על מצות אכילה ושתייה בחג השבועות
The Gemara (Pesachim 68b) in connection to the holiday of Shavuos mentions that one verse (Parshas Reeh) states עצרת לה' and another verse (Parshas Pinchas) mentions עצרת תהיה לכם. Regarding holidays Rabbi Eliezer says either the entire day should be involved with HaShem (Torah and prayers) or the entire day should be for oneself (eating and drinking). Rabbi Yehoshua says the day should be half to HaShem and half for oneself. However, regarding the holiday of Shavous, Rabbi Eliezer admits that the day also requires for oneself, since that day the Torah was given.
Logic seems to suggest that Shavuos, the day of the giving of the Torah, should be more of a reason for the day to be entirely to HaShem. The commentators struggle with this difficulty.
It is possible to explain simply according to the Medrash. At the time that Moshe went to the Heavens for forty days to receive the Torah, the angels objected that since the Torah was a matter of heaven, it should remain in Heaven with them. Moshe answered them the Torah includes the concept of “to you”, eating and drinking (permitted and forbidden issues), and with this he was victorious.
Thus, it is definitely correct, specifically on Shavous, for us to be involved in matters of eating and drinking as a remembrance of the activity of Moshe in receiving the Torah (similar to the eating and drinking on Pesach as a remembrance of the original occurrences).
