Shavuot 2021
Join us in Shul for the Ten Commandments and a Cheesecake Kiddush
Shavuot Message from Rabbi Yitzchok Austin
Shavuos is one of my favourite Yom Tovim. What is unique about it is that there are no specific mitzvos which we do besides keeping it as Yom Tov. There are however many special customs particular to Shavuos, and the one of eating milky foods (cheesecake and the like) definitely resonates well with me.
On a deeper note, Shavuos is of paramount importance because we are celebrating the giving of the Torah. Although this happened over 3000 years ago, the Torah is still our guide and has kept us going throughout this long bitter exile.
In the run up to the giving of the Torah at mount Sinai, the Jewish people said Nasseh V'nishma. We will do and we will listen. The doing refers to our performing the mitzvos even though we may not know why we do it. The nishma is about learning and understanding the meaning of the mitzvos and the Torah itself. Then there are the two aspects joined together, that our learning has to be prefaced by our belief in Hashem and that Yiddishkeit is not just when we can rationalise it.
Some people are doers, some are thinkers. Whatever type of person you are, come and join us this Shavuos, I am sure there will be something that you will connect with.
Shavuot Message from Rabbi Yitzchok Austin
Shavuos is one of my favourite Yom Tovim. What is unique about it is that there are no specific mitzvos which we do besides keeping it as Yom Tov. There are however many special customs particular to Shavuos, and the one of eating milky foods (cheesecake and the like) definitely resonates well with me.
On a deeper note, Shavuos is of paramount importance because we are celebrating the giving of the Torah. Although this happened over 3000 years ago, the Torah is still our guide and has kept us going throughout this long bitter exile.
In the run up to the giving of the Torah at mount Sinai, the Jewish people said Nasseh V'nishma. We will do and we will listen. The doing refers to our performing the mitzvos even though we may not know why we do it. The nishma is about learning and understanding the meaning of the mitzvos and the Torah itself. Then there are the two aspects joined together, that our learning has to be prefaced by our belief in Hashem and that Yiddishkeit is not just when we can rationalise it.
Some people are doers, some are thinkers. Whatever type of person you are, come and join us this Shavuos, I am sure there will be something that you will connect with.
Leytonstone Synagogue Vegan Cheesecake
Shavuot 2020
Shavuot Message from Rabbi Simcha Blum
One of the meanings behind the yom tov of Shavuot comes from the word shavuah (שבועה) which means to swear; for example, swearing to a covenant. According to our tradition G-d gave us the Torah on that day, constituting a marriage between the Jews and G-d, our greatest covenant of all. It is said that we were forced into this marriage. But this forcing wasn’t in a bad way, as it was after G-d’s great miracles, freeing us from Egypt and taking care of us in the desert. After this, how could we have turned down his offer? So we said yes.
Like marriage, our covenant with G-d comes with duties on both sides, and helps us overcome any hardships that we might face. No one side can say they expect the other side to fulfil his promises but they themselves will not. It follows that the more we increase the ways that we fulfil the covenant that we took on the day that we got the Torah, the more we can expect and pray and hope that G-d will fulfil his side. The more ways that we try to overcome our hardships, the more we can expect that G-d will redeem us and bring us happiness and the salvation that will be in the redemption, that will come soon with the help of G-d.
One of the meanings behind the yom tov of Shavuot comes from the word shavuah (שבועה) which means to swear; for example, swearing to a covenant. According to our tradition G-d gave us the Torah on that day, constituting a marriage between the Jews and G-d, our greatest covenant of all. It is said that we were forced into this marriage. But this forcing wasn’t in a bad way, as it was after G-d’s great miracles, freeing us from Egypt and taking care of us in the desert. After this, how could we have turned down his offer? So we said yes.
Like marriage, our covenant with G-d comes with duties on both sides, and helps us overcome any hardships that we might face. No one side can say they expect the other side to fulfil his promises but they themselves will not. It follows that the more we increase the ways that we fulfil the covenant that we took on the day that we got the Torah, the more we can expect and pray and hope that G-d will fulfil his side. The more ways that we try to overcome our hardships, the more we can expect that G-d will redeem us and bring us happiness and the salvation that will be in the redemption, that will come soon with the help of G-d.
Online Shiur
The Book of Ruth: Part 4
Tuesday 9th June at 8:00pm
The Book of Ruth: Part 4
Tuesday 9th June at 8:00pm
Leytonstone Synagogue Vegan Cheesecake
Ladies Cheesecake Evening 2019
Wednesday 5th June 7pm, please book here
Ladies cheesecake evening at the Rabbi's house, make and try different types of cheesecake, and a talk on the meaning of Shavuot led by Rebbetzen Chaia Brackman
Shavuot, like most Jewish holidays, has a food component. On Shavuot we celebrate dairy foods. It is a vegetarian holiday for kosher Jews, because the laws of kashrut forbid mixing milk products with meat. There could be a number of reasons for the association of dairy with Shavuot. There is a verse in the Song of Solomon (4:11) which says that the Torah is like “milk and honey under your tongue,” which might indicate a connection between the Torah-centric holiday and dairy foods. Some also believe that because the Israelites had not yet received the kosher laws, they had prepared foods on the first Shavuot that did not follow kashrut. When they received the Torah, they read the new laws of kashrut and realized their meat dishes were not kosher, in accordance with God’s will– so they opted to eat dairy dishes only. The Hebrew word chalav (milk) has a numerical value of 40, which corresponds with the number of days Moses spent on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah. Still others say that Shavuot occurs during the fertile spring period, when animal mothers produce lots of fresh milk.
Whatever the reason, a dairy holiday is a fantastic excuse to make CHEESECAKE!
By Tori Avey
Whatever the reason, a dairy holiday is a fantastic excuse to make CHEESECAKE!
By Tori Avey
