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Minister’s Forum for Friday, May 28, 2004 by Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich
This week Jews celebrated the holiday of Shavuot, which translates literally as “weeks.” In fact, Shavuot is the only holiday on the Jewish calendar mentioned in the Hebrew Bible for which no date is given, and so the seven weeks between Passover, in April, and Shavuot, in late May, are rigorously counted as an exercise to determine when Shavuot happens. The celebration of Shavuot includes learning and prayer, especially since this is the day on which Jews celebrate the giving of the Torah, the Five Books of Moses, at Mount Sinai. One of the most interesting traditions with regard to this holiday though, is the reading of the Book of Ruth. The story is simple, Ruth, who doesn’t start out Jewish, and her Jewish mother-in-law, Naomi, lose their husbands all at the same time. After Ruth’s sister-in-law, also a widow now, returns to her own people’s region, Naomi tells Ruth to do the same, and decides, herself, to head back to a region where she has more family who might support her. Ruth refuses to leave Naomi, pledging herself to Naomi and Naomi’s people. Thus begins their journey together, as Ruth ties herself to her mother-in-law, becoming Jewish at the same time. The story of Ruth highlights her righteousness in joining the people of Naomi, in becoming Jewish. Jewish interpreters often point to this teaching on Shavuot to remind us that the Jews at Sinai, and in fact all Jews, are really “Jews by choice,” like Ruth. Yet another message comes out of this book too – a message about how to sustain our society, Jewish or otherwise. When Ruth and Naomi return to her hometown, Bethlehem, they have nothing. It is the time of the barley harvest (another connection to Shavuot, which is when the winter grain crops are harvested), and at harvest Jewish farmers are asked to leave the “gleanings,” dropped stalks, and even the corners of their fields, behind for those who have too little for themselves. Ruth harvests for her mother-in-law and herself by taking advantage of this social service provided by the Jewish community. We must always think of others, even at our own moments of concern about our personal welfare – a farmer at harvest time is often concerned about whether s/he will have enough food for the season, both for sustenance and sale. And yet Jewish tradition asks people, even at such times, to insure that they leave aside enough for the poor in their community. This message in the Book of Ruth shines as even more important on account of the fact that Ruth mother’s a child to Boaz, a family-member of Naomi’s. This child, Obed, is King David’s grandfather. All of us may be poor at some time – even the ancestors of royalty – so we must care for the less fortunate in our communities not only as if they were our own family, but also as if they too may someday be our caretakers. May all of you, whatever your traditions, have a wonderful season of change, from Spring to Summer, and may we all continue in the traditions of caring that shine so wonderfully forth from our Lake communities.
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