In Parshat Emor we encounter a list of the holidays, including Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Pesach, Shavuot and Succot.  With respect to all but one holiday, the Torah states the date of the holiday, followed by the mitzvot associated with that holiday.  For example:

• Pesach:

וּבַֽחֲמִשָּׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֥ר יוֹם֙ לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֔ה חַ֥ג הַמַּצּ֖וֹת לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים מַצּ֥וֹת תֹּאכֵֽלוּ:

And on the fifteenth day of that month is the Festival of Matzot to the Lord; you shall eat matzot for a seven day period.

We are first instructed that Pesach falls on the 15^th of Nissan and then commanded to eat matzot. 

• Succot:

דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֜ר י֗וֹם לַחֹ֤דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי֙ הַזֶּ֔ה חַ֧ג הַסֻּכּ֛וֹת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים לַֽיהֹוָֽה:(ויקרא כג:לג)

וּלְקַחְתֶּ֨ם לָכֶ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הָֽרִאשׁ֗וֹן פְּרִ֨י עֵ֤ץ הָדָר֙ כַּפֹּ֣ת תְּמָרִ֔ים וַֽעֲנַ֥ף עֵֽץ־עָבֹ֖ת וְעַרְבֵי־נָ֑חַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם

שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים (ויקרא כג:לט)

Speak to Bnei Yisrael, saying: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month, is the Festival of Succot, a seven day period to the Lord. (Vayikra 23:33)

And you shall take for yourselves on the first day, the fruit of the hadar tree, date palm fronds, a branch of a braided tree, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for a seven day period. (Vayikra 23:39).

We are first informed that the holiday of Succot is on the 15^th day of the seventh month, and only later instructed to take the daled minim on that day.

• Rosh Hashana:

דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֗דֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶ֤ה לָכֶם֙ שַׁבָּת֔וֹן זִכְר֥וֹן תְּרוּעָ֖ה מִקְרָא־קֹֽדֶשׁ: (כג:כד)

Speak to Bnei Yisrael, saying: In the seventh month, on the first of the month, it shall be a Sabbat for you, a remembrance of [Israel through] the shofar blast a holy occasion. (Vayikra 23:24)

We are first informed of the date of Rosh Hashana and then commanded to blow the shofer on that date. 

However, with respect to the holiday of Shavuot we are instructed of the required actions, waving of the omer, prior to being provided with the date of the holiday.  In fact, no date appears! Rather we are told to count seven weeks in order to declare the holiday and offer the appropriate sacrifice (korban Ha’omer). 

• Shavuot

דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כִּֽי־תָבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֔ם וּקְצַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־קְצִירָ֑הּ וַֽהֲבֵאתֶ֥ם אֶת־עֹ֛מֶר רֵאשִׁ֥ית קְצִֽירְכֶ֖ם אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן:(ויקרא כג:י)

וּסְפַרְתֶּ֤ם לָכֶם֙ מִמָּֽחֳרַ֣ת הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת מִיּוֹם֙ הֲבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם אֶת־עֹ֖מֶר הַתְּנוּפָ֑ה שֶׁ֥בַע שַׁבָּת֖וֹת תְּמִימֹ֥ת תִּֽהְיֶֽינָה: (כג:טו)

Speak to Bnei Yisrael and say to them: When you come to the Land which I am giving you, and you reap its harvest, you shall bring to the kohen an omer of the beginning of your reaping. (Vayikra 23:10)

And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the rest day from the day you bring the omer as a wave offering seven weeks; they shall be complete. (Vayikra 23:15)

In fact, in Parshat Pinchas, when the sacrifices of each holiday are enumerated, Shavuot is presented in a similar manner. 

וּבְי֣וֹם הַבִּכּוּרִ֗ים בְּהַקְרִ֨יבְכֶ֜ם מִנְחָ֤ה חֲדָשָׁה֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה בְּשָֽׁבֻעֹ֖תֵיכֶ֑ם מִקְרָא־קֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כָּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשֽׂוּ (במדבר כח:כו)

On the day of the first fruits, when you offer up a new meal offering to the Lord, on your festival of Weeks; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall not perform any mundane work. (Bamidbar 28:26)

In Parshat Pinchas as well, initially we are informed of the mitzva of the day and only subsequently that it is a holiday and work is prohibited. 

Why is the presentation reversed with respect to Shavuot?  In addition, why is the term ממחרת השבת used?  It has created a controversy among the nation – it would have been much clearer to refer to Pesach rather than Shabbat, so what is the term Shabbat used?  Moreover, we are instructed to waive the Korban – that is not required with all sacrifices.  Why is tnufa required in connection with the sacrifice on Shavuot? 

Infusing the Mundane with Holiness

Rav Eliyahu Blumensweig (V’Hithalachi Bitochechem) offers a significant insight.  Shabbat is declared by God. He created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. The actual date of the other holidays is determined by God as well (although we determine the calendar). However, the holiday of Shavuot is determined by man and his actions.  Perhaps that is why the mitzvot of the day precede its date.  Only once the mitzvot are fulfilled can one arrive at the true essence of the holiday. If one does not perform mitzvot and lacks appreciation of the Torah, the holiday of Shavuot, when the Torah was given to Bnei Yisrael lacks significance. We need to act to sanctify the holiday.  Matan Torah- the giving of the Torah, is only possible with a willing a worthy recipient! 

Shabbat and Pesach – Divine; Shavuot- Mundane

The term used is ממחרת השבת – to highlight the contrast between the holiday of Pesach – like Shabbat, where God’s supernatural powers were evident and the holiday of Shavuot, where we need to infuse holiness into the mundane.  Korban Ha’omer is brought from barley, symbolizing basic food typically eaten by animals (similar sacrifice offered by a Sota), leading up to fruit brought to the Mikdash on Shavuot, which is celebrated by man.   On Pesach we refrain from chametz and eat simple matzah.  On Shavuot, as part of our offering we include Hametz, possibly to underscore man’s required addition to the basic recipe, again symbolizing man’s necessity to act in order to grow and properly receive the Torah. 

Tnufa- Shake Us Up

Whereas on Pesach we witnessed down below miracles from above, the days of the omer require us raise our earthy matters with sanctification.   To transform from passive by-standers to active participants in observing God’s commandments. That is why the Korban Omer undergoes a waving –tnufa– we need to uplift ourselves and our actions to be worthy of receiving the Torah.  May we utilize these seven weeks to properly prepare for Shavuot and truly appreciate the essence of the day.

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