• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Gift Guide
    • Chanukah
    • Fast Days
    • Lag B’Omer
    • Pesach
    • Purim
    • Rosh Hashanah
    • Shabbos
    • Shavuos
    • Sukkos
    • Tu B’Shvat
    • Yom Kippur
    • Marriage
      • Baby & Toddler
      • Children & Teens
    • Crafts & Activities
    • Books
    • Downloads
  • Food
    • Inspiration
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Kitchen
    • Life Management
      • Travel Food
      • Travel Hacks
      • International Destinations
      • USA Destinations
    • Work
    • DIY & Hacks
    • Organizing & Cleaning
    • BCP Basics
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Home Decor
    • BCP Products
    • Home / Kitchen
    • Deals
    • Fall / Winter
    • Spring / Summer
    • Our Picks
  • Gift Guide
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook

A lifestyle site for the busy jewish woman

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Holidays
    • Chanukah
    • Fast Days
    • Lag B’Omer
    • Pesach
    • Purim
    • Rosh Hashanah
    • Shabbos
    • Shavuos
    • Sukkos
    • Tu B’Shvat
    • Yom Kippur
  • Family Life
    • Marriage
    • Parenting
      • Baby & Toddler
      • Children & Teens
    • Crafts & Activities
    • Books
    • Downloads
  • Food
  • Living
    • Inspiration
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Kitchen
    • Life Management
    • Travel & Places to go
      • Travel Food
      • Travel Hacks
      • International Destinations
      • USA Destinations
    • Work
    • DIY & Hacks
    • Organizing & Cleaning
    • BCP Basics
  • Style
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Home Decor
  • Shop
    • BCP Products
    • Home / Kitchen
    • Deals
    • Fall / Winter
    • Spring / Summer
    • Our Picks
  • Gift Guide
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook

A lifestyle site for the busy jewish woman

  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

by Shiffy Friedman | May 18, 2018 | 3 comment(s)

Ruth’s 3 Lessons on How to Treat Your Mother-in-Law

While Ruth, the heroine of Shavuos, serves as a role model for us in many ways, it’s interesting to explore her greatness when it comes to the contentious arena of mother/daughter-in-law relationships.

Ruth not only afforded her mother-in-law Naomi great respect; she actually clung to her fiercely, refusing to part ways. How does that happen?

Honestly, I don’t feel qualified to write this article. Hashem blessed me with a mother-in-law so giving and warm that the usual in-law struggles don’t resonate with me. However, since this is indeed a hot topic for most women around the globe, using Ruth as our guide to enhancing this unique relationship seems like the way to go.

Two Separate Entities

The classic mother/daughter-in-law tension revolves around the former, the latter, and the monkey in the middle—the mother-in-law’s son who also happens to be the daughter-in-law’s husband. Being the one person whom both cherish dearly, he’s often caught as the tightrope between two opposing forces, trying to please both women in his life while treading gently.

When the husband exhibits behaviors that don’t impress his wife, she’s tempted to play the blame game. Whether the wife confirms that he’s just like his mother or that she gave him the worst chinuch ever, wife knows just who’s at fault. Although Ruth’s first husband, Machlon, was a righteous person, his sins resulted in his untimely death. Still, instead of pointing fingers at Naomi, who watched idly as her son committed his sins, this Moabite princess respected her mother-in-law deeply and afforded her incredible honor. To Ruth, her former husband and mother-in-law were two separate entities, her perspective unmarred by even an iota of blame.

Let Bygones Be Bygones

Humans of the female persuasion have a particularly hard time letting go of grudges, especially when it comes to mother-in-law terrain. It takes us a long time to get over that disinvitation or hurtful comment. Ruth, we see in the Megillah, was a pro at letting go. Although Naomi’s intention in parting from Ruth was righteous, Ruth could have perceived it negatively, feeling slighted and unwanted. Despite the rejection she faced from her mother-in-law, who begged her to return to her city of origin, Ruth persevered. And when she continued her journey with Naomi, she constantly expressed her gratitude to her mother-in-law for having allowed her to join her.

The Giver

Ruth worked hard not only to sustain herself, but also to provide for her mother-in-law. Of course, it’s way more pleasant to be hosted and served, to be lavished upon by a mother-in-law who doesn’t stop buying gifts, sending packages, or inviting for this Shabbos and that Yom Tov. But when the tables are turned, we’re put to the challenge that Ruth faced. Can we give lovingly to the woman who raised the most important person in our life? When we’re placed in a position of giving vs. taking, how well do we do there? Ruth voluntarily offered to share her provisions with her mother-in-law, giving from a place of true love and appreciation. With merits like these, it’s no wonder she ended up being the mother of Moshiach.

See more of Shiffy’s inspirational articles here!

Related Posts

Balsamic Dill Salmon
Coulis with Cheesecake Cream
Fresh Flowers: Here Is How I Get My Bouquet To Last Longer

Filed Under: Inspiration, Shavuos Tagged With: inspiration, relationships, shavuos

Shiffy Friedman

In addition to her work as a writer, teacher, and counselor, Mrs. Shiffy Friedman is the founding director of LAHAV, an initiative that spreads awareness about the pathways to connection, contentment, and inner peace through Torah. To receive her messages on the topic and to learn more about LAHAV, please write to info@lahavinitiative.org

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Monseymom says

    May 18, 2018 at 7:43 am

    Beautiful article and timely! Thank you Shiffy

    Reply
  2. Shiffy Friedman says

    May 27, 2018 at 9:44 am

    Thank you, Monseymom!

    Reply
  3. Dinah says

    May 21, 2020 at 7:16 am

    I just found this article, again. So beautiful and something to think about. Thank you!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter!

Sign up to our email list, so you can always be in the know.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Don’t Miss These!

tips for moving

Moving? The Essential Three Steps When Packing Up Your Home

how to spread butter

What Do You Do When Your Butter is Super Hard?

Is Your 11-12 Year Old Son Overbearing? It’s a Stage.

No-Mixer No-Bowl (Yup, Mix ‘Em Right in the Baking Pan) Oatmeal Squares

Most Popular Recipes

How to Cook Navel Pastrami

How to Cook Navel Pastrami

sun-dried tomato dip

An Amazing Shabbos Dip Without Mayo! Try This Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Footer

A lifestyle blog for the busy jewish woman


Company

  • About Us
  • Press
  • Affiliates
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Disclaimer

Explore

  • Beauty
  • Food
  • Style
  • Travel & Places to go
  • Work

For customers

  • Contact Us
  • Write for Us
  • Advertise

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Affiliates

Disclaimer: Between Carpools LLC is an affiliate with many of the merchant links on Betweencarpools.com. This means we will be compensated if you choose to utilize the links located throughout the site. Betweencarpools.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

© Between Carpools, 2023. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED




©2023 Between Carpools LLC

Website managed by SiteCare.com

Copyright © 2023 · Brunch Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in