(1) It so happened that in the days when the Judges ruled, there was a famine in the land; and a man of Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the country of Moab.

In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did as he pleased.

A man went- This man was very rich, and one of the pillar of the community. He left the land of Israel to live outside the land because of his stinginess, as he was tired of people coming to him for support.

(2) The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and his two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. They came to the country of Moab and remained there. (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.

(9) "They married Moabite women (Ruth 1:4)": Rabbi Beivai in the name of Rabbi Reuben said: "Ruth and Orpah were the daughters of King Eglon of Moab

(4) No Ammonite or Moabite shall be admitted into the congregation of the LORD; none of their descendants, even in the tenth generation, shall ever be admitted into the congregation of the LORD, (5) because they did not meet you with food and water on your journey after you left Egypt, and because they hired Balaam son of Beor, from Pethor of Aram-naharaim, to curse you.— (6) But the LORD your God refused to heed Balaam; instead, the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, for the LORD your God loves you.— (7) You shall never concern yourself with their welfare or benefit as long as you live.

(1) The two angels arrived in Sodom in the evening, as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to greet them and, bowing low with his face to the ground, (2) he said, “Please, my lords, turn aside to your servant’s house to spend the night, and bathe your feet; then you may be on your way early.” But they said, “No, we will spend the night in the square.” (3) But he urged them strongly, so they turned his way and entered his house. He prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. (4) They had not yet lain down, when the townspeople, the men of Sodom, young and old—all the people to the last man—gathered about the house. (5) And they shouted to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may be intimate with them.” (6) So Lot went out to them to the entrance, shut the door behind him, (7) and said, “I beg you, my friends, do not commit such a wrong. (8) Look, I have two daughters who have not known a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you please; but do not do anything to these men, since they have come under the shelter of my roof.” (9) But they said, “Stand back! The fellow,” they said, “came here as an alien, and already he acts the ruler! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” And they pressed hard against the person of Lot, and moved forward to break the door. (10) But the men stretched out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. (11) And the people who were at the entrance of the house, young and old, they struck with blinding light, so that they were helpless to find the entrance. (12) Then the men said to Lot, “Whom else have you here? Sons-in-law, your sons and daughters, or anyone else that you have in the city—bring them out of the place. (13) For we are about to destroy this place; because the outcry against them before the LORD has become so great that the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” (14) So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Up, get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law as one who jests. (15) As dawn broke, the angels urged Lot on, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two remaining daughters, lest you be swept away because of the iniquity of the city.” (16) Still he delayed. So the men seized his hand, and the hands of his wife and his two daughters—in the LORD’s mercy on him—and brought him out and left him outside the city. (17) When they had brought them outside, one said, “Flee for your life! Do not look behind you, nor stop anywhere in the Plain; flee to the hills, lest you be swept away.”...(30) Lot went up from Zoar and settled in the hill country with his two daughters, for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar; and he and his two daughters lived in a cave. (31) And the older one said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to consort with us in the way of all the world. (32) Come, let us make our father drink wine, and let us lie with him, that we may maintain life through our father.” (33) That night they made their father drink wine, and the older one went in and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. (34) The next day the older one said to the younger, “See, I lay with Father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go and lie with him, that we may maintain life through our father.” (35) That night also they made their father drink wine, and the younger one went and lay with him; he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. (36) Thus the two daughters of Lot came to be with child by their father. (37) The older one bore a son and named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. (38) And the younger also bore a son, and she called him Ben-ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.

(1) In those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite residing at the other end of the hill country of Ephraim took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. (2) Once his concubine deserted him, leaving him for her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah; and she stayed there a full four months. (3) Then her husband set out, with an attendant and a pair of donkeys, and went after her to woo her and to win her back. She admitted him into her father’s house; and when the girl’s father saw him, he received him warmly....(8) Early in the morning of the fifth day, he was about to leave, when the girl’s father said, “Come, have a bite.” The two of them ate, dawdling until past noon. (9) Then the man, his concubine, and his attendant started to leave. His father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is waning toward evening; do stop for the night. See, the day is declining; spend the night here and enjoy yourself. You can start early tomorrow on your journey and head for home.” (10) But the man refused to stay for the night. He set out and traveled as far as the vicinity of Jebus—that is, Jerusalem; he had with him a pair of laden donkeys, and his concubine was with him. (11) Since they were close to Jebus, and the day was very far spent, the attendant said to his master, “Let us turn aside to this town of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.” (12) But his master said to him, “We will not turn aside to a town of aliens who are not of Israel, but will continue to Gibeah. (13) Come,” he said to his attendant, “let us approach one of those places and spend the night either in Gibeah or in Ramah.” (14) So they traveled on, and the sun set when they were near Gibeah of Benjamin.

