What Truly Fills Us Up

When I was in my twenties, a dear friend and I found ourselves both out of work at the same time. We were broke, overwhelmed, and unsure of what to do next. One day she called me in tears after receiving a job offer – not because she didn’t want it, but because taking it meant leaving me behind in our shared struggle. I told her, “You must take it. One of us getting through is already hope for both.”

That small moment stayed with me. It taught me something that I only now, years later, fully understand – the quiet power of thinking about others, even when we’re tempted to shrink inward.

This idea lies at the heart of the Book of Ruth, read on Shavuot. It opens with Elimelech, a wealthy leader from Bethlehem, who flees to Moab with his family during a famine – not out of necessity, but out of fear of being asked for help. The rabbis paint a harsh picture: “Elimelech was one of the leaders and providers of the generation… and fled because he did not want to open his hand to others.” (Yalkut Shimoni)

Elimelech chooses self-preservation over responsibility. He leaves his people, his land, and his values – seeking fullness through wealth and security. And yet, after his passing, his widow Naomi, says later, with bitter irony: “I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.” (Ruth 1:21)

In contrast, Ruth and Boaz embody a different kind of fullness. Ruth abandons all comfort and status to remain loyal to Naomi. Boaz, described as a “mighty man of valor,” is valorous not in war but in kindness, integrity, and restraint. Together, their actions spark quiet redemption – not through power or wealth, but through empathy and moral clarity.

As part of my work with Paamonim, I’ve seen this lesson play out again and again. Our volunteers guide families from financial instability toward stability – not by dictating what they can or can’t have, but by helping them reconnect with their values. When people examine why they want something – whether it’s a purchase, a lifestyle, or a financial goal – they discover that true fullness doesn’t come from getting more, but from living with intention.

This year, as our nation grapples with prolonged conflict and uncertainty, we are surrounded by examples of modern-day Ruths and Boazes: reservists who return again and again to the front lines, spouses holding families together, thousands volunteering for strangers. They remind us: kindness is not a luxury. It’s how nations are rebuilt.

As Dr. Yael Ziegler writes in Ruth: From Alienation to Monarchy:
“Ruth and Boaz show us how two individuals, guided by conscience, can cut through apathy and alienation – and pave the way for national healing.”

May this Shavuot be a time to ask: what fills us up, really? What do we choose when no one’s watching? And what kind of world are we building through those choices?

Wishing you and all of Israel a meaningful and joyful Shavuot.