By Rabbi Avi Okin

The Ashkenazi custom is to read Megillas Rus (The Book of Ruth) on the second morning of Shavuos. The first chapter in the Megillah describes how Rus sacrificed everything, including her prestige and wealth as a Moabite princess, when she joined the Jewish People, with Rus proclaiming to Naomi, “Your people are my people, and your G-d is my G-d.”(Rus 1:16) It is quite inspiring to consider the strength of character that Rus required to make such a dramatic move!

The question is: what is it about Rus’ story that moved our rabbinic sages to suggest that we should read Megillas Rus on Shavuos? The Abudraham (a writer who lived in Seville in the 14th century and was known for his commentary on the siddur) provides a profound answer to this question: he says that the Giving of the Torah, celebrated during Shavuos, marked the beginning of the Jewish People’s Covenant with G-d. Megillas Rus, the Abudraham explains, describes how Rus entered that very same Covenant with Hashem. Her story shows us that an individual can attain that same bond with their Creator.

When we read the story of Rus, we should reflect on her journey. We should ask ourselves if we would be willing to follow in her footsteps and give up everything in order to have a relationship with Hashem. If we feel that we would, then we should use Shavuos as an opportunity to strengthen those feelings, and to build a stronger relationship with our Creator. If we do not feel that we would be willing to do so, we should ask ourselves, what is holding us back from doing so? Is it a lack of awareness of Judaism’s beauty or do we feel disconnected from our Heritage for some reason? We should try to use the Yom Tov of Shavuos as an opportunity to clarify that which may bother us about Judaism, and to develop a better comprehension of what it means to be connected to Hashem. If we have a better understanding of what it means to have a relationship with Hashem, then we will be more than likely to make whatever sacrifices it would take to be connected to the Divine.

Rabbi Avi Okin, MSW is Rabbi of Young Israel of Greater Buffalo, and the Rabbinic Administrator of Buffalo Vaad Hakashrus (BVK)