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Shavuot |
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Shavuot (shəv
`ət) [Heb.,=weeks], Jewish feast celebrated on the 6th of the month of Sivan (usually some time in May) in Israel and on the sixth and seventh days in the Diaspora. Originally an agricultural festival celebrating the end of the winter grain harvest (which began at Passover), Shavuot later commemorated the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mt. Sinai. See Pentecost Pentecost [Gr.,=fiftieth], important Jewish and Christian feast. The Jewish feast of Pentecost, in Hebrew Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, one of the three pilgrimage festivals, arose as the celebration of the closing of the spring grain harvest, which began formally in..... Click the link for more information. . BibliographySee H. Schauss, Guide to Jewish Holy Days (1938, repr. 1970). Shavuot (Shabuoth) Between May 16 and June 13; Sivan 6-7 Shavuot ("weeks") is the second of the three Pilgrim Festivals ( see also Passover and Sukkot). It follows Passover by 50 days and is also known in English as Pentecost from the Greek word meaning "fiftieth" (like the Christian Pentecost, which comes 50 days after Easter). It is also called the Feast of Weeks or Feast of the Harvest, because it originally marked the end of the seven weeks of the Passover barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest. At one time, all adult male Jews were expected to bring their first omer, or "sheaf," of barley to the Temple in Jerusalem as a thanksgiving offering. Today dairy dishes are associated with Shavuot, particularly cheese blintzes. After the period of Jewish slavery in Egypt, Shavuot took on a new meaning: it celebrated Moses' return from the top of Mt. Sinai with the two stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments, the most fundamental laws of the Jewish faith, and is therefore also known as the Festival of the Giving of the Law . Orthodox and Conservative Jews in the Diaspora celebrate two days of Shavuot as full holidays, while Reform Jews and those living in Israel observe only the first day. See also Lag ba-Omer CONTACTS: Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 11 Broadway New York, NY 10004 212-563-4000; fax: 212-564-9058 www.ou.org SOURCES: AmerBkDays-2000, pp. 371, 435 BkFest-1937, p. 208 BkFestHolWrld-1970, p. 70 BkHolWrld-1986, May 25 DaysCustFaith-1957, pp. 137, 159, 161 DictWrldRel-1989, pp. 155, 390, 564, 678 FestSaintDays-1915, p. 119 FolkAmerHol-1999, p. 243 FolkWrldHol-1999, p. 382 HolSymbols-2009, p. 816 OxYear-1999, p. 728 RelHolCal-2004, p. 52 Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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