Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The Month of Tamuz: Rectifying the Sense of Vision

Looking with G-d-Colored Glasses
Vision is the sense of the month of Tamuz. This is the time to tap into the knowledge that superficial reality does not necessarily reflect inner truth. The midrash teaches us that the Jewish people were tempted to make the golden calf on the 17th of Tamuz as a replacement for Moshe because Satan showed them a vision of Moshe hanging dead between heaven and earth.   The astrological sign of the month of Tamuz is סרטן/Sartan – Cancer. One of the meanings of the root of ‘sartan,’ סרט/seret, is a visual strip. This word is used in Modern Hebrew to refer to a film strip or movie.  By applying the spiritual sense of vision during Tamuz, we have the ability to see through physical reality and behold its Divine source.  This way we can remove the outer ‘shell’ of reality and reveal its inner ‘fruit’ and life-force .  Perhaps television today can be compared to the vision of the Satan who made the Jewish people lose hope. The screen shows a vision, which is seemingly objective. However, often it is a product of a certain agenda, to destroy the Jewish people and our mission in the world. It may show a vision of Jews murdered and tortured, making Israel loose hope and scared to live here. It may also portray a false image of the Jews as perpetrators reacting excessively aggressive. This is destructive for the Divine Image of Israel, and can alienate people spiritually from the Holy Land. In this month we have to really work on purifying our vision and seeing beyond the mask of external physical reality by connecting with the Divine light behind the mask. What you see is not what you get. You can visit Israel and just see a lot of old rocks. You can walk on the Judean hills, and see nothing but trees and houses. If you look with G-d-colored glasses, you may see beyond the surface to get a sense of David Hamelech who walked these very hills with his flock as he composed the lyrics and tunes of the Tehillim. 

Closing our Eyes out of Love
On the eve of Rosh Chodesh Tamuz, Moshe sent out the twelve tribes to spy the Land of Israel,  to find out how to best conquer it. The spies traveled for forty days, during the entire month of Tamuz until the ninth of Av when they returned with their evil report that made everyone cry.  Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach explains that it is as if the spies said, “We don’t like Israel so much.  We have seen better ones.”  Likewise, if we come to Yerushalayim, and discuss with our friends, whether we like Paris, Amsterdam, or Yerushalayim better –forget it! We have never seen Yerushalayim yet.  Little babies look at their mother with their eyes fixed on her, like nothing else exists.  The problem is that when we grow up, we see so much that we forget how really to look at the things we love the most. When we stand by the Holy Wall, let us allow ourselves to feel  as if we haven’t seen anything else.  Our Madricha (student counselor) of last year just got married this week. She told me that when she stood under the Chupah she neither saw nor heard anything of what was going on. All she saw was her beloved Chatan (groom). “Why is it when we say, ‘Sh’ma Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem echad! – G-d is one – we put our hands over our eyes, and we close our eyes?” Rebbi Nachman says, when something is a little bit far away from our eyes, when we keep our eyes open, we can see it.  When something is very close, we have to squint our eyes.  But there is something which is so close, that in order to see it, we need to close our eyes completely.  During Tamuz we were supposed to close our eyes and feel so close to Eretz Yisrael, and see every corner of the Holy Land, but sadly enough, we looked at Eretz Yisrael, and we thought, “Yeah, it’s beautiful, but Paris is also not bad.”  Rebbe Nachman says that when we cry our eyes have to be closed the very split second when the tears emerge.  If we don’t close our eyes out of love, we may have to close our eyes out of pain.” Oy how many tears have we shed because the spies didn’t close their eyes. The fixing of Tamuz is to close our eyes, and to see only that which we love. On Tamuz the sun is shining the strongest.  Sometimes the light is so strong it makes us close our eyes. When we stand by the Holy Wall, we close my eyes because we are so close, and when we hear Birkat Kohanim (the Priestly Blessing) we close our eyes because the light of the blessing is so strong.

Spying for Good Points
“Do not go astray after your hearts and after your eyes…”  We should strive towards always being drawn towards the פנימיות/penimiut – inner aspect without being blinded by the exterior appearance limited by our physical eye. The spies were lacking Emunah (faith).  According to the eyes of their intellect, they had no power to enter the land of Israel.  Yet, if they would have believed and surrendered their way of looking to the will of G-d, that would have helped them rise above nature. This is what Avraham did when G-d told him “leave your astrological sign.”  Therefore, the following verse testifies about him, “…he believed in G-d...”  We have the ability to see the Divine life-force in everything by nullifying ourselves to G-d, and look only at that which G-d directs us to look at.  When Shemuel came to crown one of Yishai’s sons to be the next king, he was carried away by the stately appearance of David’s elder brother Eliyav. “Hashem said to Shemuel do not look at his appearance nor on the height of his stature, because I have refused him, for it is not as a man sees, for a man looks on the outward appearance, but Hashem looks on the heart.”  No one expected David who was small and ruddy and always out with the flock, (perhaps even with dirt under his fingernails) to be the next king.  Yet, Hashem made it clear not to judge the book by its cover. There are old bottles with new wine and new bottles filled with old wine. 

