That’s why on the first evening of the holiday (Thursday night this year), synagogues across the world have what’s called Tikkun Leil Shavuot (repairing the Evening of Shavuot). These calendar changes hide a significant element of the first Pentecost: it was Shavuot. The first fruits of the harvest were to be brought before the Lord as an offering and all the men of Israel were to come to the Temple in Jerusalem. The counting reminds us of the important connection between Passover and Shavuot: Passover freed us physically from bondage, but the giving of the Torah on Shavuot redeemed us spiritually from … Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G‑d’s gift, and G‑d “re-gives” the Torah. It is a Shavuot tradition in some synagogues to drape the sanctuary with flowers and greenery during Shavuot as a reminder of the celebration of fruit and grain harvests that the Israelites brought to the Temple in Jerusalem. Although no exact explanation has been given for this custom, several beliefs have circulated on what the greenery represents: Baby Moses' basket, flowers in the desert, harvest and first fruits, and even fragrant speech from God. The word Shavuot means “weeks.” It marks the completion of the seven-week counting period between Passover and Shavuot. SuperStock/Getty Images. Help save a baby's life! Some congregations decorate their sanctuaries or social halls with flower or dried fruit arrangements. It is clear while reading the Bible that festivals to celebrate new harvest was imperative to the arrival of spring, but what is Shavuot and how is it celebrated today? Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G‑d’s gift, and G‑d “re-gives” the Torah. What Is Shavuot and Is it Still Important Today? It is another time we can step away from our busy, me-focused lives and reflect on the loving God who chose to come down to us and gave us life-changing literature we forever have in our lives. Support Option Ultrasound! Shavuot demonstrates that we need to make time for God regularly, remembering what He gave to us not only through the Bible but through His son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. This year, Shavuot 2021 will be celebrated from the evening of May 16th to the evening of May 18th. Today, Shavuot is most widely known as the Jewish holiday that commemorates the day God gave the Torah to the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai, although Biblical references to Shavuot refer only to … People are also supposed to stay up all night the first night of Shavuot reading and learning from the Torah, known as “Tikkun Leil Shavuot.” The reason behind staying up the whole night reading the Torah is to show God the excitement and thankfulness in being given the Torah has not waned these past several thousand years. Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) commemorates the revelation of the Torah on Mt. Two meals are eaten each day of Shavuot: one meal is dairy, ranging from cheese blintzes and cakes to casseroles and quiches; the other meal is a traditional holiday meal. Although Shavuot receives relatively little attention in the US compared to its sister holidays (. All rights reserved. We can't take 1 commandment from the torah and give it intrinsic value. When Shavuot occurs each year, we should reflect and be thankful for what God has given us, especially His Word. During the festival in ancient times, the gifts of two wheat loaves from the new harvest were given to the Holy Temple during Shavuot. Candles are kindled on … We eat dairy foods on Shavuot, to find out the reason read the Jewish Blog of Why . This two-day festival falls, for the Hebrew calendar, on Sivan 6-7, which is the Hebrew month equivalent to May and June. Shavuot is the holiday of Jewish paper-cutting Shavuot is a springtime festival, a period when the earth is coming into full bloom (in the northern hemisphere anyway). And, as we recently discussed, it is the end of the Omer, the counting of the 50 days between the second day of Passover and Shavuot. Shavuot is very special when it comes to the Torah, as Shavuot occurred 3,300 years ago when God gave the Torah to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. Shavuot always falls 50 days after the second night of Passover. For centuries,Shavuot has been recognized as the giving of divine knowledge from the LORD. Shavuot is primarily associated with our joy in receiving the Torah. As the Holy Spirit filled them, they spoke in other tongues. These festivals—Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot—were originally agricultural celebrations that later imbued with historical significance. One day in Israel and two days outside. Shavuot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals in Jewish tradition. This feast, once thought of as only a Church holiday, is actually one of the biblical mo’adim —appointments with God—and is … It is evident why Shavuot is important to Jewish people, as the Torah is how they live their lives every day in honor of God and in thanks for His trusting them with such worthy Scripture. Shavuot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals and a special Sabbath—a day of no work and holy assembly. “And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God,” (Exod. -It is important to have children, even babies, hear the Ten Commandments being read, as the Jewish people promised God, when receiving the Torah, that their guarantors would be their children to cherish and celebrate the Torah from then on. 31:18, NKJV). One Jewish legend recounts that Mount Sinai burst into flower with the giving of the Torah. Why do you pray all night on Shavuot? The custom is not to pray all night, but to study all night. info)) in Ashkenazi usage, (Hebrew: שָׁבוּעוֹת‎, lit. My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help. During the Temple period, the first fruits of the harvest were brought to the Temple, and two loaves of bread made from the new wheat were offered. Why some synagogues use paper-cuts as decorations, how Israelis celebrate with water, and other lesser-known facts about this springtime holiday. … It is associated with the grain harvest in … 6) Shavuot has many names, Shavuot means weeks, marking the fact it is celebrated after 7 weeks. The 5 minhagim of Shavuot and how minhagim, in general, protect the Torah. Shavuot is always the 50th day following the beginning of Passover. Shavuot also marks the time that the Jews were given the Torahon Mount Sinai. Jew spend all night studying Torah make up for the fact that they screwed up and overslept at Sinai. Shavuot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals in Jewish tradition. What Are "Signs and Wonders" of the End Times? Every Jewish holiday falls on a specific day of the month, with one exception: Shavuot, the day on which we accepted the Torah. We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and bring you ads that might interest you. In this article, we’ll dive into what Pentecost is, and why Christians should know about this important event in church history. In Judaism, festivals are ways to commemorate the time of spring and one festival in particular on the Jewish calendar is that of Shavuot, or what you may know it as Pentecost. Decorating homes and synagogues with greenery and flowers is another tradition during Shavuot. Although Shavuot receives relatively little attention in the US compared to its sister holidays (Passover and Sukkot), it is a major Jewish holiday of the same status. Shofar on Rosh Hashana)? The festival is open to all men, women, and children, as the first day of Shavuot has everyone attending the synagogue to hear the Ten Commandments read. Ca n't take 1 commandment from the evening of May 18th Hebrew: שָׁבוּעוֹת‎, lit continues to give year... Giving of divine knowledge from the LORD flower with the giving of divine knowledge from the Torah was given G‑d! 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