On the second day of Shavuot, we read this passage commanding male Jews to make a pilgrimage on each of the three pilgrimage festivals and bring an offering (Sefer Hamitzvot 53:1) involving celebration, joy and being seen (Sefer Hachinuch). The passage expands on the similar command in Exodus 23, connecting it specifically to “the place that God will choose”, the Temple in Jerusalem.
In the case of Shavuot which has no fixed date, it is to be observed as the “Feast of Weeks” after counting 50 days from after the first part of the Pesach festival.
What was the function of this pilgrimage and to what extent are we, living in the diaspora, able to replicate it? Outside Israel, we observe the festival for an additional day, known as Yom Tov Sheni Shel Galuyot (“the Second Festival Day in the Diaspora”).
This was originally because the calendar depended on witness testimony of the new moon sent from Israel and we couldn’t reliably know when the new month was declared. Due to this uncertainty, the people kept two days to be sure.
Even after the fixed calendar was established in the 4th century CE, the practice remained as binding tradition, cemented as far back as the Talmud itself based on the principle: “Be careful to maintain the customs of your ancestors" (Beitza 4b-5a).
As Israel and the diaspora are increasingly interconnected, many challenge the need for this additional day in diaspora communities.
While the original logic is no longer relevant, the practice was embedded irrespective of its original purpose. Many argue that the custom serves to extend immersion in Jewish time, creating “sacred space” in non-Jewish environments, where Jewish life is a minority experience and that it reinforces communal cohesion by giving people time to spend gathering, praying and eating together.
This argument seems pertinent in these times when we feel particularly vulnerable. Many modern thinkers now see the second day of Yom Tov as a feature, not a bug of diaspora Judaism: it extends time, deepens practice, and reinforces the distinctiveness that helps minority identities endure.
This may well be true but, for me, the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, so central to these festivals, cannot be underestimated. Even as travel to Israel may be limited at times, we are reminded of the importance of that connection. Historically, when it has been limited, additional measures have been required to strengthen our identity.
In these complex times we must make the most of these opportunities but also remember that our connection to Israel is sustained primarily but by relationship born of experiences. The three annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem were exactly that – an injection of spirituality and intense connection to sustain the Jewish people throughout the year.
To get more from judaism, click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.