Dear Friends,

The biblical holiday of Shavuot began June 1, 2025, at sundown and is observed for one day in Israel and two days outside Israel. Shavuot commemorates the day the Israelites received the Torah at Mt. Sinai after they left Egypt more than 3,300 years ago. Shavuot - also known as Pentecost - is an important holiday for Christians as well!

In the Hebrew Bible, Shavuot is one of three pilgrimage festivals instituted by the Lord - Passover, Shavuot and Tabernacles. According to Exodus 23:17, all male Israelites were to appear before God in Jerusalem for these three feasts, established in Exodus 23:14-16. Shavuot - the Festival of Harvest - is instituted in verse 16, where it says, “You shall observe the Festival of Harvest, of the first fruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field." Because Shavuot celebrates the harvest of the first fruits of the season, it is known in Hebrew as Hag ha-Bikkurim – the Festival of First Fruits.

Shavuot means weeks in Hebrew. So, Shavuot is also known as the Feast of Weeks. It is so named because of the seven weeks between the second day of Pesach, or Passover. In anticipation of Shavuot, Jews count the days from the second day of Passover to the day before Shavuot, which is 49 days or 7 weeks. Another name for the Festival of Shavuot is Pentecost, because it falls on the 50th day after the Shabbat of Passover. Pentecost means 50 in Greek.

The holiday of Pentecost is important for Christians because this is the day the church was born when the Holy Spirit fell on believers in Jerusalem. In the description of these events in Acts 2:1-11 in the Christian Testament, it is clear that Jews from many nations and tongues were in Jerusalem for Shavuot (Pentecost) in obedience to the command to appear before God in Jerusalem for this pilgrimage festival. (Exodus 23:17)  

Shavuot (Festival of First Fruits) specifically celebrates the barley harvest, the first crop of the season ready for harvest. Since the biblical story of Ruth takes place during the barley and wheat harvest in ancient Israel, Ruth is studied during this Feast. And, because Shavuot commemorates the day the Israelites received the Torah at Mt. Sinai, the ten commandments are also read.

Ruth is the story of a Gentile woman from Moab who demonstrated great courage and character when she decided to join her life to the God and people of Israel by moving to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law Naomi. In Ruth 1:16-17, when Naomi tried to discourage Ruth from going with her, Ruth said:
 

“Do not press me to leave you, to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people and your God my God.
Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus to me, and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!"

Throughout the story, Ruth continued to demonstrate acts of courage and hesed - the Hebrew word that describes character traits of kindness, mercy, faithfulness and unconditional love. Ruth's actions inspired reciprocal acts from Naomi and Boaz, the man she would marry in Bethlehem. Her hesed and courage brought about redemption and transformation for her personally and for the people of Israel. Because of Ruth’s commitment to the God and people of Israel, she became the great-grandmother of the future King David and the ancestor of the Messiah, the son of David.

Ruth's demonstration of kindness, mercy, faithfulness and unconditional love for the people of Israel provides an inspiring example for us today. Furthermore, her courage and steadfastness of conviction gave her the ability to affect change on the personal and national level. And finally, Ruth's declaration of commitment to the God and people of Israel issues a powerful challenge to Christians to stand with the Jewish people, no matter the cost!

Today, Christians must:

• Follow Ruth's example of how to relate to the people of Israel.

• Recognize the power each of us has to affect change in our sphere of influence.

• Understand that, in making the decision to stand with the Jewish people no matter what, we are joining our lives and our fates with theirs.

Happy Shavuot!
Happy Pentecost!
Am Yisrael Chai!
The people of Israel live!