Shavuot
- Pentecost (Shavu’ot) -
The giving of the Torah at Sinai and the giving of the Ruach HaKoddesh to
the Congregation [Sivan 6-7] (Major Holiday)
While not as well known as Passover, Shavuot can be looked at
as a sequel to that holiday, and an important one in and of itself. Shavuot
takes place fifty days after the first day of Passover, and is also known as
Pentecost, (literally meaning "fifty").
Not originally associated with any historical event in the Torah, it was originally
purely a harvest-related holiday. Prior to the destruction of the Temple in
70 CE, worshippers would bring baskets of the "first fruits of the harvest." When
the temple was destroyed, that practice ceased (though in some communities
today, Jews still bring food or plants to the local community leader or rabbi).
At some point after that, Shavuot took on new meaning, commemorating the time
that the Jewish people first received the Torah.
Customs
To many Jews, Shavuot is the most significant of all Jewish holy days. There
is generally a festive meal with candle-lighting and prayers, and some people
decorate their homes with flowers and green plants.
In synagogues, there are special Yiskor (memorial) services on the second
day of Shavuot.
Traditionally we eat dairy dishes during the holiday. There are many different
reasons given for this, but it is probably to mark the origins of the kashrut
laws. Other special foods prepared and eaten at this time are tall cakes, extra-long
loaves of challah (to represent wheat offerings at the temple) and fruit (particularly
the seven species of Israel described in the Torah: wheat, barley, vine, fig,
pomegranate, olive and date.).
Many Jews have revived the Kabbalist custom, known as Tikkun leil
Shavuot, of staying up all night on the first night of Shavuot studying
the Ten Commandments. These all-nighters, which began in the 16th century,
recall and reaffirm the covenant at Mt. Sinai between God and the Jewish
people.
Shavuot Links
Links to external websites do not necessarily reflect the views of the
Congregation Sha'arey Yeshua, and we are not responsible for the contents of those sites.
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