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Shavuot: Monday,
June 9, 2008 |
Shavuot
- The Biblical commandment to observe Shavuot comes from the Book of Levitcus, the third book of the Torah. The commandment reads, “And you shall count from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven full weeks shall they be; counting fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a cereal offering of new grain to Adonai.” (Leviticus 23:15–17)
- The observance of Shavuot falls on the 6th of Sivan, which in 2008 begins on the evening of Sunday, June 8, and ends at sundown on Monday, June 9.
- The word “Shavuot” means weeks. There are seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot.
- Shavuot is sometimes referred to as Pentacost, because there is a period of 50 days between Passover and Shavuot.
- Another name for Shavuot is Yom Habikkurim, — The Day of the First Fruits. This name refers to the fact that this holiday was originally a wheat harvest festival that occurred on the 50th day after Passover. Israelites brought offerings of the first fruits of their fields to the Temple in Jerusalem.
- Shavuot is one of the three major harvest festivals in the Jewish calendar. These are called the shalosh regalim — three pilgrimage festivals. This name is derived from the fact that one was supposed to bring an offering to the Temple in Jerusalem for each of these three festivals. The other two harvest festivals are Passover (the first one in the Jewish year, and Sukkot, which occurs shortly after Yom Kippur in the fall).
- Yet another name for Shavuot is Zeman Matan Toratenu — The Season of the Giving of Our Torah. This refers to the tradition that the Torah and especially the
Ten Commandments were given to the Israelites at Mount Sinai, and that this coincided with Shavuot.
- After the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E. (Common Era), it was no longer possible to bring any ritual offerings to the Temple. The rabbis emphasized the connection between Shavuot and the giving of the Torah. This is the focus of Shavuot in modern times.
- There are many different customs related to the celebration of Shavuot:
- All-night study in the synagogue, called Tikkun Leil Shavuot — Restoration of Shavuot Eve, originated from a legend that the Israelites overslept on the morning on which they were to receive the Torah. The tradition of staying up all night insures that one will not oversleep on the morning of Shavuot.
- Attending synagogue services. The reading of the Ten Commandments, during which the congregation stands, is one of the highlights of the Shavuot service.
- The reading of the Biblical Book of Ruth, is another special reading for Shavuot.
The Book of Ruth is set in Biblical times during the wheat harvest, the period we now celebrate as Shavuot.
- Confirmation of teenagers who have continued their studies after their bar/bat mitzvah ceremonies. Confirmation services are generally held on the first morning of Shavuot, with the students leading a service they themselves have prepared.
- Eating dairy products. This tradition is linked to the Biblical verse “And He gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
- Decorating homes and synagogues with flowers and greenery. A legend teaches that when the Israelites arrived at Mt. Sinai to receive the Law, they found the area to be very fertile, with lush greenery and flowers. This is the reason that many synagogues decorate the sanctuary with leaves and flowers for Shavuot services.
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The Ten Commandments
According to Jewish Tradition
- I am the Lord your God, Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.
- You shall have no gods other than Me.
- You shall not take the name of your Lord in vain.
- You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy.
- Honor your father and mother.
- You shall not kill.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his bull, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.
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Special Recipes for Shavuot
Eastern European Jews (Ashkenazic Jews) generally eat cheese blintzes, strudel, kreplach, sweet noodle pudding (lokshen), borscht with sour cream, and cheese cake during Shavuot. Sephardic Jews (Jews from the Near East, Spain, and Portugal) eat filas, sambousak with cheese, milk puddings like sutlach, and various pastries.
For Shavuot recipes, see the Jewish Heritage Web site recipe page for Shavuot.
See also Rabbi David’s Tastes of Childhood — Noodles and Cheese for Shavuot.
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