This week, we begin to read a new sefer in the Torah. We start Sefer Bamidbar, and we start reading this book right before Shavuot. Bamidbar means in the desert. While Bnei Yisrael were in the desert, Hashem was doing miracles for them all the time, but even with all the miracles, they complained. Ironically, this is what we read before Shavuot and Megillat Ruth.

Megillat Ruth is the opposite of Sefer Bamidbar. Ruth, who wasn’t seeing miracles but instead had her husband die, was left poor and lost her princess status. However, she decided to convert to Judaism and trust in Hashem. Ruth was a woman, who despite the bad in her life, saw sweetness. In Bamidbar, Bnei Yisrael were, at times, looking with a negative eye which brought punishment, but in Megillat Ruth, when Ruth looked with a positive eye, she got an exceeding amount of reward. May we all see the good and feel Hashem’s blessing around us in good and bad times.

Shira Sedek is a teacher at Ramaz Middle school who has a Masters in Jewish Education.