(15) They turned off there and went in to spend the night in Gibeah. He went and sat down in the town square, but nobody took them indoors to spend the night. (16) In the evening, an old man came along from his property outside the town. (This man hailed from the hill country of Ephraim and resided at Gibeah, where the townspeople were Benjaminites.) (17) He happened to see the wayfarer in the town square. “Where,” the old man inquired, “are you going to, and where do you come from?” (18) He replied, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the other end of the hill country of Ephraim. That is where I live. I made a journey to Bethlehem of Judah, and now I am on my way to the House of the LORD, and nobody has taken me indoors. (19) We have both bruised straw and feed for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me and your handmaid, and for the attendant with your servants. We lack nothing.” (20) “Rest easy,” said the old man. “Let me take care of all your needs. Do not on any account spend the night in the square.” (21) And he took him into his house. He mixed fodder for the donkeys; then they bathed their feet and ate and drank. (22) While they were enjoying themselves, the men of the town, a depraved lot, had gathered about the house and were pounding on the door. They called to the aged owner of the house, “Bring out the man who has come into your house, so that we can be intimate with him.” (23) The owner of the house went out and said to them, “Please, my friends, do not commit such a wrong. Since this man has entered my house, do not perpetrate this outrage. (24) Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. Let me bring them out to you. Have your pleasure of them, do what you like with them; but don’t do that outrageous thing to this man.” (25) But the men would not listen to him, so the man seized his concubine and pushed her out to them. They raped her and abused her all night long until morning; and they let her go when dawn broke. (26) Toward morning the woman came back; and as it was growing light, she collapsed at the entrance of the man’s house where her husband was. (27) When her husband arose in the morning, he opened the doors of the house and went out to continue his journey; and there was the woman, his concubine, lying at the entrance of the house, with her hands on the threshold. (28) “Get up,” he said to her, “let us go.” But there was no reply. So the man placed her on the donkey and set out for home.

(19) and the two went on until they reached Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole city buzzed with excitement over them. The women said, “Can this be Naomi?” (20) “Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, for Shaddai has made my lot very bitter. (21) I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. How can you call me Naomi, when the LORD has dealt harshly with me, when Shaddai has brought misfortune upon me!” (22) Thus Naomi returned from the country of Moab; she returned with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabite. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

​Is this Naomi: The “hey” is vowelized with a “hataf” because it is in the interrogative. Is this Naomi who used to go out in covered wagons and with mules? Have you seen what happened to her because she left the Holy Land?

And Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai would likewise say: Elimelech and his sons Mahlon and Chilion were prominent members of their generation and were leaders of their generation. And for what reason were they punished? They were punished because they left Eretz Yisrael to go outside of Eretz Yisrael, as it is stated concerning Naomi and Ruth: “And all the city was astir concerning them, and the women said: Is this Naomi?” (Ruth 1:19). The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the phrase: “Is this Naomi”? How does this indicate that her husband and sons were punished for leaving Eretz Yisrael? Rabbi Yitzḥak says that the women said: Have you seen what befell Naomi, who left Eretz Yisrael for outside of Eretz Yisrael? Not only did she not escape tribulations there, but she lost her status entirely.

(1) And Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a mighty man of valour of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz. (2) And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi: ‘Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of corn after him who might allow me to.’ And she said unto her: ‘Go, my daughter.’ (3) And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to end up gleaning in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

(4) Presently Boaz arrived from Bethlehem. He greeted the reapers, “The LORD be with you!” And they responded, “The LORD bless you!” (5) Boaz said to the servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose girl is that?” (6) The servant in charge of the reapers replied, “She is a Moabite girl who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. (7) She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the reapers.’ She has been on her feet ever since she came this morning. She has rested but little in the hut.” (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.”

And greeting another with the name of God is derived from a verse, as it is written: “And presently Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters: The Lord is with you, and they said to him: May the Lord bless you” (Ruth 2:4). And it states: “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him: The Lord is with you, mighty man of valor” (Judges 6:12). The Gemara asks: What is the reason that the Gemara cites the additional source about Gideon, introduced with the phrase: And it states? Why was the proof from Boaz’s statement to the harvesters insufficient? The Gemara explains: And if you would say: It is Boaz who did so on his own, and from Heaven they did not agree with him; come and hear proof, and it says: “The Lord is with you, mighty man of valor.” The angel greeted Gideon with the name of God, indicating that there is agreement in Heaven that this is an acceptable form of greeting.

