This study of the Holy Days is dedicated in the loving memory of Eugene and Selma Saunders may they rest in peace.

Shavuos is the Festival of "Weeks" which concludes at the end of the forty-ninth day of the Omer. Shavuos is seven weeks times seven weeks, a total of forty-nine days. The day after Pesach {15 Nisan} we begin counting the omer. The conclusion of the forty-ninth day introduces Erev Shavuos, the fiftieth day from 15 Nisan {Pentecost}. Shavuos is also the time when Hashem gave B'nei Yisroel the Torah from Har Sinai. We read, "In the third month, when B'nei Yisroel were gone forth out of the land of Mitzriam, the same day came they into the Wilderness of Sinai." Exodus 19:1 They arrived in the BaMidbar on Rosh Chodesh Sivan {1 Sivan}. In accordance with R. Jose's position, Moshe ascended and descended Har Sinai on the second day. Rashi concurs, "Moshe went up on the second day {of Sivan}. All his ascents were early in the morning."

It was on this day {the second day of the week, Monday, the forty-seventh day of the Omer} that Moshe received the following words from Hashem:

"Moses went up to {the Presence of} G-d, and Hashem called to him from the mountain, saying, 'This is what you shall say to the House of Yaakov, and tell to the B'nei Yisroel. You saw what I did to Mitzriam; and {how} I carried you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Me. And now if you listen diligently to My voice, and preserve My Covenant; you shall be My special treasure among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine. You will be to Me a kingdom of Kohanim {Ministers}, and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the B'nei Yisroel.'" Exodus 19:3-6 {In this instance Kohanim means ministers, NOT "priests" since only the descendants of Aharon can be priests.}

After Moshe's descent he spoke with B'nei Yisroel, "He presented to them all these words which Hashem had commanded him. All the people responded in unison, and said, 'All that Hashem has spoke, we will do.' Moshe brought the words of the people to Hashem." Exodus 19:7,8

On the third day of the week, Tuesday, the forty-eighth day of the Omer, according to R. Jose, Hashem set boundaries for B'nei Yisroel. Hashem would not descend on Har Sinai without first giving the warning, "Set bounds for the people around {the mountain} Exodus 19:12 Moshe told the words of the people {to Hashem}.

Hashem said to Moshe, "Go to the people, and sanctify {prepare} them today and tomorrow, and let them cleanse their clothing. Let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day, Hashem will descend on Har Sinai in the sight of all the people.

"Set bounds for the people around {the mountain}, saying {to them} 'Be careful not to go up the mountain or {even} to touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will be put to death." Do not touch him {with your} hand, for he will be stoned or cast down. Neither man nor beast will be allowed to live. When the {ram's} horn is sounded with a long blast, they will {then} be permitted to go up on the mountain.'" Moshe went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they immersed {themselves and} their clothing. He said to the people, Be ready by the end of three days. Do not come near a woman." Exodus 19:9-15

R. Jose states, It was on this day {Tuesday} that he {Moshe} was "being given the order to set boundaries." It was also the day Hashem commanded, "Go to the people, and sanctify {prepare} them today and tomorrow.." Exodus 19:10

Day One: Tuesday Day
- Kal Yisroel had the daylight of Tuesday, the forty-eighth day of the Omer, to prepare.

Day Two: Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night
They had that night, {Tuesday evening} the forty-ninth day of the Omer, and the next day, Wednesday, to prepare.

Day Off: Shavuos Wednesday Night to Thursday Night
This was the coming Festival of Shavuos.

Day Three: Motzi Shavuos Thursday night until Shabbos began Friday evening
Everything had to be completed by Friday long before sunset. The Torah states, "Be ready by the end of three days." Exodus 19:15 Even if one were to argue that Shavuos was the end of the three days, that is acceptable. No work needed to be done on Shavuos!

Once the preparation was complete Kal Yisroel was prepared to receive the Torah on Shabbos, 7 Sivan, the fifty-second day from 15 Nisan.

Below is a helpful chart:

Nisan
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19, 20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30
= 16 days of the Omer in Nisan

Iyar
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29
= 29 days of the Omer in Iyar

