Servant and son: two levels of avodah from Pesach to Shavuos

ענין קריאת רות בשבועות.

The matter of reading Rus (the Book of Ruth) on Shavuos.

The Sefas Emes asks why Megillas Rus is read specifically on Shavuos, and uses it to develop a theme about two stages of avodah.

דהנה כתיב אדם ובהמה תושיע.

For it is written, "Man and beast You save, Hashem" (Tehillim 36:7).

He builds on the verse that pairs "adam" (man) and "beheimah" (beast) as two categories that Hashem redeems.

והוא בחי' עבד ובן.

And this is the aspect of "servant" (eved) and "son" (ben).

The pairing of beast and man corresponds to two modes of serving Hashem: that of a servant, who obeys out of duty, and that of a son, who serves out of intimate love.

דכתיב ואתן צאני צאן מרעיתי אדם אתם.

As it is written, "And you, My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men" (Yechezkel 34:31).

The navi calls Bnei Yisrael both "flock" (sheep, the beast aspect) and "men" (the adam aspect) in a single verse, hinting that both levels exist within them.

היינו מקודם בחי' בהמה כמ"ש עבדי אתה.

That is, first the aspect of "beast," as it is written, "You are My servant" (Yeshayahu 49:3).

The starting point of avodah is the "beast"/servant level — simple, obedient submission, "You are My servant."

אח"כ אדם אתם.

Afterward, "you are men."

From there one rises to the "adam"/son level — the fuller stature of a human being who serves with understanding and love.

אשר בך אתפאר.

"…in whom I take glory" (Yeshayahu 49:3).

At the "adam" level Hashem takes pride and glory in Bnei Yisrael, for they now serve Him as cherished sons.

וכן הי' הענין מיצ"מ עד קבלת התורה.

And so it was in the process from Yetzias Mitzrayim until Kabbalas HaTorah.

This ascent from beast to man played out historically between leaving Mitzrayim and receiving the Torah at Sinai.

וכן מפסח עד שבועות.

And so too from Pesach until Shavuos.

The same climb is re-enacted each year during the days of Sefiras HaOmer between Pesach and Shavuos.

מקודם מנחת שעורים מאכל בהמה עד שזוכין לבחי' אדם מנחת חטים.

First the barley offering (minchas se'orim), which is animal food, until one merits the aspect of "man" — the wheat offering (minchas chittim).

The Omer offering brought on Pesach is of barley, fit for beasts, representing the lower starting level; by Shavuos the Shtei HaLechem are of wheat, human food, representing the elevated "adam" level reached through the Omer count.

ומ"מ צריכין לאחוז במדריגת עבד ג"כ להיות אדם ובהמה כמ"ש בהמות הייתי עמך כו' וכן הי' בחי' דוד המע"ה דלית לי' מגרמי' כלום:

And nevertheless one must hold on to the level of "servant" as well — to be both "man and beast" — as it is written, "I was as a beast before You" (Tehillim 73:22); and so was the aspect of David HaMelech, peace be upon him, who "has nothing of his own."

Even after rising to the "adam" level, one must not abandon the humble "beast"/servant level. The ideal is to be both — combining the lofty stature of a son with the total self-nullification of a servant. This was David HaMelech's greatness: even as king he held to the bittul of "I was as a beast before You," "having nothing of his own," and this is why Rus, his ancestress, is read on Shavuos.

Summary: The Sefas Emes explains the two levels of avodah — "beast"/servant (humble obedience) and "man"/son (loving, understanding service) — embodied in the barley Omer of Pesach rising to the wheat offering of Shavuos. The goal is to attain the elevated "adam" level while still clinging to the bittul of the "beast," exemplified by David HaMelech, whose total self-nullification is why Megillas Rus, his lineage, is read on Shavuos.