This week we open a new section of the Torah, beginning with the Parsha of Bamidbar.

In the desert, Hashem demands a counting of the Jewish People. Moshe counts 603,550 men of draftable age. The tribe of Levi, numbering 22,300, is counted separately. The Levites are to serve in the Mishkan. They replace the firstborn, since they were disqualified when they worshipped the Golden Calf. The 273 firstborn who lacked a Levite to replace them had to pay a five-shekel “ransom” to redeem themselves.

When travelling, the Levites split in three groups to disassemble, transport, and reassemble the Mishkan at the next encampment. They then erected their own tents around it: the Kohanim, who carried the Mishkan’s vessels, camped to its south; the Gershonites, in charge of its tapestries and roof coverings, to its west; and the families of Merari, who transported its wall panels and pillars, to its north.

Beyond the Levite circle, the twelve tribes camped in four groups of three tribes each. Each tribe had its own nassi (prince or leader), and its own flag with its tribal color and emblem.

On Sunday, we celebrate Rosh Chodesh Sivan. Sivan is a special month marking the culmination of the Exodus from Egypt, through the receiving of the Torah on Shavuot. The Zodiac sign for this month is Gemini - twins. This is the first sign that is human. The sages explain that this is appropriate for the month when we received the Torah, as only a human can extoll, clap, and dance with joy over this momentous event.

All the sick and infirm Jews were healed when the Torah was given; thanks to the protective Clouds of Glory, the Jews remained healthy throughout their journey, despite the adverse conditions of the desert.

We see from this that the Jewish people – by virtue of their connection to G‑d expressed through studying the Torah and fulfilling its commandments – were not bound by the laws of nature. Furthermore, their ability to override nature was self-evident, expressed not only in spiritual concerns, but in physical health and well-being as well.

This holds true today as it did when the Torah was given on Mount Sinai. To the extent that we live our lives according to the dictates of the Torah, we too will be blessed with spiritual and physical health, despite any obstacles posed by the laws of nature.

Can we really be the last generation of exile and first generation of redemption? Are we better than our ancestors? Why us?

The sages give an analogy of a child atop the shoulders of a giant. The collective deeds and sacrifices of our ancestors combined to bring this world to the doorstep of Moshiach. All we need to do is open the door!

Ruth, whose story we read on the festival of Shavuot, was not really a Jew by birth, but a Moabite princess. By her own strength of character and genuine love for the Jewish people and the Torah, she became one of the greatest Jewish women, the ancestor of King David, from whom, the Redeemer will stem.

Long before Ruth had ever met any Jews, she had become disgusted with the idol worship of her own people, which was one of the lowest and most cruel. She realized soon that no mercy, or kindness, could be expected from such idol worship, and she searched for a new religion.

Then, one of the ten worst famines in all of mankind’s history hit the Land of Israel. Elimelech, one of the notables of Judah, came to Moab, where he hoped to find food and an easier life. Ruth became acquainted with the Jewish family and with their religion. Princess Ruth was happy to marry one of the two sons of Elimelech, even though it meant that she had to give up the comforts and honor of her royal position to join the household of a Jewish refugee.

Things became even worse when G‑d punished Elimelech for not having stayed with his own people in Judah, instead of running away to Moab. Elimelech and his two sons died far from their home. Elimelech’s wife, the beautiful Naomi, was left a widow without children. She decided to return to her homeland, where her late husband owned land. Naturally, she would not think of asking her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to go with her to share in her poor life.  But, as it turned out, only Orpah, after much persuasion from her mother-in-law, turned back to her own people. Ruth, however, had become so convinced of the truth of the Jewish religion that under no circumstances would she now part from Naomi to return to her royal home. Her mother-in-law tried hard to dissuade her, but all her arguments were in vain.

Little concerned over the prospect of poverty and hunger, Ruth accompanied Naomi to the land of her late husband, putting her hope and faith in G‑d that He would not forsake them in their need.

When Naomi and Ruth arrived in Beth Lechem, the famine had passed, and the soil was again yielding its fruit. Elimelech’s possessions had meanwhile been taken over by his relatives, and it would take some time to regain them and sell them and they had nothing to eat. 

Ruth would not hear of letting her mother-in-law go out in search of food. She herself insisted that Naomi stay behind, while she went into the fields, to gather barley left behind, forgotten during the cutting and binding of the barley.

Boaz, who owned the field, was a wealthy and very good-natured man. He greeted the woman in a most friendly way. Recognizing that she was not a common beggar, he ordered his workers to treat her with respect.

She returned to Naomi and showed her the rich harvest she had brought. Ruth told her mother-in-law of the friendliness of the owner. To her surprise, she learned that Boaz was a close relative of her late husband, and second in line as redeemer of Elimelech’s properties.

Boaz not only redeemed the property of Elimelech, but married Ruth as well. Boaz was the most important person of the Jewish people in his days. He and Ruth were blessed with children, and Ruth lived long enough to see her great-grandson David become king of Israel.