SHAVUOS
Shavuos marks the day that the Torah was given to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. That day was a very unusual one, with lightning, thunder and the earth shaking. Moshe Rabbeinu came down from the Mountain, his face was glowing and he brought the Aseres Hadibros (Ten Commandments) to the Children of Israel.
The Story of Shavuos
Before the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed the Jewish people harvested their wheat crop and their last grain of the season, and began harvesting their fruit crops.
An important part of the celebration of Shavuos in those times was the ceremony of bringing the "first fruits", or bikkurim, of the harvest to the Temple (Beit Hamikdash) as an offering of thanks to Hashem.
The bikkurim were carried in beautifully decorated baskets. Families would gather together to walk to Jerusalem.
There are many different names for the festival of Shavuot. Some of them are:
Zman Matan Torateinu - ‘Festival of Giving of the Torah’
Chag HaBikkurim - ‘Festival of the First Fruits’
Chag Hakatzir – ‘Harvest Festival’
Chag Matan Torah – ‘Festival of the giving of the Torah’
How do we celebrate Shavuos?
GREENERY
On Shavuos we decorate our synagogues and homes with greenery, flowers and even fruits. This reminds us that on the day the Jewish people received the Torah, Mount Sinai bloomed with flowers.
LEARNING TORAH ALL NIGHT
Jewish adults spend the eve of Shavuos staying up all night learning Torah. This custom is called Tikkun Leil Shavuot.
EATING DAIRY FOODS
On Shavuos we eat dairy foods (foods made from milk). These can include cheesecake, cheese-filled pancakes and quiches. Some people also bake tall cakes to remind us how tall Mount Sinai was. Other people eat fruit, in particular the seven species of Eretz Israel (including figs, pomegranates and dates).