How do we look at the people we love? Are our husbands and children as our close friends? Do we look at the runny nose, the pimples and the wrinkles? Or do we look at the sparkle in their eyes, in their innate holiness and will to grow?

Let us try to always look at the soul within a person, to empathize and see the bigger picture of each situation. Especially during Tamuz is the time to work on judging others favorably and to learn to constantly stand in their shoes. To hear what someone is really telling us between the lines, what their heart is crying out to us.

Seeing the Whole within the Broken
When we wear G-d colored glasses we learn to see on one hand the potential for true wholeness and rectification in every broken person and situation, while beneath the superficial veneer of reality there is a broken world all around us. “There is no vessel as whole as a broken heart.”  We need to be just broken enough to feel and relate to the pain in others, but not too broken to act positively and forcefully to heal, mend and fix wherever we can.  During the month of Tamuz, the world is so dark, we can’t see anything.  So our holy rabbis promised us, this is the fixing of seeing.
May Hashem hear our prayers and give us His eyes! 

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Squeezing out the Last Drops of the Light of Sivan


Introduction
Herbal Workshop - Making Rescue Remedy
We are now at the end of the month of Sivan, with one leg stepping forward into the month of Tamuz. I hope to squeeze out the last drops of the light of Sivan before entering the heavier months of Tamuz and Av. We would have expected the organ associated with Sivan to be the right leg with which we step forward through the power of Torah. The left side is often associated with the negative as it states, “The heart of the wise inclines him to his right, but the fool’s heart to the left.  Yet, actually the organ of the month of Sivan is the left leg.  When we work hard in aligning ourselves to the Torah, we have the ability to transform even the left leg – connected to the exterior physical realm, into the right, leading us to Torah classes, chevrutot and prayer circles.   It seems to me that whereas the right leg moves forward, the left leg is connected with back-stepping.  Perhaps, as we move forward in the calendar leaving the month of Sivan behind, the left leg helps bring us back to our center – the Month of Sivan in which we received the Torah, as the Torah must always infuse our every step. Whereas the right leg – associated with Nissan represents jumping and skipping, the left leg is about walking in a steady orderly fashion, for we need two legs to walk properly. In this way the Torah of the month of Sivan completes the Exodus of the month of Nissan.   We need both of these legs to maintain balance in our life. The inspirational right leg of jumping and skipping brings us to a higher place of surrounding lights through love, excitement and exhilaration. Yet, the left leg with which we stand in awe and make clear boundaries, allows us to climb the steep mountain without falling down, as our measured steps ensures that we don’t lose grounding.  “He who walks with sincerity shall walk with security.”  Sincerity (תמימות/temimut) is connected to the left leg; security (ביטחון/bitachon) is associated with the right leg. So in this way, actually the left leg is the leading leg, ensuring our full security.

Also the tribe of the month of Sivan – Zevulun is part of a pair that completes one another. Since Zevulun is connected to commerce and business, we are used to thinking of Yessashar – associated with Torah – as his superior partner.  Yet, there is always something inherently higher in a cause, than in its result. Since Zevulun enables Yessachar to learn Torah by supporting him, he comes from a higher place. In accordance with this principle, the Arizal explains that the origin of the soul of Zevulun is in כתר/Keter, above that of the soul of Yissachar, in חכמה/chochmah.  This can be applied to the role of the woman as an ‘enabler’ for the man’s Torah learning. Although many of us women spurn this role, we need to realize that this is how we create our crown to become “a woman of valor [who] is the crown of her husband.”   It is all the little concessions in life that make the difference. For example, the other day, I had to schedule an appointment for both my husband and I. Since my weekly yoga class with our fantastic teacher at B’erot is so important to me, I would do anything not to miss it. Therefore, the only alternative was to schedule the appointment during one of my husband’s chevruta sessions, (when he learns with his study partner.) Then I thought about it again, and realized the challenge of my mitzvah as an enabler for my husband’s Torah learning in this dilemma. Clearly, it was Hashem’s will for me to reschedule the appointment to a time when he wouldn’t have to miss any of his Torah learning sessions, even if it would compromise my schedule greatly. 

