Getting to the Root/Ruth of the Matter
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in- law, with her, who returned from the fields of Moab.And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. (Megilat Ruth 1:22}
The connection between Megilat Ruth and Shavuot
What is the connection between Megilat Ruth and Shavuot? Many responses have been suggested. Superficially, there is an obvious link. The events that compose the fundamental narrative occur during the harvest season in Israel. This season begins around Pesach with the barely harvest and continues through Shavuot which is the time of the wheat harvest.
Another obvious connection between Shavuot and the Megilah, is Ruth’s conversion which is described in the first chapter. The “conversion” of the Jewish people took place at Sinai with their enactment of a covenant with Hashem. The basic elements of the conversion process are derived from the Torah’s narrative of the Sinai covenant. Other elements of the process are derived from the description of Ruth’s conversion.
A very interesting connection between Ruth and Shavuot is found in an aspect of the Megilah that is not explicit. The Torah prohibits us from marrying with members of the nation of Moav. Ruth was from Moav. Boaz persuaded the Sages that although the Written Torah may be interpreted to forbid marriage with any member of the nation of Moav, the Oral Law limits the prohibition to marrying with the males of Moav. Relying upon this ruling from the Oral Law, Boaz married Ruth. In short, the marriage that is the climax of the Megilah is based upon the ruling of the Oral Law. Shavuot celebrates our receiving both the Written and Oral Laws. Reading Megilat Ruth is an appropriate aspect of the observance of Shavuot because it demonstrates the role of the Oral Law in our observance of the Torah’s commandments.
All of these suggestions are credible. Moreover, it is very possible that for all of these reasons and for other reasons, as well, the Sages established the practice of reading Ruth on Shavuot. In the discussion that follows, we will develop another connection between Shavuot and the Megilah.
A basic challenge in understanding the Megilah
The Sacred Writings include five megilot. Two of these are narratives – Megilat Esther and Megilat Ruth. The remaining three do not contain narratives but are composed in a poetic style. Of the narrative megilot, Esther is the easier to understand. Its narrative recounts the saving of the Jewish people from Hamam’s plot to destroy them. The Megilah contains a number of messages and lessons. These are clearly presented and developed. Megilat Ruth is more challenging. It presents the charming and moving account of the conversion of Ruth, her dedication to her mother-in-law Naomi, and Ruth’s marriage to Boaz. However, the lessons that we are to take away from the account, are not explicitly stated and are not obvious from the text. However, important lessons are presented by the Megilah. We must search for themes in the Megilah in order to identify these lessons. Let us consider one of these themes and the lesson it communicates.
And Naomi said: Return, my daughters; why should you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb, that they should be your husbands? (Megilat Ruth 1:11)
Ruth’s decision to convert
The opening passages of Megilat Ruth provide an important introduction to the story that will follow. We are introduced to Elimelech. Elimelech decides to abandon the Land of Israel in response to a famine. He travels with his wife Naomi and his sons to the fields of Moav and settles there. Elimelech dies. His sons take wives from Moav. The sons die. Naomi finds herself alone with her two daughters-in-law. Naomi learns that the famine has ended in the Land of Israel and decides to return to her homeland. Her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah wish to accompany her on this return journey. Naomi attempts to dissuade her daughters-in-law from joining her on her journey. She persuades Orpah to remain among the people of Moav. Ruth resists and refuses to abandon her mother-in-law.
Naomi offers a number of arguments in favor of her daughters-in-law remaining in their own homeland. One is that if they follow her, they will have little or no opportunity to remarry. They will be giving up the opportunity to have a partner and family. It is this argument that finally persuades Orpah to remain in Moav. Ruth is not moved by this argument and clings steadfastly to her mother-in-law. Ruth does not dispute Naomi’s evaluation of her prospects. Instead, she responds that she is willing to endure the consequences of which Naomi warned.
It is important to understand the state in which Ruth arrived in the Land of Israel. She and Naomi were desperately poor. They had no food, housing, or prospects. They fully expected that their survival would depend upon the charity of those among whom they would live.
Ruth was confronted by another challenge. She was a stranger. Naomi had warned Ruth that she would not easily remarry and now was reliant upon the charity of a community that regarded her as a stranger.
Despite recognizing the challenges and disadvantages that would confront her, Ruth had decided to adopt Judaism and follow Naomi. From a practical or economic perspective, Ruth’s decision seems foolish. She was motivated only by the righteousness and grace of her mother-in-law and her desire to emulate Naomi. In other words, she was completely sincere in her conversion.
