooking and food preparation on the first day of the holiday (Friday) for use on Shabbat. Ordinarily, on Holidays we are permitted to prepare only the foods necessary for that same day. If the first day of the holliday is a Friday, and the Shabbat meals must, as always, be prepared before Shabbat. Special action is required, so that we may prepare the Shabbat meals on Friday. The Eruv Tavshilin ceremony, performed today, before sundown, renders this permissible. Click here for instructions.
The holiday of Shavuot begins at sundown tonight.
Women and girls light candles tonight to usher in the holiday, please click here for candle lighting times in your city and here for the blessings one recites while lighting.
Sivan 5
Torah Reading: Exodus 19: 1-20:23
Haftarah: 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.
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 was the only guarantee acceptable to G-d (Midrash). It is customary to eat dairy foods on Shavuot, commemorating the fact that upon receiving the Torah and the laws of Kashrut, the Jewish people could not cook meat in their pots which had yet to be rendered Kosher.
Sivan 6
Sivan 7
Torah Reading: Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17; Numbers 28:26-31
Haftarah: Chabakuk 2:20-3:19
The Yizkor memorial service is recited (and charity is pledged) for the souls of departed loved ones.
Some communities have the custom to read the Book of Ruth on Shavuot, as King David -- whose passing occurred on this day -- was a descendant of Ruth the Moabite.