Sivan
1,2,3,4,5,6,7 {49th day is 4 Sivan}
= 4 days of the Omer in Sivan

```````````````````````````````````````````````````
R. Jose's Opinion as defined in the Talmud

10 Nisan - Shabbos -
"This day fell on the Sabbath and its historical significance was such that it had the honor of being called the Great Sabbath.' Rabbi Elie Munk, The Call of the Torah.

14 Nisan - After the sixth hour of the day, the middle of the daylight hours, it is time to slaughter the Pesach. {Exodus 12:6}

15 Nisan - First day of the Omer - Wednesday, after the mid of night B'nei Yisroel exits Mitzriam in triumph! B'nei Yisroel journeys from Raamses to Sukkos and camps there Thursday.

16 Nisan - Second day of the Omer - Thursday evening B'nei Yisroel journeys from Sukkos to camp at Eisom Friday. At this point B'nei Yisroel has NOT received the Commandment of honoring Shabbos. They have not received the Torah!

17 Nisan - Third day of the Omer - First Shabbos of Freedom. On Shabbos Day Hashem speaks to Moshe saying, "Speak to the B'nei Yisroel and have them turn back and camp before Pi-hahiroth, {meaning freedom} between Migdol and the sea facing {the Mitzriam idol} Baal Tzephon. Camp opposite it, near the sea." Exodus 14:1,2 According to the Midrash it was the only idol that survived the slayings of the firstborn.

18 Nisan - Fourth day of the Omer - Sunday. Pharoah's spies warn B'nei Yisroel to return to Mitzriam. Their three days were up. The Mitzriam spies are beaten, wounded and some killed. The living flee to Mitzriam to inform Pharoah. {Midrash}

19 Nisan - Fifth day of the Omer - Late Monday the spies arrive after a day and a half of traveling.

20 Nisan - Sixth day of the Omer - Monday evening Pharoah pursues B'nei Yisroel.

21 Nisan - Seventh day of the Omer - Tuesday evening Pharaoh arrives. B'nei Yisroel complains, Moshe is instructed to split the sea with his rod. The sea and all waters divide, B'nei Yisroel begins to escape, Hashem protects B'nei Yisroel's rear side from the advancing army of Mitzriam with fire, daylight approaches {it is now Wednesday}. The Fire of Hashem becomes a cloud of darkness separating B'nei Yisroel's rear side and the army of Mitzriam. B'nei Yisroel reaches safety and the army of Mitzriam is drowned! Thank G-d!! B'nei Yisroel sings the "Song of Praise at the Yom Suf." B'nei Yisroel begins their travel into the wilderness that Wednesday.

22 Nisan - Eighth day of the Omer - Wednesday evening to Thursday evening. B'nei Yisroel continues their travel into the wilderness.

23 Nisan - Ninth day of the Omer - Thursday evening to Friday evening B'nei Yisroel continues their travel into the wilderness reaching Mara. This was the place where the well water was very bitter. It was not drinkable. B'nei Yisroel complains. Our sages say they did not study the Torah {actually the Seven Noaich Commandments}; as a result, now B'nei Yisroel publicly reads the Torah every Monday, Thursday and Shabbos so that three days will not pass without learning the Torah. Hashem turns the bitter water of Mara sweet. B'nei Yisroel rests! Shabbos is ushered in...

24 Nisan - Tenth day of the Omer - Second Shabbos of Freedom. While at Mara Moshe adds three Commandments to the Seven Noaich Commandments: Honoring Shabbos, honoring one's parents and the observance of Mishpatim which are civil laws. {MIdrash}

25 Nisan - Eleventh day of the Omer - Sunday B'nei continued on their Journey to Eilim. They arrived on the fifteenth of Iyar.

1 Iyar - Seventeenth day of the Omer - Third Shabbos of Freedom - Rosh Chodesh Iyar

8 Iyar - Twenty-fourth day of the Omer - Fourth Shabbos of Freedom

14 Iyar - Thirtieth day of the Omer - Towards evening B'nei Yisroel arrives at Eilim. The Torah states this in an unusual manner. "Then they came to Eilim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date-palms, and they camped by the water. They journeyed from Eilim, and the entire community of B'nei Yisroel came to the desert of Sin, which is between Eilim and Sinai. It was the fifteenth day of the second month after they went out of the land of Mitzriam." Exodus 15:27-16:2

Here we have several possibilities:
First, B'nei Yisroel arrived before 15 Iyar began. This possibility is supported by the comment of Rashi when he stated "From the 15th of Nissan to the 15th of Iyar there are actually 31 days, which would require sixty-two meals (l.e. two meals per day, as is stated in Maseches Succcah 27a). However, the meal of the night of the 15th of Nissan they ate while still in Egypt and is not included in this number. (S.C) On that day (the 15th) they had food. What then was their complaint? I.e., their complaining was not due to hunger but out of concern for the next day's meal (B.Y.)."

From this it would appear that B'nei Yisroel arrived before Shabbos, ate two meals and complained, 'What will we eat tomorrow?'
Second, B'nei Yisroel may have traveled on Shabbos as many who are still learning about the sanctity of Shabbos do. When fully receive the revelation of Shabbos they then observe and guard Shabbos as B'nei Yisroel does from this point on.

