Why do we put out greenery on Shavuos?

Question

Those that have the Minhag to put out greenery in the Shul on Shavuos, why do we do it?

Answer 1

Mishna B'rura 494:10 says it's to remind us of the joy of Sinay (Mount Sinai), around which stuff was growing. Taame Haminhagim 617 cites this from the L'vush.

Magen Avraham 494:5 gives a reason for trees specifically: to remind us to pray for fruit, on which judgment is passed on Shavuos.

Answer 2

The compilation Pardes Eli'ezer lists the following explanations:

• Based on the same L'vush source cited by @msh210, Lechem Sh'lomo says the particular happiness felt upon receiving the Torah owed to their witnessing a desert mountain bloom with plants, which reminded them that even the barren wasteland of their lives of sin had the potential to turn positive again with the reception of the Torah.

• Midrash Talpiyos says R'uven went to collect flowers on the eve of Shavu'os (both happen at the time of the wheat harvest), which resulted ultimately in the birth of Yisachar, whose unique trait is Torah study.

• Chasam Sofer contends that we place fragrant plants around because the words of revealed Torah at Sinai made the world fragrant.

  [...]

Answer 3

I'm giving a Shiur on this on the second night of Shavuos. Here are my notes: (I hope none of you will be at my Shiur. If you do, please don't spoil anything)

The Rama brings down that the Minhag is to spread out grass in the Shuls and houses on Shavuos to remember the Simcha of Matan Torah.

This minhag is already found in the Rishonim from the Maharil (1360 – 1427) who said that they would spread fragrant grass and roses for the Simcha of the regel, and he quoted that the Mahar”i Sega”l did the same. Additionally, the Leket Yosher (1423-1490) quotes that his Rebbe, the Terumas Hadeshen, used to spread grass and fragrant grass on the first day of Shavuos in the morning. (1) The Chid”a writes in Birkei Yosef that this there is a remez to this Minhag going all the way back to the Targum Sheini on Megillas Esther 3:8 (according to some Sefer I found on Otzar Hachochmah, Targum Sheini was written in the mid-500s) who writes that Haman told Achashverosh as part of his complaint about the Jewish people that they spread grass on Shavuos.

(1.5) Targum Sheini says that Haman that Haman told Achashverosh as he was going through all the terrible things that we did on our Yomim Tovim that on Shavuos we would go to Shul, Daven Shema and Shemonah Esrei, read the Torah and do Haftara with Targum, curse the king, break his rule, and go up to the roof of the Shul and throw flowers and apples and then gather them and say that the same way that we gathered these flowers and apples, Hashem should gather us from among the gentiles. (This could potentially be a derababan issur of me’amer – bundling according to some opinions)

The Nodeh Biyehuda (YD Tinyana 161) mentions that Tosfos in Avoda Zarah 33b d”h כסי learns from Haman’s Midrashic discussion of what the Jews did with wine Achashversoh touched that Hadacha three times works because the Jews would do Hadacha three times. Normally we don’t learn out Halachos from Aggados which are just there to give us mussar and teach us various lessons, and we definitely wouldn’t learn out Halachos from Haman, however, here all that’s happening is that he is documenting what the Jews did and there’s no problem with that.

(2) The Maharil writes that we spread the fragrant grass and roses as a Zecher for the Simcha of the regel.

(2.5) The Rama writes similar, but not exactly the same, that it’s for the Simcha of Matan Torah.

(3) The Levush explains that it’s because grass grew around Har Sinai. (4) The Alshich explains that the Passuk says that Reuven picked the dudaim “בימי קציר חטים”. What does that have to do with anything? The same way that Pesach is the time for harvesting barley, it makes sense that Shavuos is the time for harvesting wheat, which would fit with the Korban. As such, it appears that Reuven must have picked the dudaim on Erev Shavuos so “לכן ישכב עמך הלילה תחת דודאי בנך” must be Shavuos night. That is why Yissachar was born that night, he is referred to as ben chamishi as a remez to chamusha chumshei Torah. (Makes it interesting that the Arizal says not to be together with one’s wife on Shavuos. Based on this Alshich it would seem like one should specifically be with their wife on Shavuos. Nitei Gavriel quotes the Yefeh Lev Chelek Hei 494:7 that it was actually Leah’s leil tevillah).

(I haven’t looked into it enough but it’s also possible that Moshe’s conception was Shavuos because that’s nine months before 7 Adar. This wouldn’t fit with the Midrashim that he was born 3 months early, but I’m not sure if that’s a problem.)

(5) I saw another potential source beshaim a Talmid of the Chassam Sofer in his Sefer Lekutei Chaver Ben Chaim that a is the Gemara in Shabbos which says that by each of the dibur that came from Hashem the world filled with fragrant spices, so we spread fragrant spices as a Zecher.

(6) I also saw beshaim the Kemach Soles that “והדת ניתנה בשושן” is meramez that the דת – Torah, was given בשושן – with roses.

(7) The Yefeh Leleiv (Os 7) writes that Rashi on Tehillim 45:1 writes that the Mizmor “למנצח על ששנים” was written lekavod the Talmidei Chachamim who are as soft as roses, beautiful as roses, and whose deeds are as fresh as roses.

