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Shavuot: What Are We REALLY Celebrating?

Grade Level: 7-12
Time: 40-80 minutes

Introduction

When students (or adults) are asked, “What are we celebrating on Shavuot?” the most common, almost instinctive answer is related to Matan Torah (receiving the Torah). However, we actually don’t know the exact date on which the Torah was given on Har Sinai. In the Torah, Shavuot is purely an agricultural holiday. Unlike the other two regalim (pilgrimage festivals) of Pesach and Sukkot, there is no reason given for Shavuot, and it is the only “mikra kodesh” (sanctified day) in the Torah for which no date is given.

This lesson exposes students to how the Torah presents Shavuot, asks them to consider the agricultural basis and nature of Shavuot and its connection to Judaism, and considers how and why Shavuot evolved from a harvest festival to Zman Matan Torateinu (the time of the receiving of the Torah).

Objectives

Students will:

  • Read and comprehend texts that discuss Chag HaShavuot and Matan Torah from the Chumash.
  • Chart how Shavuot is described in the Torah.
  • Compare and contrast Shavuot with the other two regalim (Pesach and Sukkot).
  • Explore and consider the ambiguity regarding the exact date of Matan Torah.
  • Consider and discuss how reliance on God is connected to an agrarian society.
  • Reflect on why the focus of Shavuot has changed from celebrating the harvest to celebrating Matan Torah.
  • Consider why the Torah does not provide an exact date for Matan Torah.

Skills

  • Reading and comprehending texts
  • Higher order thinking: compare, contrast, and analyze texts, evaluate religious, scientific, and historical realities, hypothesize, and come up with reasons for religious practice and culture
  • Chevruta/cooperative learning
  • Listening to ideas and discussing them

Values

  • Nature and agriculture are portals to faith in and reliance on God
  • Gratitude for what we have
  • Timelessness and portability of Torah (i.e., Torah is NOT connected to a specific date or place)

Materials Needed

  • Copies of the worksheet for all students 
  • Tanach or digital resource (linked in worksheet)
  • Optional: Smartboard or other projection method (for projecting the worksheet and filling it in/reviewing it)

Procedure

Trigger:

Begin with an opening activity/trigger question. This can be an entrance activity/do-now or a show of hands.

Option (a): What is the date of Shavuot? What are we celebrating on Shavuot?

Option (b): Quick quiz (can be multiple choice or true-false) with questions around Shavuot – its date, its reason in the Torah, its practices.

True/False Examples

  • The Torah commands us to eat dairy on Shavuot.
  • The Torah commands us to put fruits in a basket and give them to a kohen (priest) on Shavuot.
  • The Torah gives a reason for why we celebrate Shavuot.
  • The Torah tells us that Matan Torah occurred on the 6th of Sivan.

Multiple Choice Examples

In the Torah, Shavuot marks:

  1. The end of the Omer period 
  2. The day on which the Torah was given 
  3. National Dairy Day 
  4. The day we entered Eretz Yisrael with Yehoshua 

(Feel free to get creative!)

Worksheets:

After the opening/trigger activity, the teacher can decide: 

  1. To explain to students that neither the date of Matan Torah nor Shavuot is mentioned in the Torah, and that no “reason” is given for Shavuot. This can be followed with “Why do you think that is?” and a brief discussion before handing out the worksheet.
  2. To hand out the worksheets and introduce the ambiguities.

The worksheet is divided into sections. Depending on the age of the students, the teacher can: 

  • Have the class go through the worksheet together.
  • Have students go through the worksheet one section at a time, followed by review and discussion.
  • Divide up the worksheet and use a jigsaw protocol, with different groups teaching the material to other groups.
  • Have the students work through the whole worksheet and then have a discussion.

While working through the first two sections of the worksheet, highlight the following points to students.

Section I: The Agricultural Aspect of Shavuot (Shavuot in the Torah)

Students should become aware that: 

  • There are different names for this chag.
  • Shavuot is one of the 3 regalim holidays.
  • Shavuot is connected with Pesach more closely in time.
  • Both Shavuot and Sukkot are agriculturally linked holidays.
  • NO date is given for the chag of Shavuot, and no real “reason” is given for the chag. 
  • There are NO special practices, foods, or restrictions associated with the chag. 
  • Shavuot was “observed” in practical ways ONLY in the Mishkan/Beit HaMikdash (Tabernacle/Temple).
  • The regalim – especially Shavuot and Sukkot – are agrarian/agricultural holidays.
  • It may be difficult to connect to agrarian realities and holidays.

Section II: The Matan Torah Timeline (or Lack Thereof)

  • No dates are given for the entire preparation for Matan Torah.
  • The lack of dates stands in sharp contrast to the Yetziat Mitzrayim (Exodus) narrative.
  • The actual date of Matan Torah is ambiguous.
    Here is a link to an article by Rav Y. Medan that addresses the issue thoroughly: https://etzion.org.il/en/holidays/shavuot/when-were-3-days-preparation-matan-torah
    *Note to teachers: You can share this source with students if you think it is helpful and appropriate
  • Matan Torah is not connected with Chag HaShavuot in the Torah.
Reflection and Wrap-Up:

Once students have completed the first two sections of the worksheet, move to the third section of the worksheet. The purpose of these questions is for reflection and discussion. They can also be used for assessment.

When reviewing this section with students, highlight the following points:

Section III: How Has Shavuot Evolved Over Time?

  • The focus of Shavuot as we know it today – as “zman Matan Torateinu” and everything that goes along with that – is largely a product of our living in galut (exile), not having a Beit HaMikdash (Temple) and korbanot (sacrifices), of not being an agrarian and autonomous society, and even, to some extent, of the two days of Yom Tov outside of Israel (similar to Simchat Torah). 
  • The way we celebrate chagim has evolved.
  • The fact that we don’t know exactly when the Torah was given is connected to the timelessness and “portability” of Torah. It is NOT tied to a specific date or location. (This is a revolutionary concept in the Ancient Near East.)
  • Awareness of the agricultural and natural cycles, and of weather, should contribute to our awareness of our vulnerability and the limits of our power/control. This awareness is connected to our faith in and reliance on God.
  • Gratitude is a major element in Judaism.