And these are the generations of Perez: Perez begot Hezron. And Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab. And Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmah. And Salmah begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed. And Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David. (Megilat Ruth 4:18-22)
The destitute Ruth becomes the ancestor of King David
The desperate condition in which Ruth arrived in Bet Lechem leaves us completely unprepared for the closing passages of the Megilah. In these passages Ruth is married to Boaz. Boaz and Ruth have a son from whom, in three generations, King David emerges. In other words, the Megilah describes the unlikely series of events through which a destitute Moavite convert becomes the progenitor of the founder of the Davidic dynasty. How does this remarkable outcome evolve?
Ironically, Ruth’s poverty played an enormous role in shaping her unlikely destiny. Upon arriving in Bet Lechem, Ruth suggests to Naomi that she support them by collecting the gleanings from the barley fields then being harvested. Ruth goes out into the fields and happens, by chance, upon the fields of Boaz. Also, by chance, Boaz comes to inspect the harvest while Ruth is collecting the gleanings. Boaz observes Ruth. He is impressed by her conduct and enters into conversation with her. The conversation confirms his impressions. He invites Ruth to collect gleanings from his fields throughout the harvest. Eventually, this relationship further develops and culminates in the marriage of Ruth and Boaz. In other words, poverty and chance came together to precipitate the encounter between Ruth and Boaz. Once the encounter occurred, Ruth’s righteousness and Boaz’s appreciation of that righteousness brought about their marriage.
And Ruth said: Do not entreat me to leave you, to return from following you, for wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your G-d my G-d. (Megilat Ruth 1:16)
Making practical decisions
The theme that emerges is that our destiny can be very different from the one that seems most likely. When Ruth left Moav with Naomi her likely destiny was to die as an aged widow, destitute and obscure. The destiny that actually evolved was that she became the ancestor of King David.
Ruth eschewed the practical or utilitarian path. Instead, she chose to follow the beckoning of her spiritual soul. She elected to live a life of righteousness and poverty and was rewarded by becoming the ancestor of King David. In fact, her poverty and righteousness became the catalysts of her unforeseeable destiny. In other words, when Ruth decided to live according to the callings of her soul rather than to make the practical decisions, providence selected her for greatness. She became the ancestor of King David.
Choosing virtue over practical considerations
Ruth’s experience provides us with an important life lesson. We are often confronted with situations in which our perception of self-interest comes into conflict with our ethics and morals. Sometime, we are aware of the conflict. We have to decide whether we will compromise our values in order to secure the outcome that we desire or need. This conflict can occur in our everyday life, in business, and in providing leadership to our community.
In some instances, we are not even aware of the compromise we are making. Our intense need or desire to secure the outcome we seek actually blinds us to the ethical compromise we are making. Without realizing that we are doing so, we rationalize our choice and dismiss the ethical compromise it requires.
Ruth’s experience speaks to these situations. Her story reminds us that we are prone to overestimate our own power to shape our destinies. We suffer from an inflated sense of control over our fates. Because we believe that our fates will be determined solely by the measures we take to secure our destinies, we take every measure available to us – even those that compromise our ethics. In contrast, Ruth concerned herself only with acting properly. She accepted any destiny that might ensue. Because she was completely faithful to her values, she was selected for greatness by providence.
If you follow My statutes and observe My commandments and perform them,I will give your rains in their time, the Land will yield its produce, and the tree of the field will give forth its fruit.(Sefer VaYikra 26:3-4)
Two aspects of the Sinai covenant
Rabbaynu Avraham ibn Ezra explains that there are two aspects of the Sinai covenant. In Parshat Mishpatim the people declare that they will observe the commandments of the Torah. This commitment to observance is the first aspect of the covenant. In Parshat BeChukotai, Hashem describes the rewards He will bestow upon the people in response to their observance of the commandments and the consequences that they will experience if they abandon the Torah’s commandments. According to Ibn Ezra, this is the second aspect of the Sinai covenant. Our destinies will be determined not solely or even primarily by our own endeavors but by our faithfulness to the Torah.
Earlier, we discussed some of the connections between Megilat Ruth and Shavuot. Among these were that Megilat Ruth opens with the conversion of Ruth and Shavuot celebrates the “conversion” of the Jewish people. Another connection is that the Megilah includes an instance in which the meaning of the Written Law is provided by the ruling of the Oral Law. Shavuot recalls Revelation, which is the source of the Written and Oral Laws. Both of these interpretations suggest that the Megilah is connected to the first aspect of the Sinai covenant. Conversion is essentially achieved through the acceptance of the commandments and the Written and Oral Laws are the source of these commandments.
The theme in Megilat Ruth developed above suggests that the Megilah is also closely connected to the second aspect of the Sinai covenant. The Megilah declares that our destinies are not in our own hands. Instead, our faithfulness to the values of the Torah and our commitment to the observance of its commandments can have a far greater influence on our destinies than our tireless efforts to secure our futures.