Shavuot is just around the corner! Beginning Sunday night and ending on Tuesday night, this special holiday commemorates the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. A beautiful and deeply meaningful tradition for Shavuot is the Tikkun Leil Shavuot – a night dedicated to immersive study. Many stay awake through the night, engaging with a wide array of sacred texts, demonstrating our eagerness to receive Torah anew. It’s a time to delve into Jewish wisdom, explore profound teachings, and connect with our heritage.
This year, NECHAMA invites you to bring the spirit of compassionate action into your Shavuot learning, whether at home or in your synagogue. Our specially curated Tikkun guide, “Seeds of Action, Harvest of Hope,” connects the themes of Shavuot with NECHAMA’s core values, offering texts and reflections to inspire both heart and mind.
(It is customary to eat dairy food on the holiday of Shavuot. Interested in learning more about why? Head here.)
One of the most powerful declarations in the Torah occurs when the Israelites are offered the covenant at Sinai. Before fully understanding its contents, they famously respond, “Na’aseh V’Nishma – We will do, and we will understand!” (Exodus 24:7). This profound statement highlights a commitment to action that precedes complete comprehension, a leap of faith rooted in trust and a readiness to serve. It’s a radical acceptance of responsibility, an understanding that doing and being are intertwined, and that sometimes, taking action is key for gaining knowledge.
This spirit of Na’aseh V’Nishma is at the heart of NECHAMA’s work. When disaster strikes, our volunteers and teams step into challenging and often chaotic situations. Like the Israelites at Sinai, they embrace the call to “do” – to muck out a flooded home, clear debris, offer a comforting presence, and begin the hard work of recovery – often before the full scope of the need is clear or the path to restoration fully mapped. This willingness to act, to respond to suffering with immediate, tangible help, embodies the deepest meaning of accepting our collective responsibility. How does this ancient call to proactive commitment resonate with the challenges we face today, and what can it teach us about our own capacity for impactful service?
Want to explore this and other vital Jewish values like compassion, resilience, and repairing the world through the lens of NECHAMA’s mission? Download your free copy of “Seeds of Action, Harvest of Hope: A NECHAMA Shavuot Tikkun” and enrich your Shavuot experience!
I hope you have a meaningful holiday!
Rabbi Scott Klein,
Jewish Engagement and Education Consultant