Ruth (with Selected Commentaries) for Shavuot

(1) And it happened in the days when judges judged. [During the period] before King Shaul reigned, when the generations were administered by judges;¹There was no individual judge who could exercise control over all of Yisroel, rather there were many judges. (Malbim) Alternatively, this was a period when God judged the judges (Gra)....

(1) Ephrathites. Important people, and similarly, “the son of Tochu, the son of Tzuph, an Ephrathite,”⁶I Shmuel 1:1. [meaning] an aristocrat.... Another explanation of “Ephratites,” [they were from Beit Lechem,] because Beit Lechem is called Ephrat.⁸See Genesis 48:7, “and I buried her [Rachel] on the way to Ephrat which is Beit Lechem.”

(1) Naomi’s husband. Why is this stated again? From here they derived, “A man does not die except for his wife [i.e., she feels the loss more than anyone].⁹ ([Another interpretation:] And it states, “Naomi’s husband,” i.e., that because he was Naomi’s husband and ruled over her¹⁰and she was subordinate to him, therefore the Divine Attribute of Justice struck him and not her.)¹¹

(1) Both. What is the meaning of “also” גַם? First they were struck by financial loss and their camels and their cattle died; afterwards they “also” died.¹²When God punishes man, He first deprives him of his property, and if he does not repent, God smites him in person. Alternatively, “also” indicates that their death was punishment “also” for having remained outside of Eretz Yisrael.

(1) For I am too old to have a husband. That I should marry him and bear sons, that you would marry them, for they would not forbidden to you [to marry] and you would not be forbidden to them as far as [the prohibition against marrying] the wife of an older brother who died before he was born, for she [the widow] does require a levirate marriage because Machlon and Chilyon were not [halachically] married to them because they were gentiles and had not converted,¹⁵ and now they were coming to convert as it is stated, “We will return with you to your people.”¹⁶. From now on we will become one people.

(2) For wherever you go, I shall go. From here our Rabbis of blessed memory derived²⁴In Masechet Yevamot 47b that if a [prospective] proselyte comes to convert, we inform him of some of the punishments [for violating the commandments] so that if he decides to renege [from his intention to convert], he can renege; for out of the words of Ruth, you can learn what Naomi said to her. [Naomi said] “We may not venture outside the boundary [of 2000 cubits beyond city limits] on Shabbat.” She [Ruth] replied to her, “For wherever you go I shall go.”²⁵Alternatively, just as you are going to Eretz Yisrael for the sake of your religion, so it is my purpose to go there in order to be able to keep the Torah’s commandments. (Malbim) [Naomi then said,] “We are prohibited to allow a woman to be secluded with a man who is not her husband.” She [Ruth] replied, “Where you lodge, I will lodge.” [Naomi said,] “Our nation is separated from other nations by 613 commandments,” [and Ruth replied,] “Your people are my people.” [Naomi said,] “Idolatry is forbidden to us,”²⁶Although idolatry is forbidden to Noahites, they are forbidden to worship idols only if they do so exclusively, but not if they worship God in conjunction with their idolatry (Torah Temimah) [to which Ruth replied,] “Your God is my God.” [Naomi then said,] “Four [types of] death penalties were delegated to the Beit Din [to punish transgressors],” [and Ruth replied,] “Where you die, I will die.” [Naomi continued,] “Two burial plots were delegated to the Beit Din [to bury those executed], one for those stoned and those burned, and one for those decapitated and those strangled.” She [Ruth] replied, “And there I shall be buried.”

(1) So may the Lord do to me. As He has begun to afflict [me], for His hand has gone forth against me to kill my husband and to cause me to lose my possessions.

(1) She refrained from further discussion with her. From here they derived, “we neither overburden him [a prospective convert], nor are we meticulous with him.”²⁷Masechet Yevamot 47b; i.e., we neither persuade nor dissuade him too much.

