OU HOLIDAYS YU TORAH and NAALEH.COM Propitious Prayer By Shira Smiles

Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein Among all our holidays, Shavuot has the unique distinction of not having any specific positive commandment associated with its observance. While Pesach has the eating of matzah, for example, and Sukkot has the lulav and etrog, we have no symbolic mitzvah associated with Shavuot. True, men have taken on the custom of being immersed in the study of Torah all night, but this is not a Torah mandate, and certainly doesn’t apply to women (although women may choose to study all night as well). Shavuot, then, is closely associated with tefillah/prayer, as prayer is the means through which we show our desire for Torah.