The Laws of Sefirah and Shavuot - Jewish Theological Seminary

The period between Pesach and Shavu'ot is called Sefirah (“counting”). The name is derived from the practice of counting the 'Omer, which is ... 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TheSefirahperiodisatimeofsadness.AccordingtotheTalmud,thisisbecausetwelvethousandofRabbiAkiva’sdisciplesdiedoneyearbetweenPesachandShavu’ot(B.Yeb.62b;OtsarHage’onimYebamot,p.141).Therabbisexplainthatthismassacretookplacebecausethedisciplesdidnotrespecteachother.HistoriansconnecttheeventwiththeHadrianicpersecution,whichfollowedtheBarKokhbarevoltinwhichRabbiAkivawasinvolved(Wahrman,HageiYisra’elUmo’adaw,p.166). SomeassociatethesombernessofthesedayswithanevenearlierperiodofJewishhistory.ThefruitsofthefieldripenduringthetimeencompassedbySefirah,anditis,therefore,aperiodofuncertainty—ofhopeandprayerthatourphysicalsustenancewillbecontinuedinabundance(AbudrahamHashalem,p.241;B.R.H.16a).Acontemporaryscholarhassuggestedthatthisuncertaintywasdue,inparticular,tothefactthatinIsrael,thehotwindsthataresoharmfultothecropsblowbetweenPesachandShavu’ot(Wahrman,HageiYisra’elUmo’adaw,p.171). The‘OmercouldnolongerbebroughttotheTempleofJerusalemafterthedestruction.Thecountingwascontinued,however,asazekherlemikdash(remembranceoftheTemple)—henceanotherreasonforsadness(B.Men.66a;KolBo,chap.55;Maimonides,Hil.SefiratHa’omer).Itwaseasytosuperimposeothersorrowfulmemoriesonsuchaperiod,andtheHadrianicpersecutionwasthemostprominentofthese. TheCrusadesaddedanotherreasonforsorrow,especiallyfortheJewsofGermany,sincethemassacresperpetratedbytheCrusadersalsotookplaceatthistimeoftheyear(O.H.493:2inM.D.2). Anotherreasonforsadnesswasaddedinmoderntimes.WhilethecrematoriaandgaschambersoftheNazisoperatedallyearround,somenotabletragiceventstookplaceintheSefirahperiod.TheParliamentofIsraelfixedthetwenty-seventhofNisanasMemorialDayforthoseslaughteredbytheNazisduringWorldWarII.Inaddition,thedaybeforeIsraelIndependenceDayiscalledYomHazikaronforthosewhodiedintheWarofLiberation.Thelastgreatdeportationtothegaschambers,thatoftheJewsofHungary,tookplaceduringtheSefirahperiod Thesesadeventsarememorializedbyourrefrainingfromparticipationinjoyouseventsduringthisperiod.Noweddingsshouldtakeplace,anditiscustomarynottohavethehaircut(O.H.493:2).NoeventinvolvingmusicanddancingshouldbescheduledduringSefirah(O.H.493:1inM.A.1). TheoneinterruptioninthisdolefulperiodisLagBa’Omerthethirty-thirddayofthecountingofthe‘Omer,whichfallsontheeighteenthofIyar.EvidentlyonthisdaytherewasaninterruptionintheoppressionandhencetherequirementsofSefirahwerewaived. Therearenumerousvariationsinthecustomsprevailingduringthisperiod(O.H.493:3).SomeobservemourninguptoShavu’ot,excludingLagBa’Omeronly(O.H.493inM.D.2;ibid.inSha’areiTeshuvah8);someobservemourningonlyuntilLagBa’Omer(O.H.493:1inRama);othersstarttheperiodofsadnessonthefirstdayofIyar(O.H.493:3)andcountuntilShavu’ot,withtheexceptionofLagBa’Omer;andstillothersbeginonthefirstdayofIyarandcontinueuntilthreedaysbeforeShavu’ot(HayyeiAdam130:11). InAshkenaziccommunities,themostwidespreadcustomhasbeentoobservemourningfromPesachuntilthethreedaysbeforeShavu’ot.ExceptionsaremadeonRoshHodeshlyar,RoshHodeshSivan,andLagBa’Omer(seeinMishnahBerurah,O.H.493:15).Someaddthefifthoflyar,whichisIsraelIndependenceDay. TheCommitteeonJewishLawandStandardsoftheRabbinicalAssembly,in1949,adoptedtheGeonictraditionwiththefollowingstatement: “AccordingtoGeonictradition,marriagesintheSefrahdayswereforbiddenonlyfromtheseconddayofPassoveruntilLagB’Omer,andnotfromLagB’Omeron(OtsarHageonim,Yebamot140). “ThistraditionwasalsopracticedintheMedievalperiodintheJewishcommunitiesofFrance. “Theprohibitionagainstmarriagesduringthesethirty-threedaysappliedonlytoweddingceremoniesaccompaniedbydancing,singingandmusic. “WethereforerecommendthattheGeonictraditionconcerningmarriagesduringSefirahbefollowed,andthattheprohibitionbeobservedfromtheseconddayofPesachuntilLagB’Omer.Duringthisperiod,marriagesnotaccompaniedbydancing,singingandmusicmaybeperformed. “Onthosedays,duringthethirty-threedayperiod,whenTahanunisnotrecitedinthesynagogue,aswellasonthefifthdayoflyar(IsraelIndependenceDay),marriagesofapublicandfestivenaturemaybesolemnized.” AlaterdecisionoftheLawCommitteeshortenedtheperiodevenmoreandintroducedanewelement.Ontheonehand,thewholebasisfortherestrictionsduringtheSefirahperiodrestsonshakygrounds.Ontheotherhand,twoothereventswhichhappenedwithinourownmemorymustbememorializedandgivensignificance.ThesearethemartyrdomofthesixmillionvictimsoftheHolocaustandtheestablishmentoftheStateofIsrael.Fortheonewehavedeclaredthetwenty-seventhofNisanasYomHasho’ah,andfortheotherwehavedeclaredthefifthofIyarasYomHa’atzma’ut.BotharegainingmoreandmorerecognitionbyKlalYisrael.Henceitwasproposedandpassedthatnojoyousfunctionsbeallowedontheweekendbeforethetwenty-eighthofNisan,andthatitbedeclaredaperiodofmourningforthesixmillionmartyrs.Beyondthatthereshouldbenoprohibitionwhatsoever(seeLawCommitteearchives). WeshouldaddthecaveatexpressedbytheRama,whosaysthatinordertoavoidseparation,weshouldstrivetoavoidasituationwheresomeJewsinacityadoptonecustomandothers,anothercustom(O.H.493:3).Inlargecommunitiesthismaynotbeapplicable,butinsmallonesitisgoodadvice. TheWarsawGhettoMemorial.IthasbecomethecustominmanycommunitiestomemorializethemartyrsoftheWarsawGhettoUprising.Thereis,asyet,nouniformpatternofobservance.However,thedayhastendedtobecomeamemorialnotonlyforthefightersoftheWarsawGhettobutalsoforthesixmillionmartyrs.Whenapatternfinallycrystallizes,thisdaywillrivaltheninthofAvinsolemnityandinthememoriesitwillevoke.Asofthiswriting,thetwenty-seventhofNisanhasbeenacceptedasYomHasho’ah. YomHa’atsma’ut.ThefifthofIyarhasbeendesignatedtheofficialdayforcelebratingIsrael’sindependence,foritwasonthefifthofIyar,5708,thatIsrael’sindependencewasdeclared.InIsraelithasbecomebothanationalandreligiousholiday.Astheyearspass,atraditionofobservanceisbeginningtocrystallize.AspecialserviceandaguideforobservancehavebeendrawnupbytheChiefRabbinate.IntimeYomHa’atsma’utwillcertainlytakeitsplacealongsideHanukkahandPurim. InthediasporaYomHa’atsma’uthasalsobeenrecognizedasadayofrejoicing.TheRabbinicalAssemblyhaspreparedaspecialservicethatexpressesthanksforthegreatdeliveranceandrecognitionoftheinterdependenceoftheJewriesofIsraelandthediaspora. InIsraelthedayprecedingIndependenceDayiscalledYomHazikaron,adayofremembranceforallthosewhomadethesupremesacrificeduringtheWarofLiberation. PesachSheini