מגילת רות: תמונות מספרות

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the field of Moab; for she had heard in the field of Moab how that the LORD had remembered His people in giving them bread. And she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law: ‘Go, return each of you to her mother’s house; the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. TheLORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.’ Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her: ‘Nay, but we will return with thee unto thy people.’ And Naomi said: ‘Turn back, my daughters; why will ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say: I have hope, should I even have an husband to-night, and also bear sons; would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye shut yourselves off for them and have no husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand of the LORD is gone forth against me.’ And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth cleaved unto her.

And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of valour, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi: ‘Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find favour.’ And she said unto her: ‘Go, my daughter.’ And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and her hap was to light on the portion of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers: ‘The LORD be with you.’ And they answered him: ‘The LORD bless thee.’ Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers: ‘Whose damsel is this?’

"Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers (Ruth 2:5)": over how many was he set? Rabbi Eliezer the son of Miriam: "over forty two he was set, because, see!: "And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel...And he set 70,000 of them to bear burdens (2 Chronicles 2:16-17)", and he who works this way is able to see and know what a worker does. "Whose maiden is this?" And he did not recognize her? Rather when he saw that she was pleasant and her demeanor modest, he began to ask about her. All the women bent to glean, but she sat and gleaned. All the women raised their dresses [to work], but she let down her dress. All the women laughed with the reapers, but she was reserved by herself. All the women gleaned between the sheaves, but she gleaned from the public leavings. And in the same way "And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner ['Abner, whose son is this youth?] (1 Samuel 17:55)": and he did not recognize him. Yet the day before he had sent to Jesse and said: "'Let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight. (1 Samuel 16:22)"; so now he is asking about him? Rather when Saul saw the head of the Philistine in his hand he began to ask about him. Is he [a descendant] from Perez, he was a king. Or is he from Zerah, he was a judge? And Doeg the Edomite happened at that time to be present and said to him: "Even if he is a descendant of Perez, is he not forbidden? Is not he forbidden by his family? Is he not [a descendant] from Ruth, the Moabitess?" But Abner said to him, "but has not the new halakhah been made, "Ammonite but not Ammonitess, Moabite but not Moabitess"? And Doeg said to him "If [we follow the precedent] then Edomite but not Edomitess, Egyptian but not female Egyptian? Why were the men rejected, was it “Because they met you not with bread and with water? (Deut 23:5)". The women were also to have gone to meet the men?" And for a moment the halakhah was hidden from Abner's eyes. Saul said to him "[as for] the halakhah that was hidden from your eyes, go and ask Samuel and his Beit Din. When he came near to Samuel and his Beit Din he said to him: "So, from where do you hold your opinion? It is not from Doeg. Doeg is a heretic and he is not going to leave the world in peace, and I cannot let you go until it is solved." And Samuel said: "As it is written: "All glorious is the king's daughter within the palace (Psalm 45:14)" for a woman, she does not go out, and for a man he does go out: "and because they hired against you (Deuteronomy 23:5)". It is for a man to hire and not a woman". "And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said: 'It is a Moabite maiden' (Ruth 2:6)". And you said her demeanor is pleasant and modest. Rather her mother in law taught her.

Then she fell on her face, and bowed down to the ground, and said unto him: ‘Why have I found favour in thy sight, that thou shouldest take cognizance of me, seeing I am a foreigner?’ And Boaz answered and said unto her: ‘It hath fully been told me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband; and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people that thou knewest not heretofore. The LORD recompense thy work, and be thy reward complete from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge.’ Then she said: ‘Let me find favour in thy sight, my LORD; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken to the heart of thy handmaid, though I be not as one of thy handmaidens.’

And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her: ‘My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? And now is there not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing-floor. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the threshing-floor; but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.’ And she said unto her: ‘All that thou sayest unto me I will do.’ And she went down unto the threshing-floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn; and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said: ‘Who art thou?’ And she answered: ‘I am Ruth thine handmaid; spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.’ And he said: ‘Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter; thou hast shown more kindness in the end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou didst not follow the young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou sayest; for all the men in the gate of my people do know that thou art a virtuous woman. And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part; but if he be not willing to do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth; lie down until the morning.’ And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before one could discern another. For he said: ‘Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.’