The agricultural foundations of Shavuot, outlined in the Torah and later explained in the Mishnah, focus on two food groups: fruit and grain. Two main agricultural activities that took place in this season were the wheat harvest along with bringing the first fruits to the Temple in Jerusalem. These align with the original name of the Shavuot holiday: Chag HaBikkurim , or Festival of the First Fruits, and Chag HaKatzir , or Harvest Festival.
In the maftir Torah reading of Shavuot, in Numbers 28, we read: “On the day of the first fruits, your Feast of Weeks, when you bring an offering of new grain to the Lord, you shall observe a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations.” If we are only looking for examples of how Jews originally observed Shavuot, the earliest documents focus on fruit, fruit, fruit — and also some grain. The Mishna details gathering one’s first fruits in elaborate baskets and traveling to Jerusalem in celebratory procession. It’s clear that Shavuot traditions at the time of the Mishna did not include dairy.
Excerpt from "Want Authentic Shavuot Meals? Try Fruit, Not Dairy" by Sarah Chandler - Originally published June 2, 2014
http://forward.com/opinion/199327/want-authentic-shavuot-meals-try-fruit-not-dairy
Naming this Holiday
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Biblical |
Post Biblical |
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Chag HaKatzir Bikurei Ma’asecha ‒ חַ֤ג הַקָּצִיר֙ בִּכּוּרֵ֣י מַעֲשֶׂ֔יךָ ‒ ‘Harvest Festival of first fruits’ (Exodus 23:16) |
Chag Matan Torah - חג מתן תורה ‒ ‘Festival of the Giving of the Torah’ |
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Chag Shavuot ‒ ‘the Feast of Weeks, of the first fruits of the wheat harvest’ - חַ֤ג שָׁבֻעֹת֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לְךָ֔ בִּכּוּרֵ֖י קְצִ֣יר חִטִּ֑ים - (Exodus 34:22) |
Zman Matan Torateinu - זְמַן מַתַּן תּורָתֵינוּ - ‘Festival of the Giving of Our Torah’ |
Chag Habikkurim: Origins of Shavuot as a FRUIT holiday
The Biblical and Mishnaic origins of Shavuot discuss the first wheat harvest of the year, as well as the role of bringing your bikkurim, “first fruits” to the temple. The only description of Shavuot is as the holiday of first fruits; no historical explanation is offered. Like most Jewish holidays, the role of eating symbolic foods in celebration came later.
(טו) אֶת־חַ֣ג הַמַּצּוֹת֮ תִּשְׁמֹר֒ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִים֩ תֹּאכַ֨ל מַצּ֜וֹת כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֗ךָ לְמוֹעֵד֙ חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֔יב כִּי־ב֖וֹ יָצָ֣אתָ מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וְלֹא־יֵרָא֥וּ פָנַ֖י רֵיקָֽם׃ (טז) וְחַ֤ג הַקָּצִיר֙ בִּכּוּרֵ֣י מַעֲשֶׂ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּזְרַ֖ע בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְחַ֤ג הָֽאָסִף֙ בְּצֵ֣את הַשָּׁנָ֔ה בְּאׇסְפְּךָ֥ אֶֽת־מַעֲשֶׂ֖יךָ מִן־הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
(כב) וְחַ֤ג שָׁבֻעֹת֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לְךָ֔ בִּכּוּרֵ֖י קְצִ֣יר חִטִּ֑ים וְחַג֙ הָֽאָסִ֔יף תְּקוּפַ֖ת הַשָּׁנָֽה׃
(22) You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the first fruits of the wheat harvest; and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year.