Going Out Versus Remaining Home
Ya’acov blessed Zevulun with a land which would reach all the way to the city of Zidon: “Zevulun towards the coast of the sea shall dwell; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.”   Today this biblical city is occupied by Lebanon, as its third largest city, located a 40 km (25 miles) south of the capital Beirut. Zevulun is not only about going outwardly towards the coast, originally Leah in her naming of Zevulun associated him with “a house for dwelling,”  – i.e. a home: “Now my husband will reside with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zevulun.”  This seemingly contradiction between Leah’s naming and Ya’acov’s blessing, is further highlighted by Moshe who contrasts Zevulun’s going out with Yissacher’s remaining at home (in the tents). “Rejoice Zevulun in your going out and Yessacher in your tents.”  However, a closer look at Ya’acov’s blessing reconciles the two different aspects of the tribe Zevulun. Rather than saying that Zevulun would travel the seas, Ya’acov stated that Zevulun should dwell near the coast of the seas. He was at home at the seashore as his abode extended to include the coast. Zevulun actually did not travel the seas. He only went as far as to the port, which is the connecting point between the outside world and the home. He did not go out in order to get away, but rather to bring merchandise back home. This world is like an extension of Hashem’s dwelling place. In the month of Sivan Hashem is coming very close to us. We simply have to “go out” toward Him in order to bring His blessings home. Just like Zevulun extended his home to include the realm of the seashore, we can extend our earthly abode to include the gate of heaven. Just as Zevulun brought material merchandise back home to sustain Torah learning, we too can transform our physical reality to serve Torah in every way.

The Double Gemini Nature
The partnership between Zevulun and Yisaschar is symbolized by the sign of Gemini. The twins of Gemini also correspond to the “twin Torah” – the Oral and Written Torah. According to astrology, people born during the coupled months  are drawn to the double character of introverted and extroverted. In the Torah path this refers to the unity of action with deep feeling and intention. Gemini also corresponds to the unity between both Mashiach bin Yosef and Mashiach bin David.  People born in Gemini often have double natures, sometimes pulling them in opposite directions. Geminis are known to be free-spirited, always wanting to be lifted up and inspired. Both Sivan and Elul are symbolized by the human form, denoting that these months are suitable for the development of our spiritual inclinations. The planet Hashem appointed to rule the constellation of Sivan/Gemini (and also Elul/Virgo) is mercury. It’s interesting that Astrology recognizes Mercury, as set aside for repentance and return to Hashem. Communication, intellect and awareness are all within Mercury’s domain, as are logic and reasoning, our manner of thinking, and how we create and express our thought processes. It is about expressing ourselves often – and well, both in speech, writing books and online communications. While Sivan is a wonderful time to deepen existing relationships, and to open oneself to meeting new people, it is also prone to direct communication with the Divine through prayer and meditation.

Penetrating the Klipah of Tamuz through the Light of Sivan
The communicative month of Sivan gathers strength to overcome the challenges of the months of Tamuz and Av which’s light have been covered by a klipah (husk) since the making of the Golden Calf on the 17th of Tamuz. Through squeezing out the last drops of Sivan we will b”H be able to penetrate this klipah and reconnect with the light of Tamuz and Av. The month of Tamuz which follows Sivan is the time to attain the lost light by means of the vision of the Torah – the vision of Simcha (joy) which enlighten the eyes. The holiness of Tamuz is attaining the light of the Oral Torah.   This gives us joy. May we be blessed with light to see beyond the surface, looking for the good points in each other, ourselves and all of reality, and may we enter the gate of the Month of Tamuz in Joy!

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

The Month of Sivan: Rectifying the Sense of Motion

Introduction
Sivan is a time for gaining clarity of vision, discovering our life’s purpose and receiving guidance and direction on how to actualize our goals.

