On each of the festivals we read one of the books of the Tanach known as a Megillah (literally, a scroll): Ruth on Shavu’ot, Ecclesiastes on Sukkot, and Song of Songs on Pesach. The melody with which we read these three books in public is identical.
In the Mussaf of the festivals we say, “Carry over for us the blessing of Your festivals for good life and peace, for joy and merriment” (implying that the joy of each festival continues until the next one arrives so Shavu’ot extends to Sukkot. Accordingly, the reading of the book of Ruth and its relevance extends throughout the summer (likewise, Ecclesiastes extends until we read the Song of Songs, and Song of Songs until we read Ruth).
THE MEANING OF RUTH’S NAME
There are several reasons why her name is Ruth. One is that she merited progeny, namely King David, who satisfied God, as in the phrase, “my cup overflows” (Psalms 23:5) through his service of and praise for the Almighty. Alternately, her name derives from the Hebrew word for “seeing” because she saw the verity of the words of her mother-in-law Naomi and followed her.
This second explanation fits perfectly with Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, whose sense is vision. In Sefer Yetzirah, the month of Tammuz is associated with vision and the month of Sivan with the sense of walking (i.e., progress). We have mentioned that the Gaon of Vilna reverses this association. This strengthens the association of Ruth, read in Sivan, with vision. We may add that during the Torah’s giving at Mt. Sinai, all the people “saw the sounds” (Exodus 20:15) so there is a connection between the month of Sivan and sight too.
Apart from these two explanations of Ruth’s name, the Zohar interprets that Ruth is an inversion of the letters of “turtledove”, based on the verse, “And the voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land,” (Song of Songs 2:12) a verse associated with the redemption. According to this verse, Ruth is the herald of the redemption. The sound of the turtledove connects us with the sense of hearing, which is the sense of the month of Av, the month following Tammuz.
RUTH AND THE RECTIFICATION OF THE SIN OF THE SPIES
But there is another significant point. The reversal of Ruth’s letters can also be pronounced “scout”, which connects her with the spies who were sent to scout the Land of Canaan, as mentioned in the first reading of Shelach. Though we read this parashah in the month of Sivan, the events occurred during the 40 days from Rosh Chodesh Tammuz until the ninth of Av.
Why did the Gaon of Vilna associate the month of Tammuz with the sense of walking? He connects it to the spies, who scouted the land in the month of Tammuz. Why did he associate seeing with the month of Sivan? Because of the verse “and all the people saw the voices,” the experience of seeing during the giving of the Torah. Nevertheless, the main principle is the opposite: Sivan primarily involves walking following halachah, God’s commandments, which in Hebrew are cognate with walking. Tammuz is a month of rectifying sight. This too is connected to the spies who were sent to scout the Land, not for the sake of walking, but for the sake of seeing it. They needed to see and report what they saw—not to form an opinion or intervene—to verify how good the land is.
So, there is indeed significance in the month of Tammuz for seeing reality, for seeing the land. Their journey, forty days, ended on the ninth of Av. Though it is the lowest point of the Jewish calendar, the sages say that on this day the Mashiach is born, connecting us once again to “the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land” hinting to the birth of Mashiach and the redemption.
RUTH AND THE LAND OF ISRAEL
Firstly, what is the initial hint that we have extracted so far? That there is a revealed power in the Book of Ruth to rectify the sin of the spies. How so? They traveled and scouted the entire Land and spread an evil report about it. Whereas Ruth dedicated herself to reaching the land, even from abroad, from Moab, with Naomi all with tremendous self-sacrifice.
There is another straightforward connection that has to do with the nature of birds in the Land of Israel—an important subject in itself. What is the difference between a turtledove and a pigeon? Why is the turtledove associated with scouting? It is explicitly stated that the turtledove, more than the pigeon, is so named because it wanders, it is a migratory bird. The voice of the turtle dove being heard in our land suggests that earlier it was not heard and now it has arrived. When it returns to the land and its voice is heard, it is a good sign, a sign of awakening. It may traditionally be in the month of Nisan, the month of spring, but we are now learning that there is a specific turtledove that suddenly arrives in the land and is heard in the month of Av, on the ninth of Av. It turns out that our turtledove is a tourist.
In addition, whenever they are mentioned in the Torah the turtledoves, which are larger than the pigeons, are referred to as feminine. This itself hints that a turtledove is associated with a woman, with Ruth.
A BOOK FOR EVERY TOURIST
Thus, not only is Ruth a rectification of the sin of the spies, but today she can serve as a rectification for the entire Ministry of Tourism. We have spoken many times about the rectifications needed in the Ministry of Tourism. There is an endless potential for spreading Judaism specifically there, perhaps more than in any other ministry.
According to what we have found, first of all, every tourist should receive the Book of Ruth—one of the smallest books in the Bible. There are many non-Jewish tourists who come here, but it is possible—and not just possible, but certain—that among the tourists, there are also many Ruths, sparks of Ruth. Therefore, every tourist, both male and female, should receive the Book of Ruth with our commentary. Perhaps we will merit this. Of course, it should be available in all languages to suit every tourist, from wherever they come.
(excerpted from a class given on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz 5776)
