Judaism and Shavuot Essay

Submitted By brigitt3
Words: 382
Pages: 2
Open Document
Shavuot is a spring holiday that celebrates the first harvest, the ripening of the first fruits, and most importantly, the giving of the Torah. In the Bible, Shavuot is called by various other names: Feast of Weeks, Feast of The First Fruits and Feast of the Giving of the Law.
Shavuot, like many other Jewish holidays, began as an ancient agricultural festival that marked the end of the spring barley harvest and the beginning of the summer wheat harvest. In ancient times, Shavuot was a pilgrimage festival where Israelites brought crop offerings to the Temple in Jerusalem. Today, it is a celebration of Torah, education, and actively choosing to participate in Jewish life.
The word Shavuot means “weeks.” It marks the completion of the seven-week counting period between Passover and Shavuot. The Torah was given by God to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai more than 3300 years ago. Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of God’s gift, and God “re-gives” the Torah.
The holiday of Shavuot is a two-day holiday, beginning at sundown of the 5th of Sivan and lasting until nightfall of the 7th of Sivan. Women and girls light holiday candles to usher in the holiday, on both the first and second evenings of the holidays.
It is customary to stay up all night learning Torah on the first night of Shavuot.
All men, women and children should go to the synagogue on the first day of Shavuot to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments.
As on other holidays, special meals are
Show More

Related Documents: Judaism and Shavuot Essay

World religions Essay

Judaism The historic roots and origin of Judaism started in the near east and the sacred text the Torah tell us how Jews became a people chosen by god to serve him. Two major festivals of the Judaism Religion are Passover and the Shavuot. “In ancient times, three of Judaism’s seasonal festivals Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot, were directly linked to the agricultural cycle of the year and were celebrated with a seasonal rite of pilgrimage to the temple in Jerusalem” (Lieber 2012). Passover, Shavuot…

Words 1065 - Pages 5

Jewish Religion Research Paper

Jewish Religion The Jewish Religion is Judaism. Judaism is a monotheistic religion. If you are a monotheistic religion it means that the religion only believes in one God. Jewish people believe in one God, Yahweh. Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion of the world’s three great monotheistic religions. The Jewish people praise Yahweh by study, prayer, and The Torah. There are three groups of documents connected with Judaism. They are the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. These three groups…

Words 1072 - Pages 5

Jewish Passover Essay

concept at the time called ethical monotheism, which became the basis of the Judaism religion1. Judaism became a religion characterized by a new relationship between people and Diety1. Judaism was established in 1200 BC and began with a covenant between God and Abraham1-8. At the basis of Jewish prayer is the idea that God listens to prayer and that prayer is part of a dialogue between man and Creator1. The establishment of Judaism is described in the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Torah2…

Words 3711 - Pages 15

Essay on My Interview with a Jewish Friend

Introduction of the religion The religion I decided to do this interview on is Judaism. I have always been interested in this religion and was ready to learn more. One of the three great monotheistic world religions, Judaism began as the faith of the ancient Hebrews, and its sacred text is the Hebrew Bible, particularly the Torah. Fundamental to Judaism is the belief that the people of Israel are God's chosen people, who must serve as a light for other nations. God made a covenant first…

Words 2055 - Pages 9