The Book of Ruth with Translated Commentaries

Rabbi Yoḥanan says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And it happened in the days of the judging of the Judges” (Ruth 1:1)? This indicates a generation that judged its judges. If a judge would say to the defendant standing before him: Remove the splinter from between your eyes, meaning rid yourself of some minor infraction, the defendant would say to him: Remove the beam from between your eyes, meaning you have committed far more severe sins. If the judge would say to him: “Your silver is become dross” (Isaiah 1:22), meaning your coins are counterfeit, the defendant would say to him: “Your wine is mixed with water” (Isaiah 1:22), meaning you yourself dilute your wine with water and sell it. Since nobody behaved in proper manner, the judges were unable to judge.

“And it came to pass [vayhi] in the days of Ahasuerus” led to grief, as there was Haman. “And it came to pass [vayhi] in the days when the judges ruled” (Ruth 1:1) introduces a period when there was famine. “And it came to pass [vayhi], when men began to multiply” (Genesis 6:1) is immediately followed by the verse: “And the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth” (Genesis 6:5).

It came to pass in the days when judges judged. Before the reign of King Saul [Israel's first king], when the generations were led by judges; and this occurred in the days of Ivtzan, as our sages said, “Ivtzan is Boaz.”.

After him, Ivtzan of Bethlehem led Israel.

Joshua received [the Torah] from Moses – as it says (Numbers 27:20), "Give him some of your majesty, so that the whole congregation of the children of Israel will heed him." The Elders received from Joshua – as it says (Judges 2:7), "The people served the Eternal all the days of Joshua and all the days of the Elders who lived on after Joshua and who had seen all the great works that the Eternal had performed for Israel." The Judges received from Joshua – as it says (Ruth 1:1), "And it was in the days that the Judges judged." The [early] Prophets received it from the Judges – as it says (Jeremiah 7:25), "And I sent you all My servants, the prophets, daily and persistently." Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi received from the Prophets. The Men of the Great Assembly received from Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. And they said three things: Be deliberate in judgment, and raise up many students, and make a fence around the Torah.

In the name of God, may He strengthen my hand and may recalling Him establish my glory in this commentary on the Scroll of Ruth by Avraham the Sephardi.

The words of Avraham: because David's is the royal line of Israel, his lineage is recorded in Scripture.

And a man went. He was very wealthy, and the leader of the generation. He left Eretz Yisrael for regions out of the land because of stinginess, for he was miserly toward the poor who came to press him; therefore he was punished.

It was in the days when the judges ruled - there was famine there; and what grief is greater than famine? ...

And why was there a famine? Because Israel and the judges were not judging true judgement....

Elimelekh ... saw the distress and the famine, but he did not warn the sinners to repent from their evil. And he stopped living in Beit Lechem for himself to live in the field of Moav - to sustain himself during the famine, and his wife during the famine, and his sons; and he did not know that [it is] the Torah that sustains its masters and not the vanities of the world.

Elimelekh was an important man... but did not trouble himself about the matters of the community; even as he was an important man and they would have believed his words, to make them repent from their evil and bring them to repentance. And therefore, it occurred to him as it is written in the verse (Ruth 1:3), "And Elimelekh, the husband of Naomi died." And so [too,] his sons died, as it is stated (Ruth 1:5), "And [...his] two [sons,] Machlon and Khilyon died, and the woman survived her two children and her husband."

Ephrathites Heb. אֶפְרָתִים, important people, likewise, (I Sam. 1:1): “the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite,” a palace dweller (Ruth Rabbah 2:5). Look how important they were, for Eglon the king of Moab married off his daughter to Mahlon, for the master said (ibid. 9): Ruth was the daughter of Eglon.

Another explanation: Ephrathites: Bethlehem was called Ephrath.

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].

([Another interpretation:] And it states, “Naomi’s husband,” because he was Naomi’s husband and ruled over her and she was subordinate to him, therefore the Divine Attribute of Justice struck him and not her.)

Elimelekh died - because he agreed to stay outside the Land of Israel, he was punished and soon died. And this explains why he was punished and not Naomi, because he was her husband and ruled over her, and the sin was essentially his.

Our sages taught that first God punished him financially, as hinted by the text calling him Naomi's husband. A rich and powerful man like Elimelekh would be known by his own name due to his wealth, and people would have said that the wealthy Elimelekh had died. And so, too, had he remained in the Land of Israel, they would have said that Elimelekh the great leader of the generation had died.

But after he lost his fortune and was living in a foreign land, he was no longer famous. He was simply Naomi's husband. She was more noteworthy than him...

And Naomi was left - that is, even after this, she and her sons did not learn the lesson and return to the Land of Israel. They just remained where they were....

The Gemara discusses the second clause of Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement: If they converted, follow the flawed lineage of the two. To which case does this refer? If we say that it is referring to an Egyptian man who married an Ammonite woman, what flawed lineage is there here? The lineage of an Ammonite woman who converts is not flawed at all, as the Sages expounded that the verse: “An Ammonite…shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 23:4) is referring to an Ammonite man but not an Ammonite woman, which means that she can marry a Jew of unflawed lineage.