It is the time when the fruits ripen on the trees. The trees correspond to the process that we all go through, whereas the ripening fruits symbolize our purpose and goal. On Shavuot we opened ourselves deeply to receive our portion in Torah – our spiritual fruits, and now we eat these fruits while working on digesting and integrating our new direction in life. The Torah is threefold consisting of Torah, Nevi-im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Scriptures). It was therefore given to a threefold people (Kohanim, Leviim and Yisraelim) in the third month [Sivan] by three leaders (Moses, Aaron, and Miriam).” This ‘threefoldedness’ reminds me of the way to achieve truth by means of thesis, anti-thesis and synthesis. Truth is always the true middle path between the opposite poles. On Pesach Hashem took us out of Egypt with so much light (thesis). During the counting of the Omer, we realized our unworthiness of all this light, and worked on building our vessels (antithesis). From Shavuot and onwards we are integrating and balancing our lights and vessels (synthesis). The sense of this month is ‘motion.’ Movement symbolizes the practical outcome of the sacred development of the power of speech, characterizing Nissan and the attribute of thought corresponding to Iyar. During these three months we attempt to perfect ourselves in the realms in the triad of thought, speech and action which together constitute the whole expression of humanity and the complete fulfillment of the Torah. One of the spiritual healing exercises that I use in EmunaHealing to help women get in touch with their life’s purpose and goal is simply to get into a meditative state through slow breathing, and imagining a soothing place, taking it in with all of our senses. When feeling very at peace and relaxed then it’s the time to ask our ‘superconsciousness the following two questions:’  “Who am I – מי אני/mee ani, Who am I – מי אני/mee ani, Who am I –מי אני/mee ani.” “Why am I here – למה אני כאן/lama ani kan, Why am I here – למה אני כאן/lama ani kan, Why am I here – למה אני כאן/lama ani kan.”  Try it out for yourself,  I believe most of you will get some kind of an answer even if it cannot be expressed in words.

The Spiritual Attributes of the Month of Sivan
 ספר יצירה ה:ז המליך אות ז’ בהלוך וקשר לו כתר וצרפן זה בזה וצר בהם תאומים  בעולם, וסיון בשנה, ורגל שמאל בנפש זכר ונקוה

He made the letter zayin king over motion and He tied a crown to it and He combined one with another and with them He formed Gemini in the Universe, Sivan in the Year, and the left leg in the Soul, male and female. 

In the holy Zohar it states that the month of Sivan is called twins (Gemini), hinting to the mouth and the tongue. For these two are connected as one. About these two it states, “Every mouth shall acknowledge you, and every tongue shall swear.”  The mouth is rectified during the holiday of Pesach which means the mouth speaks, whereas the tongue is rectified on Shavuot. On Pesach our mouth acknowledges Hashem, whereas, on Shavuot our tongue swears as we were standing atop Mount Sinai, where and when we took the oath to keep the Torah. This is why this holiday is called ‘Shavuot,’ which means ‘to swear.’  So now that we have taken upon ourselves to strengthen our service of Hashem, it’s the time to integrate our new resolve into our everyday routine.

Zayin the Crowning Letter of Victory
The shape of the letter zayin is a vav with a crown on its head. This represents the crown that every Jewish soul received (which, in particular, consists of two levels, two crowns, as taught by our sages) upon the giving of the Torah. The Ten Commandments themselves contain 620 letters, the numerical value of the Hebrew word כתר/Keter – crown. The Letter zayin alludes to the Sefirah of Netzach. Just as the letter zayin is the seventh in the alphabet so is Netzach the seventh of the Sefirot counting from Keter. In Hebrew zayin is related to the wordכלי זין /kli zayin a word that denotes a tool, as in agriculture or war. Thus this word also refers to a weapon. Through the Sefirah of Netzach we can triumph (מנצח/m’natzeach) in war. Likewise Netzach alludes to the Staff of G-d. With this staff Moshe enacted all the signs and wonders which changed nature and overcame all the ministering angels. Note that the shape of the zayin is like a staff with a broad head. When Moshe would use his staff, he would focus on the sefirah of Netzach to draw the power and strength from Above, and this is how he was able to overcome nature. This fits in with the fact that Moshe Rabbeinu (our rabbi) corresponds to the Sefirah of Netzach.  He gave us the Torah – the weapon against our negative inclination.   It is also possible to say that Hashem made the Jewish people wear weapons at the time of the giving of the Torah in order to be saved from any attack and the angel of death.  King Salomon makes a connection between Torah, weaponry, and bread, “If your enemy is hungry feed him bread.”  Bread can be understood as a symbol for the wisdom of Torah, hence spiritual sustenance. לחם/lechem – bread is etymologically related to the word for war – מלחמה/milchama, which is the war against our baser instincts. If our spiritual enemy is in need of sustenance, feed them with Torah.

