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Why is there no Mitzvas Hayom on Shavuos (For example, on Sukkos there is a commandment of shaking the Lulav, on Rosh Hashanh one must blow the Shofar, on Purim one must read the Meggilah, on Chanukah on must light the Menorah, etc.)?

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    To be uniform I would word the question using examples that are all Hagim midoraisa.
    – Yahu
    May 21, 2010 at 3:20
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    On Shavuos we bring the Shtei haLechem and associated sheep.
    – Double AA ♦
    May 13, 2013 at 2:39
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    learning torah that day is the big mitzva of shavuos. many stay up all night to do this
    – ray
    Aug 28, 2013 at 5:02
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    @ray minhag not mitzvah to stay up to learn
    – Laser123
    Apr 21, 2017 at 22:07

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Well, there were plenty of unique mitzvot in the time of the Beit Hamikdash, like bringing the shtei halekhem, bikurim, and of course the last of the omer. There are also sources that give the homiletic answer of Shavuot being the end of Pesach, like Shmini Atzeret is the end of Sukkot. S"A also has no stand-alone mitzvot. It is interesting that b'zman hazeh, we associate both with Torah: Matan Torah and Simchat Torah.

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An answer from Chabad.org (I assume based on some talk or letter by the Lubavitcher Rebbe zt"l, although I haven't found the specific one) is that this demonstrates that the Torah is not just a set of laws superimposed on an existing world (i.e., that there exists a natural reality which Torah comes to regulate), but that on the contrary, the purpose of all of existence is for the sake of the Torah and its mitzvos. Thus,

Each year on Shavuot, when we re-experience Sinai, we show our appreciation for Torah through normal eating and celebrating—without any special rules. For the Torah does not introduce a new reality, but rather sheds light, purpose and sanctity into everything that is already here now. Even cheesecake.

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Rivevos Ephraim 5:349 asks this question and answers in 6:284 that shavuos the Torah was given and all mitzvos are applicable on it(the mitzvah of shavous is keeping the Torah) other Yom tovim have specific mitzvos pertaining to itself.

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  • What do you mean "all mitzvos are applicable on it"? This obviously doesn't mean that we sit in a sukkah and eat matza on shavuos!
    – Double AA ♦
    May 13, 2013 at 2:36
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    No it means the Torah is the theme and we were commanded for all mitzvos on it.
    – sam
    May 13, 2013 at 2:38
  • He asks it in one place and then answers it somewhere else?
    – Hacham Gabriel
    Aug 27, 2013 at 13:52
  • Exactly,in chelek 5 is question and in 6is the answer
    – sam
    Aug 27, 2013 at 16:41

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