Shavuos

The word Shavuos translates as weeks, and follows the counting of the Omer. Seven weeks of preparation and to be worthy of Matan Torah.

Vayikra perek 23: " You shall on this very day, a holy calling it shall be for you. "

Shavuos, the time of the giving of the Torah. What could be more important to the Jews and Judaism than the giving and the receiving of the Torah?

Without Shavuos there would be no Torah, we would not be Jewish. There would simply be nothing.

Chazal and Kabbalah teach us that Shavuos is the moment of the eternal commitment  between HaShem and the Jewish people. The Sefirah is a time for preparation, but also a time when trust and loves grows deeper and stronger. 

The celebrations of Shavuos takes place in our shuls, starting with the Hillel Tehillim, the Akdamus glorifying HaShem. The Aseres Hadibros are read as a special reading of the day. The Yizkor is said on the second day.

The Megillah Ruth is read. To hear the Megillah on Shavuos has two reasons. First, the story of the harvest of the barley, but more importantly Ruth, a Moabite woman, who voluntarily chose to become Jewish. 

Ruth was a Moabite princess who married the son of Naomi and Elimelech. After her husband died she fallowed her mother in- law to Eretz Ysroel and converted to Judaism. She marries Boaz and this is how she became the great-grandmother of Dovid HaMelech.

Ruth opposed the idol- worship of her people, and when the opportunity came she happily gave up the privileges of royality, left, and lived in poverty with the people she admired.

It was in the time of  the Judges in Israel. The Jewish people became lax in their Torah observance, and called the consequences upon themselves, so there was famine in the land.

Elimelech lived at the time in Judah. He was a wealthy marchant, not used to poverty. He, together with Naomi and their two sons packed up their belongings and went and live in Moab.

Ruth met with the family, and learned about their tradition and Laws. She felt dissatisfaction with the idol- worship of her people, and turned to something more positive and meaningful. When one of the sons, Mahlon, ask her to marry him, Ruth accepted with pride and happiness. Ruth never felt any regrets when we gave up the wealth and royal privilege, the life she was used to. She saw the differences between her people and the Jewish people. 

When Elimelech and his two sons died, Naomi turned to her two daughter- in-laws, and told them that they must leave, as she herself was going back to Beth-Lechem.  Why would they suffer with her? Their husbands had both died, so Naomi adviced them to go back home and find another husband. Orpah was sad, kissed Naomi and returned home.

Ruth cried and begged her mother- in- law to allow her to go with her, not to sent her away, and said :" for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your G‑d my G‑d; where you will I die, and there will I be buried; the L‑rd do so to me, and more also, if anything but death will part you and me. "

Naomi reminded her of the dificulties and challenges the Jews are confronted all the time, but Ruth knew what she was doing. She was adament and determent to follow her mother- in- law, to make the faith of the Jewish people her faith.

It was harvest time when Naomi and Ruth came to Judah. Both weary from the journey, Ruth told Naomi to rest while she would go into the field to find them something to eat.

Ruth entered the field where many man were cutting the barley, binding them into sheaves and piling them unto the wagons. Ruth hesitated, but the promise she made her mother- in- law made her go into the field. Suddenly she heared a voice, a kindly voice saying to her: " HaShem will be with you, stranger. Come into the field and get some corn to ease your hunger. "

It was Boaz, the owner of the field. Ruth thanked him and went her way, when the same voice urge her to stay and gather some Pe'ah. Ruth asked him what Pe'ah was.The Torah tells us that when the owner of the field cut his grain, he must not cut the corners of the field but leave them for the poor, or the stranger to reap them, Boaz told her.

Expressing her gratitude, Ruth stayed and cut the corn from the corners of the field, and when she was about to leave, Boaz told her not to leave yet, and stay for the leket, again Ruth asked what it meant. Boaz explained that leket was a law and meant that whatever they dropped they were not allowed to pick it up, but to leave it for the poor and the stranger.

Ruth filled buckets full and thanked Boaz. Again Boaz urged her not to go yet, as she might benefit from the shikchah, which you can take. "What is shikchah?" Ruth asked. The owner of the field is taken his load of graines and may have forgotten some sheaves, and the Torah prohibited to go back and get them, he must leave them in the field for the poor and the stranger, Boaz told her.

Ruth was happy with the food, it was almost to heavy to carry. She thanked Boaz, who ask her to come again. Naomi was happy wen Ruth returned with the food and that Ruth found favor in the eyes of Boaz.

When Boaz asked Ruth to marry him, Naomi encourage her to say yes. Ruth and Boaz were blessed with children, their first son was named Oved, who became the father of Yishai. They lived long enough to witness the birth of Dovid, the youngest son of Yishai, Our beloved Dovid HaMelech.