By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com EREV SHAVUOS No Bloodletting or Testing The Talmud (Shabbos 129b) tells us that a celestial damager was sent out against the nation of Israel on the day before Shavuos. It’s name was T’voach. By virtue of Klal Yisroel having accepted the Torah, they saved themselves from the destructive fate of T’voach. On the eve of Shavuos we do not engage in any form of bloodletting because of the dangers involved. Indeed, the sages forbade doing so on every Erev Yom Tov on account of Shavuos. The Minhag is cited by some of the commentators (Darchei Moshe CM 468:3) and the Levush (OC 493), but is not cited by the Rambam, Tur, or Shulchan Aruch. The custom in Klal Yisroel is to avoid it unless there is medical need.  Many Poskim recommend against blood tests on Erev Shavuos.  Diabetics can test their blood without any issue. Some people have the custom to sleep on Erev Shavuos in order to be able to stay up the entire night on Shavuos. The Mogain Avrohom (OC 290) quotes the Sefer Chasidim that when Erev Shavuos falls on Shabbos, it is forbidden to say that one is resting so that he or she can be awake for the night of Shavuos. The Minhag of Grass and Trees in Shul There is a Minhag mentioned by the Ramah in Shulchan Aruch (OC 494) to place grass, flowers, and trees in Shul on Shavuos. One explanation for this is found in the words of the Levush (Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe): It commemorates the grass that surrounded Har Sinai at the time of Matan Torah. As the verse states, “the sheep and flocks may not graze…” The indication is that grass grew there. It is a worthwhile Minhag to continue because it helps us relive the experience at Har Sinai—an experience that we actually go through once again. Another explanation is that it commemorates the bringing of the Bikkurim the first fruits, which were made from baskets woven and decorated from and with grasses and flowers (Ziv HaMinhagim). Another explanation is that Moshe Rabbeinu was saved on the banks of the Ye’or which had grassy knolls (Chiddushei HaRim – the Gerrer Rebbe). The Brisker Rav explained that the decorations are a minimum form of decoration and show us that the only means in which one can acquire Torah is if we are satisified with the minimum and not pursue luxuries and other forms of consumption. Grasses are mentioned in this vein in the Gemorah Eiruvin 22a by Rabbi Adda Bar Ahava (Moadim L’Simcha p. 402).   === An innocent Child is Suffering. Insurance Won’t Cover. Please Help. === https://thechesedfund.com/zechornilah/adifficultsituation The Minhag of Milchigs The Ramah mentions that it is the custom to split the meal on Shavuos, where the first half of the meal is comprised of dairy foods and the second half is comprised of meat foods. Although it is no longer the custom to split the meal, we do have the custom to eat dairy foods on Shavuos. The reason for this custom is to remind us that when we received the Torah we were taught the laws of preparing the meat in the proper, kosher manner. Since we were unable to this immediately, we consumed only dairy foods at the […]

The post Shavuos: An Overview appeared first on The Yeshiva World.