In English, Shavuot means “Weeks.”

It also is called “Pentecost” because it occurs fifty days after Passover—but Shavuot is not the same as the Christian Pentecost.

Shavuot marks the wheat harvest in Israel—but more significantly, it commemorates the anniversary of the giving of the Torah by God to the Children of Israel on Mount Sinai in 1312 BC. This is the oral Torah—Orthodox rabbinic tradition holds that the written Torah occurred 40 years later. (Source: Wikipedia.org).

The counting of the days and weeks between Passover and Shavuot is understood to express the anticipation and desire for the giving of the Torah. On Passover, the people of Israel were freed from their enslavement in Egypt. On Shavuot, the people of Israel were given the Torah and became a nation committed to serving God.

Chabad.org expresses what this day commemorates in a beautiful way, “On Shavuot morning, 3,333 years ago, Heaven kissed earth—and God communicated the Ten Commandments upon Mount Sinai.”

Shavuot is celebrated in a variety of ways. According to Menachem Posner in “10 Tips for Your Second Shavuot at Home,” at Chabad.org, it is customary to stay up the entire first night of Shavuot and read classic Torah texts, known as Tikkun (which means “fixing”) until just before dawn. It is ushered in by lighting candles (married women light at least two, single women light one). On the second night, the candles must be lit after nightfall from a preexisting flame.

Posner notes that a favorite Shavuot custom is enjoying dairy treats—from traditional blintzes to cheese cake. Even macaroni and cheese! One reason for this is that, according to Chabad.org, the Torah is likened to nourishing milk. Jews believe that when the Ten Commandments were communicated on the very first Shavuot, all Jewish souls were present. Jews go to their houses of worship for the reading of the Torah, including the reading of the Ten Commandments. Synagogues typically prepare a full program to make the Ten Commandments meaningful, fun, and memorable.

The second day of Shavuot is one of four times each year when a memorial prayer for departed loved ones is recited in the synagogue.

Among Christians, Shavuot should be marked and remembered. The Ten Commandments are a blessing. The provide structure, order, and an ethical framework for our lives. They are foundational to our modern legal system. They provide a code to protect property, honor life, and respect family.

They are God breathed.

And so, we celebrate this foundational component of our faith.

How do you plan to celebrate Shavuot?

Reading the Ten Commandments is a good starting point. Top this off with a good dose of dairy—ice cream, cheesecake, or some other treat to celebrate the occasion. And, offer a prayer of thanks to God for His goodness to us.