by Rabbi Wayne Allen
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are that of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Union for Traditional Judaism, unless otherwise indicated.
The Midrash and the classical commentators all agree that what ultimately sold Naomi on the loyalty of her daughter-in-law Ruth was her statement of faith. But this need not be so. The Book of Ruth succinctly describes what Naomi saw that changed her mind about Ruth. The text (1:18) states “when she made the effort to go with her,” Naomi realized that Ruth was indeed committed. Those who make the effort convince others of their commitment.
What makes the Book of Ruth so appropriate for reading on Shavu’ot is this idea of effort, more than the agricultural events described in the narrative that were connected with the summer season. Shavu’ot is historically the time of the giving of the Torah; a reminiscence of the events at Sinai. But for Torah to have more than theoretical value, it must be embraced through considerable effort. This is what the Talmud calls amelim ba-Torah, literally, toiling in the Torah. The sages ordained that upon leaving the academy where sacred texts were studied, a person would recite a prayer that included the contrast between those who make every effort to learn Torah and those who waste their time in frivolous pursuits. It takes effort to really understand the Torah, to unravel its mysteries, to master its commentaries. But effort is what is required if there is true commitment.
This does not mean that only those who are scholars are worthy. Rather, it means that knowledge does not come without study, and commitment is demonstrated only through effort. All those who make the effort, like Ruth, are considered worthy. How much you know is not as important as making the effort to grow. In time, people can build up their fund of knowledge, provided they are committed to the idea.
Leonardo da Vinci is reported to have once said, “O God, you give everything for the price of an effort!” Shavu’ot is the time to renew our commitment to Torah and to revive our efforts to toil in the vineyards of God. It is the season to reinvest our lives with a sense of devotion to our tradition manifested by the efforts that we expend for our labour of love.
Hag Same’ah!
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Born and raised in New York City and currently a resident of Toronto, Rabbi Wayne Allen has blended a career of service to the Jewish community as an ordained rabbi with his academic pursuits. Rabbi Allen is recognized as an expert both in Jewish law and in 18th century British moral philosophy. The books he has written and those he has edited are distinguished by the inclusion of philosophical analysis and historical context, adding an extra dimension to the more traditional forms of responding to questions on Jewish practice. He is a panelist for Jewish Values On-line, an Internet site devoted to providing authoritative answers to questions on Jewish life.
Rabbi Allen has traveled extensively and has led groups to Europe and Israel, lecturing beforehand on the history of the communities to be visited. He has served as a faculty member at the American Jewish University where he taught Jewish law, at California State University Long Beach where he taught the History of Modern Jewish Thought and Zionism, and at the University of Waterloo where he taught Theology After the Holocaust. He has also been invited as a guest lecturer at York University in Toronto and at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem.
Rabbi Allen has served as a scholar-in-residence at synagogues in St. Louis and Ottawa and currently teaches at the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto where he serves as chairman of the Rabbinics Department.
Samples of Rabbi Allen’s teaching are accessible on his website, www.rabbiwayneallen.ca.
Rabbi Allen's published books, available from the UTJ Bookstore are: