Shavuot, on the borderline between the spring and the summer, is celebrated on the 6 th of
Sivan. The origin of the holiday's name is in the seven weeks counted from Pesach, called the
Counting of the Omer. Other names include 'The Harvest Festival' as reminder of the first
wheat harvest that was brought to the Temple on this day, and the 'Festival of the First
Fruits' – for the first of the summer fruits brought to the Temple. Another name given by the
Sages is 'The Holiday of the Giving of the Torah' in accordance with the tradition that
considers this date as the anniversary of the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. It is for this
reason that it is customary to study Torah throughout the night, a practice which has gained
in popularity in recent years and spread throughout the country. Megillat Ruth is read on
Shavuot and it is customary to eat dairy products, the Torah being likened to milk. At
kibbutzim, moshavim and other agricultural settlements, processions are held celebrating
the community's abundant produce harvest.
For the Shavuot study pages on the Midreshet website:
http://midreshet.org.il/search.aspx?cat=16&type=
