Biblical Hebrew Forum

[James Christian <jc.bhebrew AT googlemail.com>]

Thanks for that Yigal. I guess I missed being on Mount Sinai for Shavuot
this year. I'll get something cheesy cooked up instead. Can't promise that
I'll make it up all night but I'll read the bible a bit before going to bed
(always a good idea anyway).

Incidentally, the tourists who visit Gebel Musa have a tradition of viewing
the sunrise from the peak. They believe that if they see sunrise on Mount
Sinai all their sins will be forgiven. I'm wondering is this superstition
has some origin with this same legend.

James Christian

2010/5/18 Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>

> The festival of Shavu'ot begins tonight at sundown and ends in Israel
> tomorrow night. The custom of many Jewish communities outside of Israel is
> to add an extra day. Besides the usual holiday prayers and meals, many
> communities hold all-night Torah study sessions, "Torah" in the wider
> meaning of the study of any Jewish texts, from the Bible to modern. One
> traditional reason for these all-night sessions is that according to one
> legend, on the morning of the original Sinai event the Israelites were all
> asleep in their tents and Moses had to go from tent to tent pulling them
> out
> of bed. So we don't want to miss out this time around. In many communities
> it is also customary to read and to study the book of Ruth, the main action
> of which occurred during the harvest-time. Since Ruth is the
> great-grandmother of David (and thus also the ancestress of the Messiah),
> Shavu'ot is also considered the anniversary of David's birth and of his
> death. I'll actually be giving a talk on Joab at our synagogue. Also, since
> the Torah is likened to milk and honey, Shavu'ot is also a festival of
> cheesecakes and other milk dishes. There's a cheesecake in the oven as I
> write.
>
>
>
> So have a good holiday, everyone.
>
>
>
>
>
> Yigal Levin
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: James Christian [mailto:jc.bhebrew AT googlemail.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 3:56 PM
> To: Yigal Levin
> Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: שבועות
>
>
>
> Good point. I had forgotten about that but was planning to visit mount
> Sinai
> for שבועות. Does anybody have the date of this year's שבועות to hand?
>
>
>
> James Christian
>
> On 18 May 2010 15:40, Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il> wrote:
>
> Sorry, James and all, but some participants in this discussion have begun
> using terms like "garbage" and questioning others' competency and
> intellectual honesty. That's where we have to draw the line. Let's all cool
> down. If anyone has any LINGUISTIC points to add, please wait until
> Thursday
> and then post them.
>
> And have a good Festival of Weeks. See if you can come up with anything
> "Pentecostal" to discuss.
>
>
> Yigal Levin
>
> Co-moderator, B-Hebrew
>
>
>
>
>
>
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