Shavuos is the culmination of the seven-week-long “Counting of the Omer” that occurs following Pesach. The very name “Shavuos” means “weeks,” in recognition of the weeks of anticipation leading up to the Har Sinai experience. Shavuos commemorates Hashem giving the Torah to B’nei Yisrael. During the holiday prayer services, we read the story of the Revelation on Mount Sinai and the giving of the Ten Commandments. On the second day of Shavuos, we read Megillas Rus.
It is appropriate to read the Book of Ruth on Shavuos for two reasons: First, because Shavuos is also known as Chag HaKatzir, the harvest festival. Megillas Rus gives us a picture of how the poor were treated in the harvest season with sympathy and love. Secondly, Shavuos is the birthday and day of the passing of King David, the great-grandson of Ruth and Boaz. In the Book of Ruth, we are shown the origin of the House of David – and how King David was the great-grandson of Ruth and Boaz. When we read Megillas Rus, we recognize that Ruth is Eim HaMalchus – the Mother of the Kingdom. She is also the quintessence of a true convert: On Shavuos, we recognize that just as we accepted the Torah, converts to Judaism accepted it, as well, at Har Sinai.
Since there is a special connection between Shavuos and David HaMelech, many have the custom to read the entire book of T’hilim during this time (Ben Ish Chai, BaMidbar).
In T’hilim, David HaMelech declares: “They [mitzvos] are more desirable than paz (gold). In Hebrew, the letters “p-a-z” have the numerical value of 87. Eighty-seven is the number of mitzvos that can possibly be performed nowadays without the Beis HaMikdash. They include the observance of the holidays, performance of a bris milah, chupah ceremonies, loving a friend, giving tz’dakah, reciting the Sh’ma, putting on t’filin, saying Birkas HaMazon, observing Shabbos, learning Torah, etc. Shavuos is a great time to improve one’s observance of mitzvos.
List of People Who Need a r’fuah sh’leimah (a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Yonasan Chaim ben Yocheved
Nisan ben Shoshanah
Eliyahu Igor ben Rachel Raya
Hillel ben Orah Brachah
Gavriel ben Frida
Ben-Tzion Yoel ben Blume
Yitzchak Meir ben Chanah Kresel
Shmuel ben Etta Ettel
Ilan ben Sarah
Rafael Chayim Meir ben Sima Chasha
Mindel Esther Malkah bas Elka
Sarah bas Miriam
Avigayil bas Chavivah
Malkah Marina bas Miriam Bertha
Esther Hadassah bas Devorah
Mitali Naomi bas Gilah Farcha
Miriam Chayah bas Sarah
Orah bas Devorah Chayah
Adinah Rivkah bas Sharon
Blume bas Ethel Rivkah
Perel Rachel bas Chanah Mindel
Esther bas Sima
Avivah bas Tziporah
To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and complete the Google form.
