Shavuot
Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, falls fifty days after Passover on the sixth of Sivan and celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. In 2027 it runs from sundown on Thursday, June 10 to nightfall on Saturday, June 12. One of the three pilgrimage festivals, it is marked by all-night Torah study, reading the story of Ruth, decorating with flowers and greenery, and eating dairy foods.
The Festival of Weeks, occurring fifty days after Passover on the sixth of Sivan, Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, the harvest of the first fruits in ancient Israel, and the spiritual completion of the Exodus. It is one of the three ancient pilgrimage festivals and a holiday of profound spiritual significance.
Seven weeks after freedom came the mountain, the fire, and the words that would bind a people for good.
Why It Matters
If Passover celebrates physical freedom from Egypt, Shavuot celebrates the spiritual purpose of that freedom, the receiving of the Torah, which gave the Jewish people its moral and spiritual framework. The Torah was given at Sinai exactly seven weeks after the Exodus, connecting the two holidays in an unbroken chain of meaning. The Book of Ruth is read on Shavuot, Ruth's declaration of loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi ('Where you go, I will go; your people shall be my people') is a model of the covenant and love at the heart of Jewish commitment. Shavuot also marks the first fruits offering in the Temple, connecting the spiritual Torah to the physical abundance of the land.
How It Is Observed
Tikkun Leil Shavuot, all-night Torah study, is a widespread tradition, reflecting the idea that the Israelites fell asleep before Sinai and needed Moses to wake them, so Jews today stay awake to show their eagerness to receive the Torah. The Book of Ruth is read in synagogue. Synagogues and homes are decorated with flowers and greenery, representing the blooming of Mount Sinai before the giving of the Torah. Dairy foods are the traditional culinary custom, with various explanations including the connection to the 'land flowing with milk and honey.' Confirmation ceremonies are held in many synagogues.
Rituals & Symbols
What to Say
Chag Shavuot Sameach, Happy Shavuot
"Chag Sameach" ("happy festival") or "Chag Shavuot Sameach" is the standard warm greeting.
“And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice.”Exodus 19:17-19
Common Questions
When is Shavuot in 2027?
Shavuot 2027 begins at sundown on Thursday, June 10 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, June 12.
What does Shavuot celebrate?
The giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, seven weeks after the Exodus, together with the ancient wheat harvest and first fruits.
Why dairy foods?
Custom, with many reasons offered, among them the Torah's image of a 'land flowing with milk and honey' and the newness of the dietary laws at Sinai.
What is Tikkun Leil Shavuot?
The tradition of staying awake all night to study Torah, showing eagerness to receive it as the Israelites did at Sinai.
How does it connect to Passover?
The 49 days of the Omer are counted from Passover to Shavuot, linking physical freedom to the spiritual purpose of receiving the Torah.
Sundown, Thu Jun 10 to nightfall, Sat Jun 12, 2027
Shavuot is two days in the Diaspora (one in Israel). It falls seven weeks after Passover, completing the counting of the Omer.
Traditional Foods
- Cheesecake
- Blintzes with sour cream
- Dairy quiche
- Cheese kreplach
- Cheese blintzes
- Ice cream
- Cheesecake cookies
Chag Shavuot Sameach, Happy Shavuot