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1 Ruth and Yitro Rabbi Elie Buechler 5779 On Shavuot we read about Ruth’s dedication to her mother-in-law Naomi and Ruth’s commitment to the Jewish people. Ruth, who merits to have king David as her offspring, becomes the paradigmatic convert to the Jewish people. In parshat Behaalotecha, we read about Chovav, or Yitro according to Chazal, who had been traveling with the Jewish people for nearly two years. Like Ruth, Yitro converted to Judaism, and we are told that his name was therefore changed to Chovav. But unlike Ruth, Yitro decided that it was time for him to head back to his own land and homeland and not continue soujouring with the Jewish people. The language used in Behaalotecha is strikingly similar, although the outcome is very different, to the story of Ruth. Ruth says “ki el-asher telchi elech” “I will go where you go” (Ruth 1:16) while Yitro says “lo elech” “I will not go” (Bemidbar 10:30). The parallels between these two narratives run even deeper. Moshe and Yitro, like Naomi and Ruth, were on the precipice of entering into the Land of Israel. Rashi notes that the nation was only three days away from entering the Land of Israel before they sinned in the beginning of chapter eleven with the story of the mitonenim. Also, we have a similar familial structure here, a mother with her daughter-in-law and a father with his son-in-law. The outcomes, however, are very different; Ruth remains with the Jewish people, while Yitro returns to Midian. So why does Yitro leave? The Ramban explains that Yitro, as a convert, was concerned that he would not receive a portion in the Land of Israel where he could live and support his family. However, Moshe then reassured him that he would certainly inherit property in the land like every other Jew. So why did he leave? The Abarbanel suggests that Yitro returned home because he was on a mission to continue spreading Torah to his extended family and nation. And we know that he was successful in his endeavour as Sefer Shoftim tells us that “the descendants of the Kenite, the father-in-law of Moshe, went up with the children of Judah” and settled in the Land of Israel. Yitro, as Kohen Midian, had a unique opportunity to return to his homeland and share with them the Torah that he had learned while he was with Moshe. Therefore Yitro’s return to his homeland was not a rejection of Judaism, rather it was an affirmation of its ideals. So when Yitro left Moshe, he did so because he knew that his descendents would inherit land in Israel and he was now on a mission to bring them closer to God. Yitro did not reject Moshe’s claim that he would inherit land, rather he accepted it and went forth to gather up his entire family. Furthermore, Divrei haYamim I 2:55 tells us that Yitro’s descendents became a family of scribes. We therefore see that the descendants of Yitro continued in the footsteps of their father in spreading Torah. Both Ruth and Yitro are praiseworthy individuals who displayed great courage in joining their fate with the destiny of the Jewish people, and it is their commitment to Torah and to our people that can serve as a model for our own commitment to Torah on this Shavuot. 2 The Queen’s Retinue Rabbi Noach Goldstein 5780 Men of the) אנשי כנסת הגדולה The very first piece of advice in Pirkei Avot comes from the revered Be deliberate in judgment.” The point is“ ;"הוו מתונים בדין" ,Great Assembly) imploring scholars certainly well taken, but upon further reflection it seems strange that these celebrated sages would single out judgment of court cases per se as demanding particular care. After all Jewish scholars are responsible for issuing all sorts of halakhic rulings; why single out adjudication of disputes? Commentators to the Mishna grapple with the problem and some offer technical explanations. For example R. Yisrael Lipschitz (Danzig, 1782-1860) in his work Tiferet Yisrael explains that while in most areas of halakha the posek always has the emergency option of stringency 1 available if he cannot reach a clear conclusion, there is no such choice when adjudicating a dispute between two parties. One must win and one must lose, and therefore it is imperative for the judge to take extreme care to reach the correct ruling. השכל" Rabbenu Yonah (Gerona, d. 1264) however offers a different approach. Yirmiyahu states Understand and know Me, for I am the“ ;"וידע אותי כי אני ה' עשה חסד משפט וצדקה בארץ כי באלה חפצתי Lord who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness in the world, for in these things I delight.” Initially the first half of the verse seems impossible; how could mortal man possibly understand the Almighty? Rabbenu Yonah explains that the verse’s second half explains