Chag
HaShavuot
Festival of Weeks & Praise
for a successful wheat
harvest
Introduction
• Shavuot is one of the
Annual Festivals listed in
Leviticus 23 (see vv. 15-
21)
• It is one of the three
Pilgrimage Festivals
• As such, it is a day of rest,
a Holy Convocation/Miqra
Qodesh
Main Discussion
I. WHY DO WE CELEBRATE SHAVUOTH
A.
To Thank The Almighty And Praise Him For Choosing Us To Receive His Torah
1. If we do the math, we can see that it is quite feasible to come to Sinai fifty days after leaving Egypt.
2. The only other passage that alludes to this reason is found in Acts 2.
a. There was a mixed multitude at Sinai as well as on the Day of Shavuoth in Acts 2
b. Multiple languages were present at both
c. At Sinai, 3000 died
d. At Jerusalem, 3000 were “saved”
B.
To Thank The Almighty For A Bountiful And Successful Wheat Harvest C.
Each of the pilgrimage festivals have a dual purpose
1.
Spiritual
2.
Agricultural
II. WHEN DO WE CELEBRATE SHAVUOTH
A.
After Seven Completed Weeks And One Day From The Morrow After The Shabbath
B.
As Rabbi Jay Pointed Out This Morning, The Debate Is On When To Start The Count.
1.
Mainstream Judaism starts the count on the 16th of Nisan/Aviv 2.
This means that Shavuoth will always occur on Sivan
C.
Our Congregation’s Halacha Is To Begin The Count On The Day After The Weekly Shabbath That Falls Within Chag HaMatsot.
1.
This is because the first and last days of Chag HaMatsot are not called Sabbaths.
2.
Also, when to observe Shavuot is not given a calendar date in Torah 3.
If the first and last days of Unleaveneds are truly Shabbatot (sabbaths), which of the two should we count from?
4.
The only shabbath during Unleaveneds is the weekly Shabbath.
5.
This puts Shavuoth always on a First Day/Sunday
6.
The only command on when to observe Shavuot is to count fifty days from the morrow after the Shabbath
III. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF SHAVUOTH
A.
The Traditional Reason Given For The Celebration Of Shavuot Is To Recall The Giving Of Torah At Sinai
1.
If we do the math, we can see the possibility of this
2.
Interestingly, the only Biblical reference that alludes to this, by way of simile, is Acts 2
B.
The Torah Points To Shavuot Being A Celebration Of The Wheat Harvest.
1.
Lev 23:15-21
2.
Two loaves of bread were to be offered
a. They were to be made with 2/10 of an ephah fine flour with yeast
b. This is equivalent to 4.4 lbs (2 kg.) of flour each c. I calculated the formula based on the formula for an Italian bread
d. The loaves were rather large
The Two Shavuoth Loaves
IV. How do we Celebrate/Observe Shavuoth?
A.
The Traditional Way Of Observing Shavuoth
1.
Reading the Book of Ruth
2.
Eating Dairy foods
3.
By resting from laborious work
4.
By gathering as a congregation (Miqra
Qodesh)
Conclusion
• Let us remember how The Almighty has supplied our
physical needs in a most perfect way
• Let us enjoy a time of fellowship
• Let us enjoy a day of rest
• Let us be thankful that He has given us His Torah as a guide for our daily lives
