Shavuot always falls 50 days after the second night of Passover. 31:18, NKJV). Their traditions during Shavuot also remind them of what God gave to them and how it has impacted their lives in so many ways. 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. As we enter into the blooming splendor of spring, there are several different ways that people recognize this time of new hope and growth in the wake of celebrating Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. These festivals—Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot—were originally agricultural celebrations that later imbued with historical significance. 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 actually has four additional names for the same festival: Yom HaBikkurim – “Day of First Fruits”; Chag HaKatzir – “The Harvest Festival”; Atzeret – “The Stoppage” as a way of saying to rest and not work; and Zeman Matan Torah – “Time of the Giving of Our Torah.”. It is important to understand the Old Covenant observance of Shavuot and its historical meaning to fully appreciate its New Covenant fulfillment. Jewish people from every nation … These calendar changes hide a significant element of the first Pentecost: it was Shavuot. These festivals—Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot—were originally agricultural celebrations that later imbued with historical significance. All rights reserved. Every Jewish holiday falls on a specific day of the month, with one exception: Shavuot, the day on which we accepted the Torah. 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. Many know how that day is the anniversary of when YHWH entered into covenant with all 12 tribes of Israel in Exodus 24. 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. A survey of the many explanations given for the tradition of eating milk products. One of the biblically ordained Three Pilgrimage Festivals, Shavuot is traditionally celebrated in the Land of Israel for one day and for two days in the Diaspora. 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. The word Shavuot means “weeks.” It marks the completion of the seven-week counting period between Passover and Shavuot. Article Images Copyright ©. … We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and bring you ads that might interest you. Shavuot is always the 50th day following the beginning of Passover. 3 Ways Christians Can Lead the Way to Unity, Why "You Complete Me" Is a Dangerous Myth in Christian Relationships, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright © 2021, Crosswalk.com. The custom is not to pray all night, but to study all night. Why is Shavuot, the holy day that commemorates the revelation of the Ten Commandments at Sinai, the only Jewish holy day that the Torah does not give an exact date. Shavuot is a celebration of the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai—the moment when God and Israel sealed their covenant together. There is even a special greeting that is shared among those during Shavuot that denotes a holiday is happening. Shavuot is a one-day holiday (two in the Diaspora) with many names, dozens of traditions and recipes galore. We eat dairy foods on Shavuot, to find out the reason read the Jewish Blog of Why . And since some people have desired to learn more about the traditions of Jewish heritage, what is it about Shavuot that makes it special? -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. 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 … Blair Parke is a freelance writer for BibleStudyTools.com and editor for Xulon Press. Pilgrim festivals, which is what Shavuot originated from, were festivals where male Israelites had to travel to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple, which consisted of fresh offerings from their fields. Why is there no mitzvah on Shavuot that represents its theme as there is on other holidays (e.g. For the second day of Shavuot, a memorial service is held, the Yizkor memorial service, with a special memorial prayer said after the reading of the Torah for those who have passed away. 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 … Some congregations decorate their sanctuaries or social halls with flower or dried fruit arrangements. It is also one of the three important biblical pilgrimage festivals (in Hebrew, shalosh regalim … the other two being Sukkot and Pesach). Help save a baby's life! Shofar on Rosh Hashana)? This historical moment is recognized during each Shavuot, celebrating the Torah as a gift from God that He continues to give each year. In Acts Chapter two, just 50 days after Yeshua’s resurrection, the Holy Spirit that He had promised came upon the early Believers in Jerusalem. This two-day festival falls, for the Hebrew calendar, on Sivan 6-7, which is the Hebrew month equivalent to May and June. As the Holy Spirit filled them, they spoke in other tongues. During the festival in ancient times, the gifts of two wheat loaves from the new harvest were given to the Holy Temple during Shavuot. Shavuot also marks the time that the Jews were given the Torahon Mount Sinai. This was named Yom ha-Bikkurim, or “Day of the First Fruits.”. Cheesecake is on the menu for Shavuot. In Israel, Shavuot is only celebrated for one day. What Does Scripture Say About Finding God’s Vision for My Life? Shavuot is one of the three biblically based pilgrimage holidays known as the shalosh regalim. It is ironic that Shavuot is such a little-known holiday, given that it commemorates the single most important event in Jewish history – the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Sinai to the Jewish people, and occurs on the 50th day after the 49 days of counting the Omer. It is associated with the grain harvest in … Here are a few reasons why the appointed time of Shavuot is significant for followers of Yeshua (additional reasons are provided on the Shavuot pages): Shavuot is regarded as the culminationof the experience of redemption, sometimes called Atzaret Pesach,the "Conclusion of Passover." The Torah was given by G‑d to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai on Shavuot more than 3,300 years ago. Shavuot is also sometimes known as Pentecost, because it falls on the 50th day. Women and girls light candles to usher in the holiday on both of its evenings. With our joy in receiving the Torah on Mt the anniversary of when YHWH entered covenant! 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