Torahly Prepared
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Review 2
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Ritual

Shavuot

Shavuot · Weeks

The giving of the Torah and the festival of .

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Study 4 cards
1

The basics

Name, translation, date and length — the facts to have by heart.

Name and timing

Hebrew name
Shavuot
English translation
Weeks
Date / timing
6 Sivan, at the end of the Counting of the Omer
Length
1–2 days
Historical reason
The giving of the Torah at Sinai.
Agricultural reason
— the early summer harvest offering.
2

Meaning and story

Why this exists, what happened, and the values it carries.

What it means

  • Shavuot celebrates the gift of the Torah.
  • It also has an agricultural dimension as the festival of .

Story and history

  • Revelation at Sinai and the giving of the .

Major themes and values

  • Revelation
  • The structure of the Bible /
  • The ongoing interpretation of Torah after Sinai
3

Practice

Rituals, symbols, prayers and foods — and the reason behind each.

Rituals and observances

  • Counting of the from Pesach to Shavuot, with Lag B'Omer along the way.
  • — study through the night.
  • Reading the and the Book of Ruth.
  • Eating .

Why we do these rituals

  • Counting the links liberation at Pesach to revelation at Shavuot: freedom leads to Torah.
  • Studying all night expresses eagerness to receive Torah.
  • Ruth is read as the story of one who joins the Jewish people and accepts Torah.

Symbols and what they mean

Ten Commandments
The revelation at Sinai.
First fruits
Gratitude for the harvest.
Dairy foods
Customary food of the festival.

Important prayers and readings

  • Reading of the
  • Book of Ruth

Foods

  • Cheesecake and blintzes
4

Words to know

The Hebrew vocabulary for this topic.

Vocabulary

Omer
The counted period between Pesach and Shavuot.
Lag B'Omer
The 33rd day of the count.
Sivan
The Hebrew month of Shavuot.
Tikkun Leil Shavuot
All-night study on Shavuot.
Tanakh
The Hebrew Bible: Torah, Prophets, Writings.
5

Beth Din prep

Answer these out loud before you sit down with the rabbis.

What I should be able to explain to the Beth Din

  1. 1Both meanings of Shavuot: Torah and .
  2. 2What counting the connects.
  3. 3Why the Book of Ruth is read.