SIVAN
Table of Contents
About
the festival and its names
In the synagogue
At home
Traditional foods
About
the festival and its names
Beginning
on the 6th of the
month of Sivan, Shavuot is the third of the three pilgrimage festivals
when the Israelites were enjoined to offer as a sacrifice a tithe of their
produce. Shavuot is celebrated at the conclusion of the counting of the
Omer, seven weeks (hence its name, which is Hebrew for "weeks")
after Passover.
Note:
"And
you shall count for yourselves from the morrow after the Sabbath, from
the day that you brought the Omer of the wave offering; seven complete
sabbaths shall there be, to the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall
you number fifty days..." (Leviticus 23:15-16). In
English, Shavuot is called Pentecost, meaning fiftieth (i.e., the fiftieth
day after Passover). The interpretation of the words "on the morrow of
the Sabbath" was a subject of controversy between the Pharisees and the
Sadducees (sects during the second Temple period); the interpretation
of the former has been accepted, i.e., the Sabbath refers to the first
day of Passover.
In
the Bible, the holiday is also called Hag ha-Kazir (Harvest
Festival) as it coincides with the end of the barley harvest and the beginning
of the wheat harvest. Another name is Hag ha-Bikkurim (Festival
of the First Fruits) because on this day the first fruits of the wheat
harvest were brought to the Temple in Jerusalem.
Note:
The
Mishnah (compiled 2nd cent.) gives a vivid description of how the first
fruits were brought to the Temple on this festival, to the accompaniment
of singing and dancing, the playing of instruments and beating of drums
(Mishnah Bikkurim 3).
In addition to its
agricultural significance, the holiday has a religious significance as
the day of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. This holiday thus becomes
a time for affirming the acceptance of religious obligations and of reaffirming
our covenant with God.
Shavuot is celebrated for two days in the Diaspora and for one day among
Reform Jews and in Israel.In addition to its agricultural significance,
the holiday has a religious significance as the day of the giving of the
Law on Mount Sinai. This holiday thus becomes a time for affirming the
acceptance of religious obligations and of reaffirming our covenant with
God.
Shavuot is celebrated for two days in the Diaspora and for one day among
Reform Jews and in Israel.
In
the synagogue
The
home and synagogue are customarily decorated with flowers, plants, and
greenery, reflecting the agricultural aspect of the festival. Hallel (Psalms
of Praise) is recited at the morning services. The experience of divine
revelation at Sinai is relived by reading a special Torah reading, which
describes the people's receiving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai (Exodus
19 and 20). On the second day, the reading (Deut. 15:19-16:17) includes
a description of the three pilgrimage festivals - Sukkot, Passover and
Shavuot.
On the first day of Shavuot, a special liturgical poem (Akdamut)
praising God's majesty, is recited at the morning service, before the
Torah reading. The Book of Ruth is also read, because it mentions the
barley and wheat harvests, and also because it relates how the heroine,
Ruth the Moabite, embraces the religion of Israel.
Note:
There is also a tradition that King David was born and died on Shavuot.
Because David descended from Ruth, it was seen as appropriate to read
the Book of Ruth on this festival.
Under
the influence of the Kabbalah, it became customary to spend the entire
night of the holiday studying Biblical and rabbinic texts (tikkun
leyl Shavuot).[4] This may take place in the synagogue
or at private homes.
Note:
Although the custom of studying texts through the night originated earlier,
the tikkun for the night of Shavuot was introduced by mystic
Shelomo Alkabez and his circle of 16th-cent. kabbalists in Salonika.
At
home
On the evening of the second night of Shavuot, a yahrzheit
memorial candle is lit in memory of one's deceased loved ones. It is also
customary to decorate the home with flowers, plants and other greenery,
reflecting the agricultural aspect of the festival.
Traditional foods
Blintzes,
cheesecake and other dairy foods are eaten on Shavuot.
Note:
a.
Dairy foods stress the agricultural aspect of the festival. b.
Another explantion stresses the Giving of the Torah: A passage in Song
of Songs (4:11) reads: "Honey and milk shall be under your tongue"
the words of the Torah are compared to sweet honey and nourishing milk.
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