Rabbinic Sources On the Purpose of Megillat Rut
(יד) ...אָמַר רַבִּי זְעֵירָא, מְגִלָּה זוֹ אֵין בָּהּ לֹא טֻמְאָה, וְלֹא טָהֳרָה, וְלֹא אִסּוּר, וְלֹא הֶתֵּר, וְלָמָּה נִכְתְּבָה לְלַמֶּדְךָ כַּמָּה שָׂכָר טוֹב לְגוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים.
(14) ...Rabbi Zeira says, "This scroll does not have anything in it concerned with impurity or purity nor what is forbidden and what is permitted. So why is it written? To teach us the greatness of the reward for acts of loving-kindness."
(קמט) אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן קִסְמָא, תָּמֵיהַּ אֲנִי, אִם מְגִילָה זוֹ לֹא בָאָה אֶלָּא כְּדֵי לְיַחֵס זֶרַע דָּוִד, שֶׁבָּא מֵרוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה, לֹא יְסַפֵּר יוֹתֵר, וְלָמָּה לִי כּוּלֵי הַאי, לִיכְתּוֹב יוֹחֲסָא מִבּוֹעַז, כְּשֶׁנָּשָׂא אֶת רוּת, וְיֹאמַר אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת פֶּרֶץ, עַד וְיִשַׁי הוֹלִיד אֶת דָּוִד. אֶלָּא כּוֹלָּא אִיצְטְרִיךְ, בְּגִין צַדֶּקֶת זוֹ, שֶׁבָּאָה לְהִתְגַּיֵּיר, וְלַחֲסוֹת תַּחַת כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה, וּלְהוֹדִיעַ עִנְוְתָנוּתָהּ וּצְנִיעוּת שֶׁבָּהּ וְצִדְקוּתָהּ.
Rabbi Yosei the son of Kisma says, "I am bewildered. If this scroll is here simply to trace the genealogy of David, who was born from Ruth the Moabite, it should say only that. Why do we have the rest? It should simply say the children of Boaz and Ruth, until 'and Jesse fathered David.' Rather, the entirety of the scroll is necessary because of the righteous woman (Ruth), who came to convert and came under the wings of the Shechinah, and to tell of her modesty and righteousness."
ה"ק שאול אי מפרץ אתי אי מזרח אתי אי מפרץ אתי מלכא הוי שהמלך פורץ לעשות דרך ואין ממחין בידו אי מזרח אתי חשיבא בעלמא הוי...
א"ל דואג האדומי עד שאתה משאיל עליו אם הגון הוא למלכות אם לאו שאל עליו אם ראוי לבא בקהל אם לאו מ"ט דקאתי מרות המואביה...
א"ל אבנר תנינא עמוני ולא עמונית מואבי ולא מואבית...
טעמא דקרא (דברים כג, ה) על אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם ובמים דרכו של איש לקדם ולא דרכה של אשה לקדם
Rather, this is what Saul was saying, in his attempt to clarify David’s lineage: Does he come from the descendants of Perez, or does he come from the descendants of Zerah? What is the significance of this question? If he comes from Perez he will be king, as a king may breach [poretz] a way for himself and no one can stop him. And if he comes from Zerah he will be merely a man of importance, but not a king...
At that point, Doeg the Edomite said to Saul: Before you inquire as to whether or not he is fit for kingship, inquire as to whether or not he is even fit to enter into the congregation. What is the reason for such doubts? It is that he descends from Ruth the Moabite, and Moabites are permanently barred from entering the congregation...
Abner said to him: We already learned that there is no room for such concern. As the verse states: “An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 23:4), teaching that an Ammonite man is barred from entering into the congregation, but not an Ammonite woman; and similarly, a Moabite man is barred from entering into the congregation, but not a Moabite woman...
the reason for the prohibition recorded in this verse with regard to Ammonites is explicit: “Because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came forth out of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 23:5). Since it is the way of a man to go forth to meet guests but it is not the way of a woman to go forth, females were not included in this prohibition.
