About a holiday

Shavu'ot is celebrated Sivan, 6, this year on June, 2 and 3. This day to Jews the Torah has been granted. In one and a half month after an outcome from Egypt Jews came to mount Sinai. There the G-d has enjoined people to prepare for reception of a Torah. In 3 days sons of Israel have risen at bottom of mountain, and Moshe has risen on top. First the G-d spoke with all people. The sons of Israel heard 10 precepts which subsequently have been written down on tables. During talent of a Torah there were wonderful phenomena: lightnings sparkled, the thunder rattled, all mountain was shaken, sounds of shophar were heard. The sons of Israel could not bear such pressure and asked, that the G-d spoke with them through Moshe. Therefore other parts of the Divine doctrine has received Moshe, and already has then transferred them to all people.

Talent of a Torah was a deciding stage of clearing of Jews from slavery. From under authority of the pharaon Jews went under authority of The one who dominates it is necessary all.

Customs of a holiday

In synagogues during a morning pray read a fragment from chapter Itrho of book Shmot which tells about the main event of this day - talents of a Torah. The text of Ten precepts since from them began talent of a Torah is especially solemnly said and they were heard with all people. To hear reading this fragment so important, that to come in a synagogue follows everyone, even to small children.

It is accepted to decorate houses and synagogues with branches of plants, herbs and flowers. It is memory that mount Sinai on which the Torah has been granted, preparing to this event, has become covered by greens of beautiful, fragrant plants and flowers.

In many communities there is a custom, there are in the first day of a holiday dairy dishes. The matter is that the part of precepts of a Torah is devoted to laws on the allowed and forbidden food which Moshe has no time to explain in detail on this day when they have been granted. Not wishing to break the law of a Torah, Jews have decided to eat that is precisely authorized - milk, yet have not received a full explanation of these laws. In night of holiday Shavu'ot it is accepted to be awake, devoting itself to studying of a Torah. Thus we are assimilated to generation of our ancestors which with impatience expected reception of a Torah and have failed to fall asleep this night.