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Son now comes the moment of the great meeting, the great marriage with
the Infinite G-d. The people of Israel, on the trek from slavery meet at the
mountain, meet the voice that becomes visible, meet the universe that sheds
its silence and begins to speak. The weeks of tension end in the Festival of
Weeks – Shavuot. On that same day you shall hold a celebration, it shall be a
sacred occasion for you; you shall not work at your occupations. Lev. 23:17-
23 You shall observe the Feast of Weeks for the L-rd your G-d, offering your
free will contribution according as the L-rd your G-d has blessed you. You
shall rejoice before the L-rd your G-d with your son and daughter, your male
and female slave, the Levite in your communities, and the stranger the
fatherless, and the widow in your midst, at the place where the L-rd your G-d
will choose to establish His Name. Deut 16:10-12. When the Temple stood,
there were two special aspects of the sacrifices for Shavuot, the two loaves
of bread offered up by the priest for the nation as a whole, and the free will
offering brought by every family according to its own means, according to
how G-d has blessed them. These offerings were brought from bikkurim the
first fruits of the seven kinds of food plants for which the land of Israel is
specifically praised in the Torah, wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates,
olives and dates. Then the high priest acts on behalf of the people as a
whole. He presents before the altar the special Shavoat wave offering two
loaves of bread made of wheat, the labor of human beings with G-d giving
food to the world.
This is the celebration of the anniversary date of the giving of the Torah at Mt.
Sinai. The wedding of G-d to his bride Israel. On the day appointed by the
L-rd for the revelation of the Torah to His beloved people, the invisible one
came forth from Sinai, shone from Seir and appeared from Mt. Sinai. The
Bridegroom (G-d) Ruler of rulers, Prince of princes, distinguished among the
select, whose mouth is pleasing and all of whom is delightful, said unto the
pious, lovely and virtuous maiden (the people of Israel) who won His favor
above all women, who is beautiful as the moon, radiant as the sun, awesome
as bannered hosts; Many days wilt thou be Mine and I will be thy Redeemer.
Behold I have sent thee golden precepts through the lawgiver Moshe. Be
thou My mate according to the law of Moshe and Israel, and I will honor,
support, and maintain thee and by thy shelter and refuge in everlasting
mercy. And I will set aside for thee, in lieu of thy virginal faithfulness, the life
giving Torah by which thou and thy children will live in health and tranquility.
The Bride (Israel) consented and became His spouse. Thus an eternal
covenant, binding them forever, was established between them. The
dowry that this bride brought from the house of her father consists of an
understanding heart that understands, ears that hearken, and eyes that see.
Thus the sum total of the contact, dowry and the 248 positive commandments
and 365 negative commandments amounts to the following: Revere G-d
and observe His commandments this applies to all mankind Ecc. 12:13. The
Bridegroom, desiring to confer privileges upon His people Israel and to
transmit these valuable assets to them, took upon Himself the responsibility of
this marriage contract, to be paid from the best portions of His property. All
these conditions are valid and established forever and ever. The Bridegroom
has given His oath to carry them out in favor of His people and to enable
those that love Him to inherit substance. Thus the L-rd has given His oath.
The Bridegroom has followed the legal formality of symbolic delivery of this
document, which is bigger than the earth and broader than the seas.
Everything, then is firm, clear and established. I invoke heaven and earth as
reliable witnesses. May the Bridegroom rejoice with the bridge whom He has
taken as His lot and may the bridge rejoice with the Husband of her youth
while uttering words of praise.
the Infinite G-d. The people of Israel, on the trek from slavery meet at the
mountain, meet the voice that becomes visible, meet the universe that sheds
its silence and begins to speak. The weeks of tension end in the Festival of
Weeks – Shavuot. On that same day you shall hold a celebration, it shall be a
sacred occasion for you; you shall not work at your occupations. Lev. 23:17-
23 You shall observe the Feast of Weeks for the L-rd your G-d, offering your
free will contribution according as the L-rd your G-d has blessed you. You
shall rejoice before the L-rd your G-d with your son and daughter, your male
and female slave, the Levite in your communities, and the stranger the
fatherless, and the widow in your midst, at the place where the L-rd your G-d
will choose to establish His Name. Deut 16:10-12. When the Temple stood,
there were two special aspects of the sacrifices for Shavuot, the two loaves
of bread offered up by the priest for the nation as a whole, and the free will
offering brought by every family according to its own means, according to
how G-d has blessed them. These offerings were brought from bikkurim the
first fruits of the seven kinds of food plants for which the land of Israel is
specifically praised in the Torah, wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates,
olives and dates. Then the high priest acts on behalf of the people as a
whole. He presents before the altar the special Shavoat wave offering two
loaves of bread made of wheat, the labor of human beings with G-d giving
food to the world.
This is the celebration of the anniversary date of the giving of the Torah at Mt.
Sinai. The wedding of G-d to his bride Israel. On the day appointed by the
L-rd for the revelation of the Torah to His beloved people, the invisible one
came forth from Sinai, shone from Seir and appeared from Mt. Sinai. The
Bridegroom (G-d) Ruler of rulers, Prince of princes, distinguished among the
select, whose mouth is pleasing and all of whom is delightful, said unto the
pious, lovely and virtuous maiden (the people of Israel) who won His favor
above all women, who is beautiful as the moon, radiant as the sun, awesome
as bannered hosts; Many days wilt thou be Mine and I will be thy Redeemer.
Behold I have sent thee golden precepts through the lawgiver Moshe. Be
thou My mate according to the law of Moshe and Israel, and I will honor,
support, and maintain thee and by thy shelter and refuge in everlasting
mercy. And I will set aside for thee, in lieu of thy virginal faithfulness, the life
giving Torah by which thou and thy children will live in health and tranquility.
The Bride (Israel) consented and became His spouse. Thus an eternal
covenant, binding them forever, was established between them. The
dowry that this bride brought from the house of her father consists of an
understanding heart that understands, ears that hearken, and eyes that see.
Thus the sum total of the contact, dowry and the 248 positive commandments
and 365 negative commandments amounts to the following: Revere G-d
and observe His commandments this applies to all mankind Ecc. 12:13. The
Bridegroom, desiring to confer privileges upon His people Israel and to
transmit these valuable assets to them, took upon Himself the responsibility of
this marriage contract, to be paid from the best portions of His property. All
these conditions are valid and established forever and ever. The Bridegroom
has given His oath to carry them out in favor of His people and to enable
those that love Him to inherit substance. Thus the L-rd has given His oath.
The Bridegroom has followed the legal formality of symbolic delivery of this
document, which is bigger than the earth and broader than the seas.
Everything, then is firm, clear and established. I invoke heaven and earth as
reliable witnesses. May the Bridegroom rejoice with the bridge whom He has
taken as His lot and may the bridge rejoice with the Husband of her youth
while uttering words of praise.
| Omer Counting By Rabbi Esther Boucher |
| Ministry of Gates of Praise Ministries, Inc. © Copyright Gates of Praise Ministries 2007 |