Introduction
It is a mitzvah to have a haircut on the eve of the holiday, and it can be done even after midday.
On the holiday, like on Shabbat, it is forbidden to light a new fire. But since on the holiday itself it is permissible to cook and transfer fire from an existing fire (which is also forbidden on Shabbat!) – it is preferable to leave a fire burning for the holiday, on a stove or in a long-burning candle, so that we can transfer a new fire from them.
Candle Lighting
The blessings for candle lighting before the entrance of Shavuot are:
- Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the festival light.
- Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.
Afternoon Prayer
We pray the afternoon prayer as on every eve of the holiday. We first say the “Karbanot”, “Ashrei”, the “Amidah” prayer, and we end the prayer with “Aleinu L’shabeach”.
Evening Prayer
The evening prayer of the holiday night should be prayed later than the usual time in which we pray every day, so we wait until the stars come out, in order to enter the holiday after 49 full days of counting the Omer. (If we pray earlier, it comes out that we received the holiday while it is still ‘holding’ in the middle of the 49th day of counting).
We begin the prayer with “Shir Hama’alot”, and continue with “Birkot Kriyat Shema” and so on. In the “Amidah” prayer, we pray the prayer of the “Three Festivals”, incorporating the relevant sections for Shavuot, and finish with “Aleinu L’shabeach”.
Festival meal
The duty of eating and rejoicing on the festival of Shavuot is greater than that of every Sabbath, and this is to show that this day is a joyous and accepted one for everyone, since on it the Torah was given to us.
The order of the Kiddush: Take the cup in your right hand and pass it to the left. With the left hand, we place the base of the cup in the middle of the right palm, when the four high fingers ‘hold’ the side of the cup, and the thumb supports from the side.
Before starting the Kiddush, one should look at the holiday candles burning on the table, and at the time of the blessing “Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine” one should look at the wine in the cup. Then a special blessing is recited in honor of the holiday: “Who has chosen us from all nations and raised us above all tongues”. The full text appears in the prayer book under “Kiddush for the Three Pilgrimage Festivals”. At the end of the Kiddush, we recite the blessing “Shehecheyanu” in honor of the new holiday, and drink the wine.
After the Kiddush, “we wash” the hands for bread-eating:
Take the bowl in your right hand and fill it with water. Pass it to your left hand, and with it pour three times over your right hand, and then three more times over your left hand. Then bless: “Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning washing of hands”, and wipe the hands thoroughly.
Bless “the One who brings forth” over two whole loaves and then eat the holiday meal.
At the end of the meal, say the “Grace After Meals” and add to it: “Ya’aleh V’yavo” and “Harachaman” that are specific to the holiday.
The night of Shavuot
On the night of Shavuot, it is customary to stay awake all night and study Torah. The source for this custom comes from the fact that on the night before the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, the children of Israel slept so deeply and pleasantly that God had to ‘awaken them forcibly’ by means of the sounds and flashes. To atone for this, the Jews took upon themselves not to sleep on this night but to engage in Torah.
Men usually study a special collection intended for the night of Shavuot. This collection is found in a booklet called “Tikkun Leil Shavuot”, and it includes:
- Beginnings and ends of every Torah portion, including special passages related to Shavuot (the Exodus from Egypt, the Ten Commandments, and more).
- The beginning and end of every book from the Prophets and Writings.
- The beginning and end of every tractate from the “Six Orders of the Mishnah”.
- Passages from the book of Zohar.
- A list of all 613 (Taryag) commandments.
The ‘Tikkun’ can be obtained at any bookstore and Judaica store.
During the festival, one should make some good resolution related to strengthening and increasing Torah study.
A little before dawn (in Israel around 3:30 in the morning, but you should check the exact time in the annual calendars) it is customary to immerse four times in a mikveh.
It is better to sleep a little before praying Shacharit (and not to pray immediately after studying at night), so that we can then pray with intention.
