Shavuos

On Shavous we lein Megilas Rus. The pessukim tell us that Naomi tried convincing Rus and Orpah to go back to their mother’s house. Orpah left whereas Rus stayed together with Naomi. Again, Naomi said “go back” but Rus said, “don’t urge me to return…only to where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your nation is my nation and your G-d is my G-d. Where you die, I will die and there I will be buried…”

Rashi writes from these words Raboseinu teach that when a non-Jew comes to convert, we tell him some of the punishments if one performs an aveira and allow for him to back out while he can. This is derived from the words of Rus’s response to Naomi, from what Rus replied we see what Naomi told her. Where you go, I will go hints at the issur of techum Shabbos. Where you sleep, I will sleep hints at the issur of yichud, for a male and female to be secluded who are not married. Your nation is my nation hints at the 613 mitzvos. Your G-d is my G-d hints at the issur of avodah zarah. Where you die, I will die hints at the four death-penalties of Beis Din. And there I will be buried hints at different burial places for people who are killed by Beis Din. One for those who were killed by the sword and strangulation, and another for those who are stoned and burned. These are all the different things that Naomi told Rus to accept upon herself to convert.

The question arises: We understand that Naomi told Rus about avodah zarah and the 613 mitzvos. Why, however, did Naomi tell her about techum Shabbos and yichud and burial places? What is so significant and important of knowing these mitzvos before geirus?

Rav Yaakov Hopfer explained that Naomi was giving a message to Rus: You need to know, understand, and accept a complete Yiddishkeit. The Torah subjects a person to fulfill its mitzvos including where you can walk and where you go to sleep. You are bound by the Torah from morning to night all the days of your life with everything that you do, including after one dies. Naomi told Rus about techum Shabbos hinting that walking needs to be according to the Torah, about yichud to point out you can’t sleep just anywhere you want, and about burial places that even after death one is subject to the rules of the Torah.

Hashem chose us from all the nations to be His treasured people and holy nation and to fulfill His will. May Hashem help us accept the Torah anew and be completely guided by the mitzvos twenty-four/seven!