It is customary in many places to eat milchigs on the Yom Tov of Shavuos. Some fulfill this custom with a small milchiga kiddush, while others may serve a five-course dairy meal.
When should the dairy be eaten? As is often the case with minhagei Yisroel, there are various ways of fulfilling this minhag. Some have the custom to have a full milchig meal at night or during the day, and others just partake of some milchigs with a small kiddush. Some do it only on one day, and some do it on both days. Each minhag has a rationale, and depending on the reason, it may suffice to fulfill this custom with a small kiddush, or it may be proper to have a full meal.
There are many reasons given for this minhag, and I would like to share some of the reasons that the poskim mention.
1) TO COMMEMORATE THE SH’TEI HALECHEM
The Rama (495:3) writes that this is similar to the seder plate. We have two cooked foods on the seder plate, one to commemorate the Korban Pesach and one for the Korban Chagigah. Similarly, on Shavuos, we want to commemorate the Sh’tei Halechem, the two loaves of bread that were offered in the Bais Hamikdash on Shavuos. This is accomplished by having a dairy meal followed by a meat meal. This requires a person to have two different loaves of bread, removing the bread that was used with the dairy meal and bringing another loaf of bread for the meat meal. According to this reason, merely having some dairy delicacies or some cheesecake at the kiddush will not suffice, but a separate meal with bread is needed.
2) SWEETNESS OF TORAH
Since the Torah is compared to the sweet taste of milk and honey (as the pasuk says, Divash vichalav tachas lishoneich), we serve milchigs and sweet foods to instill in ourselves and our families the concept that the Torah is sweet. (Siddur Yaavetz, Mishnah Berurah 495:12)
3) MILK IS ALLUDED TO IN THE PASUK
The pasuk in the Torah reading of Shavuos says, וּבְ יוֹם הַ בִּ כּוּרִ ים בְּ הַ קְ רִ יבְ כֶם מִ נְ חָ ה חֲ דָ שָׁ ה לַ הֹ בְּ שָׁ ב ֻ ע ֹ תֵ י כ ֶ ם. The first letter of the last three words reads חלב – milk. (Siddur Yaavetz)
4) A MERIT TO RECEIVE THE TORAH
Another reason is given by the Ba’eir Heitev. The Midrash tells us that the angels were not willing to let go of the Torah; they wanted to keep it in Heaven. However, they were deemed unworthy of having the Torah because they ate meat and milk in Avraham Avinu’s house. We, therefore, eat milchigs and then fleishigs in a way sanctioned by the Torah, demonstrating why we are worthy of receiving the Torah.
5) CHOLOV – 40 DAYS OF RECEIVING THE TORAH
The numerical value of the word cholov (חלב) is 40, corresponding to the 40 days that Moshe was in Heaven to receive the Torah. (Neziras Shimshon)
This can be explained with a deeper meaning. In contrast to the physical world that was created in six days, the Torah and the spiritual world were “created” in 40 days. (Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, quoting the Alter of Slobodka)
SUMMARY OF REASONS
- To commemorate the Sh’tei Halechem
- The sweetness of Torah
- Milk is alluded to in the pasuk
- A merit to receive the Torah
- Cholov – 40 Days of receiving the Torah
RABBI NACHUM SCHEINER
