The Shavuot Anthology by Philip Goodman

Author:Philip Goodman [Goodman, Philip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Religion, Holidays, Jewish, Judaism, General, Rituals & Practice
ISBN: 9780827613799
Google: 7zKCDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: U of Nebraska Press
Published: 2018-07-15T00:09:33.251523+00:00

** Shavuot in Vamia, Hungary

BENJAMIN SCHREIBER

The shul is decorated with green foliage on Shavuot because the Midrash states that, when the Torah was given, all herbs, flowers, grasses, and trees crowded each other for a seat on Mount Sinai to witness the unique event. In our small shul, too, we received the impression that all the plants and flowers were competing for space. The almemor, centrally located like the altar in the holy Temple, was embellished with bouquets and surrounded with fragrant greens. It was a reminder of the day when the whole people of Israel similarly surrounded the mountain of God. The rabbi’s seat was decorated with flowery festoons. Beautiful bouquets, arranged with much good taste, hung over the ark. As Shavuot is the birthday of the Torah, the decor took on a festive air. Even the Torah Scrolls had been decorated with flowers. . . .

This particular Shavuot promised to be especially interesting. Our community was looking forward to a great event, for on the first day of Shavuot, a new Sefer Torah, which had been penned by Reb Shimon, a respected member of the community, was to be ceremoniously presented to the congregation. As Reb Shimon had no children, this Sefer Torah, as he used to say, was to be his “Kaddish.” Shavuot was quite a fitting occasion for this dignified celebration, and a rich impressive program had been carefully planned. The holy Scroll was to be conducted to the sbul under a canopy in a solemn procession, to reach the shul just before the reading of the Torah. The Sefer, preceded by the rabbi, was carried by its donor from his house to the shul, winding through the whole town. Like a bride, the Sefer had been covered with a white veil and was adorned with myrtle twigs. It was to be met by another solemn procession, led by the cantor, which would include a number of rabbis from other towns who had been invited for the occasion. This procession was to leave the synagogue with another Sefer Torah to welcome the new one. The children, too, had been dressed up. They were to form the tail end of the procession, carrying lighted Havdalah candles.

Everything went according to plan. The new Scroll of the Law was inaugurated, in its being used for the Torah reading that day. . . .

The rabbi explained, I remember, that the special celebration of the day was appropriate, although it might be seen as competing with the Shavuot festival. He was concerned with the rule: “One may not mingle one celebration with another.” The rabbi demonstrated that this principle applies to physical enjoyment only, wherein two rejoicings cannot be fully appreciated simultaneously; for spiritual enjoyment, however, no such rule applies.

The celebration was conducted with special psalms recited by the cantor, supported by the improvised choir. Everything came off with dignity.

Translated by Paul Forchheimer12

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