Community Corner

Shavuot Celebrated Across Southland

Jewish festival marks the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

The Ten Commandments was read at synagogues Sunday as part of the observance of Shavuot, the two-day Jewish festival marking the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Shavuot began Saturday night with traditional Jews staying up all night studying the Torah and other sacred Jewish texts.

Shavuot, the Hebrew word meaning weeks, marks the completion of the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot. It took 49 days for the Israelites to travel from Egypt to the foot of Mount Sinai where they were to receive the Torah, the Hebrew Bible.

Find out what's happening in Rancho Santa Margaritawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

On the second day, the Yizkor memorial service is recited. Some congregations read the Book of Ruth publicly, as King David, whose death occurred on Shavuot, was a descendant of Ruth the Moabite.

Other customs include decorating homes and synagogues with floral arrangements, symbolizing the flowers that miraculously popped up all over Mount Sinai at the Torah's giving, and eating dairy foods.

Find out what's happening in Rancho Santa Margaritawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The practice commemorates the fact that upon receiving the Torah, including the kosher laws, the Jewish people could not cook meat in their pots, which had yet to be rendered kosher.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here