Unpack layers of Biblical and rabbinic text to understand the inner mechanics of this sometimes-overlooked but super-important holiday.

The Talmud quotes Rav Yosef who said about Shavuot: “If not for this day, how many Yosefs would wander the market?”

An overview of some the unique customs associated with the holiday of Shavuot, along with their practical reasons and spiritual explanations.

The Jewish people may be called the People of the Book; but why do Jewish homes have so many Torah books? And what makes a book a holy Sefer?

Simple-to-follow instructions on how to light the Shabbat candles.

How a gentile woman from a despised nation becomes the paradigm of virtue.

Discover the 6 steps of spiritual preparation the Jewish People observed at Mt. Siani, over a six-day period prior to the Giving of the Torah, and how you can take these spiritual steps today, as our ancestors did more than 3,300 years ago.

A short overview of the customs and meaning of the holiday of Shavuot, celebrating the giving of the Torah.

Ask any child what we celebrate on Shavuot, and the obvious answer is the giving of the Torah at Sinai; yet the Torah makes no mention of it. How do we make sense of this glaring omission?

Every manufacturer creates a manual. What is the manual for life?

A virtuous heroine. A wicked villain. It’s the ancient, true story of Queen Esther, brought vividly to life in a delightfully educational way.

Study the daily lesson of Sefer HaMitzvos for day 34 with Rabbi Mendel Kaplan, where he teaches the mitzvah in-depth with added insight and detail.

A taste of Shazak Parsha, where the weekly Torah portion comes alive! Geared for kids... Great for adults!

What to do and which blessings to recite when called up for an aliyah at the Torah reading.

Every seven years, on the holiday of Sukkot, every single Jew would gather in Jerusalem and listen to the king read from the Torah. Why was this so special and how is it relevant today?

Jono speaks to the American people about his "Moses '08" presidential campaign, which was first introduced in the Tzivos Hashem Kids! Magazine.

Take an exciting trip back in time to the court of King Ahasuerus and his beautiful Jewish wife Queen Esther as you watch the dramatic story of the Jewish victory over Persian persecution. (Please be advised this video may be too graphic for younger kids.)

We are still “married” to our ideals and spiritual vision; we simply need to be reunited with our true, inner selves.

The "taamim" (cantillation notes) used for reading the Ten Commandments differ when read alone than when read communally in the synagogue. What is the meaning of this special version of musical notes?

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman provides a first entry into authentic and practical Jewish meditation. Taking us step by step through the words of the first morning prayer, providing imagery and concepts for mindful focus.

How do you explain and make the Ten Commandments relevant to children? Watch how Rabbi Manis Friedman explains them in a fresh way so that even a puppet could understand.

The Jewish wedding is a spiritual and uplifting experience. Learn more about the Jewish wedding, what to expect, and a bit about the inner dimension of the Jewish marriage ceremony.

Every manufacturer creates a manual. What is the manual for life?

Unpack layers of Biblical and rabbinic text to understand the inner mechanics of this sometimes-overlooked but super-important holiday.

Each holiday has its special mitzvah that is unique to the respective festival (like shofar on Rosh Hashana, matzah on Passover etc.). Yet, it seems we don’t find in the Torah any particular mitzvah for Shavuot?!

Shavuot, when we received the Torah at Sinai, is the culmination of the Exodus on Passover. Yet, on Passover we stay clear of the smallest amount of chometz, but on Shavuot two loaves of leavened bread were offered in the Holy Temple.

The giving of the Torah reconciles the dichotomy in everything and reveals the unifying essence in both the spiritual and the material.

If one had a disturbingly ominous dream, Halachah allows one to fast even on a Sabbath or Festival – notwithstanding the obligation to feast on these days – since the person is distressed over his dream, he would derive 'pleasure' from fasting and not from eating. The one exception to the rule is Shavuot—the Festival of the Giving of the Torah. On Shavuot one must eat! This appears strange, given that all the other festivals celebrate a physical, bodily salvation, whereas Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah—a profoundly spiritual event?! The answer explores the nature of pleasure and the essence of Shavuot. (Likutei Sichos vol. 23 pp. 27)

In the Talmud, there is a dispute between the sages as to what date the Torah was given at Sinai. According to one opinion, Moses added an extra day of preparation before the giving of the Torah. How could Moses depart from G-d's timeline?

Ask any child what we celebrate on Shavuot, and the obvious answer is the giving of the Torah at Sinai; yet the Torah makes no mention of it. How do we make sense of this glaring omission?

An overview of some the unique customs associated with the holiday of Shavuot, along with their practical reasons and spiritual explanations.

The Mitzvah ATM is about to dispense the Torah in honor of the holiday of Shavuot. One snag, though: It wants trustworthy guarantors...

A short overview of the customs and meaning of the holiday of Shavuot, celebrating the giving of the Torah.

Understanding the nature of differing opinions in Torah, and how the Halachic ruling does not favor one view and reject the other, but rather unites them both.

In explaining why the sacrifices that a Jew was obligated to offer in the Temple in honor of Shavuos were not offered on the holyday itself but during the weekdays which follow, this class offers insight into the nature of G-d’s choice of the Children of Israel.

