Shavuot – Anniversary of Giving of the TORAH on Sinai

[Resurrecting an article from 2013, by Sinaite VAN (In Memoriam), on the occasion of the universal celebration of Shavuot/Pentecost which is not for Jews only, but for Gentiles as well.  As we keep reiterating, LAW or the Torah is not obsolete nor passe; in fact, contrary to some teaching that we are no longer under law but under grace, we Sinaites insist that LAW IS GRACE!  By the Grace of Divine Providence, YHWH the Law-Giver, the Revelator on Sinai gave humankind laws to apply how to live with one another and how to relate to Him.  Law IS grace indeed!—Admin1]
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The Scriptural support for the feast of Shavuot is found in Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:15-16,21).

 

15 Now you are to number for yourselves, from the morrow of the Sabbath, from the day that you bring the elevated sheaf, 

seven Sabbaths-of-days,

whole (weeks) are they to be;
16 until the morrow of the seventh Sabbath you are to number-fifty days, 

then you are to bring-near a grain-gift of new-crops to YHVH.

17 From your settlements you are to bring bread as an elevation-offering,

two (loaves of) two tenth-measures of flour are they to be, 

leavened you are to bake them, 

as firstfruits to YHVH.

 

18 And you are to bring-near along with the bread seven sheep, wholly-sound, a year old, 
and one bull, a young of the herd, and rams, two, 
they shall be an offering-up for YHVH, 
with their grain-gift and their poured-offerings, 
a fire-offering of soothing savor to YHVH.
19 And you are to perform-as-sacrifice: one hairy goat for a hattat, 
and two sheep, a year old, for a slaughter-offering of shalom.

20 The priest is to elevate them, together with the bread of the firstfruits 

 as an elevation-offering before the presence of YHVH,

 together with the two sheep;

 they shall be a holy-portion for YHVH, for the priest. 

21 And you are to make-proclamation on that same day, 

a proclamation of holiness shall there be for you, 

any-kind of servile work you are not to do- 

a law for the ages, throughout your settlements, into your generations.
22 Now when you harvest the harvest of your land, 

you are not to finish-off the edge of your field when you harvest (it), 

the full-gleaning of your harvest you are not to glean;

for the afflicted and for the sojourner you are to leave them,

I am YHVH your God!

 Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, is the second of the three major festivals: the other two are:
  • Passover and
  • Sukkot.

 

It commemorates—

  • the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the Temple
  • and is called the Festival of First Fruits
  • or Hag Bikkurim.

 

We count each day,

  • from the 2nd day of Passover to the 49 days
  • or 7 full weeks,
  • hence the name Festival of Weeks.

The counting of the days is also called the Counting of the Omer.

 

Shavuot falls on the 50th day which commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.  Shavuot falls on the 50th day.

Shavuot is sometimes known as “Pentecost”;  Shavuot is the only biblical festival between the Spring and the Fall festivals that has no obvious “symbols” of the day — i.e., no shofar blowing, no Sukkah, no waving  of palms.
Pentecost is a Greek word meaning “the holiday of 50 days”.

(Shavuot, however, has no connection to the Christian holiday).  The focus is purely on the reading and the study of the Torah.  It is however treated as a Sabbath.
On the same day, as part of the traditional Jewish celebration, the Book of Ruth is read.   Now, why the Book of Ruth on Shavuot, the holiday when we celebrate the giving of the Torah?  Shavuot commemorates the acceptance of the Torah, not only by the Israelites but also the non-Israelites

 

 

(Shemoth/Exodus 12:38):

 

“And a mixed multitude also went up with them . . . ” 

 

—hence the significance of this book.

 

 

It is a reminder for all that the Torah is for everyone who accepts it — Israelite or non-Israelite, Jew or non-Jew.  And  Ruth is an example of a true Torah seeker, a model of a proper Torah acceptance.
It signifies one who sincerely is seeking for the truth.
This is the real significance of Shavuot — the act of Torah acceptance, the act of Divine service.

[For this year 2017, Shavuot is celebrated May 30-June 01.]

 

 Receiving the Torah is the assurance of redemption from IDOLATRY.
 

 

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