Tonight is Erev Shavuot. The holiday celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai as well as the grain harvest for the summer. In biblical times, Shavuot was one of three pilgrimage festivals in which all the Jewish men would go to Jerusalem and bring their first fruits as offerings to God.
The day is traditionally celebrated by studying Torah all night (or late into the night), eating dairy products, attending synagogue, reading the Book of Ruth, and abstaining from work.
For this occasion, we republish a segment prepared by Niza Lowenstein three years ago, which explains many of the details connected to this important Jewish holiday.
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