The Real Mitzvah of Shavuot

Each of the Jewish holidays always has that one thing that if you do it, you have successfully marked the day and completed the mitzvah. For example, if you do nothing else on Rosh Hashana, hear the shofar.

On Passover — eat the Matzah on Seder night. Sukkot — have a meal in a Sukkah.

What do we do on Shavuot? What is the most important thing to do on one of the most important Jewish holidays of the year?

Many of you might be thinking: cheesecake! (It’s a custom to eat dairy on Shavuot, but that is not what fulfills the essence of the holiday.) Or perhaps learning Torah all night — yes, also an incredible custom, and more connected to the mitzvah.

The vreal mitzvah of Shavuot is ….to receive the Torah.

Yes, it is not as easy or concrete as eating the Matzah and hearing the Shofar, but the true mitzvah of Shavuot is to personally, in your own unique way, re-receive the essence of what made us the Jewish people — the one thing that binds all of us all over the world — the Torah.

Ask yourself what it means to you, to be part of a people who were given a mission at Mt Sinai, to be a light unto all the nations. How can you personally re-receive that message and re-commit to that mission now?

Dig deep, it’s yours. And celebrate!