(כו) וּבְי֣וֹם הַבִּכּוּרִ֗ים בְּהַקְרִ֨יבְכֶ֜ם מִנְחָ֤ה חֲדָשָׁה֙ לַֽה' בְּשָׁבֻעֹ֖תֵיכֶ֑ם מִֽקְרָא־קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כׇּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַעֲשֽׂוּ׃
(ג) אֵין מְבִיאִין בִּכּוּרִים חוּץ מִשִּׁבְעַת הַמִּינִים. לֹא מִתְּמָרִים שֶׁבֶּהָרִים, וְלֹא מִפֵּרוֹת שֶׁבָּעֲמָקִים, וְלֹא מִזֵּיתֵי שֶׁמֶן שֶׁאֵינָם מִן הַמֻּבְחָר. אֵין מְבִיאִין בִּכּוּרִים קֹדֶם לָעֲצֶרֶת. אַנְשֵׁי הַר צְבוֹעִים הֵבִיאוּ בִכּוּרֵיהֶם קֹדֶם לָעֲצֶרֶת, וְלֹא קִבְּלוּ מֵהֶם, מִפְּנֵי הַכָּתוּב שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה (שמות כג) וְחַג הַקָּצִיר בִּכּוּרֵי מַעֲשֶׂיךָ אֲשֶׁר תִּזְרַע בַּשָּׂדֶה:
(3) Bikkurim are brought only from the seven species. Not from dates grown on hills, nor from [the other species] grown in the valley, nor from olives that are not choice. Bikkurim are not to be brought before Shavuot. The people from Mt. Zevoim brought bikkurim prior to Atzeret (Shavuot), but they did not accept from them, on for it is written in the Torah: “And the festival of the harvest, the first-fruits of your labors, which you have sown in the field” (Exodus 23:16).
(א) כֵּיצַד מַפְרִישִׁין הַבִּכּוּרִים. יוֹרֵד אָדָם בְּתוֹךְ שָׂדֵהוּ וְרוֹאֶה תְּאֵנָה שֶׁבִּכְּרָה, אֶשְׁכּוֹל שֶׁבִּכֵּר, רִמּוֹן שֶׁבִּכֵּר, קוֹשְׁרוֹ בְגֶמִי, וְאוֹמֵר, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ בִּכּוּרִים. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן חוֹזֵר וְקוֹרֵא אוֹתָם בִּכּוּרִים מֵאַחַר שֶׁיִּתָּלְשׁוּ מִן הַקַּרְקָע:
(ב) כֵּיצַד מַעֲלִין אֶת הַבִּכּוּרִים. כָּל הָעֲיָרוֹת שֶׁבַּמַּעֲמָד מִתְכַּנְּסוֹת לָעִיר שֶׁל מַעֲמָד, וְלָנִין בִּרְחוֹבָהּ שֶׁל עִיר, וְלֹא הָיוּ נִכְנָסִין לַבָּתִּים. וְלַמַּשְׁכִּים, הָיָה הַמְמֻנֶּה אוֹמֵר (ירמיה לא), קוּמוּ וְנַעֲלֶה צִיּוֹן אֶל בֵּית ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ:
(1) How does one set aside bikkurim? A man goes down into his field, he sees a fig that ripened, or a cluster of grapes that ripened, or a pomegranate that ripened, he ties a reed-rope around it and says: “Let these be bikkurim.” Rabbi Shimon says: even so, he must again designate them as bikkurim after they have been plucked from the soil.
(2) How were the bikkurim taken up [to Jerusalem]? All [the inhabitants of] the cities of the maamad would assemble in the city of the maamad, and they would spend the night in the open street and they would not entering any of the houses. Early in the morning the officer would say: “Let us arise and go up to Zion, into the house of the Lord our God” (Jeremiah 31:5).
as, even today, nothing except wine brings wailing and trouble upon a person; most sins are caused by drunkenness. Rabbi Yehuda says: The Tree of Knowledge was the wheat plant. This is proven by the fact that, even today, an infant does not know how to call out to his father or mother until he tastes the taste of grain, and for this reason wheat is called “the Tree of Knowledge.” Rabbi Neḥemya says: The Tree of Knowledge was a fig tree, because it was with the matter with which they sinned that they were rehabilitated, as it is stated: “And they sewed together fig leaves, and made for themselves loincloths” (Genesis 3:7).
