Uniquely among the Jewish festivals Shavuot has no fixed date in the calendar, falling on the 50th day after Pesach. For this reason, the Rabbis of the Talmud almost universally refer to the festival not by its biblical name, Shavuot, but as Atzeret. This name is taken from the last day of Succot, Shemini Atzeret, and posits a similar relationship between Shavuot and Pesach as exists between Shemini Atzeret and Succot. In both cases we have separate festivals united by a common theme. In the case of Succot/Shemini Atzeret this theme is rejoicing. The connecting theme between Pesach and Shavuot is less clear and there is no similar shared appellation in the liturgy. Yet I would suggest that the common thread that unites them is one of freedom. Pesach, of course, is called ‘the season of our freedom’ but how does Shavuot and the ‘season of the giving of our Torah’ relate to this theme? To understand we need to examine the mitzvah the Torah commands for this day: the bringing of the two loaves in the Temple. These loaves had to be brought, like the Omer, from the new crop, but unlike the Omer had to be Hametz. If we compare the two offerings we see that the Omer was basically required to waved. Not too much elaborate preparation was required. The two loaves however are specifically required to be baked. Human action is essential in their preparation. This, I would suggest, connects to two different types of freedom. The freedom of Pesach is essentially passive. The Jews were redeemed from Egypt without too much effort on their behalf. This is reflected in both the simplicity of Matzah and of the Omer offering. There is, however, another type of freedom. This is one which rather than being given to us, we must make for ourselves. This is the freedom the Torah requires, and we thus bring baked loaves requiring human effort on Shavuot. We are thus taught an important lesson. We are often not responsible for our circumstances. The Jews in Egypt were unwillingly enslaved and despite themselves redeemed. They could do little about either circumstance in face of Egyptian and the Divine power respectively. Yet on Shavuot G-d required of them something more. After explaining that He had brought them to Mt Sinai, they must now, in that circumstance, chose what to do. They could either accept or reject the Torah. G-d thus teaches us that while often not responsible for our circumstances we do have responsibility over what we chose to do within them. It is this freedom that is both the prerequisite and essence of Torah and it is this freedom we celebrate on Shavuot.

10. Son of a sheep?