Many reasons are suggested to explain why we eat dairy foods on Shavuot. Of all the classic reasons offered, the one that appears to be the simplest is strangely absent. This class will explain why, and in so do doing will address the great mission of the Jewish people that began at Sinai. (Based in part on Likutei Sichos vol. 8, Naso 3)

Rabbi Yosef, the Talmud relates, would celebrate Shavuot, the Festival of the Giving of the Torah, with a unique banquet. The puzzling statement he said in connection with the feast is the subject of this class. Probing the layers of the Sage’s words reveals startling new depth to our appreciation of G-d’s most precious gift. (Based on Likutei Sichos volume 16)

Associating dairy-delicacies with the annual celebratory observance of Matan Torah (giving of the Torah) seems as natural as blintzes and sour cream; yet the origins of this near ubiquitous custom appear artificial and even contradictory to the mandated holiday meat menu. Mixing medieval manuscripts with contemporary clarification, a sweet and fruitful medley of delightful insight, rhyme and reason emerges. See how a desire to flavor Shavuot with a taste of times bygone set “Milky Way” customs into orbit and how to best balance this curious minhag with the Halacha!

Discover the 6 steps of spiritual preparation the Jewish People observed at Mt. Siani, over a six-day period prior to the Giving of the Torah, and how you can take these spiritual steps today, as our ancestors did more than 3,300 years ago.

Though not the majority opinion, there is an important school of thought that perceives the five days following Shavuot as an organic continuation of the holiday – a curious prolongation of hallowed time not found anywhere else in our Jewish calendar. The source for this unique convention seems rooted in the Talmud, yet its logic seems less than ironclad. The Rebbe provides a fresh and deeply insightful perspective on the essence of Shavuot itself that ultimately sheds illumination and clarity about the unusual expansion of the holiday’s broadened circumference.

Explore the earliest sources for why we stay up all night on Shavuot to learn Torah, and discover the real reason for this seemingly misunderstood custom.

Shavuos celebrates the Giving of the Torah at Sinai. Jews in every generation gather to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments, for on this day they receive renewed strength in their mission to brighten G-d’s world.

Study some of the highlights of the weekly Torah portion with insights from various commentaries.

Why Ezekiel’s vision of the “divine chariot” is the chosen haftorah reading on Shavuos, when it would appear that other scriptural passages that refer directly to the giving of the Torah would make a more appropriate choice, inasmuch as Ezekiel makes no such reference at all! (Based on Likkutei Sichos, vol. 33, p. 18.)

Study some of the highlights of the weekly Torah portion with insights from various commentaries.

A lively discussion of what happened at Mount Sinai when G-d gave the Torah to the Jews. In American Sign Language.

Study the daily lesson of Sefer HaMitzvos for day 52 with Rabbi Mendel Kaplan, where he teaches the mitzvah in-depth with added insight and detail.

The Jewish people studied Torah and observed its precepts long before they actually became obligated in them at Sinai. Moreover, the Ten Commandments were composed largely of laws already commanded to the non-Jewish world. What, then, was so important about the giving of the Torah at Sinai?

“On the second day Netanel Ben Tzuar, the prince of Yissachar, offered. He offered his sacrifice ." (Numbers 7:18-19) Why is the word "offered" (hikriv) written twice? Also, why in the second time it's written is it missing a yud? Discover the connection between the missing yud and the holiday of Shavuot which celebrates the giving of the Torah.

Learn the symbolism in the 3 names of the holiday, which relate to the giving of the Torah, the weeks of counting the Omer, and the new harvest.

How a gentile woman from a despised nation becomes the paradigm of virtue.

Master educator, Rabbi Nochum Kaplan talks about his new book, The Education Imperative, sharing insightful guidance to parents and educators from the Rebbe.

Each of us has unique qualities and that is what makes our nation whole—as illustrated in the tribal leaders’ role in the greater community.

Why don't we all write our own Torah scrolls as mandated by the Torah?

Three people who empower us to live as Jews should—unconstrained by the struggles of life.

Why the best person to advise you about life is someone fully immersed in Torah study.

Why G-d created the original tongs—a lesson in spiritual growth.

The Jewish people may be called the People of the Book; but why do Jewish homes have so many Torah books? And what makes a book a holy Sefer?

How a person can unravel spiritually and what we can do to help them.

Analysis of the way the Rambam describes the special joy on Sukkos accentuates how doing Judaism with joy is a big deal.

From the mishnah stating to run to do a mitzvah we learn three levels of enthusiasm for mitzvahs we should all aspire to.

Join this live broadcast of the grand Lag B’Omer parade at Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters in New York, where thousands of Jewish children are gathering for this special event.

Prayer and counting the Omer share the unique power to change reality.

Can you really love every Jew like yourself? Explore two similar statements on Ahavat Yisrael by Rabbi Akiva and Hillel.

Why spiritually advanced people have to learn not to "devour" their fellow Jews.

The Shabbat prior to Passover is known as Shabbat HaGadol, the big Shabbat, because of the big miracle that took place. Delve into this miracle on five levels.

The ironic names of the double Parsha Tazria-Metzora teaches us that every mitzvah seeds the spectacular spiritual reality of Moshiach's times.

In this class, we embark on a literary journey into the backstory of the biblical terminology used for Matzah, the unleavened bread we’re commanded to consume on Pesach. We discover the deeper messages kneaded into hallowed Torah etymology about the hasti

This class focuses on Matzah—step eight of the fifteen that comprise the Pesach Seder. Join for our analysis of the big-ticket item on the Seder menu, addressing its origin of obligation. Is it about the sacred consumption of a unique mitzvah food, or is

In this Megillah class, you’ll learn about: law and order proclaimed, the making of a Jewish prime minister, and how a switch of style triggered citywide celebrations!

What is the essence of freedom and what are the steps we need to take to find our freedom?

Should we narrate the tale of the Exodus or discuss the laws surrounding the Passover sacrifice during the Seder night?

With unique insights gleaned from manuscript versions of the Mishneh Torah, held at the Bodleian Libary, Oxford, and the Tanya, preserved at the British Library.