The Story of Rut
Act 1-Death in the Foreign Land |
Act 2-The Match and the Trick |
Act 3-The Marriage |
Rut stays with Naomi, proclaiming wherever you go, I will go, while Orpah turns back and goes home |
Boaz is still reluctant to make any advances towards Rut, but agrees to marry her, if another, closer relative doesn’t. |
David is one of their descendants |
Yibum and Chalitzah, the Rescue of the Deceased
(א) מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה מִן הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁיְּיַבֵּם אָדָם אֵשֶׁת אָחִיו מֵאָבִיו בֵּין מִן הַנִּשּׂוּאִין בֵּין מִן הָאֵרוּסִין אִם מֵת בְּלֹא זֶרַע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כה ה) ״וּבֵן אֵין לוֹ״ (דברים כה ה) ״יְבָמָהּ יָבֹא עָלֶיהָ״...
(1) It is a positive biblical command that a man shall take in levirate marriage his paternal brother's wife if he died childless whether after wedlock or after betrothal...
(ו) כֵּיצַד חוֹלְצִין. מְבִיאִין לוֹ מִנְעָל שֶׁל עוֹר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עָקֵב וְאֵינוֹ תָּפוּר בְּפִשְׁתָּן וְלוֹבְשׁוֹ בְּיָמִין וְקוֹשֵׁר רְצוּעוֹתָיו עַל רַגְלוֹ. וְעוֹמֵד הוּא וְהִיא בִּפְנֵי בֵּית דִּין וּמַקְרִין לַיְבָמָה בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ (דברים כה ז) ״מֵאֵן יְבָמִי״ וְגוֹ'. וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַקְרִין לַיָּבָם (דברים כה ח) ״לֹא חָפַצְתִּי לְקַחְתָּהּ״. וְנוֹעֵץ רַגְלוֹ בָּאָרֶץ וְהִיא יוֹשֶׁבֶת וּפוֹשֶׁטֶת יָדָהּ בִּפְנֵי בֵּית דִּין וּמַתֶּרֶת רְצוּעוֹת הַמִּנְעָל מֵעַל רַגְלוֹ וְחוֹלֶצֶת הַמִּנְעָל וּמַשְׁלֶכֶת אוֹתוֹ לָאָרֶץ וּמִשֶּׁיִּשָּׁמֵט רֹב הֶעָקֵב הֻתְּרָה הַיְבָמָה לְזָר:
(6) How is the ḥalitzah shoe removed? A heeled leather-shoe that is not stitched with flax is brought to him, who puts it on and fastens its straps on his right foot. Then he and she stand before the judges of the court, who instruct her to say in Hebrew: "My husband's brother refuses to establish a name in Israel for his brother; he will not perform the duty of a levir" (Deuteronomy 25:7). Then the yavam is made to recite: "I do not wish to marry her" (8). He puts his foot down on the ground, and she sits down, stretches out her hand in front of the court, unties the straps of the shoe from his foot, takes off the shoe and throws it upon the ground. As soon as most of the heeled shoe is detached from his foot, the brother's widow is permitted to marry a stranger.
(ז) וְאַחַר כָּךְ עוֹמֶדֶת וְיוֹרֶקֶת בָּאָרֶץ כְּנֶגֶד פָּנָיו רֹק הַנִּרְאֶה לַדַּיָּנִין. שֶׁמִּצְוַת חֲלִיצָה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן עוֹמְדִין בִּשְׁעַת קְרִיאָה וּבִשְׁעַת רְקִיקָה וּצְרִיכִין הַדַּיָּנִין לִרְאוֹת הָרֹק הַיּוֹצֵא מִפִּיהָ. וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַקְרִין לָהּ (דברים כה ט) ״כָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִבְנֶה אֶת בֵּית אָחִיו״ (דברים כה י) ״וְנִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּית חֲלוּץ הַנָּעַל״:
(7) — — Thereupon she is made to recite: "Thus shall be done to the man who will not build up his brother's house! And he shall become known in Israel as the unsandaled one" (9-10).
Megillat Rut as a Story of Yibum
(ג) וַיָּ֥מָת אֱלִימֶ֖לֶךְ אִ֣ישׁ נָעֳמִ֑י וַתִּשָּׁאֵ֥ר הִ֖יא וּשְׁנֵ֥י בָנֶֽיהָ׃ (ד) וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם נָשִׁים֙ מֹֽאֲבִיּ֔וֹת שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ עָרְפָּ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית ר֑וּת וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָׁ֖ם כְּעֶ֥שֶׂר שָׁנִֽים׃ (ה) וַיָּמ֥וּתוּ גַם־שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם מַחְל֣וֹן וְכִלְי֑וֹן וַתִּשָּׁאֵר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה מִשְּׁנֵ֥י יְלָדֶ֖יהָ וּמֵאִישָֽׁהּ׃
(3) Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. (4) They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth, and they lived there about ten years. (5) Then those two—Mahlon and Chilion—also died; so the woman was left without her two sons and without her husband.
