The Two Loaves of Shavuot

Found 6 Search results

1. The Omer, the Counting of the Omer, and the Festival of Shavuot

   Rabbi Yehuda Rock

   What is the significance of Sefirat Haomer - counting the omer? Does the counting only have historical significance, commemorating the weeks between the Exodus and the Giving of the Torah, or is there agricultural significance as well? Why is a public peace offering (shelamim) only brought on Shavuot, and what is the connection between Shavuot and the eighth day of the Miluim? And what is the significance of waving the Omer?

2. Parashat HaShavua Emor - Regalim

   Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell

   תאריך פרסום: תשע"ו | | 23 minutes

   The festivals mentioned in the Torah are central and multifaceted, mentioned a number of times in key places. In our parasha, Parashat Emor, the element at the forefront appears to be the unique mitzvot of every moed(holiday). This shiur attempts to tie in that unique commandment of each regel to the element that seems to be missing from our parasha: how Am Yisrael relate to the Mikdash on the regalim. 

3. The Agricultural and Historical Significance of Sefirat HaOmer

   Rabbi Yaakov Medan

   
   The Festival of Freedom, which commemorates the unique historical event of the Exodus, must coincide with the start of the annual agricultural season - the harvest. What is the connection between the two?
   
   
   It is somewhat puzzling that while the Torah speaks directly of both aspects of Pesach - agricultural and historical - it focuses solely on the agricultural significance of Sefirat Ha-Omer and Shavuot. In fact, it is the Sages who calculate that Matan Torah took place on the selfsame day that we are commanded to offer the shtei ha- lechem. Why does the Torah not mention the historical significance of the day at all?
   
   While it is true that there is no direct mention of Shavuot as the commemoration of the revelation at Sinai, the connection is very strongly hinted at in the verses by the use of Sefirat Ha-Omer as the link between Pesach and Shavuot, as will be explained.
    

    

   Translated by Zev Jacobson

4. Helping the Needy While Preparing the Omer for Shavuot

   Rabbi David Silverberg

5. The Meaning of Shavuot and its Unique Offering

   Rabbi Dr. Yoel Bin Nun

   While Pesach and Shavuot are linked by the counting of the Omer, they differ radically in their relationship to chametz and matza: on Pesach chametz is forbidden and matza is compulsory, while on Shavuot we offer two loaves of chametz.  How are we to understand this?  A proper explanation of the significance of chametz and matza, analyzing the various sources that appear in the Torah, shows that these are all details of a complete, unified system.

6. Meaning of the Omer, Counting, and Shavuot

   Rabbi Yehuda Rock

   תאריך פרסום: 5777 | | Hour and 5 minutes

   Was Shavuot the same time as Matan Torah? It is supposed to be the 50th day- after the first day of Pesach. Shavuot did not always take place on a fixed date – when calendar wasn’t fixed, the day could vary, just as the number of days in the preceding months could vary. In the Torah, Shavuot is always described in agricultural terms - the only regel (pilgrimage holiday) not to be explicitly linked with a historical commemoration. Did Hazal (the Rabbinic Sages) simply decide to link Shavuot with the Giving of the Torah, or are there strong hints within the Torah as well? If so, why are they not explicitly linked? What can we understand - and what are we meant to appreciate about Shavuot from the way the Torah describes the commandments surrounding Shavuot?