In ancient times, during the springtime holiday of Shavuot, the first fruits of the harvest were offered up in the Temple in Jerusalem.

The holiday of Shavuot also celebrates the giving of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) at Mount Sinai. One legend says that when God gave the Torah at Mount Sinai, no bird twittered, no cow mooed, the whole world was silent to hear the words of the Ten Commandments.

Some say eating dairy is a metaphor for studying Torah — Torah nourishes the soul as milk nourishes the body. Plus, many animals give extra milk during spring when Shavuot occurs! Others like to think of the connection between Moses and the Israelites traveling to the Land of Israel, long known as the “land of milk and honey.”

To learn more about Shavuot traditions, listen to these podcast episodes:

And read these stories: