Tikkun Leyl Shavuot Lecture
The Messiah’s Lineage: Megillat Ruth, Jewish Identity, and Chosenness
Wednesday, May 27, 7:30 pm
Given by Marc Ashley, in memory of Sharon Seiler, z’l
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The study of Torah is traditional on Shavuot eve. This year, in ourextraordinary circumstances, we’ll be holding our Tikkun Leil Shavuot on theweekday evening before Shavuot eve, so that we can join together through a Zoomsession. In this year’s Tikkun talk – given in blessed memory of Sharon Seiler,z”l – congregant Marc Ashley will explore crucial themes that are reflected,but often overlooked, in Megillat Ruth, which is traditionally read on themorning of the second day of Shavuot. The end of Megillat Ruth definitivelyestablishes that Ruth, a convert to Judaism, is the great-grandmother of KingDavid, who is viewed in classical Judaism as the ancestor of the Messiah. Forsome prominent Jewish thinkers, the fact that the Messiah’s lineage (or yichus)directly implicates a convert was problematic, raising thorny issues relatingto the essence of Jewishness and our self-understanding as a chosenpeople. Please join Marc as he discusses Megillat Ruth as a prism throughwhich to evaluate and appreciate pivotal conceptions of Jewish identity, chosennessand messianism.