Following the first Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Jews begin counting up to the day of Shavuot through the ancient method of counting the Omer (an ancient measure of grain). In the times of the Bible, Shavuot was one of the three pilgrimage festivals where all 12 Tribes would journey to Jerusalem.

The Book of Exodus records many signs and wonders which took place during the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. A cloud covered the mountain like a wedding canopy, lightning filled the sky, fire descended from above, the earth shook, a long shofar blast from heaven grew louder and louder and the entire nation of Israel heard the voice of God.

According to ancient Jewish tradition, when the Torah was given from Sinai, flames of fire appeared and rested on each individual Jew who heard.

And not only that! When God spoke the 10 Commandments, His voice was split up and heard in seventy languages (or seventy tongues), so that all nations of the earth should understand.

It is customary to eagerly stay up all night learning Torah, and to go to synagogue the next morning to hear the 10 Commandments read.

The Book of Ruth is also read during the holiday. Ruth’s story has many parallels with the giving and acceptance of the Torah. In addition to the belief that she came into Israel around the time of Shavuot, her willingness to cast off her old ways and accept the Jewish faith as her own reflects the heart of the Children of Israel as they accepted the Torah. A second reason Ruth is connected to Shavuot is that this is the anniversary of King David's death, and Ruth was his great-grandmother.

CHRISTIAN SIGNIFICANCE

A few days after the ascension of Yeshua, the Apostles were gathered in Jerusalem, preparing to keep the Feast of Shavuot. They were waiting with great expectations, because Yeshua had told them, "John immersed with water, but you will be immersed in the Ruach ha-Ko-desh (Holy Spirit) not many days from now.”

On the day of Pentecost, when all Israel assembled to celebrate the anniversary of the Giving of the Torah, the Apostles left where they were staying and walked up to the Temple Mount. They assembled together in "one place" (Acts 2:1), which was most likely Solomon's Colonnade. This outer court area of the Temple Mount was a favorite spot of Yeshua to teach, and was a place where men and women could assemble freely together.

At nine in the morning, the time for morning prayers came. Suddenly, a sound like a mighty rushing wind descended from heaven and filled the entire Temple Mount. Flames of fire appeared and rested on the Believers, and they began to speak in other languages (tongues).