Pro-Life Torah Shavuot

Shavuot represents a spiritual apex in Judaism - the day that the Almighty gives the Torah to the Jewish people, a day when a covenant between God and the Jews defines their reciprocal relationship as described in the text, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice, and keep My covenant, you shall be My own treasure from among all peoples, for all the earth is Mine.”

The Israelites accept this arrangement after completing a 49 day pilgrimage from Egypt to Mt. Sinai. During that journey, they are freed from the bondage of pagan ideology and made aware of the One God through the miracles of the Exodus and the sustaining gifts provided to them in the desert. They are ready to receive the moral blueprint for living that will distinguish the Jews as,"a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.”

Awed and convinced, the Israelites consent to the covenantal agreement,.“All that God has spoken, we will do.” But the Almighty knows the fickle human heart, and demands a guarantor of His Torah. He accepts only children as His reliable, long term emissaries, and accentuates the importance of this guarantee by instructing Moses to speak first to the women about the Torah, as they will be the ones to teach the law to their children.

Our sages explain that the first commandment, “I am the Lord your God,” and the sixth commandment, “Do not murder,” highlight the life affirming essence of Judaism. To kill an innocent human being is to kill God Himself since human life is made in His image. This explains the moral degradation of killing innocent unborn life - One must destroy the very idea of God in order to justify this evil.

Devotion to God and commitment to protecting and defending human life endure as Jewish principles; however, love of money, mistaken loyalty to progressive theology, and belief in dangerous science pervert these holy doctrines. It is no coincidence that these elements characterize the abortion business, a death industry driven by profit, selfishness, and eugenics. Abortion providers profit from the sacrifice of human capital, in which innocent children are scapegoated for irresponsible or criminal behavior by their parents, while feeding a eugenics agenda dressed up as healthcare, equality, and civil rights. 

We read the Book of Ruth on Shavuot because King David was born and died on Shavuot, and the messianic lineage was created through Ruth’s conversion to Judaism. The book of Ruth relates a story of lovingkindness and redemption, in which Boaz comes to the aid of a widowed woman with no means of support. He marries Ruth, buys back her family’s land and produces a child, whose descendent will ultimately redeem the world.

Yizkor services are said on the second day of Shavuot to merit the dead and honor the memory of our loved ones. We pray Yizkor for children who died from abortion, knowing that HaShem loves each of these innocent human beings who deserve the dignity stolen from them by destroying their lives and their futures. We support pregnancy care and adoption services as a way to express the lovingkindness and charity required of every Jew in the spirit of life affirming love of God. We pray these actions help renew the Jewish people as a holy nation and promote the coming of the Messianic redemption.

Cecily Routman

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.