Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Torah for your Table! The Power of Shavout!


Shavout is a special time during the year. We received the Torah on Har Sinai. Moreover, on Shavout, we read Megillat Ruth. Megillat Ruth teaches us many insightful things. Ruth was a Moabite princess; she had it all, wealth, power, fame, you name it she had it. Yet, to her, it was not enough. She converted to Judaism, essentially she had given up all her wealth and fame, and why, to become a Jew. Regardless of the fact that she didn’t have food to eat, no matter her struggles, she found the truth in Judaism and knew that everything that happened to her had a higher purpose.
From Ruth’s strength and commitment, we can see that nothing that Hashem does to us is bad, it might seem painful in our perspective, but in the larger scheme of things, which we don’t have access to in the moment, everything Hashem puts us through is meant to encourage us to develop our potentials in this world. Ruth understood that her wealth would not carry over with her to Olam Habba- the world to come- however, she recognized that she could take her mitzvot with her. Because of the sacrifice Ruth had made for Hashem, in her merit, she is the ancestor of David Hamelech, Shlomo Hamelech and Melech HaMashiach.
With that said, it is obvious to see how grand every deed we perform is looked at in the eyes of Hashem. Every mitzvah, small or large, has such a high spiritual reward awaiting for us in Olam Haba- the world to come.  As we are about to re-receive the Torah, we should all have in mind this new journey we are about to embark upon.  Like Rabbi Segal always says “it’s ok to fall as long as you pick yourself up.” Moreover, regardless of how many times we have fallen, this is the best time to become elevated once more! 
Chag Samech
Esther Shamayev


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