It is customary to eat dairy food on Shavuot. Everything from cheese blintzes to lasagna to cheesecake makes this festival a delight for dairy lovers!
Why do Jews eat dairy on Shavuot?
Various reasons are given for the custom of eating dairy food on Shavuot.
- Jews were given the laws of kashrut (kosher dietary laws) when they were given the Torah on Mount Sinai. Before the Israelites received the Torah, they did not keep kosher. After they received the Torah, they began to keep kosher. While they were in the Sinai desert, they did not have the utensils needed to prepare kosher meat. Thus, Jews initially ate dairy food after receiving the Torah.
-
Shavuot is linked to the Exodus and the journey to the Promised Land. It is written in the Bible, "From the misery of Egypt to a country flowing with milk and honey..." (Exodus 3:8-17)
-
Eating dairy food, rather than meat, shows restraint. When the Jewish People accepted the Torah and committed themselves to follow the commandments from God in it, they committed themselves to leading lives with restraints.
Shavuot Recipes