The Crystal Clarity of the Letter Zayin
Zayin is the first letter in the word זה/zeh (‘this’), signifying the unique level of prophesy of Moshe  אספקלריא מאירה/aspklaria m’irah (the transparent plane). He saw Hashem so clearly as if you would point a finger and say “see this.”  According to Rabbi Yossi, the Torah was given on the seventh day of Sivan.   It was also originally given on Shabbat – the seventh day. The name Zevulun, the tribe of the month of Sivan,  begins with the letter zayin. The Torah-portions of the month of Sivan are from the beginning of the Book of Bamidbar. It is all about our traveling in the wilderness. This fits in with the sense of the month, which is travel or motion. In the third portion –Beha’alotcha, there appears a section of two verses “And when the ark traveled...”  which is separated from the Torah text that precedes it and that follows it (by two ‘upside-down nuns’). Our sages teach us that this is in order to divide the Torah into seven books, instead of the normal division of five. This phenomenon is alluded to in the verse, “Wisdom has built her house, she carved her pillars seven.”   Together, zayin (7) and hei (5, the normal division of the Torah) spell זה/zeh (‘this’), the unique level of the prophecy of Moshe.

Continuously Walking on the Way of Hashem
The sense of the month of Sivan ‘walking’ refers to the sense of continuous, ongoing progress.  It teaches us about the dynamic quality of Torah which is a Tree of Life that continues to be revealed in new ways.  Each law of the Torah is called a halacha, from the word ‘to walk.’  הֲלִיכוֹת עוֹלָם לוֹ:… “The walking of the world belongs to him.”   Rabbi Eliyahu said, whoever studies halachot will surely merit the World to Come, as it states “the walkings (halichot) of the world belongs to him.” Do not read it walking (halichot) but laws (halachot).   The Torah gives us the power to walk ahead, to leave our initial premises in order to first locate and then elevate fallen Divine sparks present throughout reality. And so it is said of Zevulun (the tribe of the month) “Be happy Zevulun when you go out.”  While the angels, who did not merit receiving the Torah are called “standers” (for they do not possess the essential life dynamic) the souls of Israel (who received the Torah) are called “walkers amongst the standers.” We need to always continue to move on, learn new ways and avoid being complacent and stagnant. With regard to the ‘strength’ of the Torah, it states, “They shall proceed from strength to strength, everyone of them appears before G-d in Zion.”   From this we learn that the righteous have no rest, neither in this world nor in the world to come. Even in the absolute state of rest and tranquility of the world to come, the soul of the righteous experience simultaneously the sense of ‘infinite progress’ and ‘walking ahead.’

May we continue to stay “on the derech,”  and progress towards fulfilling our purpose and personal goal!

Monday, June 2, 2014

Sivan: Megillat Ruth and the Holiday of Shavuot

Looking forward a Torah filled night with my students and additional guests.
In honor of Shavuot I wanted to give you a little preview of my book "Ruth Gleaning the Fallen Sparks" (order here!). Shavuot Sameach!


Megillat Ruth and the Holiday of Shavuot
Every Shavuot we read the Scroll of Ruth to remind ourselves that we, too, were converts when we received the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Talmud teaches us that the souls of the future righteous converts were actually there, with us at Mount Sinai, and received the Torah together with us.  Therefore, we must be careful not to discriminate against righteous converts. Although Hashem chose the Jewish people and gave us the Torah, we are still required to be ready to embrace the righteous converts who cleave to us, as the Torah commands, “You must love the stranger, for you were strangers in Egypt.”  Reading about Ruth on Shavuot reminds us that we are surely not superior to Ruth who elevated herself from the society most opposed to the Torah way, to become a righteous convert cleaving to the Torah of Israel.

Rabbi Nathan of Breslau explains that we read Megillat Ruth on Shavuot, because the time of the giving of the Torah is most appropriate for converts and Ba’alei Teshuva.  After having left the impurity of Egypt for the holiness of Israel, all of the Jewish people were like converts, beginning to come close to their Father in Heaven. For this reason the revelation at Sinai included the sound of the Shofar, fire and torches, which comprise the aspect of judgment , in order to burn the negative energy that was attached to the Jewish people from the impurity of Egypt. It is interesting to note that the sound of the shofar is often associated with ingathering converts and those dispersed in exile. For this reason, prior to blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana, we recite Tehillim 47, which mentions converts. 

Sefat Emet explains that the Jewish people were created in order to extract holy sparks from the entire world through the merit of learning Torah.  If we are worthy, we will attract converts by means of the strength of our Torah learning alone. If we are unworthy, we will have to be dispersed in exile in order to gather converts.  This is alluded to in the words of the prophet, “O Hashem, my strength, and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of affliction, nations shall come to you from the end of the earth...”   The words for strength and stronghold derive from the Hebrew word עֹז/oz referring to the strength of Torah.

