| On Shavuous, we read the moving story of Rus, the Moabite princess, who left her luxurious life, and embraced the Torah lifestyle. She followed her mother-in-law Naomi to Eretz Yisrael. In the Holy Land, she utilized the Torah practice of gleaning the leftover sheaves. Indeed, when Naomit told her that she, herself, would gather the sheaves, Rus refused to let Naomi gather the sheaves. Instead, Rus insisted that she, herself, would go and gather the sheaves. The sheaves that she gathered was the primary sustenance that kept her and Naomi alive. The Torah instructs the farmer to leave over the corner of his field for the poor man. He does not distribute the produce to the poor, rather, he allows the poor man to enter his land and harvest the produce left in the corner of his field. In this way the poor man, who has no field of his own, experiences the satisfaction of harvesting a field, as if it is his very own.
With great sensitivity and compassion HaShem creates a way for a poor man to experience the dignity of owning and harvesting his own land.
Be sensitive to the needs of others and create opportunities for them to reclaim their honor and dignity.
(Based on Darchei Mussar of Rav Yaacov Neiman, Behar) | 
