Two redemptions and the complete giving of Torah

ענין קריאת מגילת רות בשבועות.

The matter of reading Megillas Rus on Shavuos.

The Sefas Emes opens by asking why we read the Book of Rus specifically on Shavuos, the festival of Mattan Torah.

דאיתא במד' אנכי לשון תנחומין כמ"ש אנכי אנכי הוא מנחמכם דכתיב כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות.

For it is taught in the Midrash that "Anochi" is a term of consolation, as it says, "I, I am He who comforts you" (Yeshayahu 51:12), and it is written, "As in the days of your going out from the land of Mitzrayim I will show him wonders" (Michah 7:15).

The word "Anochi" that opens the Aseres HaDibros is linked by the Midrash to consolation. Just as the redemption from Mitzrayim was the setting for receiving the Torah, the future geulah will bring wondrous revelations like those of yetzias Mitzrayim.

וכמו שזכו בנ"י לקבלת התורה ע"י גלות וגאולת מצרים כמו כן בימי הגאולה נזכה לשלימות מתן תורה.

And just as Bnei Yisrael merited to receive the Torah through the galus and geulah of Mitzrayim, so too in the days of the future redemption we will merit the completeness of Mattan Torah.

The exile and exodus of Mitzrayim were the gateway to receiving the Torah; the final geulah will likewise usher in the perfected, complete giving of the Torah.

ולא עוד דכתיב ב"פ אנכי כמ"ש במד' שיאמרו לעתיד ב' פעמים אלקינו זה קוינו לו כו' זה ה' כו'.

And moreover, "Anochi" is written twice, as the Midrash says that in the future they will say twice "our God" — "this is our God for whom we hoped… this is Hashem…" (Yeshayahu 25:9).

The doubling of "Anochi" hints at a future recognition, when Bnei Yisrael will declare Hashem's name with a doubled, complete acknowledgment that was not yet fully present at Sinai.

דכתיב אני אמרתי אלקים אתם כו' א"כ עדיין לא הי' הקבלה בשלימות כפי רצונו ית"ש.

For it is written, "I said, you are angels…" (Tehillim 82:6) — so the receiving was not yet complete in accordance with His blessed will.

At Sinai Bnei Yisrael reached the level of angels, yet because of the cheit they fell, showing that the kabbalas haTorah was not yet the complete acceptance that Hashem ultimately desires.

וכ"כ אנכי עומד כו' כי יראתם מפני האש ולא עליתם בהר כו'.

And so it is written, "I stood [between Hashem and you]… for you were afraid of the fire and did not ascend the mountain" (Devarim 5:5).

Moshe Rabbeinu had to stand as intermediary because Bnei Yisrael were too frightened by the fire to ascend Har Sinai themselves — a sign that the receiving was incomplete.

אבל לעתיד יתקיים בשלימות.

But in the future it will be fulfilled in completeness.

In the time of the final geulah, the receiving of the Torah will at last be whole and perfect.

וזהו רמז הפסוק לא תגע בו יד כו' במשוך היובל המה יעלו בהר.

And this is the hint of the pasuk, "no hand shall touch it… when the yovel sounds long, they shall ascend the mountain" (Shemos 19:13).

The pasuk at Sinai itself promises a future time, signaled by the long blast of the shofar/yovel, when "they shall ascend the mountain" — alluding to the future complete receiving.

שלעתיד שיהי' הגאולה בשלימות כמ"ש כי לא בחפזון תצאו כו' אז יעלו בהר כמדריגת משה רבינו ע"ה דכתיב ומשה עלה כו' והי' ללמד על הכלל כולו.

For in the future, when the redemption will be complete, as it says, "for you shall not go out in haste" (Yeshayahu 52:12), then they shall ascend the mountain to the level of Moshe Rabbeinu, of whom it is written, "And Moshe ascended" — and this comes to teach about the entire klal.

Unlike the rushed exodus from Mitzrayim, the final geulah will not be hurried, and then all of Bnei Yisrael will rise to the lofty madreigah that until now only Moshe Rabbeinu attained when "Moshe ascended" the mountain. Moshe's ascent is a model for the whole nation.

וכתיב טוב אחרית דבר מראשיתו משה רבינו ע"ה כתיב בי' וירא ראשית לו ומשיח הוא בחי' אחרית.

And it is written, "Better is the end of a matter than its beginning" (Koheles 7:8): of Moshe Rabbeinu it is written, "he saw the first portion for himself" (Devarim 33:21), and Mashiach is the aspect of the "end."

Moshe Rabbeinu is called "reishis," the beginning, while Mashiach represents "acharis," the end — and the end will be even greater than the beginning.

ב' הגאולות בכח התורה שהיא ראשית ואחרית הכל.

Both redemptions are through the power of the Torah, which is the beginning and the end of everything.

Both the first geulah (through Moshe) and the final geulah (through Mashiach) draw their strength from the Torah, which encompasses both the beginning and the end of all.

וכ"כ גאלתי אתכם אחרית כראשית:

And so it is written, "I have redeemed you" — the end like the beginning.

The final redemption will mirror and complete the first; the "acharis" will match and fulfill the "reishis," both rooted in the eternal power of the Torah.

Summary: We read Megillas Rus on Shavuos because the word "Anochi" of the Aseres HaDibros carries consolation and points to two redemptions. Just as Bnei Yisrael received the Torah through the galus and geulah of Mitzrayim — yet incompletely, since they could not ascend Har Sinai — so in the future geulah the receiving of the Torah will be whole, and all of Klal Yisrael will rise to the level of Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe is the "beginning" and Mashiach the "end," and both redemptions flow from the Torah, which is the reishis and acharis of everything.