Shavu’ot

The Composite Model

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Shavu'ot, (שבזעזח) or the Festival of Weeks, is the second of the three major religious festivals that required Jews to visit the Temple and offer sacrifice. The other two are Passover and Sukkot (sometimes called Tabernacles).

The word shavu’ot literally means ‘weeks’!

What is Shavu’ot?

The instructions about what to do, and when to do it, are found in the Book of Leviticus, one of the five Law books which make up the Torah.

Read Leviticus 23:15 – 21

Where is the direction to celebrate Shavu’ot found?

Shavu’ot remembers and celebrates both an historical event and an agricultural event.

Historically, Shavu’ot remembers the giving of the Torah to Moses at Mt Sinai.

Agriculturally, Shavu’ot remembers the harvest of the first fruit. In the time of Jesus, the agricultural significance received most attention.

What does Shavu’ot remember?

Shavu'ot was not tied to a particular calendar date, but to Passover.

Leviticus decreed that Shavu’ot was to be celebrated ‘the day after the seventh sabbath’ counting from the second day of Passover.

Where is the direction to celebrate Shavuot found?

So, the 50th day after the second day of Passover is Shavu’ot. Because of the way its date was determined, in Greek Shavu’ot is called ‘Pentecost’, from the Greek word ‘pent’ meaning ‘5’.

Where is the direction to celebrate Shavuot found?

By linking the date of Shavu’ot to Passover, the Jewish people connected two memories about freedom.

The Passover had freed them from physical slavery in Egypt while Shavu'ot and its gift of the Torah freed them to love God as the chosen people.

Where is the direction to celebrate Shavuot found?

It important to realise that, although Christians celebrate Pentecost as the day in which the Holy Spirit came to the early community, the Shavu’ot/Pentecost that Luke talks about in Acts of the Apostles was the Jewish festival. So what happened during Shavu’ot in the first century?

Jewish Shavu’ot and Christian Pentecost

For Jews the preparation for Shavu’ot began with the identification and marking (with reed ribbons) of the first ripe fruits to be taken to the Temple.

As well as fruit, a dove and goat were selected for offering.

Shavu’ot in the first century

Once at the Temple the owner of the fruit enters the Court of Israel and stands before the Priest. The Priest leads the owner to recite Bible verses from Deuteronomy (Deut 26:5).

Shavu’ot in the first century

The Priest receives the fruit and ‘waves’ the basket in the prescribed manner.

Shavu’ot in the first century

Deuteronomy 26:11 says ‘place it before the Lord, your God’ so the owner places the basket of fruit down in the courtyard.

Shavu’ot in the first century

Finally the owner bows down before God, present in the Holy of Holies. They then leave the fruit behind and return home.

Shavu’ot in the first century

For the Priests, the central feature of Shavu’ot was the bringing of two loaves of bread into the Temple. These loaves were made from the first wheat cut from the fields. Because these loaves were an offering to God, the Priests rubbed and beat the wheat, rather than threshing it, to separate the seeds from the chaff.

Shavu’ot in the first century

The kernels were then ground into flour. This flour was then sifted and sieved so that it was of the highest quality.

Shavu’ot in the first century

Each of the two loaves were kneaded and baked separately. Both loaves were rectangular in shape with ‘horns’ on each corner to represent the altar.

Shavu’ot in the first century

Lambs would also be sacrificed as peace offerings at Shavu’ot. Both the lamb and the bread were given to the priests to consume.

Shavu’ot in the first century

Deuteronomy 26:15 says ‘and you shall rejoice for all the goodness which the Lord your God has given to you and your household.’

During Shavu’ot Jerusalem would have bustling with Jewish pilgrims from all around the area fulfilling their religious duties. The atmosphere would have been exciting, with the smells, sounds and sights of a great festival!

Shavu’ot in the first century