I would like to depart from the traditional email shiur that we send out and offer you all a worksheet to be used for your learning on Shavuot.

With all of the interesting aspects of Shavuot I find that one element is not treated with as much attention as needed. The korbanot of Shavuot are very unique and need to be understood.

The Korbanot-

Please see the following sources:

Vayikra 23:15-22 http://www.mechon-mamre.org/i/t/t0323.htm

Bamidbar 28:26-31 http://www.mechon-mamre.org/i/t/t0428.htm

These are the basic pesukim that describe the communal korbanot of the day. Are the two parshiot describing the same thing? How many of each type of animal are meant to be brought according to the pesukim in Emor and how many according to the pesukim in Pinchas?

	Emor	Pinchas
Bulls
Rams
Sheep
Goats

See Menachot 45b, http://www.mechon-mamre.org/b/l/l5204.htm  The gemara suggests two solutions to the apparent contradiction between the pesukim, which one seems more likely?

In addition to the list above there are two more sheep that are brought as a Shelamim. Where else do we have a communal korban shelamim? What is the special status of such a korban? See mishna Zevachim 5:5 http://www.mechon-mamre.org/b/h/h51.htm

Please see the entire perek 23 in Vayikra paying close attention to the exact korbanot that are mentioned. How is Shavuot unique in this list?

The Shtai Halechem-

See

What are the shtai halechem made out of? The Torah states explicitly that they must be chametz, why is this stressed? How many other menachot are chametz and what can we learn from this?

The Korbanot and the Shtai Halechem-

See the Rambam in Timidim Umusafim perek 8 http://www.mechon-mamre.org/i/8608.htm What is the connection between the korbanot and the shtai halechem? What happens if I have just one or the other? Which one is more important?

The order-

Which korbanot shuld be brought first the ones relating to korban musaf mentioned in Pionchas or the ones relating to the shtai halechem in Emor? How does the rule of “Tadir Vesheno Tadir- Tadir Kodem” (the more common is done first) fit into the equation?

(See Minchat Chinuch Mitzva 307: 11)

The Goat-

Please read all of Bamidbar 28-29 and pay special attention to the different types of korbanot. The Torah lists a certain amount of bulls, rams and sheep that must be brought as an olah. For each and every holiday there is in addition a goat brought as a chatat. Note the description used by Shavuot as opposed to all other days. What can we learn from here? See the wonderful comment of the Yerushalmi http://www.mechon-mamre.org/b/r/r2604.htm at the very end of Halacha 8 before the mishna “Rav Mesharshera beshem Rav Idi”

Hag Shavuot/ Hag Habikurim-

With what you know about the pattern of the korbanot in Pinchas please reread the korbanot of Shavuot listed in Emor, which are brought with the shtai halechem known as the bikkurim). What can you now say about the nature of Shavuot as Yom Habikurim.

Chag Sameach

Rav Shames