And they lived there about ten years: like 30 or 40, more or less.

Both also. 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.

They died - thus they, too were punished...

The woman was left - because she did not take part in their sin, and it was always her intention to return to the Land of Israel.

It is forbidden to leave Eretz Yisrael, ever, except for purposes of learning Torah or marrying or to recover (property) from non-Jews. Then he must return to the Land.

One may leave for commerce. However, one may not reside permanently outside of the Land unless there is famine so severe that wheat which once cost one dinar now costs two dinars.

This rule applies when people have money and the fruit is expensive. However, if fruit is cheap, but people have no money or income, and one doesn’t even have a cent in one's pocket, one may go to wherever he can to make a living.

Even though it is permissible to leave Israel under such circumstances, it is still impious to do so. For we see that Machlon and Kilyon, two leaders of their generation, left only because of the considerable difficulties then but nevertheless perished.

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law and returned from the field of Moab, for she was informed by an angel, in the field of Moab, that the Lord had remembered his people, the House of Israel, giving them bread, through the merit of the Judge Ivtzan by virtue of the prayer which he prayed before the Lord; he is Boaz the Pious.

"She started out with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab for in the country of Moab she had heard (Ruth 1:6)": she heard from the merchants traveling in the cities. And what did she hear? "that Hashem had taken note of His people and given them food".

She started out - she thought about it.

She left the place. Why is this stated? It is already stated, “and she returned from the fields of Moav,” and from where could she return if not from the place where she had been? Rather the phrase tells us that the departure of a righteous person from a place is noticeable and makes an impression; its splendor departs, its glory departs, the praise of the city departs. And similarly, “And Yaakov left Beer Sheva.”

She left - the text explains its earlier statement. By leaving the place, she left with her two daughters-in-law, and thus they were all shown to be unanimous in their decision to leave immediately from that place of misfortune.

But in returning to the land of Judah, this was not so. The daughters-in-law only went along the way until they reached the boundary of Moav...

"May the Lord deal kindly with you (Ruth 1:8)" . Rabbi Chanina son of Ada says, "He will deal (ya'aseh)" is what is written, "as you dealt with the dead" when you were occupied with their shrouds, "and with me" when they (Orpah and Ruth) renounced their ketubot.

Rabbi Zeira says: "This book [of Ruth] 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 lovingkindness."

"Turn back, my daughters, go (Ruth 1:12)": Rabbi Samuel bar Nachmani in the name of Rabbi Yudin son of Rabbi Chanina [explains]: "In three places it is written here "return (Ruth 1:8)", "return (Ruth 1:11)", "return (Ruth 1:12)" corresponding to the three times we push away a [potential] convert. And if he bothers [trying to convert] longer than that we accept him".

May God give to you. [May God give what to you?] A husband.

and said to her - thus they revealed their intention not to go with her to the land of Judah and then return to Moav, but to return with her and remain among her people. Still, she (Ruth) did not yet say "to your God", meaning to convert. She only said "to your people", meaning to live among you and your people.

with you will we return to your people - that is, to not be separated from her people, Israel, and for this they would return with her even though she had no sons. It would seem that they had converted when they married Mahlon and Kilyon, for we do not find in Ruth that she had to convert when she married Boaz. And so for this reason, too, they were returning with her, and this is why they said "with you will we return to your people". Naomi, however, wanted to test them to see if they had converted out of love for God or out of desire for her sons.

Have I any more sons - ... yibum is only for paternal brothers, not maternal ones. She only said this out of kindness to them, and was not referring to yibum.

Would you wait for them. This is a rhetorical question, “Would you wait for them until they grew up?”...

to her people and her gods - this shows that they had previously converted.

Many women have done well (Proverbs 31:29): “Many women have done well, but you surpass them all” - this is Ruth the Moabitess, who came under the wings of the Divine presence. "Grace is false, beauty is illusory" - as she left her mother and her forefathers and her wealth, and came with her mother-in-law and accepted all of the commandments: the domain of Shabbat - "to where you will walk, I will walk" (Ruth 1:16); the prohibition of isolation with a man - "and in that which you will lay, I will lay"; the six hundred and thirteen commandments - "your people is my people"; idolatry - "your God is my God"; the four death penalties of the court - "and in that which you will die, I will die"; "and there will I be buried" - these are the two graveyards arranged for the court, one for the stoned and the burned, and one for the killed and the strangled. Therefore, she merited and David came from her, who gave pleasure with songs and praises to the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore it is stated, "Give of the fruit of her hand and let her works praise her in the gates." Be strong in ethical behavior, keep the Torah, and be rescued from the evil inclination.

