How to Celebrate Shavuot

The Jewish holiday of Shavout occurs during late May or early June. The significance of Shavout is that it marks the day on Mount Sinai that the Jewish people were given the Torah. The Torah is the first part of the Hebrew Bible.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Hold an all-night vigil during which you dedicate yourself to learning the Torah. It also prepares you to receive the Torah the next morning. This comes from the belief that the Jewish people were sleeping so soundly at Mount Sinai prior to receiving the Torah that God had to wake them with thunder and lightening.

2. Eat dairy meals for two reasons. The first being that on the first Shavout, two loaves of bread were brought to the Temple as an offering. The second being that during the giving of the Torah, Kosher laws were required, which means that no meat could be consumed.

3. Decorate your house with flowers and greenery. This symbolizes Mount Sinai being dry and desolate until the Torah was given. At that point, it became lush and green.

4. Visit a synagogue to hear the Ten Commandments read. During Shavout, the souls of all the Jewish people gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai to hear the Ten Commandments read and reaffirm their commitment to God and the Torah.

5. Read the Book of Ruth or go to a synagogue to hear it read. The Book of Ruth details the life of King David, who was not only born but also died on Shavout.