(י) וַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָה־לָּ֑הּ כִּי־אִתָּ֥ךְ נָשׁ֖וּב לְעַמֵּֽךְ׃ (יא) וַתֹּ֤אמֶר נָעֳמִי֙ שֹׁ֣בְנָה בְנֹתַ֔י לָ֥מָּה תֵלַ֖כְנָה עִמִּ֑י הַֽעֽוֹד־לִ֤י בָנִים֙ בְּֽמֵעַ֔י וְהָי֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם לַאֲנָשִֽׁים׃ (יב) שֹׁ֤בְנָה בְנֹתַי֙ לֵ֔כְןָ כִּ֥י זָקַ֖נְתִּי מִהְי֣וֹת לְאִ֑ישׁ כִּ֤י אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ יֶשׁ־לִ֣י תִקְוָ֔ה גַּ֣ם הָיִ֤יתִי הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ לְאִ֔ישׁ וְגַ֖ם יָלַ֥דְתִּי בָנִֽים׃ (יג) הֲלָהֵ֣ן ׀ תְּשַׂבֵּ֗רְנָה עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִגְדָּ֔לוּ הֲלָהֵן֙ תֵּֽעָגֵ֔נָה לְבִלְתִּ֖י הֱי֣וֹת לְאִ֑ישׁ אַ֣ל בְּנֹתַ֗י כִּֽי־מַר־לִ֤י מְאֹד֙ מִכֶּ֔ם כִּֽי־יָצְאָ֥ה בִ֖י יַד־ה' (יד) וַתִּשֶּׂ֣נָה קוֹלָ֔ן וַתִּבְכֶּ֖ינָה ע֑וֹד וַתִּשַּׁ֤ק עָרְפָּה֙ לַחֲמוֹתָ֔הּ וְר֖וּת דָּ֥בְקָה בָּֽהּ׃
(10) and they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” (11) But Naomi replied, “Turn back, my daughters! Why should you go with me? Have I any more sons in my body who might be husbands for you? (12) Turn back, my daughters, for I am too old to be married. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I were married tonight and I also bore sons, (13) should you wait for them to grow up? Should you on their account debar yourselves from marriage? Oh no, my daughters! My lot is far more bitter than yours, for the hand of the LORD has struck out against me.” (14) They broke into weeping again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell. But Ruth clung to her.
(ח) וַיֹּאמֶר֩ בֹּ֨עַז אֶל־ר֜וּת הֲל֧וֹא שָׁמַ֣עַתְּ בִּתִּ֗י אַל־תֵּלְכִי֙ לִלְקֹט֙ בְּשָׂדֶ֣ה אַחֵ֔ר וְגַ֛ם לֹ֥א תַעֲבוּרִ֖י מִזֶּ֑ה וְכֹ֥ה תִדְבָּקִ֖ין עִם־נַעֲרֹתָֽי׃ (ט) עֵינַ֜יִךְ בַּשָּׂדֶ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־יִקְצֹרוּן֙ וְהָלַ֣כְתִּ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ן הֲל֥וֹא צִוִּ֛יתִי אֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים לְבִלְתִּ֣י נָגְעֵ֑ךְ וְצָמִ֗ת וְהָלַכְתְּ֙ אֶל־הַכֵּלִ֔ים וְשָׁתִ֕ית מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשְׁאֲב֖וּן הַנְּעָרִֽים׃
(8) Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen to me, daughter. Don’t go to glean in another field. Don’t go elsewhere, but stay here close to my girls. (9) Keep your eyes on the field they are reaping, and follow them. I have ordered the men not to molest you. And when you are thirsty, go to the jars and drink some of [the water] that the men have drawn.”