One should not think that Samson who saved the Jewish people, and Solomon King of Israel, who is called "the friend of God," married gentile woman who did not convert. Instead, the matter can be explained as follows: The proper way of performing the mitzvah is when a male or a female prospective convert comes, we inspect his motives for conversion. Perhaps he is coming for the sake of financial gain, in order to receive a position of authority, or he desires to enter our faith because of fear. For a man, we check whether he focused his attention on a Jewish woman. For a woman, we check whether she focused her attention on a Jewish man.

If we find no ulterior motive, we inform them of the heaviness of the yoke of the Torah and the difficulty the common people have in observing it so that they will abandon [their desire]. If they accept [this introduction] and do not abandon their resolve and thus we see that they are motivated by love, we accept them, as [indicated by Ruth 1:18]: "And she saw that she was exerting herself to continue with her and she ceased speaking with her."

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...”].

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.

And Rabbi Yitzḥak also says with regard to this passage: That very day when Ruth the Moabite came to Eretz Yisrael, the wife of Boaz died, i.e., from the moment of their arrival the possibility was created for Ruth’s eventual marriage to Boaz...

On the second day of Shavuot, we recite the full Hallel, say Kaddish Shalem, and then sit to read the Scroll of Ruth. This is because it says in it "at the beginning of the barley harvest", and Shavuot is called the harvest of the first fruits. And there are those who say the reason is that Ruth converted to Judaism, as it says, "for you have come under his wing".

And all Israel converted on Shavuot, entering under the wings of the Shekhinah by accepting the Torah.

In Midrash Ruth, they said, why is Ruth recited on Shavuot, at the time of the giving of the Torah? To teach that Torah was given only through suffering and poverty...

Now Naomi had a kinsman - this tells us that, despite Naomi's current poverty, she could have done well for herself if she had requested food from Boaz, her rich relative. She chose instead for her daughter-in-law to bring food from gleaning, as the Torah provided.

In this way, her sustenance was like a gift from God during her poverty, instead of asking for charity from her relative, who knew her when she was wealthy. It would have been degrading for her to reveal her poverty to him.

Also, she already had in mind that he would redeem the field, and her beloved Ruth.

So let it not be said that she didn't turn to Boaz out of fear that he would send her away empty-handed....

"And Naomi had a kinsman (moda') of her husband's, a mighty man of valor (Ruth 2:1)". Moda' [means] relative. Rabbi Abbahu said: "[if] a giant marries a giant, what do they bear? Powerful men of "valor". Boaz married Ruth. What did they produce? David: "who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in affairs, and an attractive man, and Hashem is with him (1 Samuel 16:18)". He is "skillful in playing" [that is] in scripture. "And a mighty man of valor" [that is] in Mishnah. "And a man of war" who knows to take and to give in the war of the Torah. "And prudent in affairs" in doing good. "And an attractive man" in Talmud. Another interpretation: "And prudent in affairs" that he deduces a thing from the midst of a thing. "And an attractive man" who illuminates his face with halakhah. "And Hashem is with him": the halakhah is according to his words....

Ruth said - this shows Ruth's righteous character and her faithfulness...

Our sages say that she was the daughter of the king of Moav, yet willingly went to glean like a poor person because she did not want her mother-in-law to have to go with her; it was enough shame and embarrassment [for Naomi] who had been known in the city as a wealthy woman. Instead, Ruth took it upon herself that she would go since no one knew who she was. And this is why it says, "Ruth the Moabitess"; that is, that she was a foreigner and it would be no shame for her to support her mother-in-law honourably....

And the verse in Ruth states: “And she went, and she came, and she collected in the field after the harvesters” (Ruth 2:3). Rabbi Elazar said: This verse teaches that she went and came, went and came, until she found suitable people with whom to walk.

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.

She went - she didn't go far until she arrived in the field and began gleaning. The field was that of Boaz, close to her home....

As luck would have it - a coincidence is something that doesn't follow from normal conditions. The text is saying that by arriving to this particular field, it is a complete coincidence, and so it was. That is, it was an incident specifically for her needs, and so it was an incident of divine providence....

God ordained that the field that she would reach first and choose to glean in would be that of Boaz, because Boaz was a relative of Elimelekh and was willing to redeem and perform levirate marriage so that the royal line of David would result.

"And she happened by chance (veyiqer miqreha)" Rabbi Yochanan said: "Everyone who saw her orgasmed (meriq qeri)".

Presently Boaz arrived - this teaches us that Boaz would regularly come to the field, and this, too, was an incident of divine providence....

"And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem (Ruth 2:4)": Rabbi Tanchuma in the name of the Rabbis said: "Three things the lower Beit Din decreed and the upper Beit Din agreed with them; and these were: to greet someone with the name [of God], the megillah of Esther, and ma'aserot". From where comes the greeting? .... Boaz stood in his Beit Din and ordained that people greet someone with the name [of God], as it is said: "And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers: 'Hashem be with you.'"

“And Boaz said to his youth who was standing over the harvesters: To whom does this young woman belong?” (Ruth 2:5). This is surprising: And was it Boaz’s habit to inquire about a young woman? Rabbi Elazar said: He saw in her a matter of wisdom and Torah, and that is why he asked about her. What he saw was that she collected two stalks, but she did not collect three stalks. She thereby acted in accordance with the halakha that three stalks lying together are not considered to be gleanings left for the poor; rather, they remain in the possession of the owner of the field.