We Were All Converts
Every Shavuot we read the Scroll of Ruth to remind ourselves that we, too, were converts when we received the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Talmud teaches us that the souls of the future righteous converts were actually there, with us at Mount Sinai, and received the Torah together with us.  Therefore, we must be careful not to discriminate against righteous converts. Although G-d chose the Jewish people and gave us the Torah, we still are required to be ready to embrace the righteous converts who cleave to us, as the Torah commands, “You must love the stranger, for you were strangers in Egypt.”  Reading about Ruth on Shavuot, reminds us that we are surely not superior to Ruth who elevated herself from the Moabite society most opposed to the Torah way, to become a righteous convert cleaving to the Torah of Israel.

Rabbi Nathan of Breslau explains  that we read Megillat Ruth on Shavuot, because the time of the giving of the Torah is most appropriate for both converts and Ba’alei Teshuva. After having left the impurity of Egypt for the holiness of Israel, all of the Jewish people were like converts, beginning to come close to their Father in Heaven. For this reason the revelation at Sinai included the sound of the Shofar, fire and torches – which comprise the aspect of judgment – in order to burn the negative energy that was attached to the Jewish people from the impurity of Egypt. It is interesting to note that the sound of the shofar is often associated with ingathering converts and those dispersed in exile. For this reason, prior to blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana, we recite Tehillim (Psalms) 47 which mentions converts. 

Sefat Emet explains that the Jewish people were created in order to draw out holy sparks from the entire world through the merit of learning Torah.  If we are worthy, we will be able to attract converts by means of the strength of our Torah learning alone. If we are unworthy, we will have to be dispersed in exile in order to gather converts.  This is alluded to in the words of the prophet, “O Hashem , my strength (oz), my stronghold, (Torah) and my refuge in the day of affliction (exile), nations shall come to you from the end of the earth...”  The words for strength and stronghold derive from the Hebrew word עֹז/oz referring to the strength of the Torah. Elimelech, who was not worthy, had to leave the Land of Israel in order to bring forth the soul of King David and Mashiach. However, the holy soul embodied by Ruth, the righteous convert, came on her own to Boaz, through the power of his Torah learning, as his name testifies.  Boaz, means in Elimelech, who was not worthy, had to leave the Land of Israel in order to bring forth the soul of King David and Mashiach through Ruth. However, the holy soul embodied by Ruth, the righteous convert, came on her own to Boaz, through the power of his Torah learning, as his name testifies.  Boaz (בֹּעַז – in him is strength) – the strength of the Torah. This concept is alluded to in the language, אֲשֶׁר בָּאת – “that you have come,”  with which Boaz praised Ruth for coming on her own to the Land of Israel, to seek refuge under the wings of G-d. 

Elimelech, who was not worthy, had to leave the Land of Israel in order to bring forth the soul of King David and Mashiach through Ruth. However, the holy soul embodied by Ruth, the righteous convert, came on her own to Boaz, through the power of his Torah learning, as his name testifies.  Boaz (בֹּעַז – in him is strength) – the strength of the Torah. This concept is alluded to in the language, אֲשֶׁר בָּאת – “that you have come,”  with which Boaz praised Ruth for coming on her own to the Land of Israel, to seek refuge under the wings of G-d.  

When the holy sparks come on their own without being extricated, they can achieve an even greater ascent. The elevation that can be accomplished by the power of the Torah gives us a clue to why we sacrifice two loaves of chametz (leavened) bread on Shavuot. Throughout the year, all other meal offerings are made from matzah, since chametz symbolizes the yetzer hara (evil inclination).  It is only on Shavuot, at the time of the giving of the Torah, that we sacrifice chametz bread, in order to hint to the fact that the power of the Torah gives us the ability to raise up the entire creation. 

Connecting the Written with the Oral Torah
We read the scroll of Ruth on Shavuot to establish the fact that Hashem gave Moshe both the Written and the Oral Torah on the sixth day of the Hebrew month, Sivan. The Torah teaches us that Moshe stayed on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights before descending with the two tablets of the Ten Commandments.  How could it be necessary to spend forty days just to receive the two Tablets with the Ten Commandments? It makes sense that during those forty days on the mountain, Hashem taught Moshe the entire Written and Oral Torah.  

The story of Ruth is read at the time of the giving of the Torah so that we might know that the Written and the Oral Torah, are interdependent, and it is impossible to understand one without the other. Indeed David, the anointed of G-d unto all generations, was descended from a Moabite woman, whose Jewish legitimacy depends on the Oral Torah.  The entire people of Israel is supported on the foundations of the House of David, yet without the Oral Torah, King David and Mashiach would not even be Jewish, since their ancestor Ruth, the Moabitess, would never have been able to convert.  It is only through the Oral Torah that it becomes clear that a Moabite woman is permitted to convert, because women are not expected to go out in the field and approach strangers with bread and water.  Likewise, the Torah teaches that Sarah was modest inside of her tent.  Still, David’s Jewishness was indeed questioned until the Oral interpretation of the Torah, “Moabite but not Moabitess,” finally became completely ascertained and accepted by all.

The Hardships of Torah             
Everything worthwhile is acquired through effort and difficulty. We all know the expression, ‘Easy Come Easy Go.’  In order to achieve anything important in life, we need to first prove our worthiness. Since there is nothing more valuable than the Torah, in order to deserve it, we may be tested with difficulties and hardships.

Why do we read the Scroll of Ruth during Shavuot at the time of the giving of the Torah? It is to teach us that the Torah was only given by means of suffering and poverty as it states, “Your flock found a dwelling in it: You, O G-d prepare of your goodness for the poor”  (Yalkut Shimoni Ruth, 1:596).

Just as Ruth, a princess from birth, became a pauper gleaning in the fields for the sake of cleaving to the Torah, so must we show willingness to go through thick and thin for the sake of the Torah. The pleasure we receive through drinking from the wellsprings of Torah, and from living a pure spiritual life, greatly outweigh the material sacrifices. As King David exclaimed, “Your Torah is better for me than a thousand gold and silver pieces.”  Poverty and hardships lead to humility, a prerequisite for receiving the Torah. As the Midrash states, “If those involved in Torah learning are wealthy, they may become haughty, but if they are aware of their hunger they will remain humble.”  Haughtiness does not leave a space for the Torah to penetrate, as the haughty person is full of himself. On the other hand, through humility, we may open ourselves to encompass Torah. Therefore, Moshe, the receiver of Torah, was known to be the most humble of all men.  Likewise, Ruth, the mother of Mashiach, who will anchor the Torah in the hearts of the world, showed ultimate humility and self-sacrifice. Once she had proven herself worthy of the Torah, she became elevated from gleaning in the fields, to become the mistress of the land, as the wife of Boaz, the wealthy land owner and Torah scholar. He himself had endured the poverty of famine without deserting his people. When Hashem sees that we are willing to go through hardship for the sake of His Torah, poverty has then served its purpose, and is no longer necessary for our spiritual purification. This explains why Rabbi Yochanan says, “Whoever learns Torah through poverty will eventually learn it through wealth.”

The Torah of Mashiach                             
Another connection between Megillat Ruth and Shavuot is that King David, Ruth’s great grandson, who integrated Torah to the very essence of his being, was born and passed away on Shavuot. There are three crowns in the world: The crown of Kehuna (Priesthood), the crown of Kingship and the crown of Torah.  King David only received the crown of Kingship for the sake of his Torah, since the Jewish kingdom must be based on the Torah to the highest degree. Therefore, we read the Scroll of Ruth, which culminates in David’s genealogy, on Shavuot at the time of the giving of the Torah. This in order to elucidate that the reason David merited Kingship was only by means of the crown of his Torah.  Likewise, Mashiach, a direct descendant of King David , will reflect the Kingdom of Hashem on earth through his deepest integration of the Torah within our physical world.  We are supposed to look forward to the Messianic era  and the elevated consciousness it will bring when “The land will be full of the knowledge of G-d.”  However, it is hard for us to imagine what this G-d consciousness entails. How can we look forward to something without knowing what exactly it entails? Therefore, we read Megillat Ruth about the birth of King David, the sprout of Mashiach, to help us to connect the spiritual experience of the Torah Revelation with the future elevated G-d consciousness, which we will soon experience at the advent of King Mashiach.  By means of our collective memory of the spiritual pleasure that we experienced at Mount Sinai, we have a model for what we are looking forward to with the arrival of the Mashiach. 

Connecting Torah with Tefilah (Prayer)
Receiving the Torah is linked to prayer, as the purpose of prayer is to become a vessel to receive divine influence. Therefore on Shavuot, we sacrifice two loaves of bread corresponding to Torah and tefilah. Sefat Emet explains  that we read Megillat Ruth on Shavuot in order to connect Torah with tefilah, which together constitute the complete reception of the Torah, נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע – “We will do and we will hear.”  Torah, which we receive from above, corresponds to נִשְׁמָע – hearing. Whereas prayer initiated by us, corresponds to נַעֲשֶׂה – doing.  Prayer is also the aspect of deed, because the action of donning tzitzit, tefillin and giving tzedaka (charity) precedes it.