15 Iyar - Thirty-first day of the Omer - Fifth Shabbos of Freedom - B'nei Yisroel complains that they will run out of food on the 16th of Iyar in the evening. Hashem uses this occasion to teach Kal Yisroel regarding dependence on Him and instructs them in the gathering of Manna.

16 Iyar - Thirty-second day of the Omer - Sunday Hashem makes bread rain from the heavens. "And in the morning you will see.." Exodus 16:7 "Between the evenings {in the afternoon} you shall eat meat..." Exodus 16:12

17 Iyar - Thirty-third day of the Omer - Lag B'Omer

22 Iyar - Thirty-eighth day of the Omer - Sixth Shabbos of Freedom - It was on this day that some of the people went out to gather manna. They did not listen to Hashem's instruction through Moshe Rabbeinu. This is sometimes the pattern of a Jew who is returning to Hashem. Sometimes we listen and depend upon Hashem and sometimes we don't. G-d Help us PLEASE!!

29 Iyar - Forty-fifth day of the Omer - Seventh Shabbos of Freedom

Between Iyar 23 and Iyar 29 B'nei Yisroel has an additional water conflict, war with Amalek, a visit from Yisro {Moshe's father-in-law}, Moshe's wife Zippier and his children. The judges are installed at the suggestion of Yisro.

1 Sivan - Forty-sixth day of the Omer - Rosh Chodesh Sivan - {First day of the week, Sunday} B'nei Yisroel arrives at Har Sinai.

2 Sivan - Forty-seventh day of the Omer - Moshe ascends the mountain. Exodus 19:3-6

3 Sivan - Forty-eighth day of the Omer - Moshe speaks to B'nei Yisroel in the evening Exodus 19:7,8. In the morning Moshe ascends the Mountain to Hashem with B'nei Yisroel's response. Hashem commands Moshe to "set boundaries" and to "prepare the people." Moshe informs B'nei Yisroel. They begin making preparations. Exodus 19:9-15

4 Sivan - Forty-ninth day of the Omer - Preparations continue.

5 Sivan - Shavuos

6 Sivan - Evening after dark preparations continue.

7 Sivan - Evening, two days after Shavuos {52 days after 15 Nisan and deliverance from Mitzriam}. Eighth Shabbos of Freedom begins. Shabbos day B'nei Yisroel receives the "Matan Torah!"

The Talmud's Opinion:
The Talmud argues, "Come and hear: For it was taught in the Seder 'Olam As to the Nisan in which the Israelites departed from Egypt, on the fourteenth they slaughtered their Passover sacrifices, on the fifteenth they went out, and that day was the Sabbath eve. Now, since the first of Nisan was the Sabbath eve, the first of Iyar was on a Sunday, and [the first of] Siwan on a Monday." {Shabbath 88a}

Nisan
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19, 20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29
= 15 days of the Omer in Nisan

Iyar
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29
= 29 days of the Omer in Iyar

Sivan
1,2,3,4,5,6
= 6 days of the Omer in Sivan

Consider the Talmud's Opinion:
According to the Talmud's quote of Seder 'Olam the fiftieth day would have been Shabbos and Shavous both.

- This opinion does not allow for 10 Nisan as Shabbos thus receiving its name "The Great Shabbos."
- This opinion does not allow for 30 days in Nisan. It requires 29 days. The month of Nisan has 30 days.
- This opinion does not allow for the third day. "...for on the third day, Hashem will descend on Har Sinai in the sight of the entire people..." {Exodus 19:11} 3 Sivan was Wednesday. If you count Wednesday as one day then the third day is 'FRIDAY". Thursday, first day, Friday second day, Shabbos third day. NOW notice Exodus 19:15, "Be ready by the END OF THREE DAYS." If one counts Wednesday then the END OF THREE DAYS IS FRIDAY." Notice the conflict.

The Madrashic Opinion
"On Rosh Chodesh Sivan (which in that year, 2448 fell on the first day of the week) the Bnai Yisrael arrived in the desert of Chorev."

Nisan
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19, 20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30
= 16 days of the Omer in Nisan

Iyar
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29
= 29 days of the Omer in Iyar

Sivan
1,2,3,4,5,6,7
= 4 days of the Omer in Sivan

Providing this opinion allows for the normal 30 days in Nisan it is acceptable with the exception of the fact that it states, "In the morning of the fourth day of the week {Wednesday} Moshe returned to Heaven to inform Hashem of their reply..." At this point the Midrash develops the same three day problem as the Talmud! Providing this opinion allows for the normal 30 days in Nisan it agrees with 10 Nisan as Shabbos HaGodal.

Now dear readers the time of "Matan Torah!" {giving of the Torah} is very important for us as Jews! This week thousands of years ago our brethren were entering the week of Shavuos, the eighth Shabbos of Freedom and especially the giving of the Torah to Moshe on Har Sinai. All opinions agree that the Torah was given to Moshe during the first week of the month of Sivan on the eighth Shabbos of Freedom. We are entering that time now! Let's bind together for an excellent all night study on Shavuos... regardless of the opinion that we feel to be correct.

Good Studies on Shavuos and Good Shabbos,

Wishing you the best,

Dr. Akiva G. Belk

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