(יט) וַתֹּאמֶר֩ לָ֨הּ חֲמוֹתָ֜הּ אֵיפֹ֨ה לִקַּ֤טְתְּ הַיּוֹם֙ וְאָ֣נָה עָשִׂ֔ית יְהִ֥י מַכִּירֵ֖ךְ בָּר֑וּךְ וַתַּגֵּ֣ד לַחֲמוֹתָ֗הּ אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשְׂתָה֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר שֵׁ֤ם הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשִׂ֧יתִי עִמּ֛וֹ הַיּ֖וֹם בֹּֽעַז׃ (כ) וַתֹּ֨אמֶר נָעֳמִ֜י לְכַלָּתָ֗הּ בָּר֥וּךְ הוּא֙ לַה' אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹא־עָזַ֣ב חַסְדּ֔וֹ אֶת־הַחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַמֵּתִ֑ים וַתֹּ֧אמֶר לָ֣הּ נָעֳמִ֗י קָר֥וֹב לָ֙נוּ֙ הָאִ֔ישׁ מִֽגֹּאֲלֵ֖נוּ הֽוּא׃
(19) her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be he who took such generous notice of you!” So she told her mother-in-law whom she had worked with, saying, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.” (20) Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not failed in His kindness to the living or to the dead! For,” Naomi explained to her daughter-in-law, “the man is related to us; he is one of our redeeming kinsmen.”
(ט) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מִי־אָ֑תּ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אָנֹכִי֙ ר֣וּת אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ֤ כְנָפֶ֙ךָ֙ עַל־אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ כִּ֥י גֹאֵ֖ל אָֽתָּה׃ (י) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בְּרוּכָ֨ה אַ֤תְּ לַֽה' בִּתִּ֔י הֵיטַ֛בְתְּ חַסְדֵּ֥ךְ הָאַחֲר֖וֹן מִן־הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן לְבִלְתִּי־לֶ֗כֶת אַחֲרֵי֙ הַבַּ֣חוּרִ֔ים אִם־דַּ֖ל וְאִם־עָשִֽׁיר׃ (יא) וְעַתָּ֗ה בִּתִּי֙ אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־תֹּאמְרִ֖י אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּ֑ךְ כִּ֤י יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ כָּל־שַׁ֣עַר עַמִּ֔י כִּ֛י אֵ֥שֶׁת חַ֖יִל אָֽתְּ׃
(9) “Who are you?” he asked. And she replied, “I am your handmaid Ruth. Spread your robe over your handmaid, for you are a redeeming kinsman.” (10) He exclaimed, “Be blessed of the LORD, daughter! Your latest deed of loyalty is greater than the first, in that you have not turned to younger men, whether poor or rich. (11) And now, daughter, have no fear. I will do in your behalf whatever you ask, for all the elders of my town know what you are a woman of valor.
(ט) וַיֹּאמֶר֩ בֹּ֨עַז לַזְּקֵנִ֜ים וְכָל־הָעָ֗ם עֵדִ֤ים אַתֶּם֙ הַיּ֔וֹם כִּ֤י קָנִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֶֽאֱלִימֶ֔לֶךְ וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְכִלְי֖וֹן וּמַחְל֑וֹן מִיַּ֖ד נָעֳמִֽי׃ (י) וְגַ֣ם אֶת־ר֣וּת הַמֹּאֲבִיָּה֩ אֵ֨שֶׁת מַחְל֜וֹן קָנִ֧יתִי לִ֣י לְאִשָּׁ֗ה לְהָקִ֤ים שֵׁם־הַמֵּת֙ עַל־נַ֣חֲלָת֔וֹ וְלֹא־יִכָּרֵ֧ת שֵׁם־הַמֵּ֛ת מֵעִ֥ם אֶחָ֖יו וּמִשַּׁ֣עַר מְקוֹמ֑וֹ עֵדִ֥ים אַתֶּ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם׃
(9) And Boaz said to the elders and to the rest of the people, “You are witnesses today that I am acquiring from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. (10) I am also acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife, so as to perpetuate the name of the deceased upon his estate, that the name of the deceased may not disappear from among his kinsmen and from the gate of his home town. You are witnesses today.”
(יב) וִיהִ֤י בֵֽיתְךָ֙ כְּבֵ֣ית פֶּ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָ֥ה תָמָ֖ר לִֽיהוּדָ֑ה מִן־הַזֶּ֗רַע אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֤ן ה' לְךָ֔ מִן־הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃
(12) And may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah—through the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman.”
The Story of the Birth of Perez
It'Act 1-Death in the Foreign Land | Act 2-The Match and the Trick | Act 3-The "Marriage" |
Yehudah sends Tamar back to her family. He says this is only until his third son, Sheilah is old enough to marry her, but in his heart, he is afraid that he will also die if they marry. |
Tamar becomes pregnant |
She gives birth to twins, Perez and Zarach. Perez is the ancestor of King David |