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The holiday of Shavuot has other names. It is also called Pentecost, the Feast of the Seven Weeks, the Feast of the Harvest, the Feast of the Giving of the Torah, the Feast of the First Fruits, Ha-Azeret.
The celebration is not only closely connected with the history of the Jewish people and Judaism, but also has analogues in the Christian tradition. When Shavuot comes in 2023, what is its history and traditions – we tell in the KP material.
When is Shavuot celebrated in 2023
The Jewish spring holiday is not as long in time as others. It only takes two days to celebrate. Shavuot begins on the fiftieth day after the end of Passover. Hence its other names – Pentecost, or the Feast of the Seven Weeks. In the Christian tradition there is a similar celebration – the Trinity.
Like many holidays in Judaism, the holiday of Shavuot does not have a clear fixed date and is separated in time by several days. It begins at the sunset of one day and ends also after the end of the day, when dark twilight is gathering over the Promised Land. It is believed that all festive events come into force precisely at sunset, when the stars light up in the sky.
The holiday falls on the third month of the Jewish year beginning with Nisan and the ninth month beginning with Tishrei. Jews start celebrating Shavuot in 2023 нat sunset on May 25 and end on the evening of May 27.
History of Shavuot
Initially, the holiday of Shavuot – the Feast of the Harvest – had exclusively agrarian significance. However, with the acceleration of the process of urbanization, the meanings were somewhat changed. The most ancient history connected with agriculture was superseded by historical and mythological meanings. Biblical stories came to the rescue, writing a new basis for Shavuot.
So that the ancient holiday does not lose its significance, it is closely connected with the traditions of the history of the Jewish people. After seven weeks, the Jews wandering in the desert approach Mount Sinai and receive from the Lord their Book of commandments – the Torah. In biblical history, this event is interpreted as the Sinai revelation, revered by all adherents of the Jewish faith. It was in the late spring of 1312 BC that the Jews believe they were given the Torah and its Ten Commandments. It is they who are honored as the moral and ethical foundation of the entire Jewish world. In honor of this event, a new rationale for the holiday of Shavuot appeared.
The tablets with the commandments were handed over to the prophet Moses, who led the Jewish people through the desert. According to legend, Moses, who lived on Mount Sinai, compiled the first commandments and wrote them down. After one and a half thousand years, all the commandments were combined into a printed set of legal, religious and ethical provisions of Judaism – the Talmud. Part of the “oral commandments” of the prophet Moses was written down in Jewish spiritual and ethical books, united under the general title – Midrash. Thus, the holiday of Shavuot has both an agricultural significance associated with the harvest, and a historical overtone introduced later. Jews believe that the holiday of Shavuot, like no other, is associated with their national identity.
Traditions and rules of the holiday
No ancient Jewish holiday can do without prayer. Shavuot is no exception. In the evening, a special prayer is read – Maariv. The next morning, galel is pronounced – a prayer expressing praise and gratitude to God. On this day, all synagogues are decorated with gifts of nature or just fresh greenery. Families come to the synagogues – children are also included in the holiday, who, along with adults, should not sleep all the festive night. After all, the Jews almost slept through the moment of the giving of the Torah three thousand years ago. A favorite part of the holiday for children is a treat – the traditional sweet dish “Mount Sinai”, similar to Easter cake.
For adults, their treats and their food and taste traditions associated with antiquity and modernity. On the day of Shavuot, they attach particular importance to the use of dairy products – milk, cheeses, cottage cheese pancakes. This tradition resonates with the biblical story: returning from Mount Sinai, the wanderers were also content with similar food. Today, various dairy and cheese festivals are held throughout Israel these days. You can eat meat on Shavuot, but it is important that these dishes are not consumed along with dairy.
According to the tradition recorded in the Bible, on these holidays, sacrifices were made to the Jerusalem Temple. It has survived to this day. Believers go to Jerusalem to present the Lord with the first fruitful gifts of the year.