(8) The Bnei Yissaschar explains that there’s a Midrash Rabah (Vayikra Rabbah 23:3) that brings a Mashal to a king who found that his entire field was covered in thorns. He was going to destroy the whole thing until he found a rose growing in it, which he smelled and enjoyed. Then he said, “because of this rose, I’m going to save the whole vineyard”. So too, Hashem was going to destroy the world after 26 generations until he found Bnei Yisrael who said naaseh venishmah and Hashem said, because of this rose, the Bnei Yisrael, I will save the whole world. (Interestingly na’aseh venishmah is Shemos 24:7, which can hint that this has to guide our lives 24/7)

(9) The Bnei Yissaschar suggests another Peshat that the sense of smell was the only sense that wasn’t ruined by the chet of the eitz hada’as and on Shavuos we went back to being fully spiritual beings, having undone the eitz hada’as and the sense of smell was on the highest level, having never been tainted.

(10) I saw beshaim Rav Mordechai Benet (brought down in Pardes Yosef Shemos end of 2:3) that the reason we spread grass (not necessarily fragrant in many of the sources) is because Moshe was born on Zayin Adar and he was hidden for 3 months and then placed “בסוף על־שפת היאר” – “among the reeds by the bank of the Nile”, which works out Shavuos.

(11-13) The Chassam Sofer (Drashos) breaks it into parts. We put out things that smell nice based on (Taanis 29b) “ויאמר ראה ריח בני כריח שדה אשר ברכו ה׳ אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל בר שילת משמיה דרב כריח שדה של תפוחים:” Tosfos 88a on the Gemara “אמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא: מאי דכתיב ״כתפוח בעצי היער וגו׳״ — למה נמשלו ישראל לתפוח, לומר לך: מה תפוח זה פריו קודם לעליו, אף ישראל הקדימו ״נעשה״ ל״נשמע״.” Explains that Tapuach is an Esrog. Since at the time of maatan Torah we were compared to an Esrog which is known for its smell, we put out things that smell good.

(See there for two more parts #1 - We spread grass on the floor based on (Tehillim 47:4) “ידבר עמים תחתינו ולאמים תחת רגלינו” – “He subjects peoples to us, sets nations at our feet.” And (Tehillim 92:8) “בפרח רשעים כמו עשב ויציצו כל־פעלי און להשמדם עדי־עד” – “though the wicked sprout like grass, though all evildoers blossom, it is only that they may be destroyed forever.” Shabbos 89b writes “דאמר רבי אבהו: ״הר סיני״ שמו. ולמה נקרא ״הר חורב״ — שירדה חורבה לאומות העולם עליו.” So on Har Sinai we were elevated and the other nations are under our feet. Also #2 – that we decorate the Beis Medresh with greenery because ירק is Gematriah 310…)

(14) The Magen Avraham actually writes that the Minhag is to put out trees. The Magen Avraham gives the reason that on Shavuos we are judged on fruits of the tree so this will remind us to Daven for them.

Some suggest that based on the Magen Avraham it should have to be fruit bearing trees. However, the Siach Yitzchak explains that because of the Issur to cut fruit bearing trees they avoided the whole thing and used barren trees which is still a Remez. (Some hold that there is even an Issur to cut the branches of fruit trees. See Piskei Teshuvos 494 footnote 60. He quotes the Mishneh Lamelech Issurei Mizbeach 7:3 in the name of the Be’er Sheva. The Mishneh Lamelach himself argues there but many others agree with the Be’er Sheva.)

(15) Lekutei Chaver Ben Chaim brings another reason: that it’s a Zecher for Matan Torah (Tehillim 29:5) – “קול י-הו-ה שבר ארזים וישבר י-הו-ה את־ארזי הלבנון”.

(16) Sha’ar Yissachar writes in the name of Rav Chaim Elazar from Munkatch that the reason is based on the Zohar (Emor 96a) “וביום (במדבר כ״ח:כ״ו) הבכורים בהקריבכם מנחה חדשה ליי' בשבועותיכם מקרא קדש יהיה לכם וגו'. רבי שמעון פתח, (דברי הימים א ט״ז:ל״ג) אז ירננו עצי היער מלפני יי' כי בא לשפוט את הארץ.”

(17) The Chassam Sofer in Drashos says that אילן is Gematriah 91 which is Shem Havaya (26) plus Adon-ai (65). This includes not just those who learn Torah (and are like the trees that give fruit) but also those that support Torah and in the future they too will give fruit as the Passuk in Yechezkel (36:8) says “ואתם הרי ישראל ענפכם תתנו ופריכם תשאו לעמי ישראל כי קרבו לבוא” – “But you, O mountains of Israel, shall yield your produce and bear your fruit for My people Israel, for their return is near.” We learn out from this that in the future even the barren trees will give fruit.

There is a story with the Chassam Sofer’s canopy made out of branches and the Gabbai who didn’t make it one year. In Chut Hameshulash it says that the Chassam Sofer got very angry at him and he didn’t live out the year. However, Tzenah Malei Sefarim says that Chas Veshalom that the Chassam Sofer would make someone die. Instead, his house burned down and the Chassam Sofer said “You took away my house, so Hashem took away yours, Hashem was שפך חמתו על עצים ואבנים.

Answer 4

Perhaps it is because Torah represents growth. Am Yisrael is compared to a rose (Canticles 2:2), which is a type of plant, and the Zohar states that Yisrael ve'Oraita Chad Hu - Israel and Torah are a singular entity. Plants grow, and roses are included in plants. The fact that Israel is a plant means that the Torah is a plant. The Torah is also referred to as a tree - etz chayim hee, which is further proof to this. The Torah wants us to grow spiritually, and (IMHO) Ma'amad Har Sinai is a religious experience that we should associate with spiritual growth.