InthetimeoftheTemple,thosewhocouldnotbringthePaschallambattherequiredtime,eitherforreasonsofritualimpurityorbecausetheyweretravelingandweretoofarfromJerusalemtoarriveintimeforPesach,couldbringthePaschallambamonthlater,onthefourteenthoflyar(Num.9:612).Todaythedayonwhichtheydidthis(calledPesachSheini)isrememberedwithaslightvariationintheservice,i.e.,Tahanunisnotrecited.Insomeplacesapieceofmatsahiseatenduringtheday(Singer,ZivHaminhagim,p.104). LagBa’Omer Thethirty-thirddayofthe‘Omer,whichfallsontheeighteenthoflyar,isasemiholiday(O.H.493:2inRama).Accordingtotradition,thecalamitiesoftheHadrianicpersecutionwereinterruptedontheeighteenthofIyar,andasaresultitwasdeclaredasemiholiday(Maharil[Warsaw,5634],p.21;[BnaiBrak,5719],pp.41-42).Tahanunisnotrecited,weddingsandjoyousoccasionsarepermitted,andonemaycuthishair(O.H.493:2inRama). InIsraelthedayisalsoobservedashilula’DerabiShim’onbarYohaitheYahrzeitofRabbiShimonbarYohai,theallegedauthoroftheZohar.LargenumbersofpeoplevisitRabbiShimonbarYohai’sgraveinMeronandcelebratethedayasafullfestival. TheoriginofthiscelebrationisattributedtothegreatkabbalistIsaacLuria.InLagBa’OmerhesawnotonlythecessationoftheplaguethatafflictedRabbiAkiva’sdisciples,butalsothefactthatRabbiAkiva’ssurvivingstudentssavedtheTorah.ThestudentwhowasmostfamousintheeyesofthekabbalistswasRabbiShimonbarYohaitowhomtheyascribedtheauthorshipoftheZohar.Accordingtotradition,hediedontheeighteenthoflyar.ItwasanancientcustomtocelebratetheYahrzeitofgreatpeopleasaholiday(OtsarHageonim,Yebamot241),andRabbiIsaacLuriaappliedthistotheYahrzeitofRabbiShimonbarYohai,thusmakingLagBa’Omerevenmoresignificant(seeWahrman,HageiYisra’elUmo’adaw,p.167).LagBa’Omerisalsocalledthescholars’festivalbecauseofitsassociationwiththestudentsofRabbiAkiva.Itisperhapsforthisreasonthatthecelebrationhasbeenobservedmostlybyschoolchildren.ItusedtobecustomaryforchildrentomakebowsandarrowsandengageinarcheryonLagBa’Omer.ThisisanobviousreferencetothewarlikeactivitiesofRabbiAkiva’sfollowers.Laterkabbalistssawanassociationwiththerainbow,whichisasymbolofredemption,sincethereisatraditionthattherainbowwillappearintheskyastheharbingerofthefinalredemption(BeneiYisakhar,monthofIyar,1). 2.Shavu’ot Shavu’ot,occurringonthesixthandseventhofSivan,isthesecondoftheThreePilgrimageFestivals.LiketheotherPilgrimageFestivals,itcommemoratesanimportanteventinthehistoryoftheJewishpeople,ithasanagriculturalreference,markingastageintheharvest,anditimpartsanessentialreligioustruth. TheagriculturalreferenceisthemostapparentsinceShavu’otmarkstheendofthecountingofthe‘Omer.TheagriculturalsignificanceofShavu’otisalsoindicatedbythefirsttworeferencestothefestivalintheTorah:“Andthoushaltobservethefeastofweeks,eventhefirstfruitsofthewheatharvest”(Exod.34:22);also,“Andthefeastofharvest,thefirstfruitsofthylabors,whichthousowestinthefield”(Exod.23:16). Thustwonamesaregiventothisfestival:HagHaqatsir(harvestfestival),becauseofitsagriculturalaspect,andHagHashavu’ot,whichdoesnotindicateanycharacteristicofthefestivalexceptthedate,i.e.,thatitcomesafterthecountingofsevenweeks(Deut.16:10-12). IntheTalmudthename‘Atseretisalsogiventothefestival(M.R.H.1:2;B.Pes.68b).OursagesregardedShavu’otastheconclusionofthefestivalofPesach,andthereforecalledit‘Atseret,justastheconclusionoftheSukkotfestivaliscalledShemini‘Atseret(ShirHashirimRabbah7:2). AccordingtorabbinicinterpretationoftheBible(B.Shab.86b-88a),theTenCommandmentsweregivenonthesixthdayofSivan.Shavu’otthusiszmanmatantoratenu,commemoratingthiseventandemphasizingtheTorah’ssanctity. Torah,initsall-inclusivesenseastheheritageofthechildrenofIsrael,isliterallykhayeynuveorekhyameynu(“ourlifeandthelengthofourdays”).Sa’adiaGaonsaidthatIsraelisapeoplebyvirtueoftheTorah.ItisoneelementintheJewish“trinity”:kudshabrikhhu,oraytav’yisrael–“theHolyOneBlessedBeHe,theTorah,andIsrael”(Zohar,AhareiMot73a). AstheHebrewphrasetorahminhashamayimindicates,theTorahisdivinelyordained.Itsmorallawsarebothnormativeandofdivineorigin,possessinguniquevaliditythatwemustaffirmandemphasizeeveryday. ProfessorKaplanhaswritten:“…themorallawmustberegardednotassomeprudentialarrangementorsocialconvention,butasinherentintheverynatureofreality.Thehumanmindlosesallsenseofsecurity,andsuffersfromfailureofnervethemomentitbeginstosuspectthatthemorallawisman-made”(TheMeaningofGodinModernJewishReligion,p.302). TherabbisintheMidrashexpressthesamethoughtpoetically.RabbiAbahusaidinthenameofRabbiYohanan:“WhenGodgavetheTorah,nobirdsangorflew,nooxbellowed,theangelsdidnotfly,theSerafimceasedfromsaying,‘Holy,holy,’theseawascalm,nocreaturespoke;theworldwassilentandstill,andthedivinevoicesaid:‘IamtheLordthyGod…‘”(ExodusRabbah29:9).WhenGodspoketheworldwashushed.Thisgivesusthecommondenominatorinthevariousinterpretationsoftorahminhashamayim.Thevalidityofthemorallawisnotconventionalorprudential,butdivine. “WeshouldthereforerecognizeinthedoctrineofTorahminhashamayim?theoriginalpropheticdiscoveryofthemorallawastheprincipalself-revelationofGod”(Kaplan,ibid.,p.303). Whetherweconsidertorahminhashamayimtobeahistoricalfactoratheologicalconcept,theimportisthatthemorallawhasdivinesanction. “TheuniqueelementintheJewishreligionconsistedintheconsciousrecognitionthatthechieffunctionofthebeliefinGodwastoaffirmandfortifythemorallaw….TheoutstandingcharacteristicoftheJewishreligionisitsconsciousemphasisupontheteachingthatthemorallawistheprincipalmanifestationofGodintheworld”(Kaplan,ibid.,p.302). Shavu’otisthusthefestivalthatbidsusemphasizetheprimacyofthemorallawandthenormativecharacterofJudaism. Observance ThelawsconcerningworkonShavu’otarethesameasonPesach.Thestatutoryservicesarealsothesame,withvariationswhereShavu’otismentioned.Thusinthe‘Amidahwesayhaghashavuothazehzmanmatantoratenu,andthereadingoftheTorahis,ofcourse,especiallyselectedforShavu’ot.OnbothdaysofShavu’ottwoTorahscrollsareremovedfromtheark.Onthefirstday,inthefirstscroll,wereadExodus19and20,whichtellofthegivingoftheTenCommandments.InthesecondscrollwereadNumbers28:26-31,whichtellsofthefestivalofShavu’ot.TheHaftarahisEzekiel1:1-28,3:12,whichcontainstheprophet’svisionofGod. OntheseconddaywereadDeuteronomy15:19-16:17,whichspeaksofthefestivals.OnaSabbathwereadDeuteronomy14:22-16:17.TheHaftarahisHabakkuk2:20-3:19,wheretherevelationatSinaiismentioned(O.H.494:1-2;Levush,O.H.494:1). OntheseconddayyizkorisrecitedaftertheTorahreading,asitisonthelastdayofPesach,onShemini‘Atseret,andonYomKippur(Levush,O.H.490:9and494:2). SpecialObservancesforShavu’ot