To Pilgrimage, or not to Pilgrimage - Omer Question

first published in 2010

Dear Tanta Golda,

I know that we are counting the Omer towards something. Is it a holiday? I also heard something about a pilgrimage? I know that in the middle ages Christian holy men would go on pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and that one of the five pillars of Islam is to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, but am I supposed to go on a pilgrimage somewhere too? Will I need sunscreen?

Packing my bags with caution.

Dear Cautious,

Ah, I love the curious ones! Yes, we are counting the Omer for 49 days until the holiday of Shavuot. Shavuot is one of three ancient pilgrimage holidays commanded in the Torah, which celebrate both agriculture and historical events, the other two being Passover and Sukkot. During the time of the Temple, these holidays were a time when offerings of the harvest were brought to the Kohanim for ritual worship. They were also a time to reaffirm our communal commitment to our covenant with HaShem. However, you must remember that our people were not so spread out as we are now. When the second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE, pilgrimage was deemed no longer obligatory. This means you’re off the hook - unpack your bags, put your feet up, and have a nice cup of tea.

While Shavuot was initially an agricultural holiday, in post-biblical times it developed into a celebration of the giving of the Torah on Mt.Sinai. You will note that I said ‘giving’ not ‘receiving’. The rabbis, a wise lot, say that while we receive the Torah every day, we were given it but once.

It is a tradition among some more observant Jews to stay up all night on Shavuot studying Torah and related works. Many eat dairy foods, such as cheese blintzes, cheesecake, etc. This is often explained as being based on the Torah verse that says the land of Israel flows with milk and honey. Some who live in modern day Israel will go to the Western Wall, which as you remember is a remanent of the Temple, in order to emulate the pilgrimage. This year Shavuot will begin on the evening of June 7^{th (2011)}.

Take a moment on Shavuot to give thanks for your bread (the wheat harvest.)

Love as always- and keep sending me questions,

Tanta Golda