Dear All,  A week from today falls the 1st day of the 2 day festival of Shavuos.  (Like all Jewish days, it starts the evening before.)  This is variously described as the day that the bride of Israel marries the groom of Hashem, the L-rd G-d, the day commemorating the giving of the First Five Books of Moses on Mount Sinai to Moses, & the springtime dairy festival.

We read the Book of Ruth on this holiday.  On that first evening (Sunday coming), Jews stay up all night at the synagogue, studyingn Torah. 

ANother name for this holiday is the Feast of Weeks.  That is the same as the Christian Pentecost (spelling?) I believe (but could very well be wrong).  Tere are 7 weeks between Passover & Shavuos.

Any questions you have about the holiday, I will be very glad to answer!  Yours in Him, Deb

 Deb, we learned about this in church yesterday. The teaching was about showing the comparison of The Feast of Weeks and Pentecost. Now am I correct that it starts on the 17th of Nissen (spelling?) This Feast last 50 Days correct and I believe that it was 50 days from crossing the Red Sea until they arrived at My Sinai. Then it was 50 days after Jesus resurection that the Holy Spirit came with tongues of fire and wind on Pentecost. It was interesting to look at the Exodus scriptures of what happened on Mt Sinai, I believe our Bible says thunder and lightning. I may be a little confused as I was interpreting for our Deaf and it is hard to take it all in for yourself.

Why do you read from the Book of Ruth? Do you read all of it or just certain parts?  Babs

Dear Babs, Shavuos falls on the 6th of the month Sivan.  Passover/Pesach is in Nissan.  There are 50 days in between the 2 (Shavuos ends the count.).  Jews "count the Omer" (count according to Bibical sacrificial destinatoin) between teh 2 holidays.  Shavuos is the feast of 7 weeks (count). 

The Scriptures do NOT connect the giving of the Law at Mt Sinai to teh festival of the giving.  Things changed at the destruction of the Second TEmple (A.D./Common Era 70). 

Please note that the Israelites were not impressed for long with the Torah.  FOrty days after the Giving of the Law, they fashioned the Golden Calf, an idol that they worshiped.

You are right about the thunder & the lightning at Sinai.

We read teh entire Book of Ruth.  We see the Israelites at Sinai as converts who had to undergo circumscisoin & ritual immersion to become Jews; Ruth was a convert.  She is the ancestor of King David, ancestor of the Messiah-to-come, who was both born & died on Shavuos.  REading Ruth is a custom of European Jews (called Ash-kee-na-zee; Ashkenasi Jews).

I hope that I've adquately answered your questions.  If not, let's try again!  Yours in Him, Deb

 OK thanks for the explanation about Nissin , I knew there was a connection somewhere. It is the problem of listening and processing to interpret in a different language. Often, my mind doesnt connect all the facts in the right order. Then I have to go back and research it again.

Another interesting things was the 3,000 men died after the Golden Calf ,....how quickly men forget G'd.  Then in Acts after Pentcost, it talks of Peter preaching and 3,000 men believing and being baptised.

We learn so much .....In Him, Babs 

Our Jewish tradition says thaT "about" 3K men died, but I'm certain that round numbers can be used in both the Jewish & Christian contexts. 

Regarding our private email conversations, I am so impressed by how well you & your son know teh Hebrew Bible.  Would you believe that I just had to look up Exodus 32:28 to find out that "about" 3K men died ....

Love in Him, Deb

 Deb, I grew up in a church that told me to never accept anything with out reading it myself. That has been a good thing in my life. I have tried to teach the kids to do the same. Babs

Thanks so much for the bible history and how much the two events mirror each other.  I love learning and its great when someones knows Jewish history and you a wonderful to share it with us. 

You are most welcome, CapitalJ! 

Dear Babs, You had good teachers!

Yours in Him, Deb