04 Jun CHOICES

Choices. Dilemmas. Life altering decisions.
Each of the individuals in Megillas Rus is
faced with a choice, a decision that would
determine their future. While Rus was written
about three thousand years ago, its teachings
are relevant to us today. We learn that the
choices we make do matter, and can
profoundly alter the trajectory of our lives.
Megillas Rus opens with the words “Va’yehi
bimei shefot hashoftim, And it was in the days
that the judges judged.” The Talmud teaches
us that “Kol makom sheh’neh’emar ‘Vayehi’,
aino elah lashon tzaar, Wherever the term
‘Vayehi’ is mentioned, it is nothing but an
expression of pain” It foreshadows that
something tragic is about to occur. Va’yehi – a
time of “Oy Vay”.
Megillas Rus tells us about a famine in the
Eretz Yisroel. Food was scarce, people would
go searching in the fields, but to no avail. We
are introduced to Elimelech, who was the
“parnes ha-dor”, the philanthropist of the
generation. A wealthy man, a leader of the
nation, a man to whom all would turn in times
of need.
The hungry made their way to the home of
Elimelech, knocking on his door, with the

hope of returning to their families with some
bread, some food to bring to the table, some
nourishment for their children.
But there was “no one home”. The doors were
locked, the windows shuttered. Elimelech
abandoned his people. Together with his wife,
Naomi, and their two sons, Machlon and
Chilyon, he left his home town of Bais
Lechem, and went to live in Moav.
Elimelech was faced with a challenge. Would
he be there for his people during that difficult
time? He had the power and financial means
to sustain the poor, but he was unable to live
up to the test. He feared that by helping just a
few, many more would come knocking for
assistance. How would he decide whom to
help and whom to turn away? How could he
possibly help the many that would turn to him
with outstretched hands?
Instead of being a source of support and
sustenance, Elimelech packs up and leaves to
Moav. How ironic that Elimelech, who came
from Bais Lechem – meaning “House of
Bread”, a community known for giving and
sharing, abandons his people and relocates to
Moav, inhabited by a people who were the
exact opposite, a nation who refused to give or
share. The Torah tells us that when the Am
Yisroel left Egypt and met up with the people

of Moav, the Moavites
didn’t even offer water to
the tired, hungry and thirsty
travelers.
We tend to think of
challenges as deprivations
or hardships. However, even
the blessings of great wealth
or extraordinary talents can
be challenges. The test is
how to channel these gifts in
positive ways. Will we give
of what HaShem has blessed us with to others?
Will we help make the world a better place?
The choice is ours.
Elimelech and his family settle in Moav, but
one calamity after another befalls them.
Elimelech loses his fortune, and passes away,
a broken-hearted man.
Machlon and Chilyon are faced with their
own choices. To remain in Moav after their
father’s death, or return to Eretz Yisroel. The
Midrash tells us that while their mother
desired to return to Eretz Yisroel, they chose
to remain in Moav, and she stayed with them.
The brothers marry sisters, Moavite princesses
– Machlon marries Rus and Chilyon marries
Orpah. Once again tragedy befalls Naomi,
with both sons passing away, leaving her with
two childless daughters-in-law.
Upon learning that the famine is over,
Naomi decides to return home. She begs her
daughters-in-law to return to their families,
knowing that it will be a difficult life for
them in Eretz Yisroel. Both women are at a
loss for words, and begin to cry. They both
loved Naomi and didn’t want to leave her.
As the Megilla relates, “they raised their
voices and wept…”, they had no words.
Ultimately, Orpah kisses Naomi good-bye
and returns home. But Rus “dovkoh boh” –
she clung to Naomi and refused to leave.
Once again – choices. Orpah chose to
remain in Moav, while Rus chose to follow
Naomi. Rus speaks from her heart, telling
Naomi “Where you go, I will go, where you
sleep, I will sleep, your people are my
people, your G-d is my G-d, where you die,
I will die, and there I will be buried.”
The choices we make can change our lives
forever. Sometimes, our choices not only
affect us, but our future generations as well.
Orpah’s great-grandson was Goliath, while
Rus was the great-grandmother of Dovid
HaMelech. We all know the story of how
these two men stood against each other.
Goliath who wanted to terrorize and harm
the Jewish people, and Dovid who stood up
to protect his nation.
We can ask, where did Orpah go wrong?

After all, Naomi begged her daughters-in-
law to remain in Moav, which is exactly

what Orpah did. So how is it that Orpah

became the great-grandmother of Goliath,
while Rus became the “Eim b’Malchus”, a
mother of royalty – the great-grandmother of
King David.
It wasn’t Orpah’s decision to remain in Moav
that was wrong. It was her mindset after
making that decision. Orpah gave up on
herself. She viewed herself as inadequate, a
failure, and acted accordingly. She went on to
live a promiscuous lifestyle and continued on
a downward spiral of spiritual decline.
Wherever you go…I will go. What was it
about Naomi that got Rus to follow her and
become one with Klal Yisroel? We don’t find
any philosophical discussions between Naomi
and Rus. No mention is made of discussions
about HaShem, Torah, mitzvos, Shabbos,
kashrus, etc. What touched Rus was the love
and kindness that she saw in the heart of
Naomi. That was what compelled her to give
up her life in Moav and follow Naomi to Eretz
Yisroel, even without knowing what would be
awaiting her, what life would be like in a new
country.
A life lesson for all of us. How do we touch
another soul? How do we connect to another
neshama? Through love, kindness and
understanding.
Elimelech had a choice to remain in Eretz
Yisroel and support his people, but he chose to
abandon them. His sons similarly had choices
to return to Eretz Yisroel after their father’s
death, but they chose to remain in Moav. Rus
and Orpah had the choice of returning to Eretz
Yisroel with Naomi. Orpah chose to remain in
Moav. Rus chose to follow the path of Naomi,
a path that changed the destiny of Am Yisrael.
We are not always in control of life’s
circumstances. Elimelech couldn’t stop the
famine. Naomi, Ruth and Orpah couldn’t
bring their husbands back to life. But we can
control how we react to what life brings us.
We don’t understand HaShem’s ways. But we
can control how we react, and the choices we
make.
Our lifestyle choices make us who we are. We
daven that HaShem be with us and guide us in
making the right choices. Choices that bring
bracha to us, our family, our community and
the world around us.
Wishing all a most joyous and uplifting
Shavuos.