Itiscustomarytostarttheeveningservicesofthefirstnightlaterthanusual.Thisistosatisfytheimplicationoftheverseshevashabatottmiymot(Lev.23:15,i.e.,wecountsevencompleteweeks;thereforewewaittomakesurethattheforty-ninthdayhasbeencompletedO.H.494inM.A.andM.D.). ItwasanancientcustomforJewstoremainawakefortheentirefirstnightofShavu’ottostudyTorah.TheZoharascribesthiscustomtoparticularlypiousJews(Emor98a).InEasternEuropeitwaswidelyobserved,andaspecialtextfortheoccasion,knownastikunleilshavuot,developedwhichcontainedthefirstandlastversesofeachSidrah,thefirstandlastpassagesofeachtractateoftheMishnah,andexcerptsfromtheZohar. AquaintreasonisgivenforthepracticeofstayingawakeonthefirstnightofShavu’ot.LegendtellsthatthechildrenofIsraelsleptsosoundlythenightbeforetheTorahwasgiventhattheyhadtobeawakenedwiththunderandlightening.We,onthecontrary,areupallnightandneednotbeawakened(O.H.494inM.A.andShirHashirimRabbah). ThemoreobviousreasonisthatwereviewtheTorahtocelebratetheanniversaryofitsgiving. ‘Aqdamut Thehymnknownas‘Aqdamut(becauseitbeginswiththatword)isasongofpraisetoGodforhavingchosenIsraelandforgrantingustheTorah,henceitsinclusionintheShavu’otliturgy(Levush,O.H.494:1). Itwasoncecustomarytochant‘AqdamutresponsivelyattheTorahreadingafterthefirstmanwascalledandhadsaidthebenedictionandthereaderhadreadthefirstverseofthereading.Nowwesayitbeforethefirstbenediction(Singer,ZivHaminhagim,p.112;M.D.onO.H.494).‘AqdamutwaswrittenbyRabbiMeirofOrleans,acantorinWorms,Germany,wholivedintheeleventhcentury.Evidentlyitspurposewastostrengthenthepeople’sfaithduringtheCrusades. TheBookofRuth TheBookofRuthisreadontheseconddayofShavu’ot.ThecustomismentionedinMasekhetSoferim(14:16),andthefactthatthefirstchapterofMidrashRuthdealswiththegivingoftheTorahisevidencethatthiscustomwasalreadywellestablishedintheperiodwhenthisMidrashwascompiled(Dunsky,MidrashRuth,p.3). ManyexplanationsaregivenforthereadingofRuth.ThemostquotedreasonisthatRuth’scomingtoIsraeltookplacearoundthetimeofShavu’ot,andheracceptanceoftheJewishfaithwaslikeMatanTorahforthepeopleofIsrael(AbudrahamHashalem,p.240;LevushO.H.494:2).TheacceptanceoftheTorahentailssufferingandsacrificeforusjustasitdidforRuth(YalkutRuth586). AmorelogicalreasonisthedesiretohavesectionsfromallthreedivisionsoftheBible–i.e.,Torah,Nevi’im,andKetuvim–intheliturgyofShavu’otandtoshowthattheyarealldivine.AndwhytheBookofRuth?BecauseintheTalmud(B.B.B.14b)RuthiscountedasthefirstbookintheKetuvim(Singer,ZivHaminhagim,p.112). SincetheBookofRuthendswiththegenealogyofDavid,whoseforebearRuthwas,ithasbeensuggestedthatitisreadonShavu’otbecausethereisalegendthatDaviddiedonShavu’ot(P.Hag.2:3,P.Bet.2:4,RuthRabbah3:2). ArecentscholarhassuggestedthatthecustomhaditsorigininthepolemicsagainsttheKaraites.TheKaraitesdeniedthevalidityoftheOralLaw.Accordingtobiblicallaw,neitheranAmmonitenoraMoabitecanenterthefoldofIsrael.How,then,wasRuthaccepted?Therabbisinterpretedthelawasreferringtomalesonly;henceRuthcouldbecomepartofthepeopleofIsrael(B.Yeb.76b).ButthisinterpretationisbasedontheOralLaw,nottheWritten,andthusitisproofofthevalidityoftheOralLaw.Shavu’otwasanappropriatetimetoshowtheequalvalidityofboththeOralandtheWrittenLaw(Maimon,HagimUmo’adim,p.271). ThereisadifferenceofopinionastowhetherabenedictionshouldberecitedbeforetheBookofRuthisread(seeLevushO.H.494:2;RamaonO.H.490:9;MishnahBerurahadloc.;ShneurZalmanofLyady,Shulhan‘Arukh494:13,17).Thepresentpracticeisnottoreciteabenediction. TheEatingofDairyDishes