Beginning at sunset May 21 and ending at sunset May 23, Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and concludes the Counting of the Omer. Shavuot, derived from the Hebrew word for “weeks,” arrives at the end of the seven-week Omer period. Rather than having its own fixed date in the Torah, it is determined by counting each day from the second night of Passover until the fiftieth day.
While Passover marks physical freedom from Egypt, Shavuot represents something deeper: the acceptance of the Torah and the transformation of the Israelites into a people bound by purpose, covenant and divine service.
What is the Counting of the Omer
The Counting of the Omer, as defined in the Torah, is a commandment rooted in the agricultural and sacrificial practices of ancient Israel. The primary source appears in Leviticus (23:15–16), where the Israelites are instructed to count seven complete weeks beginning from the day after the Sabbath, understood in rabbinic tradition as the second day of Passover. This counting culminates on the fiftieth day, when a new offering is brought.
The term “Omer” refers to a specific measure of grain, an omer of barley, that was offered in the Temple at the beginning of this period. This initial offering marked the start of the barley harvest and functioned as a ritual acknowledgment of the season’s first yield. Until this offering was brought, the new grain could not be consumed, underscoring its significance.
The Torah commands that from the day this omer offering is brought, each day is to be counted. The text emphasizes both the completeness and continuity of the count, stating that seven full weeks must be observed. The conclusion of this period is marked by a distinct offering of two loaves of bread made from fine flour, representing the wheat harvest, which occurs later in the season. Unlike most grain offerings in the Temple, these loaves were baked with leaven.
Why Do We Eat Dairy?
The custom of eating dairy foods on Shavuot is one of the most beloved—and one of the most puzzling—traditions. Unlike many holiday practices that are clearly rooted in biblical commandments, the association between Shavuot and dairy emerges later in Jewish tradition, and over time, multiple explanations have developed to give the custom meaning.
One of the most widely cited explanations relates to the moment of revelation at Sinai. According to tradition, when the Israelites received the Torah, they were also given the laws of kashrut for the first time. Faced with these new dietary requirements, they found themselves unable to immediately prepare kosher meat, as their utensils and methods had not yet been adjusted. As a result, they ate simple dairy foods, which requires less preparation and fewer halachic complications. Eating dairy on Shavuot, then, recalls this transitional moment of adapting to a new way of life.
One of the most poetic explanations for eating dairy on Shavuot comes from the Song of Songs, where Torah is symbolically compared to nourishing foods. In this biblical text, phrases like “milk and honey under your tongue” are traditionally understood by rabbinic commentators as metaphors for the sweetness, richness, and sustaining power of Torah. By choosing foods like milk, cheese, and cheesecake, we symbolically “taste” the sweetness of Torah and its life-giving qualities.
Gematria, the traditional Jewish system of numerical interpretation, offers yet another connection. The Hebrew word for milk, chalav, has a numerical value of 40, which corresponds to the number of days Moses spent on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah. While more symbolic than historical, this connection reinforces the association between milk and revelation.
There are also agricultural echoes in the custom. Spring is a season when animals produce abundant milk, making dairy foods naturally plentiful. In this sense, eating dairy reflects the seasonal reality of the land, linking the holiday to cycles of nature and sustenance.
Ultimately, the custom of eating dairy on Shavuot does not stem from a single source but from many interpretations woven over centuries. Each explanation adds another layer to our tradition.