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What are the various names for Shavuot (and their meanings)?

by Rabbi Yossi Marcus

  

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Well, you just said one of them, Shavuot, and that means “weeks"1, referring to the seven weeks that are counted from the  second day of Passover, at the end of which, on the fiftieth day, is the holiday of Shavuot.

Shavuot is the only holiday that does not have a specific date in the Torah. It just says, fifty days after the second of Passover you shall celebrate Shavuot. This is because Passover and Shavuot is really one holiday—the Exodus from Egypt was not complete until we became a people at Sinai and had something to do with our freedom.

The other names are:

* The 'Time of the Giving of Our Torah' (Zman Matan Torahteinu). This is the holiday celebrating our receiving the Torah from G-d.

* Harvest Festival (Chag Hakatzir)2, because it (also) celebrates the wheat-harvesting season.

* First-Fruits Day (Yom Habikkurim)3 . Back in the day, when the Temple still stood in Jerusalem, the Jewish farmer would go out to his field and tie a thread around the first fruits to start budding. He would then bring these fruits in a fancy basket to the Temple. This Mitzvah was observed from the holiday of Shavuot through the holiday of Chanukah.

There is another name for Shavuot, though it does not appear in the Torah. The sages name it Atzeret4. Atzeret means "restrain (from work)"5 and in the context of holidays it is also used to connote conclusion6. On Shavuot we restrain from doing work, and the holiday is (its own holiday but also) the conclusion of Passover.

Footnotes

  • 1. Deuteronomy 16:9-10
  • 2. Exodus 23:16
  • 3. Numbers 28:26
  • 4. All across the Talmud, eg. Talmud Tractate Chagigah 17a
  • 5. Talmud tractate Chagigah 9a.
  • 6. E.g. Shmini Atzeret is (its own holiday but also) the conclusion of Sukkot. See also ibid.

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Mitzvah
(pl. Mitzvot). A commandment from G-d. Mitzvah also means a connection, for a Jew connects with G–d through fulfilling His commandments.
Torah
Torah is G–d’s teaching to man. In general terms, we refer to the Five Books of Moses as “The Torah.” But in truth, all Jewish beliefs and laws are part of the Torah.
Passover
A Biblically mandated early-spring festival celebrating the Jewish exodus from Egypt in the year 1312 BCE.
Chanukah
An eight day mid-winter holiday marking: 1) The miraculous defeat of the mighty Syrian-Greek armies by the undermanned Maccabis in the year 140 BCE. 2) Upon their victory, the oil in the Menorah, sufficient fuel for one night only, burned for eight days and nights.
Shavuot
Early summer festival marking the day when the Jews received the Torah at Mount Sinai in the year 2448 (1312 BCE).
Jerusalem
Established by King David to be the eternal capital of Israel. Both Temples were built there, and the third Temple will be situated there when the Messiah comes.
Exodus
1. The miraculous departure of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage in 1312 BCE. 2. The second of the Five Books of Moses. This book describes the aforementioned Exodus, the giving of the Torah, and the erection of the Tabernacle.
Temple
1. Usually a reference to the Holy Temple which was/will be situated in Jerusalem. 1st Temple was built in 825 BCE and was destroyed in 423 BCE. The 2nd Temple was built in 350 BCE and was destroyed in 70 CE. The 3rd Temple will be built by the Messiah. 2. A synagogue.
G-d
It is forbidden to erase or deface the name of G-d. It is therefore customary to insert a dash in middle of G-d's name, allowing us to erase or discard the paper it is written on if necessary.