 Shavuot
is also known as Zeman Matan Toratenu, the Season of the Giving
of Our Law, which commemorates the receiving of the Ten Commandments at
Mount Sinai.
After
Moses and the Israelites fled the slavery of Egypt, they wandered the desert.
G-d provided the travelers with food to eat (manna) and water to drink.
After long months Moses brought his followers to the foot of a mountain
called Sinai. Though the desert was dry and bare, the mountain was lush
and green, covered with grass, flowers and trees. Moses and the Israelites
set up camp at the base of the mountain.
On
the third day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, Moses was commanded by G-d
to prepare the Jewish people for G-d's descent and visit. The Israelites
washed and purified their clothes and their bodies. Three days later, on
the sixth day of Sivan, the people were awaken by thunder and lightning.
Thick, dark clouds hung over the mountain. The sounds of the Shofar, the
ram's horn, were heard echoing across the desert. The earth began to tremble
and shake.
Then
the Israelites heard a voice, G-d's voice, as he spoke to them from out
of the clouds.
And G-d gave them his Ten Commandments*
*(Please note: Because Shavuot is a Jewish celebration we are presenting the Jewish interpretation of the Ten Commandments. Different religions have different versions of the commandments)
"I am the Lord your G-d, Who has taken you out of the land of
Egypt, from the house of slavery"
"You
shall have no other gods but me"
"You
shall not take the name of your Lord in vain"
"You
shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy"
"Honor
your father and mother"
"You
shall not murder"
"You
shall not commit adultery"
"You
shall not steal"
"You
shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"
"You
shall not covet your neighbor's goods. You shall not covet your neighbour's house. You shall not covet
your neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor
his bull, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour's."
*(Please note: Because Shavuot is a Jewish celebration we are presenting the Jewish interpretation of the Ten Commandments. Different religions have different versions of the commandments)
Moses went up the mountain and returned with the Tablets that
contained the Ten Commandments.
Through
the centuries the Jewish people have celebrated this important event. It
was at Mount Sinai that this band of worn and weary travelers would become the
nation known as Israel.
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