"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 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.

Whose maiden is this? - he thought she was a married woman. He may have asked the lad because he saw that she was dressed in the clothes of her native country...

Whose maiden is this? - he was asking whether she was fit to come into the congregation....

The lad was clever and understood that Boaz wanted to marry her. This is why he answered that she was a Moabitess, and that Boaz was the one who re-instituted in his beit din the law of "a Moabite, but not a Moabitess", and that she was modest and hard-working....

...after answering his question, he added, so that Boaz wouldn't ask how he gave gleanings to an idolater, "who came back [shavah=returned or repented] with Naomi from the country of Moab" and converted, so she is entitled to glean.

Then she fell on her face and bowed to the ground, saying to him: "Why have I found favor in your eyes that you should befriend me, seeing that I am of a foreign people, of the daughters of Moab; of a people which has not the merit to intermarry with the congregation of the Lord?"

to single me out, when I am a foreigner - by being kind to her though she was from a foreign people, even though she had already converted.

"Then she fell on her face, and bowed down to the ground (Ruth 2:10)" this teaches that she prophesied he would know her in the way of all the earth.

Boaz answered and told her - there are two reasons why I like you. First, I was told about all that you did for your mother-in-law, which shows the quality of your character and your heart, because usually brides hate their mothers-in-law, and especially after the death of your husband, you have been her helper and sustainer.

And second, your conversion which was leshem shamayim [for the sake of Heaven=sincere], because you had no ulterior motive to leave your father and your mother to go to a people that you did not know...

You will be rewarded for what you did for your mother-in-law, and your recompense will be for converting, because the God of Israel's providence extends to them and to the converts who accompany them....

"Hashem recompense your work, and be your reward complete from Hashem, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge (Ruth 2:12)." Rabbi Chasa said: Solomon will be your reward". "Under whose wings (kenafayv) you have come to take refuge"....

Come and see how great is the strength of the righteous and how great the strength of righteousness, and how great the strength of those who complete good deeds, because they take refuge not in the shadow of dawn, or the shadow of the "wings" of the earth, nor in the shadow of the wings of the sun, nor in the shadow of the wings of the chayyot, the cherubim or the seraphim. Rather, they are in the shadow of God who spoke and the universe was, as it is said "How precious is your lovingkindness, O God! and the children of men take refuge in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:8)".

"And her mother-in-law said unto her: 'Where hast thou gleaned to-day? (Ruth 2:19)". It was taught in the name of Rabbi Joshua: "more than what the master of the house does with the poor man, the poor man does with the master of the house, and so Ruth said to Naomi "The man's name with whom (imo) I worked today (Ruth 2:19)" and she did not say "the man who worked with me (imi)"; rather "with whom I worked": "the magnitude of deeds and magnitude of good I did with him for the sake of one small bit of food which he gave me to eat"....

"And Ruth the Moabitess said: 'Yea, he said unto me: You shall keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.' (Ruth 2:21)". Rabbi Chanin the son of Levi said: "She really was a Moabitess, considering he said "you shall stay near my maidens (Ruth 2:8)". And she said instead "You shall keep fast by my young men". "So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz [to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law] (Ruth 2:23)". Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said: "from the end of the barley harvest to the end of the wheat harvest is three months"....

Naomi understood that it would not be good for Ruth to stick with the lads, but with the maidens....

and not be annoyed in some other field - where they might remove you from your modest behaviour.

She stayed close - ... until the end of the barley and wheat harvest, and the midrash says this took three months - which is the three months in which a female convert is not allowed to marry....

Rest - a woman has no rest until she marries.

My daughter, will I not ask for you - that is, the three months of inspection have already passed, and now is it not incumbent upon me to seek rest for you? That is, that you shall have a husband, as it is written, "And rest for a woman is in the house of her husband, who will be good for you. Sometimes she finds rest in the house of her husband, but it will not be good for her if he does not observe the Torah and the commandments. In such a case, it would not be good for her spiritually, as our sages say with regard to a woman who married a tax collector and helped him by writing his receipts. No, I am asking that you find that rest which is truly good.

Now there is our kinsman Boaz - that is, the threshing floor was at the end of the field, and the winnowing wasn't at the threshing floor, but in the field in front of the threshing floor, because that's where there is wind. And there will doubtless be all the male and female workers there doing the work, so that when she comes to the field, no one will see here...Thus, there would be no doubt: Boaz is our kinsman, and everyone knows that you are related to him, and they will say that you came to see the winnowing like any relative who rejoices at a relative's happy occasion. Also, you were with his maidens, and people will think that you came to visit them since you haven't seen them since the end of the harvest....

[And you shall] bathe. From the contamination of your [past] idolatry. Ruth obviously does not have to be told to do such a basic thing (i.e., to bathe), therefore it must allude for her to remove the contamination of her past idolatry.