the first; following in God’s ways and imitating His actions allows us to gain some measure of insight into the nature of HaKadosh Baruch Hu. What are those actions? “Kindness, justice, and righteousness.” Therefore Pirkei Avot begins with the charge for deliberation specifically in meting out justice, for this is literally God’s work, and fulfilling it with the proper seriousness allows us to begin to understand Him. Rabbenu Yonah develops his idea by pointing out a fundamental question that should arise this and the giving of the Ten Commandments, done with מתן תורה week. Last week we read about unprecedented pomp and circumstance: fire, thunder, lighting, and the voice of Hashem Himself. We even have the custom to stand for the reading of this hallowed passage, which gives us the lofty principles that animate the core of Judaism. Now Moshe ascends the mountain, and what commandments does he immediately receive? What does Hashem decide must follow upon the heels of the Ten Commandments? The mundane details and regulations concerning goring oxen and negligent watchmen, theft, vandalism, and assault! Surely it would have been more appropriate to segue to discussion of the Mishkan and its sacred utensils than to what we read .כח דהתירא עדיף and ספיקא דאורייתא לחומרא As reflected by halakhic concepts such as 1 3 this week! Wouldn’t the Aron Kodesh be a more fitting topic than the quarreler who strikes a pregnant woman? It would not. In fact, says Rabbenu Yonah, the Torah teaches the exact opposite perspective. Our immediate concern in establishing a Torah-based society must be the primacy of peace and justice. He cites a midrash noting that the Ten Commandments from last week were not just followed by the laws of Mishpatim, but were also preceded by Yitro’s advice to establish a judicial system. The midrash compares this to a majestic queen who never walks in public unless she is flanked on both sides by her loyal servants. Likewise, achieving a peaceful and just society is sine qua non for Torah to thrive in this world. Thus only after we have mastered the lessons of Mishpatim can Hashem proceed to teach us about the Mishkan in Parshat Terumah. From Heaven to Earth, and Up Again Rabbi Dovid Zirkind 5774 All too often we mistakenly conflate the multiple themes of Shavuot and the relationship they have to one another; Sefirat HaOmer is a prime example. We usually think of the omer in terms of Kabbalat HaTorah. Shavuot is the holiday which commemorates the revelation at Sinai, an experience that demanded preparation both physically and spiritually. Counting the omer each day, studying Pirkei Avot and gradually challenging ourselves to grow in anticipation of Mattan Torah, seems quite appropriate. Yet, in the Torah’s description of this season in which we find ourselves, counting sefirah is connected not to Sinai, but to korbanot, the Omer and the Shtei HaLechem, in which the Jewish people built towards and eventually celebrated the year’s successful crops. What exactly were they counting towards? Why does the agricultural theme of Shavuot require a sefira? Pragmatically, one might have argued that counting from the Korban Omer to the Shtei HaLechem enhanced that Shavuot celebration. Reaching the number 50 highlighted just how hard the farmers had worked and just how fruitful their labors were. Parshat Re’eh, however, describes a process that is much more transcendent. The process of sefirah challenges the farmer to transform his physical success into spiritual opportunity, to take his personal happiness to the Temple and create a Yom Tov. One great philosophical paradox of Judaism is the natural instinct to celebrate our accomplishments in contrast with the religious obligation to always see God’s hand in everything we do. In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, Sefirat HaOmer was the reminder of that challenge, celebrating our personal success in Hashem’s home. If this is the case, the two themes of Shavuot, the agrarian celebration and the commemoration of Sinai, may in fact be two sides of the same coin. One of Chassidut’s most fundamental concepts is the notion of tzimtzum, which in Modern Hebrew means contraction or compression. Tzimtuzm addresses the mystery of how a being that is strictly metaphysical could create a world that is nothing more than physical and still play an active role in His creation. To experience the warmth of Chassidut is to recognize the possibility 4 of spirit in a world of lowly human beings. Torah itself is the precursor to philosophy of tzimtzum. Fundamental to our faith is the notion that a divine hand authored a divine work that shapes the ethics and morals of a physical realm.

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