Because we blemished נַעֲשֶׂה – deed, on the sixth of Sivan,  which corresponds to וְנִשְׁמָע – hearing,  we need to repent by means of prayer during Shavuot. Therefore, it is customary to recite the entire prayerful book of Tehillim on Shavuot. The connection between Torah and tefilah is also highlighted in the Scroll of Ruth, where the deeds of Ruth and Boaz were the preparation for Oved, their son, whose name means “to worship or pray.” Their deeds are compared to the tzedakka and tzitzit preceding prayer.

The Power of Prayer                                    
Two women gave over their soul for the sake of the tribe of Yehuda, Tamar and Ruth. Tamar would cry out, “Let me not go out empty-handed from this house.” Ruth, whenever her mother-in-law told her, “Go, my daughter” she would cry. As it states, “They lifted their voices and they cried more” (Megillat Ruth 1:14; Midrash Zuta Ruth, parasha 1).

Why, according to the Midrash does “They lifted their voice and cried” refer to Ruth alone? Didn’t both Ruth and Orpah cry? A close reading of the text reveals that although tears streaked both of the sisters’ faces, actually only one of them cried from her heart, while the other dropped crocodile tears. Alshich notices that the Hebrew word “וַתִּשֶּׂנָה” – “lifting their voice in crying” is missing the alef.  This alludes to the fact that one of them did not truly lift her voice in prayerful crying. Orpah’s crying was very short-lived and only lasted two seconds until she kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, as written in the continuation of the verse. Yet, Ruth’s cry from the depths of her being, reverberating in the heart of “the sweet singer of Israel,” David. He beseeched Hashem through his Tehillim, when he cried out, “מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ הָשֵׁם” – “From the depths I called out to you Hashem.”  As a result of Ruth’s heartfelt crying, David was able to testify about himself “וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּה” – “I am prayer.”  

The entire tribe of Yehuda, to which David belonged, is known for the power of their prayer, as it states, “This is the blessing of Yehuda, and he said, ‘Hear, Hashem, the voice of Yehuda…’”  The name Yehuda itself means “to praise,” which is the peak of prayer. We can understand why Elimelech (from the tribe of Yehuda) was punished so severely for deserting his people during the time of famine, as the role of the tribe of Yehuda is to precede their prayer for Israel with acts of kindness and tzedaka. Moreover, Elimelech corresponds to the letter yud in Hashem’s name,  which also alludes to the hand that gives.  Finally, the quintessence of Kingdom is to be a channel for divine influence in the world, as Kingdom has nothing on its own.  Through deeds of tzedaka and kindness to Ruth, Boaz (also from the tribe of Yehuda) merited to rectify Elimelech and build the kingdom in Israel.

Torah of Kindness                                   
Rabbi Zimlai expounded, “The Torah begins and ends with bestowing kindness. Its beginning is the bestowal of kindness as it states, ‘Hashem, G-d made for man and his wife coats of skin and clothed them.’  Its end is bestowal of kindness as it states, ‘He buried him…’” [Moshe] (Babylonian Talmud, Sota 14a).

G-d’s purpose in creation was to bestow of His goodness to another.  The Torah, which is the blueprint of creation,  therefore reflects chesed; its highest purpose. The Scroll of Ruth, likewise, centers around chesed which is mentioned three times in connection with Hashem’s blessing. 

 “May G-d do kindness to you...”  Rabbi Seira said, “This scroll does neither contain [laws of] impurity nor laws of purity, neither prohibitions nor permissions. Why was it written? To teach how great is the reward for those who bestow kindness” (Midrash Ruth Rabbah 2:14).  

In the beginning of the Megillah we are introduced to Elimelech and his family, who left the Land of Israel during the famine, without sharing their wealth and bestowing kindness upon their fellow Jews. They deserted Israel to the Land of Moav, which was known for its lack of kindness. It was there that Elimelech and his sons eventually met their death. Ruth, Machlon’s widow, rectified Elimelech’s family’s lack of chesed. Although she descended from the Moabite people, who were the antithesis to Israel in their lack of chesed, Ruth was the precious hidden pearl redeemed from the refuses of Sodom. All her deeds were beyond the letter of the law.  In her self-effacing kindness to sustain her mother-in-law both physically and spiritually (by restoring the soul of her lost son) she embodied Hashem’s ultimate chesed manifested in the Torah. We, therefore, read Megillat Ruth on Shavuot to remind us of the central role of chesed within the Torah, which is also called the Torah of Kindness.