And scent yourself. These are the mitzvot.

And scent yourself - with oil that has a good scent, for this is the custom of Israel's leaders, both men and women.

Dress [yourself] in your finest garb. Shabbat garments.

Dress yourself in your finest garb - was she naked? No, this refers to Shabbat clothes.

And go down to the threshing floor. It is written וְיָרַדְתִּי [=and I will go down]; [i.e.,] my merit will go down with you.

"Wash yourself, and anoint yourself (Ruth 3:3): "wash" yourself from the soiling of idolatry, "and anoint": this means with mitzvot and righteousness. "And put your raiment upon thee" not because she was naked, but rather Shabbat clothes. From this Rabbi Chanina said: "it is required that a man have for himself two cloaks, one for weekdays and one for Shabbat"....

She replied - as opposed to verse 4, where Naomi says that Boaz will tell you what to do. Ruth said that, even so, she would still not do anything without asking Naomi, and only what she told her would she do.

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 did not do so, but instead she said, “If I go down there dressed up, whoever meets me and 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.

She went down - that is, after they had all finished their work and gone home, she snuck into the threshing floor.

She did - that is, there in the threshing floor she did all that her mother-in-law had commanded: to anoint herself and put on Shabbat clothes.

"And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry (Ruth 3:7)": why was "his heart merry"? Because he had blessed his food. Another interpretation: "And his heart was merry" because he had eaten a sweet dessert after the meal and that accustoms the tongue to Torah. Another interpretation: "And his heart was merry" because he was engaged in the words of the Torah, as it is said: "Good to me is the Torah of your mouth (Psalm 119:72). Another interpretation: "And his heart was merry" because he was seeking a wife, as it is said "He who has found a wife has found good (Proverbs 18:22)". "He went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn (Ruth 3:7)". Rabbi Judah the Nasi asked Rabbi Pinchas the son of Chama: "Boaz was a great man of his generation, but it says "at the end of the heap of corn"? And Rabbi Pinchas replied: "Because that generation was obsessed with promiscuity, and they gave money to prostitutes from their threshing floors. See! It is written "Rejoice not, O Israel, unto exultation, like the peoples, for you have gone astray from your God, you hast loved a harlot's hire upon every corn-floor (Hosea 9:1)". And this was not the way of the righteous to do this, and further, it being the case that the mouth of the righteous is far from stolen money, so their wealth is valued by them".

And behold there was a woman. He placed his hand on her head and recognized that she was a woman [and not a demon].

And behold there was a woman - she probably told him "don't be afraid", and a woman's voice is easily recognized. Or there was enough moonlight for him to see that she had no beard, and he could recognize her from what she was wearing.

Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Joseph’s power is the humility of Boaz, as Joseph is praised for showing strength with regard to an accomplishment that was insignificant for Boaz (see Genesis, chapter 39).... Joseph’s power is the humility of Boaz, as it is written about Boaz: “And it came to pass at midnight that the man was startled and turned himself, and behold, a woman lay at his feet” (Ruth 3:8). What is the meaning of “and turned himself [vayyilafet]”? Rav says: The meaning is that his flesh became like the heads of turnips [lefatot], his sexual organ hardening out of arousal, but even though Ruth was not married he refrained from engaging in intercourse with her; while Joseph had to exert more effort, despite the fact that Potiphar’s wife was married.

R. Pinchas bar Hama the Priest said, “A harp was hanging above David's bed. When midnight arrived, a north wind would blow strongly on it, and it would play of its own accord. Immediately David and the students would arise to occupy themselves with the Torah; and driving sleep from their eyes, they would meditate on the Torah until the dawn arose. Therefore, David said (ibid.), ‘Awake, my glory.’ It is customary for the dawn to awaken the people, but (ibid. cont.) ‘I will awaken the dawn.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 57:9), “Awake my, glory”: What is the meaning of “my glory?” [My glory is] due to the service of my Creator. For the [evil] drive would say to him, “David, are you not a king? It is customary for kings to arise at three hours into the day; so why are you arising at midnight?” Then [David] said to it, “Empty is my glory. My glory is nothing before the glory of my Creator.” It is therefore stated, “Awake my glory. “At midnight I will arise to praise You.” David said, “It is my duty to arise at midnight and to praise You for the wonders that You have done with my ancestor (Ruth) at midnight.” It is so stated (in Ruth 3:8–9), “Now it came to pass at midnight that the man was startled, [so he turned aside, and here was a woman lying at his feet. Then he said, ‘Who are you?’] And she said, ‘I am your handmaid Ruth.’” And he said to her, “Lodge for the night.” R. Joshuah ben Levi beRabbi Shalom said, “She said to him, ‘Are you sending me away with [mere] words?’ He said to her (Ruth 3:13) ‘”As the Lord lives,” I am not sending you away with [mere] words.’” (Ruth 3:13:) “As the Lord lives”: [This oath] teaches that he had imposed an oath on his [evil] drive, which was inciting him by saying to him, “You are an unmarried man and she is an unmarried woman. Now is the opportunity that you require.” Immediately this righteous man swore, “As the Lord lives, I am not touching her [tonight].” And not only Boaz, but all the righteous impose an oath on their [evil] drive. Thus you find it so with David, for when Saul fell into his hands, what did David say (in I Sam. 26:10)? “And David said, ‘As the Lord lives, the Lord shall smite him; either he will die when his day comes [or he will go down and perish in battle; the Lord forbid that I lay my hand on the Lord's anointed].’” Why did he swear two times? R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “His [evil] drive came and said to him, ‘If you had fallen into his hand, he would have shown you no mercy and killed you. [Moreover] according to the Torah it is permissible to kill him – one who comes to kill you, rise up and kill him – since here he is pursuing [you].’ He therefore hastened to swear two times, ‘As the Lord lives, I will not kill him.’” Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the universe, You know the power of the evil drive, how strong it is.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “Remove it a little in this world, and I will take it away from you in the future.” Thus it is stated (in Is. 62:10), “build up, complete the highway[take away some stone (i.e. the evil drive)]!” It also says (in Is. 57:14), “Build up, build up; clear out a way; remove an obstacle (i.e. the evil drive) from the way of my people!” Then in the world to come I will root it out of you, as stated (in Ezek. 36:26), “I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh.”