(1) So the two of them went on. Rabbi Abahu said, “Come and see how dear the proselytes are before the Holy One, Blessed Is He. As soon as she decided to convert, Scripture compared her to Naomi [by stating, “the two of them...”].²⁸Despite leaving her home and family, Ruth's determination was so strong that Scripture ranks her equally with Naomi.

(2) The whole city was astir. The whole city became astir. They had all gathered to bury the wife of Bo’az, who had died that very day.²⁹Apparently the people of the city were gathered together because “the whole city” learned so quickly of their return. Rashi therefore explains why they had gathered.

(3) Is this [really] Naomi. The hai is vowelized with a chataf because it is in the interrogative. Is this Naomi who was accustomed to travel in covered wagons and with the mules?³⁰Because of the affliction and the hunger that she endured, Naomi’s appearance changed so drastically that they were hardly able to recognize her. Have you seen what has befallen her because she went abroad [i.e., outside Eretz Yisrael]?

(2) Has testified against me. Has testified against me that I had sinned before Him. Another explanation is that the Divine Attribute of Justice has humbled me, as in, “And the pride of Yisrael shall be עָנָה humbled.”³¹

(1) At the start of the barley harvest. The verse speaks about the harvest of the Omer.³²The barley for the omer was harvested on the second night of Pesach and offered on the following day.

(1) So she went, and came and gleaned in the field. We find in Midrash Ruth [the question is raised], “Before she had even gone she returned?” For it states, “and [she] came” and afterwards “and gleaned” [i.e., she came back before she gleaned]? Rather, [the Midrash explains] she would mark the roads before she entered the field, and she went and came and returned to the city, in order to make signs and markings so that she would not stray in the paths and she should know how to return.⁷ Alternatively, Rabbi Eliezer said that she kept on coming back until she found decent people with whom to go. (Masechet Shabbat 113b).

(1) To whom does this maiden belong. Was it the practice of Bo’az to inquire about women? Rather, [because] he saw her modest and wise behavior [he was curious about her. He observed that] two ears she would glean but three she would not glean;⁸As prescribed by the Mishnah (Pe’ah 6:5). The Torah in Vayikra 19:9 awards the fallen ears of grain and forgotten sheaves to the poor. Thus her exemplary behavior and her knowledge of the law caught the attention of Bo’az and he therefore inquired about her. and she would glean the standing ears while standing and the lying ones while sitting, in order to avoid bending over.⁹Masechet Shabbat 113b.

(1) So she went down to the threshing floor and she did. She [Naomi] said to her, “Bathe and scent yourself, dress yourself in the finest garb,” and afterwards, “and go down to the threshing floor.” But she [Ruth] did not do so, but [instead] she said, “If I go down when I am dressed up, whoever meets me or sees me will think that I am a harlot.” She therefore first went down to the threshing floor and afterwards adorned herself, as her mother-in-law had instructed.⁴Masechet Shabbat 113b.

(1) And his heart was jubilant. Because he engaged in Torah [study].⁵Alternatively, he was happy that his prayers were accepted and the famine ended. (Targum)

(2) And she came in softly. בַלָּט =] silently.⁶Alternatively, slowly. (Radak)

(1) [Your] earlier [kindness]. That you did for your mother-in-law.¹²When you abandoned your home and fortune to stay with your mother-in-law. Your last act of kindness, i.e., your willingness to marry an older man to perpetuate your late husband’s name is a greater sacrifice on your part.

(2) As the Lord lives. She said to him, “You are dismissing me with words [i.e., excuses].” He jumped up and swore to her¹⁸‘חי ה is the Biblical form of an oath, as in I Shmuel 19:6. that he would not dismiss her with words. Some of our Rabbis said that he swore to his evil inclination, for his evil inclination was inciting him [by saying], “You are not married and she is not married; be intimate with her.” So he swore that he would not be intimate with her except with marriage.

(1) So-and-so. But his name was not written because he did not wish to redeem.¹

And did Naomi give birth to the son? But didn’t Ruth give birth to him? Rather, Ruth gave birth and Naomi raised him. Therefore, he was called by her name: “A son born to Naomi.”