What Is Shavuot?

) celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Occurring exactly seven weeks after Passover, it marks the culmination of the journey from physical liberation to spiritual purpose. It is one of the three pilgrimage festivals when ancient Israelites traveled to Jerusalem.

Biblical Origins

The Torah commands:

וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם... שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת תְּמִימֹת תִּהְיֶינָה

Translation: You shall count for yourselves... seven complete weeks. (Leviticus 23:15)

The agricultural aspect celebrated the wheat harvest and the bringing of first fruits to the Temple.

The Giving of the Torah

(the Time of the Giving of Our Torah).

Customs and Observances

All-Night Study (Tikkun Leil Shavuot)

Many stay awake the entire first night, studying Torah. Legend says the Israelites overslept on the morning of revelation; we compensate by remaining awake.

Dairy Foods

(milk) equals 40, the number of days Moses spent on Sinai.

Reading the Book of Ruth

Ruth, who accepted the Torah by converting to Judaism, is an appropriate heroine for the holiday. The story also takes place during the harvest season.

Decorating with Greenery

Synagogues and homes are decorated with flowers and plants, recalling the greenery at the foot of Mount Sinai.

The Ten Commandments

The Torah reading includes the Ten Commandments. Many stand while they are chanted, as the Israelites stood at Sinai.

Confirmation

In Reform and some Conservative congregations, Shavuot is the occasion for confirmation ceremonies, when teenagers affirm their commitment to Jewish life—appropriately on the anniversary of Jewish commitment to Torah.

Freedom's Purpose