Spread your mantle. The corner of your garment to cover me with your cloak; and this is an expression of marriage.

Spread your robe - a hint to take a wife for himself.

She replied, I am your handmaid, Ruth - that is, so that you do not think of a man turning to licentiousness with a woman, I am your handmaid. Just as there is a connection between a Hebrew handmaid and the owner, who is obligated to destine her [for marriage with himself or his son], so, too, there is a connection between me and you in terms of the mitzvah of levirate marriage. Therefore, "spread your robe on your handmaid" is an expression taken from birds who cover each other with their wings when they mate. And she also hinted that this is not intercourse, which would be a violation of the Torah's commandment, because the corners of the robe have fringes (tzitzit) on them that will keep one from intercourse, as in the story told in midrash Sifrei....By spreading your the corners of your robe over me, it will be intercourse of a mitzvah, for you are a redeemer.

[Your] earlier [kindness]. That you did for your mother-in-law.

whether poor or rich - because everyone loves you due to your beauty.

Be blessed of the Lord - because he saw that her intentions were for the sake of Heaven.

Your latest deed of loyalty is greater than the first - that is, your first act of kindness that you did with your husband when he married you was that you chose to take a Jewish man - but he was nonetheless a young man, and you might have done this because you were attracted to him physically. But the later kindness that you would want to do for your husband's soul through levirate marriage - and with an old man, instead of going for one of the young men, because even a poor young man would be better than marrying an old man; and because you could have found a rich young man who would take you for your beauty. But you chose an old man to establish your late husband's name, and this is a great kindness that you are doing for him.

"And he said blessed are you to Hashem, my daughter; you have shown more kindness at the end than the beginning (Ruth 3:10)". Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yochanan said: "a man should not restrain himself from going to an old man for his blessing. Boaz was eighty years old and he was not endowed [with children]. When the righteous woman prayed for him, from that he was endowed, as it is said "and Naomi said 'blessed is he to Hashem' (Ruth 2:20)"". Reish Lakish said: "Ruth was forty years old and she had not been endowed [with children] when she was married to Machlon, and when the righteous man prayed for her, she was endowed, as it is said "And he said 'blessed are you to Hashem, my daughter (Ruth 3:10)". And the Rabbis said: "Both of them were not endowed, but rather they were blessed by the righteous, as it is said "And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said: We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman (Ruth 4:11)"". "You have shown more kindness at the end than the beginning": Rabbi Samuel the son of Rabbi Yitzchak said: "a woman loves a poor young man more than a wealthy old man".

Now, my daughter - because he could not take her immediately in levirate marriage, but first had to ask the other redeemer, he was afraid that she would think that he didn't want to marry her. This is why he said to her, "Now, my daughter, don't be afraid," that he is pushing her away and doesn't want her. "I will do whatever you ask" because I promise you I will marry you, as you said, "spread your robe over your handmaid because you are a redeemer." ....

And if you're afraid that tomorrow they will say that it's unbecoming of me to marry a Moabite girl, don't be afraid of this, either, "for all the elders of my town know what a fine woman you are" and will all agree to it.

Now, though it is true that. אִם [=if] is written but not read, i.e., it conveys uncertainty [who will be the actual redeemer], for there is surely a redeemer closer than I.

As the Lord lives. She said to him, “You are dismissing me with words [i.e., excuses].” He jumped up and swore to her 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.

If he redeems you, good - there are those who say that "Good" was the name of the other redeemer. But if that were so, why would the text say (in chapter 4), “Come over and sit down here, So-and-so!”?

The only possible meaning is that if that other redeemer redeems you, it will be good for you, because he is an important man.

