Story of Ruth

Introduction:

Why do we read the story of Ruth on Shavuot?

Megillat Ruth is read in the synagogue on the second day of Shavuot. Several themes in the Story of Ruth give it its relationship to the holiday:

1. Farming and harvest - Shavuot is an agricultural holiday. Much of the story revolves around farming and harvest. The second part of the story takes place during the seven weeks of the barley harvest, and Shavuot takes place at the end of the seven week counting of the omer, corresponding to the time of the barley harvest.
    
2. Performing mitzvah for the poor - Boaz, owner of the farm in the story performs the mitzvah of "leaving the gleanings" for the poor to gather grain for food.
    
3. Choosing to observe - Ruth chooses to accept the religion of her mother-in-law, rather than retain the religion of her people. She makes the choice to become Jewish, just as we make the choice to accept and observes Gad’s commandments at Sinai.
    
4. Acting with loving kindness - A central theme in the story is acting with loving kindness - chesed.

Try reading this story to your students and having them act out the different scenes. This version of the story, written by Lisa L., provides an outline for the story. You are encouraged to discuss the story with your students and to think of a variety of ways to engage them in the telling and acting of the story.

Narrator: Once upon a time, a very long time ago, there lived a woman named Naomi. She lived with her husband, Elimelech, and their two sons in the town of Bet-Lechem in Israel. There was a famine in the land, and many people were hungry.

Scene 1- Naomi and Elimelech discuss the need to move to Moab so that they could have food.

Scene ends with...

Naomi: Of course it will be best to go to Moab. I will pack our things right away.

Narrator: Naomi and her family moved to Moab, and everything worked out fine. Naomi's sons married women from Moab. One was named Oprah, the other was named Ruth. They lived happily for ten years. Then Naomi's husband and sons died. Naomi was very sad, and she wanted to go back to Bet-Lechem to be with her family.

Scene 2 - Naomi tells Ruth to go home. Ruth refuses.

Scene ends with...

Ruth: Whither thou goest, I will go, your GAD will be my GAD, your people are my people.

Narrator: So Naomi and Ruth returned to Bet-Lechem together. It was the custom for the Jewish farmers to leave any extra wheat in the fields for the poor to gather, so every day Ruth worked in the fields. The fields belonged to Boaz, a wealthy farmer and kinsman to Naomi's late husband. After a hard day's work Ruth went home to be with Naomi, bringing her corn or barley to cook together.

Scene 3- Naomi appreciates Ruth’s hard work on their behalf. Naomi wants to help Ruth.

Scene 4- Boaz notices Ruth

Scene 5- Naomi and Ruth talk about Boaz. Naomi has a plan for getting Boaz to marry Ruth.

Scene 6 - Ruth talks to Boaz in the threshing room.

Scene 7 - Boaz and Ruth get married.

Narrator: Boaz and Ruth got married, and Ruth soon had a little boy. Everyone who came to see Naomi said, "Blessed is God, because he did not leave you lonely. This little boy will always care for you because he is Ruth's son, and Ruth loves you so much. He will surely grow up to be famous".

Naomi helped Ruth care for the little boy, who's name was Oved. He grew up to be the grandfather of David, the King of Israel.