Shavout - Feast of Weeks - Pentecost (Cont)

Shavuot is known as latter firstfruits. Firstfruits (which is known as early firstfruits) occurred approximately 50 days before Shavuot. In Firstfruits, the harvest was small as it takes place in March or early April. It was the time of the barley harvest. Unprepared items were brought to the temple. Barley and grapes were brought instead of bread and wine at Shavuot. At Shavuot, two loaves of bread were waved before the L-rd representing Jew and Gentile. The wheat harvest is what occurs at Feast of Weeks. This marks the time when the Word of G-d was given at Sinai (Exodus 19) and the spirit was given in Acts 2.

The L-rd set up His order for welfare for the poor during this harvest. He talks about leaving gleanings in the field for the poor to pick up. (Lev. 23:15-22). The welfare system was never to be run by the government. If every church decided to help one family on welfare, we would not need to pay out government welfare. Some mega-churches could help tens to hundreds of families while other small churches would need 4-5 churches to support one family.

We need to get back to G-d's order for feasts and to his economic order as well.

Blessings,