Festival of Weeks - Celebrating the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai
6-7 Sivan, 5786
Begins
Thu, May 21 at sundown
Ends
Sat, May 23 at nightfall
Shavuot, the "Festival of Weeks," commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. It falls exactly 50 days after the second night of Passover, at the culmination of the Omer counting period. The holiday is also known as the "Time of the Giving of Our Torah" (Zman Matan Torateinu).
All-Night Torah Study (Tikkun Leil Shavuot)
Stay up the first night studying Torah to prepare for receiving it anew
Eating Dairy Foods
Cheesecake, blintzes, and other dairy dishes are traditional Shavuot foods
Reading the Ten Commandments
The Torah reading includes the Ten Commandments from the book of Exodus
Reading Megillat Ruth
The Book of Ruth is read, telling the story of a righteous convert who accepted the Torah
Decorating with Greenery
Synagogues and homes are decorated with flowers and greenery, recalling Mount Sinai