It was 3451 years ago today . . .
on Jun 13, 2005 at 6:07 am
Today is the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. Shavuot traditionally signaled the conclusion of the seven weeks of the grain harvest, but in modern times has become more commonly known as a commemeration of God’s “giving” the Ten Commandments to the Israelites on this date, the sixth day of the month of Sivan. (Exodus chapter 20 reports that God first spoke the words of the Ten Commandments — before they were inscribed on the famous tablets — but there is some biblical uncertainty whether God spoke to the people directly, or through Moses as an intermediary. As with all great constitutional texts, the uncertainty is the result of ambiguous text — in this case, the words of the immediately preceding verse (Exodus 19:25). As one might imagine, substantial debate continues to rage about original intent and plain meaning.)
What has all this to do with the subject of this blog? Well, it’s prompted by Professor Howard Friedman, who wondered on his blog whether the Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court would demonstrate an “exquisite sense of timing” by issuing decisions in the pending Ten Commandments cases on Shavuot.
What are the odds that any of the Justices is even aware of the fact that today is the sixth of Sivan? It’s not too inconceivable, perhaps — it wouldn’t take but one knowledgable Justice or law clerk to make the timing well-known throughout the Court. What are the odds that McCreary County and Van Orden will be issued today? Probably about one in five — unless of course the Court (or the author of one of the opinions, anyway) is timing the decision to coincide with Shavuot. And, if that’s the case, then what are the odds that an opinion mentions Shavuot? A long shot, no doubt, but stranger things have happened . . . .
[UPDATE: Never mind. Alas, no decision today.]
