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Shehecheyanu – Celebrating a Festive Occasion 

 
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam,
shehehchehyanu, v’kiy’manu, v’higianu laz’man hazeh.

We praise You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, for giving us life,
for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.

Washing Hands

It is customary to remove all jewelry from the hands before washing. Fill a cup of water and pour it over your right hand. (Note: If your dominant hand is your left hand, reverse these instructions.) Next, take the cup in your right hand and pour it over the left hand. This is repeated two or three times. Then say the following blessing before drying your hands. Some do not speak between the hand-washing blessing and the blessing over food.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam,
asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al n’tilat yadayim.

Our praise to You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe:
You hallow us with Your mitzvot and command us to lift up our hands.

Eating Bread

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam,
hamotzi lechem min haaretz.

Our praise to You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.

Lighting a Yahrzeith (Memorial) Candle

Before lighting a yahrzeit candle, take a moment to bring to mind the relative you are remembering. You might choose to read the following prayer:

O God, grant us the strength as we mourn the loss of ________.
We will always have cherished memories of him/her.
Bless our family with light and peace. May ______’s memory continue to serve as a blessing and an inspiration to all who knew and loved him/her.

Zichrono/zichronah livrachah
His/her memory is a blessing.

Mourner’s Kaddish may be recited at this time.

Shavuot is a Hebrew word meaning ‘weeks’ and refers to the Jewish festival marking the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Shavuot, like so many other Jewish holidays began as an ancient agricultural festival, marking the end of the spring barley harvest and the beginning of the summer wheat harvest. Shavuot was distinguished in ancient times by bringing crop offerings to the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Torah tells us it took precisely forty-nine days for our ancestors to travel from Egypt to the foot of Mount Sinai (the same number of days as the Counting of the Omer ) where they were to receive the Torah. Thus, Leviticus 23:21 commands: ‘And you shall proclaim that day (the fiftieth day) to be a holy convocation…’ The name Shavuot, ‘Weeks,’ then symbolizes the completion of a seven-week journey.

Special customs on Shavuot are the reading of the Book of Ruth, which reminds us that we too can find a continual source of blessing in our tradition. Another tradition includes staying up all night to study Torah and Mishnah, a custom called Tikkun Leil Shavuot, which symbolizes our commitment to the Torah, and that we are always ready and awake to receive the Torah. Traditionally, dairy dishes are served on this holiday to symbolize the sweetness of the Torah, as well as the ‘land of milk and honey’.

Shavuot is celebrated seven weeks after Passover (when the barley harvest begins). These seven weeks are called the Omer and are counted ceremonially. This counting, called s’firat ha-omer, begins on the second day of Passover.The source for this practice is found in the book of Deuteronomy, “You shall count off seven weeks…then you shall observe the Feast of Weeks to Adonai your God” (Deuteronomy 16:9-10).The counting of the Omer takes place daily after the evening service.

Once the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and the mitzvah of bringing the first fruits of the harvest was lost, the Rabbis were concerned that the observance of Shavuot might disappear. It was during this time period (2nd century C.E.) when the Rabbis determined that the revelation of Torah at Sinai coincided with Shavuot.

Recognizing that Shavuot has both agricultural and religious roots, the holiday is known by several different names: Shavuot, Z’man Matan Torateinu and Chag HaBikkurim.

Z’man Matan Torateinu translates as “the season of the giving of our Torah”; and Chag HaBikkurim means “the festival of first fruits”.

Content provided by URJ

jpp-shavuot.pdf

Content provided by the Union for Reform Judaism

Place your hands on the child’s head and say:

For a boy:

Y’sim-cha Eh-lo-him k’Ephra’im v’chi-M’nasheh.

May God inspire you to live in the tradition of

Ephraim and Menasheh.

For a girl:

Y’si-meich Eh-lo-him k’Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, v’Lei-ah.

May God inspire you to live like Sarah,

Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah.

For both boys and girls:

Y’va-reh-ch’cha Adonai v’yish-m’reh-cha.

Ya-eir Adonai pa-nav ei-leh-cha vi-chu-neh-ka.

Yisa Adonai pa-nav ei-leh-cha v’ya-seim l’cha sha-lom.

May God bless you and keep you.

May God’s light shine upon you, and may God be gracious to you.

May you feel God’s Presence within you always, and may you find peace.