Lie here tonight - you have to sleep here until morning, because that's when I will speak with Good. If Good redeems you, he redeems you. That is, he has precedence. But if he doesn't, I swear to you that if he does not choose to redeem you, I will, as the Lord lives. So I swear to you.

And since she wanted to get up from lying at his feet, he said to her, "lie here tonight"; that is, sleep here, because I am not afraid that the evil impulse will tempt me to have sex with you now.

Our sages said that it was to his evil impulse that he swore; that is, he swore both about the other redeemer redeeming and that he would not touch her so long as he had not yet spoken with Good....

Rabbi Yose said: "these are the three to whom the yetzer came to attack and they each strengthened themselves with an oath. And these are they: Joseph, David, and Boaz". Joseph, as it is written: "How then could I do this most wicked thing (Genesis 39:9)".... From where David? As it is said: "And David went on, “As Hashem lives, Hashem Himself will strike him [Saul] down, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go down to battle and perish (1 Samuel 26:10)". To whom did he swear? Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman: Rabbi Eliezer said: "He swore to his yetzer"... From where Boaz? As it is said: "As Hashem lives, lie down until the morning (Ruth 3:13)". Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Chunya: Rabbi Yehudah says "all that night his yetzer fought with him and said: "You are unmarried and seek a wife, and she is unmarried and seeks a husband; stand up man and become the master of this woman!" And Boaz swore to his yetzer: "As Hashem lives I will not touch her!" And to the woman he said: "Stay this night. It shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well". And Rabbi Chunya says: "It is written: "A wise man is strength (ba'oz) (Proverbs 24:5)"; [rather read] "A wise man is Boaz; a knowledgeable man exerts power" when he strengthened himself against his yetzer with an oath.

For he said, “It must not be known.” This refers back to “and she arose before one could recognize [another].” He hurried her to rise because he said in his heart, “It does not befit my honor that it should be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”

Six measures of barley. It is impossible to say [that it means] six se’ah, because it is not customary for a woman to carry such a [large] load; rather, [it means] literally, six barleycorns; and he hinted to her that there was destined to emerge from her a son who would be blessed with six blessings: “the spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.”

Who are you, my daughter? - Probably she couldn't see who it was until she opened the door....

Rabbi Yonah the grammarian said that "who" can mean "what", so that what Naomi meant was, "what happened to you?"

She came to her mother-in-law - that is, Boaz walked with her, and only when they came to the city did they separate. He went to the city by himself, and she went to her mother-in-law by herself....

And she added, "He gave me these six measures of barley" - not for the purpose of betrothal. He just said, "don't go back empty-handed," so that we have food for breakfast.

how the matter turns out - literally, how the matter will fall. All decrees come from Heaven, and so they fall....

She said, "stay here, my daughter..." - because the man will not rest until the matter gets settled today. From the fact that he only gave you enough food for one meal, it's a sign that the matter will be settled today.

"Then said she: 'Sit still, my daughter (Ruth 3:18)". Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Samuel son of Rav Yitzchak: "the righteous, their yes is yes and their no is no, as it is said: "for the man will not rest, until he have finished the thing this day".

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

So. פְּלֹנִי means] covered and concealed, [as in] the expression of, “If there be concealed יִפָּלֵא”Devarim 17:8. and “Is there anything concealed הֲיִפָּלֵא from Adonai?”Bereishit 18:14.

So and So - some say that this comes from mufla (concealed) and ilem (mute), because he had no known name to the speaker.

Boaz went up to the gate - where the Sanhedrin sat. It was his intention to invite the redeemer by an agent of the court. But God arranged for the redeemer to pass by, and this is why the text says "behold, the redeemer passed by." The word "behold" shows something new, because he didn't customarily pass by there. Only because Boaz said that he had a matter involving the redeemer did God cause him to pass by there....

"Meanwhile, Boaz had gone to the gate and sat down there. And now the redeemer whom Boaz had mentioned passed by. He called, “Come over and sit down here, So-and-so!” And he came over and sat down (Ruth 4:1)": so was he waiting behind there and then he appeared? Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said: "Even if he was at the ends of the earth, the Holy One, blessed be He, would have flown him and brought him there so that a righteous man would not be upset sitting there".... Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said that he (the redeemer) was ignorant of (literally, "mute to") the words of the Torah. He said: "the first ones died only because they took her and I should go and take her? I certainly am not going to take her. I will not pollute my seed and I am not going to create unfitness for my children". And he did not know that the halakhah had been renewed: "Ammonite and not Ammonitess; Moabite and not Moabitess".

He took ten elders - our sages taught that he prepared them and taught them about "Ammonite, but not Ammonitess." He understood that if a scholar teaches a law before a case is heard, they listen to him. But if he teaches it after the case, they won't listen to him, because he will be an interested party. This is why he "took" them first, while he was not yet an interested party, because the redemption and levirate marriage were still the redeemer's, while Boaz was as yet not an interested party. Our sages also said that the wedding blessings are to be said in the presence of ten, and Boaz wanted them to be ready immediately for the wedding blessings that would be recited there either way.

