The custom is to read Megilas Ruth on Shavuos. Different answers are given to the question “what is the connection of Megilas Ruth to Shavuos?” One of the answers is that Dovid Hamelech descended from Ruth, and Shavuos is when Dovid Hamelech was niftar. I would like to share an idea that relates to this connection between Dovid Hamelech, Shavuos, and Megilas Ruth. The connection is based on a beautiful explanation from the Vilna Gaon on a pasuk in Megilas Ruth. The pasuk is talking about Ruth as she is trying to join her mother in law Noami on her travels back to the land of Israel.
The pasuk says ותרא כי מתאמצת היא ללכת אתה. The simple translation is that Noami saw that Ruth was trying very hard to join her. The Vilna Gaon interprets the word מתאמצת differently; instead of meaning “trying hard,” he says in means that she was struggling, meaning that when Noami saw that Ruth was struggling, she knew that Ruth is sincere about becoming Jewish. From this the Gaon derives a profound lesson for life. When you are trying to go in a proper path and you meet up with struggle, you should know that this is a sign that you’re really heading in the right direction. However, if things are going smoothly without any struggle, then be aware it is very likely that your path is that of the yetzer hara trapping you.
Dovid Hamelech went down in history as a tzaddik who had to struggle with things that no one else before did: whether it was the claim that he wasn’t even permitted to marry into the Jewish nation, because of concern about his lineage, whether it was the fact that King Shaul wanted to kill him, whether it was that his own son pursued him to kill him, whether it was that his wife that was taken away from him, kidnapped with his children, whether it was that he was on the run hiding in the mountain and caves and then being cursed and shamed by Shimi Ben Gera. The list goes on, and yet instead of giving up and throwing in the towel, Dovid rose to unparalleled greatness and became the fourth leg in the Chariot of Hashem. He became the present and future king of Israel. He composed the Book of Tehillim, in which every person can find their own personal struggle, expressed in Dovid HaMelech’s words.
As we prepare for Shavuos and the acceptance of Hashem and His Torah, let us appreciate the struggles that come with this acceptance. To rise to greatness, we need to remember Ruth’s struggles and Dovid HaMelech’s incredible courage to overcome all challenges and trust in Hashem even in the greatest darkness.
Through this, we will see the light of the Torah shine with the coming of Mashiach.
by Rabbi Daniel Coren