To consider:
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What does our relationship with water look like when it is part of fruit?
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What is our relationship with abundance?
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Where can we share the harvest? For those of us who aren't farmers, how can the ancient agricultural laws inform our modern values and ethics?
Ritual Script: Summer—Bikkurim/First fruits
By the time the month of Sivan (the month when Shavuot falls) arrives, our agrarian ancestors hoped that the wheat had dried on the stalk. Our first harvest is an opportunity for celebration, but not yet for feasting. The biblical and mishnaic origins of Shavuot (Exodus 23:15-16, Exodus 34:22, Leviticus 23:9-21, Numbers 28:26, Deuteronomy 16:9-10, Mishnah Bikkurim) discuss the first wheat harvest of the year, as well as the ritual of bringing your bikkurim, “first fruits,” to the temple.
Re-enacting a first fruits procession: “The choice first fruits of your soil you shall bring to the house of the Eternal your God. . .”(Exodus 23:19)
The original rite of offering first fruits was the bringing of the fruit of trees during their fourth year of fruit bearing (Lev. 19:23–25). One should also make a grain offering with freshly harvested wheat in the form of two loaves of baked leavened bread (Leviticus 23:17). Observing Shavuot at the start of the harvest season included a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem, but also included weeks of preparation.
The Mishnah gives clear instructions for designating your first fruits, In addition to watching your wheat dry on the stalk while you harvested your barley:
How does one set aside bikkurim? A man goes down into his field, he sees a fig that ripened, or a cluster of grapes that ripened, or a pomegranate that ripened; he ties a reed-rope around it and says: “Let these be bikkurim.” (Mishnah Bikkurim 3:1.)
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Choose a date for your first fruits re-enactment, on or near the holiday.
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Ask volunteers to bake challot (use locally sourced wheat flour if you can) and bring produce from their garden or farmer’s market.
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Historically, how were the bikkurim taken up [to Jerusalem]? All [the inhabitants of] the cities.... would spend the night in the open street and they would not enter any of the houses. Early in the morning the officer would say: “Let us arise and go up to Zion, into the house of the Eternal our God” (Jeremiah 31:5). (Mishnah Bikkurim 3:2.)
Gather your offerings in a bikkurim basket and decorate it with ribbons or colorful fabric. Rather than gather around the table for a banquet, you will act as pilgrims making an aliyah l’regel, walking up to Jerusalem by foot. If you have goats, dogs, or other pets who can join you in the procession, include them as you dress up for the occasion. At Adamah Farm, where we partake in this ritual annually, we process with a chuppah covering the person who holds the offerings. Designate one site to be “home” and another location to represent “Jerusalem.”
By giving up the first of this bounty, one demonstrates that one has faith that more is coming. Whether holding a real object or an imaginary one, prompt each person to turn to someone next to them and share: What is something in my life I have a small amount of and feel I could release, if only it meant that I would receive more later on? After each person shares, process collectively to the “Jerusalem” site.
Excerpt from "Yizal Mayim: Water Flowing Through the Seasons: Ritual Weaving for the 21st Century" - by Kohenet Shamirah Bechirah aka Sarah Chandler - The Sacred Earth: Jewish Perspectives on Our Planet - http://sacredearth.ccarpress.org/
CCAR Press - the newest addition to the Challenge and Change series.
Additional resources:
"Want Authentic Shavuot Meals? Try Fruit, Not Dairy" by Sarah Chandler - Originally published June 2, 2014 - http://forward.com/opinion/199327/want-authentic-shavuot-meals-try-fruit-not-dairy
Source sheet from Shavuot class “What is the authentic Shavuot food?”- https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/410856
- Video from MyJewishLearning.com class on “What is the authentic Shavuot food?” https://youtu.be/z5q1J3vjLaQ