A bride is forbidden to her husband without the benediction.... Whence is the benediction of bridegrooms derived from the Torah? As it is stated, And they blessed Rebekah. (Gen. 24: 60) And whence do we derive that even a widow is so forbidden? As it is stated, And he took ten men of the elders of the city … And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman … and let thy house be like the house of Perez. (Ruth 4:2, 11f)

And from Ruth the Moabitess. You must buy [the inheritance], and she is not willing [to sell] unless you marry her.

You must also acquire the wife of the deceased - the word "acquire" is written in the past tense, (but in Biblical Hebrew), that can indicate the future tense.

And the reason (why it's a package deal) is that the woman has a ketubah, and the mother (Naomi) also inherits the remainder.

And it says "I will acquire" (in the written text) instead of "You will acquire" (as read) to say that "I (Boaz) will in fact acquire."

Boaz continued - this is when Boaz revealed to the redeemer that the latter would not only have to acquire the portion of Naomi, but also the portion of Ruth. And there is a difference between them, for Naomi's portion could be acquired in any one of the methods of acquiring a field. But Ruth's portion could only be acquired through levirate marriage, as a result of which he would also acquire the field....This is because a condition applies to establish the name of the deceased on his inheritance so that it bears the name of his widow, and not yours, as the law of levirate marriage stipulates.

For I would mar my own inheritance. My offspring, as in, “the inheritance of the Lord is children” (Psalm 127:3). To give my offspring a stigma, for it is stated, “Neither an Ammonite nor a Moabite may enter," but he erred [by not interpreting it as] “an Ammonite but not an Ammonitess.”

Lest I impair my own estate - he had a large estate. And some say this is a hint about his wife.

A man would take off his shoe. This is an act of acquisition, just as we acquire title with a scarf in lieu of a shoe. And our Rabbis of blessed memory differed on this matter, as to who gave [the shoe] to whom. Some say that one acquires title with the object of the acquirer, and Boaz gave [his shoe] to the redeemer, and some say that one acquires title with the object of the seller, and the redeemer gave [his shoe] to Boaz.

He took off his sandal - Boaz took off his sandal and gave it to the redeemer. This is just as our sages described with regard to exchanges. The reasoning is that you received this sandal, and you have given in its place your redemption. And the reason for a sandal is that it's always there. And one wouldn't take off one's cloak or pants and be naked. And there are those who say that the redeemer took off his sandal and gave it to Boaz, with the reasoning being, I gave you this sandal and with it the redemption.

Like the house of Peretz. From whom they were descended. (Otherwise they should have blessed Boaz to be like Ephraim and Menashe.)

...God wanted the founder of Jewish royalty to be born from a union of Yehudah and Tamar. The latter was a fit mother for royalty both because of her conduct and because she was a descendant of Shem, the king of Salem (Bereshit Rabbah 85)....

Covering herself with a veil, adorning herself, and placing herself at a site where she hoped to encounter her father-in-law on the way to Timnah, she hoped to find favor in his eyes so that she would be given to Sheylah. Her plan was sound, and she had no reason to think that Yehudah would suspect her of being a harlot, seeing that both her garments and her veil indicated her chastity....

Since Tamar's status was one of shomeret yibbum, waiting for consummation of the levirate marriage, her pregnancy led to her death sentence in accordance with the laws of infidelity governing that region....

The praiseworthy conduct of Tamar was commented upon many hundreds of years later, when Boaz had become the father of Ruth's child, the latter having invoked the same kind of right Tamar had once invoked (Ruth 4:12). Both are portrayed as having been motivated by the purest and most noble intentions. The fact that both of these women played a major role in the founding of the Davidic dynasty can only reflect Divine intervention....

Boaz married - this shows that he did not act like a levir, for then he would have simply cohabited with her without betrothal and ketubah, which are rabbinic. But he betrothed her with money or a ketubah, which is why it says that Boaz married Ruth and she became his wife, before he cohabited with her.

Only after this did he cohabit with her, and God let her conceive immediately through divine providence, as is also evident from the fact that she had no children from her first husband, who was young.

Chanukat HaTorah

Author: Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Krakow, a rabbinic leader in 17th century Poland.

The midrash says about the verse that God let her conceive, and Boaz died, that very night....

He will renew your life - that is, he has brought back the soul of Machlon to this world....

A son is born to Naomi - meaning he was like a son to her.

A son is born to Naomi - and did Naomi give birth? Ruth gave birth. But because Naomi raised him, he was called by her name. From this we learn that one who raises an orphan in his or her home, the Torah treats them as if they had given birth to him or her....

These are the generations of Peretz. Since [Scripture] traced Dovid’s lineage to the name of Ruth the Moabitess, it returned and traced his lineage to Yehudah (the symbol of royalty).

Why do we read this book on the holiday of Shavuot? Because this book is all about kindness, and the entire Torah is kindness, as it says in Proverbs 31:26, "The Torah of kindness is on her tongue," and so it was given on Shavuot.