[Avodah] Shavuos Five Times

[Cantor Wolberg]

Shavuos is mentioned in the Torah five times, perhaps to allude to the
giving of the five books of the Torah on that day. In Shmos 23:16 it is
called "chag hakotzir," in Shmos 34:22 and D'vorim 16:10 "chag  
Shavuos," in
Bmidbar 28:26 "yom habikurim," and most interestingly in Vayikra 23  
Shavuos
is discussed from verse 16 through verse 21, yet no name is mentioned  
here
and no calendar date is given for the holiday anywhere in the Torah.  
It is
written in the name of the GR"A that the letters of Shavuos, Shin-Beis- 
Ayin-Tof
when spelled defectively, are an acronym for the names of
Shavuos. Shin = Shavuos; Beis = Bikurim; Ayin = Atzerres; Tof = (Matan)
Torah. Actually the Torah also calls Shavuos "chag haKotzir" in Shmos  
23:16
and "yom hakohol" in Dvorim 9:10.

The Ram'o in O.Ch. #490:9 says that we have the custom to read Rus on
Shavuos.
1)  The Yalkut Shimoni Rus #601 says that Rabbi Z'eiro says, "This  
megilla
does not contain laws of purity and impurity, nor laws of what is  
permitted
and what is prohibited. It only contains the lesson of the reward for  
those
who do acts of KINDNESS."  Since the main thrust of the Torah is to  
teach us
to refine our characters and be kind, as is stated in Mishlei 31:26,
"V'soras CHESED al l'shonoh," we therefore read it on Shavuos.  
(Rokei'ach
and Medrash Lekach Tov).

Chag Sameach.
ri
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