(8) Then Boaz said to Ruth: ‘Have you not yet heard, my daughter? Do not go to glean in another field, nor leave here, but stay around here with the young ladies who live with me. (9) Take whatever you want from the field; I have made sure that the young men won't say anything negative to you. When thou are thirsty, feel free to take a drink from the water which the young men have drawn.’ (10) Then she fell on her face, and bowed down to the ground, and said to him: ‘Why are you being so nice to me,seeing I am a foreigner?’ (11) And Boaz answered and said unto her: ‘It has been fully told to me all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband; and how you have left your father and mother, and your homeland to come to a nation that you did not know. (12) The LORD will pay you back for all that you have done with a complete reward, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have taken refuge.’ (13) Then she said: ‘Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; as you have comforted me, and have spoken to my heart even though I am not one of the women who lives in your house. (14) And Boaz said unto her at meal-time: ‘Come here and eat of the bread, and dip your piece in the vinegar.’ And she sat beside the reapers; and they passed her parched corn; she ate and was satisfied, and left. (15) When she got up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying: ‘Let her glean among the sheaves, and don't embarrass her.(16) Also pull out some crops from the bundles and leave it out, and let her glean it, and don't rebuke her.

(17) She gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned—it was about an ’ephah of barley— (18) and carried it back with her to the town. When her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned, and when she also took out and gave her what she had left over after eating her fill, (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.” (21) Ruth the Moabite said, “He even told me, ‘Stay close by my workers until all my harvest is finished.’” (22) And Naomi answered her daughter-in-law Ruth, “It is best, daughter, that you go out with his girls, and not be annoyed in some other field.” (23) So she stayed close to the maidservants of Boaz, and gleaned until the barley harvest and the wheat harvest were finished. Then she stayed at home with her mother-in-law.

(1) And Naomi her mother-in-law said to her: ‘My daughter, isn't it my responsibility to make your life better? (2) What do you think about Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you have been spending time? Behold, tonight he will be winnowing barley in the threshing-floor. (3) Wash yourself and put on perfume and makeup, and go down to the threshing-floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he is done eating and drinking. (4) And then, when he lies down, note where he went to lie down, go in, uncover his feet, and lay down; and he will tell you what to do.’ (5) And she said unto her: ‘All that you have said I will do.’ (6) And she went down unto the threshing-floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law said. (7) 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. (8) And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and woke up; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. (9) And he said: ‘Who are you?’ And she answered: ‘I am Ruth your handmaid; therefore "spread your wings" over your handmaid; for you are a near kinsman.’

(10) And he said: ‘Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter; you have shown more kindness in the end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you did not go after the young men, whether poor or rich. (11) And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to you all that you request; for all the men in the gate of my people do know that you are a virtuous woman. (12) And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; however there is a kinsman nearer than I. (13) Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform for you his responsibility to marry you, let him marry you; but if he is not willing to marry you then I will marry you. As God lives; lie down until the morning.’ (14) 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.

As God lives: She said to him, “You are dismissing me with words.” He jumped up and swore to her that he would not dismiss her with words.

"And she laid by his feet until morning, and she left at the first sign of light". She was laying by his feet for 6 hours. That whole night, Boaz put his hands over his face, "Ribbono Shel Olam, it is known and clear to you that I have not touched her, that I have not publicly disgraced Your name."

(1) Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there; and, behold, the near kinsman about whom Boaz spoke came by. Boaz said to him, 'Hey, come over here and sit down'. And he came over and sat down. (2) And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said: ‘Sit down here.’ And they sat down. (3) And he said unto the near kinsman: ‘Naomi, that has come back from the field of Moab is selling the parcel of land which was our brother Elimelech’s; (4) and I thought I should let you know, saying to you: Buy it before them that sit here, and before the elders of my people. If you are willing to redeem it, redeem it; but if you are not willing to redeem it, then tell me, for there is nobody before you in line to redeem it, and I am after you.’ And the man said: ‘I will redeem it.’ (5) Then said Boaz: ‘On the day when you buy the field from Naomi—you will also have acquired responsibilities towards Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance?’ (6) And the near kinsman said: ‘I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mess up my own inheritance; Boaz, you take my right of redemption; for I cannot redeem it.’— (9) And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people: ‘You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from Naomi. (10) Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have acquired to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place. You are all witnesses this day.’

And Boaz took Ruth: The rabbis learned from this language that he died the night she came to him

(22) ובקצרכם AND WHEN YOU REAP, YOU SHALL NOT CLEAR THE CORNER OF THE FIELD—

Rabbi Avdimi the son of Rabbi Joseph says: Why does Scripture place this [passage] in the very middle of [the laws regarding] the Festivals-with Passover and Atzereth (Shavuoth) on one side and Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the Festival [of Succoth] on the other? To teach you that whoever gives לֶקֶט, gleanings, שִׁכְחָה, forgotten sheaves, and פֵּאָה, the corners , to the poor in the appropriate manner, is deemed as if he had built the Holy Temple and offered up his sacrifices within it. —.