Shavuot
Hierarchy classification:
Alternative term/s
- Atzeret
- Day of Firstfruits
- Day of the First Fruits
- Feast of the Giving of the Law
- Feast of the Harvest
- Feast of Weeks
- Festival of First Fruits
- Festival of Reaping
- Ḥag ha-Qatsir
- Hag ha-Qazir
- Hag Ha-Shavuot
- Hag Habikurim
- Hag Hakatzir
- Ḥag haKatzir
- Hag Matan Torah
- Ḥag Shaḇuot
- Hag Shavuot
- Pentecost
- Season of the Giving of Our Torah
- Shabuot
- Shaḇuot
- Shabuoth
- Shavu'ot
- Shavuoth
- Yom ha-Bikkurim
- Yom ha-Biqqurim
- Yom haBikkurim
- Zeman Matan Toratenu
Anotations
Scope note:
A Jewish holiday observed on 6 Sivan (May or June) to commemorate God's giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. Second of the three Jewish pilgrim festivals, it falls fifty days after the first day of Passover and originally marked the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest. The traditional agricultural aspect of the festival is reflected in the continuing custom of decorating synagogues with flowers, green plants, and fruits. In the Middle Ages, children first attended Hebrew school on this day; in modern times, confirmation often occurs on Shavuot. Customary readings include the Book of Ruth and the Ten Commandments. Dairy products are traditionally consumed on Shavuot because Song of Songs compares the Torah with milk.