Shavuot Meaning, Definition And Significance To Jewish Culture And Traditions
Shavuot is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated seven weeks after Passover. The word "Shavuot" means "weeks" in Hebrew, and the holiday is also known as the Feast of Weeks. Shavuot is a time to celebrate the giving of the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai.
According to Jewish tradition, the Torah was given to Moses on Mount Sinai on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, which falls during the month of May or June in the Gregorian calendar. Shavuot is therefore celebrated on the sixth and seventh days of Sivan.
Shavuot is also associated with the harvest of the first fruits in ancient Israel. In biblical times, farmers would bring the first fruits of their crops to the Temple in Jerusalem as an offering to God. Today, many Jews celebrate Shavuot by eating dairy foods, such as cheese and milk, and by reading the Book of Ruth, which tells the story of Ruth's conversion to Judaism and her loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi.
