Shavuot
Shavuot 2023
In 2023, this holiday begins at sunset on May 25.
Shavuot 2023
What is Shavuot?
The Jewish people accepted the Torah in fear of God’s overwhelming power. Ruth accepted it out of love and loyalty.
Shavuot, the feast of weeks, is celebrated seven weeks after the second Passover seder. Although Shavuot began as an ancient grain harvest festival, the holiday has been identified since biblical times with the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.
Shavuot History
Shavuot combines two major religious observances. First is the grain harvest of the early summer. Second is the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai seven weeks after the exodus from Egypt. The first determines the ritual for the holiday, which was one of the three pilgrimage festivals of ancient Israel, when Israelite males were commanded to appear before God in Jerusalem, bringing offerings of the first fruits of their harvest. The second determines the significance of the holiday for Judaism, tying it in with the seminal event of Jewish religious memory, namely the entering into a covenant between God and Israel, exemplified by Israel’s assumption of Divine law.
Shavuot Foods
On Shavuot it is customary to eat dairy foods. Though no one knows for certain where this tradition came from, many believe it is derived from the biblical assurance that the land of Israel is a land “flowing with milk and honey.” Sephardic communities, some of which refer to Shavuot as the Festival of Roses, also have a tradition of eating dishes made with rosewater. Therefore, there’s no shortage of delicious options to spice up your holiday table. Here are some options:
