Gateway to Eternity: Shavuot.23

 Shavuot: Gateway to Eternity

By Rabbi Boaz D. Heilman

May 24, 2023

The holiday of Shavuot is one of the Three Pilgrimages listed in the Torah (along with Sukkot and Passover). During the thousand years when the Temple stood in Jerusalem, these festivals were meant to remind the Israelites of their physical and spiritual journey from Egypt to the Promised Land—from slavery to Redemption. 

The connection between Shavuot—originally a spring-harvest festival—and the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai was added later, when the Temple had been destroyed and much of the Jewish People dispersed from their homeland. To highlight this connection, the early Rabbis ordained special Torah readings for Shavuot: Exodus 19:1—20:23 and Deuteronomy 14:22—16:17.

These selections serve to remind us not only of our redemption from slavery, but also of the responsibilities placed on us at that time. 

The giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai occurs 50 days after the Exodus from Egypt, with the miracle of freedom still fresh in our minds. The selection from the book of Exodus reminds us of this most awesome moment, when God’s Presence was revealed to all Israelites—past, present and future. It must have been a spectacular moment, one for which the Israelites prepared for three days. With the mountain shaking and rumbling, encased in lightning and thunder, and along with the sound of a great shofar (a sound that—say the Rabbis—was heard clear around the world) God’s voice makes the eternal Presence known throughout Creation. Within that, however, and more specifically addressed to the Jewish nation, God reminds us of the purpose of Redemption: to be “A special treasure to Me above all people… a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:1-6).

This election, however, is not automatic. It comes with duties and responsibilities. We are told to set aside a part of the rich harvest with which—once we enter the Promised Land—we will be blessed. We are to share gleanings and “the edge of our field” with the hungry and weary, with the widows and orphans, with the homeless and destitute. 

Still another special reading designated for the holiday of Shavuot is the Book of Ruth. This choice didn’t come without a certain amount of discussion and controversy among the early Rabbis, as it affirms the practice of conversion and emphasizes righteous acts of love and loyalty over prayer and sacrifice. If—as the Torah and Rabbis teach—women played a huge role in the freeing of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, then so does Ruth show us the path forward toward Redemption. It is Ruth’s loyalty to her mother-in-Law, Naomi, and her participation in the customs and rituals of her chosen people—the tribe of Judah—that, in days to come, will result in the coming of the Messiah. Ruth reminds Boaz, a wealthy but elderly landowner, of his obligation to his family and people. Without hesitation and in full view of the community, Boaz accepts this charge and marries Ruth. The result of their marriage, three generations later, will be the birth of David, destined to be King of Israel and forebear of the Messiah.

Shavuot thus forms the natural conclusion of the story of the Exodus while also representing the gateway to a time in the future when hunger and need will be no more, a time brought about by acts of love and devotion, with God’s light showing us the path.

© 2023 by Boaz D. Heilman