SHAVUOT: THE MEANING
Shavuot is one of the three major pilgrimage festivals mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. In antiquity, tens of thousands of Jews would travel to the Temple in Jerusalem from all over the known world to celebrate this holiday. The Hebrew name Shavuot (שבועות) means “weeks,” a word which is derived from the number seven, sheva (שבע) - seven weeks separate Passover from Shavuot.
HARVEST TIME
The period prior to Shavuot is a crucial period in the agricultural calendar of the Land of Israel. Wheat is ripening in the fields and harvest is about to begin. Having a successful harvest was absolutely vital because wheat was the core of the diet of most people in ancient Israel. To thank God for an abundant crop, Jews would bring an offering of the first wheat to the Temple. In Hebrew this “first fruit” is called Bikkurim (ביכורים) which is derived from the same root as the word for the "eldest son" bechor (בכור).
PICK UP THE BIKKURIM OF YOUR STUDY
The time has come for each of us to begin our own spiritual harvest. Your fields are full of ripened golden wheat that is just waiting to be picked. Enroll now in eTeacher’s online Modern Hebrew course and dedicate yourself to a fresh new level of connectedness to Israel and its tradition.