ItiscustomarytoeatdairydishesonthefirstdayofShavu’ot.Manyreasonshavebeengivenforthecustom.Onederivesitfromtheverse“honeyandmilkshallbeunderyourtongue”(SongofSongs4:11),whichismadetorefertotheTorah,implyingthatthewordsoftheTorahareaspleasantandacceptabletoourearsandheartsasmilkandhoneyaretoourtongues(KolBo58). Ithasalsobeensuggestedthatjustaswehavetwofooditems(theshankboneandtheegg)attheSedertorepresentthetwosacrificialofferingsbroughttotheTempleonPesach,soonShavu’otwehavetwotypesoffood,firstmilkandlatermeat,incommemorationofthetwospecialsacrificialofferingsthatwerebroughtonShavu’ot(O.H.494:3). Wemustmentiononemorereasonwhichisstilltakenseriouslybymanythoughitseemsalmostfacetious.WiththegivingoftheTorahthedietarylawswereestablished.Hence,whenthepeoplecamehomefromSinaitheycouldnoteatmeatbecausetheyhadnonethatwaspreparedproperly.Topreparenewmeatproperlywouldtaketoolong.Theyhadnochoice,therefore,buttoeatmilkdishes(O.H.494:2inMishnahBerurah12). Amorelogicalreason,whichmaybeanafterthought,however,connectsthecustomofeatingdairywithrestraintandself-control.TheTorahisgainedbyeschewingpleasuresandexcesses.Meatisthefoodofthosewhoknownorestraint.Asceticsandpeoplewhoseekself-controlusuallylimitthemselvestodairydishes.EatingdairydishesonShavu’otisareminderthattheTorahisgiventohimwholivesthesoberliferatherthanthatofpleasure(Hirshovitz,OtsarKolMinhageiYeshurun,p.201). ItisalsocustomaryonShavu’ottodecoratethesynagoguewithflowersandfoliage,andinsomeplacesthefloorsofthesynagoguewerestrewnwithfreshgrassasareminderoftheagriculturalcharacterofthefestival(O.H.494:3inRama). InsomeplacesthesynagogueswereadornedwithbranchesandlargeplantsasareminderthataccordingtotheMishnah(R.H.1:2),theworldisjudgedregardingthefruitsofthetreesonShavu’ot.OnShavu’otwethusprayforGodtoblessthefruitofthetrees(B.R.H.16a).Today,whenflowersdecoratethepulpitatalltimes,wesimplyaddtothedecorationsandvarythem. InIsraelmanyoftheoldcustomsarebeingrevived,especiallythosehavingtodowiththeagriculturalaspectsofShavu’ot.Thebringingofbikkurim(firstfruits)totheTempleinJerusalem,asdescribedintheMishnah,wasagalaaffair(M.Bik.3:1-8).ItwasdiscontinuedafterthedestructionoftheTemple,buthasbeenrevivedinthevillagesandtownsofIsrael,wherethechildrenbringthefirstfruitsoftheirfieldswithspecialfestivities(Wahrman,HageiYisra’elUmo’adaw,p.1186). Confirmation