5 Things I Learned on Shavuot
From mysticism to Torah to Klezmer, here is my annual Shavuot wrap-up.
Hello friends and newcomers!
This is my annual Shavuot appreciation post, as I reflect on all-night learning (and some dancing!) at the JCC.
But first: Thank you to those who attend the second annual cheese tasting with The Cheese Guy! We talked rennet, veganism, and being more Jewishly involved since October 7th. It was so nice meeting some new faces and gathering with some old, and by that I mean young, of course.
P.S. Putting this out into the universe - I would love to be able to host more events around Jewish identity and culture, but need funding! If you know of any generous Jews or organizations who would like to sponsor Jewish hangs, please email me.
Now on to the meat—er, cheese—of this Drop! Here’s my 5784 Shavuot wrap-up, lessons and insights gained from a wide variety of Jewish topics. If mysticism isn’t your thing, skip 1 & 2.
1. Don’t be so weird when you have a dream about someone.
You ever have an absurd dream about someone and you immediately tell them? I’m always that person, because I think it’s funny. However, in a class I attended called “Kabbalistic Dream Opening and Yiddish Lullabies” taught by Sarah Chandler of Shamir Collective, I realized it’s better to reach out to that person and check in on them. Maybe they came to your subconscious for a reason.
In fact, that same morning, I told someone, “Hey, this is so random, but I had a dream last night you got super drunk and made a scene. Isn’t that funny?” But this person was on my mind because of something they were going through. Wouldn’t it have been better if I simply said, “Hey, I know the holidays are coming up (Shavuot and Father’s Day) and I wanted to see how you’re doing?”
In the class, we had an interesting discussion about examples from the Talmud related to dreams, a prayer for when a dream needs healing, and the layers of dream opening, according to the levels of interpretation of PaRDeS:
Peshat (“straight,” the literal direct meaning): Write out clarifying details and “day residue.”
Remez (“hint,” pattern): Notice colors, numbers, puns, opposites, pairs, etc.
Derash (“to seek,” question/interpretation): Recall the dream, speaking in present tense. Ask: what does this all mean? What is the question of the dream?
Sod (“secret,” mystical, esoteric): Reflect.
Tikkun (“fixing”): Suggest what you can do to repair the dream; give imagery that will lead to transformation and spark creativity.
BRB, grabbing my dream journal!
2. Tanya is not a person.
Just kidding, I knew Tanya was a text, but not much else beyond that. My rabbi used to constantly ask me to join his Tanya class without explaining what it was, saying I would enjoy it. Well, I would enjoy taking candy from strangers but you don’t see me doing that.
But this Shavuot, I finally went to a Tanya class of my own volition. Tanya is a text of Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic Judaism that lays out the philosophy of Chabad and explains various concepts in Jewish mysticism and ethics. Jewish mysticism? Delicious!
💬 Yiddish Word of the Day!
Farbrengen: a joyful gathering
Ex. The 2am Tanya class was also a farbrengen, so we started with l’chaims (shots of whiskey).
We looked at Chapter 32, the heart of the Tanya, which in short emphasizes the importance of fulfilling the commandments, even when faced with challenges and hardships, and how it’s important to focus on one’s soul rather than one’s body, because everyone has their own body, but we’re all one soul from the same Divine spirit.
3. How 10/7 changed me.
On the way to my next session, I accidentally ended up in one of the most coveted programs. There I was, tired and stumbling around looking for the stairwell, when I was frantically ushered into a small room by a staff person who thought I was looking for that room.
There before me was Columbia professor and Instagram star Shai Davidai! Shai grew his platform after October 7th, making videos speaking out against antisemitism, not because he wanted to, but because he felt he had to do so after witnessing the antisemitism on campus.
I’m a fan of his, but didn’t feel like I needed to sit in on an interview having seen so many of his reels. But I almost got chills in the audience, like, “Maybe I’m supposed to be here for a reason.”
Well, my gut was correct because I didn’t learn much (other than he is truly a sweetie and a mensch!) and left halfway through, but his session was a reminder how every Jewish life has changed in some way after October 7th, his being no exception. It got me thinking about my own identity, but enough about me; that’s a topic for you to chew on.
✍️Shabbat Prompt: How has your Jewish identity changed after October 7th?
4. Heroic death in Jewish history is a modern concept.
Time for my favorite class of the nacht!
We see evidence of heroic deaths all the time in Israel, not just today but in modern history: Zionist pioneer and founder of the first Jewish military unit, Joseph Trumpeldor, uttered his famous last words, “Never mind, it is good to die for our country.” Prime Minister David Ben Gurion established Yom HaZikaron in honor of Israeli soldiers to “unite around their memories and set forth their heroic acts.”
We see this in Jewish texts as well. The Maccabees said, “Let us die bravely for our brethren, and leave no cause to question our honor!” During the Crusades, Rabbi Yehuda ben Shmuel he-Hasid of Speyer composed the following lines in the wake of his community’s murder: “Handsome youths and dignified elders were killed. / They assembled, all agreeing to be martyred, / testifying to the unity of God’s name, courageously.” The martyrs he’s referring to chose to die rather than convert to Christianity, a mitzvah in their eyes. And lest we forget Masada, when Jewish defenders of the fortress chose to commit mass suicide rather than be captured and enslaved, which rabbis never talk about. Why do they not talk about this?
In this interesting class taught by Rabbi David Hoffman of Honey Foundation for Israel, we learned how heroic deaths are everywhere in Jewish text and history… except in the Torah. That’s because putting the emphasis on the individual’s sacrificial death took the attention away from G-d. You see, the Torah primarily focuses on conveying laws, ethical teachings, narratives of key figures, and the relationship between G-d and the Jewish people. Even though the Torah is full of battles, it doesn’t glorify heroic deaths.
I enjoyed this class because it didn’t go the way I expected. I thought it would be a laundry list of examples of heroic deaths, but the rabbi went in a different direction. Which brings me to my realization of the night…
5. I am ready to take my Jewish learning to the next level.
I remember the days when any form of Jewish text study caused me anxiety. Group discussions on Torah, philosophy, and Talmud seemed like a daunting activity.
As much as I love the JCC’s Tikkun Leil, I think I am ready for Jewish learning with more substance. Don’t get me wrong—where else on Shavuot can I dance to Klezmer with strangers at 3am (and have a video of it)?!
If anything, this year’s celebration of Torah learning gave me the confidence to deepen my knowledge and look for opportunities elsewhere. The next chapter of my Jewish Journey awaits.
What did you learn/do this year? Comment below!
With love and cheesecake,
One of my favorite Shabbat Drops yet! Full of gems. I look forward to learning what you're learning :)
I’m jealous of those living in nyc area who have you as a guide! I’m also sad that I moved way out west before you came into your own.