Shavu‘ot

by Patti Breitman

שָּׁבוּעוֹת Shavu‘ot is one of three major Jewish festivals that have both agricultural and historical meaning. (The others are Sukkot and Passover.) On the agricultural side, Shavu‘ot commemorates the time of year when the first harvest was brought to the Temple. Historically, the holiday celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai.

We count the days between Passover and Shavu‘ot —called ‘counting the ‘omer’—or ל״ג בָּעֹמֶר Lag B'Omer—to note the time between the Exodus and the giving of the Torah. ‘Omer’ refers to the bundle of barley taken from the season's first barley harvest and offered at the Temple on the second day of Passover. Starting on that second day of Passover, it was traditional for farmers to worry over the harvest, and to count the ‘omèr, or barley bundles, every day for 49 days. Shavu‘ot falls on the 50th day after the second day of Passover.

Whereas the Exodus was a time of physical liberation, the giving of the Torah represents a time of spiritual liberation. With Passover commemorating our literal freedom, and Shavu‘ot commemorating our spiritual freedom, the two holidays remind us of the importance of freedom to the Jews.

It is noted that we talk about the “giving of the Torah,” and not “receiving the Torah,” because it is believed that we continue to receive the Torah every day. The anniversary of the first time it was given to us, however, is the day we celebrate as Shavu‘ot.

To learn more, visit www.jewfaq.org or read The Jewish Year: Celebrating the Holidays, by Barbara Rush.

—from our May-June 2005 Newsletter

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