Inmanysynagogues,confirmationservicesareheldeitheronthefirstnightorthefirstmorningofShavu’ot.TheconfirmationservicehasnorootsinJewishtraditionbutwasinstitutedintheearlynineteenthcenturyinGermanybytheReformmovement.ItwasfranklyanimportationfromtheLutheranChurch,butitstruckrootsintheJewishcommunityandwasacceptedbytheConservativesynagoguesandevenbysomeOrthodoxsynagogues.Thereisnouniformservice,nouniformage,andnouniformcurriculumforpreparation.Thepurpose,however,istosolemnlyinitiateJewishboysandgirlsintotheirancestralfaith. Therewerevariousmotivesbehindtheintroductionofthisrite.ItwassupposedtobeasubstituteforBarMitswah,andwouldthusapplytoboysonly.ThenitwassupposedtogiveequalitytowomenasanequivalenttotheBarMitswah.Later,whentheBarMitswahritewaseliminatedintheReformmovement,confirmationbecamethepracticeforbothboysandgirls(seeJewishEncyclopedia,4:219). InAmericathepracticebecamesowidespreadthataReformrabbihaswritten:“Theconfirmationceremony,whichgenerallyattractscongregationsthatoverflowthesynagogues,isoneofthechiefcontributionsthatReformJudaismhasmadetotheevolutionofJewisheducationandJewishreligiousceremoniesintheAmericansynagogues”(UniversalJewishEncyclopedia,3:330). Recentdevelopments,however,haveshakenthisconfidence.TheBarMitswahhasbeenreestablishedwithfullforceinallsynagogues.Andnow–acontributionoftheConservativemovement–theBatMitswahritehasbeenspreadingtoallsegmentsofJudaism.Thus,alltheoriginalreasonsforconfirmationhavedisappeared.TheprotagonistsofconfirmationarehardputtofindnewmeaningforitsoasnottomakeitaduplicationoftheBarandBatMitswahceremonies.WhereBarMitswahhasabasisintradition,andBatMitswahhasabasisintheequalizationofthesexes,confirmationisahora’atsha’ah(temporarymeasure)whichhaslostitsmomentum(seeCCARJournal,June1966,esp.thearticlesbyKlein,Wolf,andSilverman). Inanumberofsynagoguesconfirmationhasbeeneliminated,andinsteadthereisareconsecrationritewithanentirelydifferentpurposeinmind. Excerptedfrom:AGuidetoJewishReligiousPractice byIsaacKlein(SupplementbyRabbiJoelRoth)TheJewishTheologicalSeminaryofAmerica, NewYorkandJerusalem, Copyright1979,1992 Moreon LagBa'omer Moreby IsaacKlein Morein AGuidetoJewishReligiousPractice Moreon Holidays SHARETHISPAGE EXPLOREOURARCHIVE GenreCollectedResourcesCommentaryDocumentaryPodcastorRadioProgramPrayerRecordingsPublicEventaudioPublicEventvideoShortVideoTextStudyTranslationVideoLecture ParashahAhareiMotBalakBeha'alotekhaBeharBehukkotaiBemidbarBereishitBeshallahBoDevarimEikevEmorHa'azinuHayyeiSarahHukkatKedoshimKiTavoKiTetzeiKiTissaKorahLekhLekhaMaseiMattotMetzoraMiketzMishpatimNasoNitzavimNoahPekudeiPinehasRe'ehShelahLekhaSheminiShemotShofetimTazriaTerumahTetzavvehToledotTzavVa'eraVa'et-hannanVayak-helVayehiVayeilekhVayeraVayeshevVayetzeiVayiggashVayikraVayishlahVezotHaberakhahYitro HolidayHanukkahLagBa'omerPesahPurimRoshHashanahShabbatHagadolShabbatHahodeshShabbatMaharHodeshShabbatParahShabbatRoshHodeshShabbatShekalimShabbatShuvahShabbatZakhorShavuotSheminiAtzeretSimhatTorahSukkotTishahBe'avTuBishvatYomHashoahYomHazikaron-YomHa'atzma'utYomKippurYomYerushalayim ThemeConservativeJudaismGenderHolidaysInterreligiousIsraelNaturalWorldPhilosophyPrayerSocialJustice SeriesAGuidetoJewishReligiousPracticeATasteofTorahAuthorConversations:BetweentheLinesCantillationChallengesofthe21stCenturyConservativeJudaism:AConversationContemporaryJewishPhilosophyDoingJewishTheologyTodayEthicsandJusticeHaftarahReadingInterreligiousDialogueIntroductiontoSephardicHistoryJewishLearningandtheNon-JewLivestreamLunchandLearnMainCommentaryMidrash:BetweentheLinesMishnatHashavuaMusicalJourneyswithTheLibraryofJTSNusah(femalevoice)Nusah(malevoice)OurBetterAngels:After9/11RememberingtheTeachersInstituteScienceandReligionSegalLectureinLawandEthicsServiceoftheHeart:ExploringPrayerShabbat:FromHeretoEternitySoundBytesforHanukkahSoundBytesforPesahSoundBytesforPurimSoundBytesforShavuotSoundBytesfortheHighHolidaysSpeakingofText:TheJewishBookshelfTalmud:TzeU-lemadTheEternalLightTheVoiceoftheProphetTopicsinTalmudTorahReadingVirtualVoyages:ExploringLibraryTreasuresWhat2Wear:onClothingדבראחר|ADifferentPerspective AuthorNancyAbramsonDavidM.AckermanRachelAinJoelAlterJTSAlumniJuliaAndelmanZoharAtkinsOfraBackenrothSamuelBarthEmilyBartonHillelBenSassonMatthewBerkowitzLaurenEichlerBerkunAdamBermanTimDanielBernardNoahBickartSaraJ.BloomfieldJacobBlumenthalSamBlustinMichaelR.BoinoRachelBovitzYonatanY.BrafmanAlisaBraunAlexBraverStevenBrownJackChomskyMitchellCohenGeraldCohenSimeonCohenRafiCohenAlanCooperMelissaCrespyJacobCytrynYonatanDahlenGaleetDardashtiSarahDiamantEliezerB.DiamondRyanDulkinArnoldM.EisenYedidaEisenstatShiraD.EpsteinArielFeinEdwardFeldEitanFishbaneMonaFishbaneJessicaFisherDavidFishmanBenjaminFreedEdnaFriedbergWilliamFriedmanBenjaminR.GampelAviGarelickStephenP.GarfinkelMarcGaryLisaGelberStephenA.GellerNeilGillman(z”l)JasonGitlinMatthewGoldstoneShaynaGolkowMichaelB.GreenbaumJudithGreenbergBluGreenbergReuvenGreenvaldSusanGrossmanHillelGruenbergStefanieHalpernRobertHarrisJudithHauptmanJoshuaHellerLaurenHendersonWalterHerzbergDavidHoffmanBarryHoltzSaritHorwitzCarolK.IngallTheJewishTheologicalSeminaryTobiKahnRachelKahn-TrosterNaomiKalishAmyKalmanofskyRichardKalminMeredithKatzJoannaKatzLillyKaufmanSharonKellerAllanKenskyAllisonKestenbaumDavid-SethKirshnerIsaacKleinAshiraKonigsburgMaryBrettKoplenDavidC.KraemerJeffreyKressJoyLadinYitzLandesAnneLapidusLernerAmichaiLau-LavieMarjorieLehmanMortonM.Leifmanz”lJonathanLernerMelanieLevavArielleLevitesDavidLevyYitzhakLewisTheLibraryoftheJewishTheologicalSeminaryMiriamLiebmanEthanLindenJonathanLipnickJosephLukinsky(z”l)MichelleLynn-SachsCherylMagenBarbaraMannVivianB.Mannz”lDavidMarcusTamarMarvinRuthMessingerJonathanMilgramDeborahMillerAlanMintz(z”l)AlanMittlemanJackMolineBronwenMullinEdnaNahshonDanielNevinsMartinOppenheimerAvinoamPattStevenPhilpJoelPitkowskyWilliamPlevanLouisPolissonOraHornProuserJoshuaRabinMichalRaucherBenjaminResnickJasonRogoffDavidRosePaulaRoseAriellaRosenDavidRosennRachelRosenthalDavidG.RoskiesStephanieRuskayJonathanSarnaNigelSavageCharlesSavenorCraigScheffRaymondScheindlinIsmarSchorschNathanSchumerShulyRubinSchwartzMarcusMordecaiSchwartzCharlieSchwartzRamiSchwartzerE.NoachShapiroDianeSharonAndrewShugermanDaveSiegelStefanieB.SiegmundDanielHeschelSilberbuschAlexSinclairMichaelSingerNancySinkoffGeraldC.SkolnikRachelSmithBrianSmollettCaptainSoderstromBenjaminD.SommerMychalSpringerAllySterlingUteSteyerMalkaStrasbergEdingerJeremyTabickSarahTauber(z”l)AbigailTreuGordonTuckerJanUhrbachAbigailUhrmanDanielleUpbinBurtonL.VisotzkyLewisWarshauerYehudahWebsterRayshWeissNicoleWilson-SpiroMarcWolfSarahWolfMarkYoungAdamZagoria-Moffet SubscribetoTorahfromJTS OurregularcommentariesandvideosareagreatwaytostayintellectuallyandspirituallyengagedwithJewishthoughtandwisdom. 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