Shavuot

On Shavuot, we have this great story about grief, support, faith, and perseverance, which we revisit every year with the reading of Megilat Ruth. As the story goes, Ruth, along with Orpah, marries into a family only to face loss with the deaths of their husbands. Ruth and Orpah, Moabites, outsiders, must decide what to do next. There is no food, and Naomi, their mother-in-law, has no sons left for Orpah and Ruth to marry. They can take the obvious route, which Naomi encourages them to do, and return home. At first, both Ruth and Orpah choose to join Naomi on her journey to seek out Naomi’s late husband, Elimelech’s cousin Boaz. During the journey, Naomi once again insists that Orpah and Ruth return home. Orpah, at this point, does as her mother-in-law insists and returns home. But Ruth does not. Instead, she tells Naomi:

אַל־תִּפְגְּעִי־בִ֔י לְעׇזְבֵ֖ךְ לָשׁ֣וּב מֵאַחֲרָ֑יִךְ כִּ֠י אֶל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֵּלְכִ֜י אֵלֵ֗ךְ וּבַאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּלִ֙ינִי֙ אָלִ֔ין עַמֵּ֣ךְ עַמִּ֔י וֵאלֹהַ֖יִךְ אֱלֹהָֽי

“Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God…”

Rabbi Jacob ben Isaac Ashkenazi reflects on Ruth’s response in the 17th-century compilation Tze’enah Ure’enah (“Go Forth and See”). Ruth’s response to Naomi is a direct indication that Ruth is all in. Naomi says that they cannot travel beyond a certain point because of Shabbat, so Ruth responds that she will follow Naomi’s lead. Naomi tells her that it is inappropriate to be alone in a room with a man whom she is not married to, so Ruth says she will stay by Naomi’s side. Naomi says there are 613 mitzvot that the Jewish people must follow, so Ruth says I will follow just as you do. Naomi says idolatry and other Gods are forbidden, and Ruth responds, Naomi’s God is her God. 

וַתֵּ֕רֶא כִּֽי־מִתְאַמֶּ֥צֶת הִ֖יא לָלֶ֣כֶת אִתָּ֑הּ וַתֶּחְדַּ֖ל לְדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶֽיהָ׃

When [Naomi] saw how determined she was to go with her, she ceased to argue with her;

At this point, Naomi is left with no other choice and must accept that Ruth will not leave her side. In Megilat Ruth, there is no mention of what kind of bond Naomi and Ruth had up until this point, but it can be argued that Ruth valued their relationship enough to trust in whatever would happen during the journey, and ultimately in Bethlehem. When they arrive, Naomi sends out Ruth to glean barley and wheat from the corners of the fields, and Ruth just so happens to glean in Boaz’s field. Boaz, unaware of the connection, notices Ruth and starts to assist her. When Ruth relays this information to Naomi, she comes up with a plan for Ruth to marry Boaz to fulfill the mitzvah of Yibbum- a marriage between a childless widow and a family member of the deceased to further the name and estate of the deceased. After Boaz learns who Ruth is, he agrees to marry her, and they have a child. After the birth of Ruth’s son, Obed, the women in Bethlehem said the following about Naomi:

כִּ֣י כַלָּתֵ֤ךְ אֲֽשֶׁר־אֲהֵבַ֙תֶךְ֙ יְלָדַ֔תּוּ אֲשֶׁר־הִיא֙ ט֣וֹבָה לָ֔ךְ מִשִּׁבְעָ֖ה בָּנִֽים׃

“For he is born of your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons.”

The bond between Naomi and Ruth highlights the importance of relationships and support during difficult times and moments of loss. Their story illustrates how faith and chosen family can have a profound impact, exemplified by the birth of Obed, who became the grandfather of King David. Even with the loss of Naomi’s husband and sons, she is not without family. Ruth assumed the role and provided Naomi with the greatest gift of all, love. 

Chag Sameach and Shabbat Shalom.