The Jew has been persecuted for being “other.” But “otherness” is the condition of individuation, the condition of being set apart from the rest of creation in the glorious — and murderous — species of humankind and, in addition, set apart from our fellow humans as individuals, always “other.”
Judaism: a paradoxically collective experience of individuation. Exemplary of the human condition.
Edmond Jabes (April 16, 1912 – Paris, January 2, 1991) was a French writer and poet of an Egyptian origin, and one of the best known literary figures to write in French after World War II.
The (Possible) Role of Shame and Social Status:
Why did Naomi want to return them? So that she would not be embarrassed by them. We find that there were ten markets in Jerusalem, and they [i.e., the classes of people who shopped at each] never intermingled . . . . The people were recognized by their clothing – what one class wore, another would not . . . . (Ruth Zuta 1:8).
(א) וַתֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ נָעֳמִ֣י חֲמוֹתָ֑הּ בִּתִּ֞י הֲלֹ֧א אֲבַקֶּשׁ־לָ֛ךְ מָנ֖וֹחַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽיטַב־לָֽךְ׃ (ב) וְעַתָּ֗ה הֲלֹ֥א בֹ֙עַז֙ מֹֽדַעְתָּ֔נוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיִ֖ית אֶת־נַעֲרוֹתָ֑יו הִנֵּה־ה֗וּא זֹרֶ֛ה אֶת־גֹּ֥רֶן הַשְּׂעֹרִ֖ים הַלָּֽיְלָה׃ (ג) וְרָחַ֣צְתְּ ׀ וָסַ֗כְתְּ וְשַׂ֧מְתְּ שמלתך [שִׂמְלֹתַ֛יִךְ] עָלַ֖יִךְ וירדתי [וְיָרַ֣דְתְּ] הַגֹּ֑רֶן אַל־תִּוָּדְעִ֣י לָאִ֔ישׁ עַ֥ד כַּלֹּת֖וֹ לֶאֱכֹ֥ל וְלִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃ (ד) וִיהִ֣י בְשָׁכְב֗וֹ וְיָדַ֙עַתְּ֙ אֶת־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשְׁכַּב־שָׁ֔ם וּבָ֛את וְגִלִּ֥ית מַרְגְּלֹתָ֖יו ושכבתי [וְשָׁכָ֑בְתְּ] וְהוּא֙ יַגִּ֣יד לָ֔ךְ אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעַשִֽׂין׃ (ה) וַתֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלֶ֑יהָ כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־תֹּאמְרִ֥י [אֵלַ֖י] אֶֽעֱשֶֽׂה׃ (ו) וַתֵּ֖רֶד הַגֹּ֑רֶן וַתַּ֕עַשׂ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוַּ֖תָּה חֲמוֹתָֽהּ׃ (ז) וַיֹּ֨אכַל בֹּ֤עַז וַיֵּשְׁתְּ֙ וַיִּיטַ֣ב לִבּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֕א לִשְׁכַּ֖ב בִּקְצֵ֣ה הָעֲרֵמָ֑ה וַתָּבֹ֣א בַלָּ֔ט וַתְּגַ֥ל מַרְגְּלֹתָ֖יו וַתִּשְׁכָּֽב׃ (ח) וַיְהִי֙ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד הָאִ֖ישׁ וַיִּלָּפֵ֑ת וְהִנֵּ֣ה אִשָּׁ֔ה שֹׁכֶ֖בֶת מַרְגְּלֹתָֽיו׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מִי־אָ֑תּ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אָנֹכִי֙ ר֣וּת אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ֤ כְנָפֶ֙ךָ֙ עַל־אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ כִּ֥י גֹאֵ֖ל אָֽתָּה׃ (י) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בְּרוּכָ֨ה אַ֤תְּ לַֽיהוָה֙ 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׃ (יב) וְעַתָּה֙ כִּ֣י אָמְנָ֔ם כִּ֥י אם גֹאֵ֖ל אָנֹ֑כִי וְגַ֛ם יֵ֥שׁ גֹּאֵ֖ל קָר֥וֹב מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ (יג) לִ֣ינִי ׀ הַלַּ֗יְלָה וְהָיָ֤ה בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ אִם־יִגְאָלֵ֥ךְ טוֹב֙ יִגְאָ֔ל וְאִם־לֹ֨א יַחְפֹּ֧ץ לְגָֽאֳלֵ֛ךְ וּגְאַלְתִּ֥יךְ אָנֹ֖כִי חַי־יְהוָ֑ה שִׁכְבִ֖י עַד־הַבֹּֽקֶר׃ (יד) וַתִּשְׁכַּ֤ב מרגלתו [מַרְגְּלוֹתָיוֹ֙] עַד־הַבֹּ֔קֶר וַתָּ֕קָם בטרום [בְּטֶ֛רֶם] יַכִּ֥יר אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַל־יִוָּדַ֔ע כִּי־בָ֥אָה הָאִשָּׁ֖ה הַגֹּֽרֶן׃ (טו) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הָ֠בִי הַמִּטְפַּ֧חַת אֲשֶׁר־עָלַ֛יִךְ וְאֶֽחֳזִי־בָ֖הּ וַתֹּ֣אחֶז בָּ֑הּ וַיָּ֤מָד שֵׁשׁ־שְׂעֹרִים֙ וַיָּ֣שֶׁת עָלֶ֔יהָ וַיָּבֹ֖א הָעִֽיר׃ (טז) וַתָּבוֹא֙ אֶל־חֲמוֹתָ֔הּ וַתֹּ֖אמֶר מִי־אַ֣תְּ בִּתִּ֑י וַתַּ֨גֶּד־לָ֔הּ אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָֽשָׂה־לָ֖הּ הָאִֽישׁ׃ (יז) וַתֹּ֕אמֶר שֵׁשׁ־הַשְּׂעֹרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה נָ֣תַן לִ֑י כִּ֚י אָמַ֣ר [אֵלַ֔י] אַל־תָּב֥וֹאִי רֵיקָ֖ם אֶל־חֲמוֹתֵֽךְ׃ (יח) וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ שְׁבִ֣י בִתִּ֔י עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּֽדְעִ֔ין אֵ֖יךְ יִפֹּ֣ל דָּבָ֑ר כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יִשְׁקֹט֙ הָאִ֔ישׁ כִּֽי־אִם־כִּלָּ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר הַיּֽוֹם׃
(1) Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “Daughter, I must seek a home for you, where you may be happy. (2) Now there is our kinsman Boaz, whose girls you were close to. He will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor tonight. (3) So bathe, anoint yourself, dress up, and go down to the threshing floor. But do not disclose yourself to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. (4) When he lies down, note the place where he lies down, and go over and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what you are to do.” (5) She replied, “I will do everything you tell me.” (6) She went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. (7) Boaz ate and drank, and in a cheerful mood went to lie down beside the grainpile. Then she went over stealthily and uncovered his feet and lay down. (8) In the middle of the night, the man gave a start and pulled back—there was a woman lying at his feet! (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 a fine woman you are. (12) But while it is true I am a redeeming kinsman, there is another redeemer closer than I. (13) Stay for the night. Then in the morning, if he will act as a redeemer, good! let him redeem. But if he does not want to act as redeemer for you, I will do so myself, as the LORD lives! Lie down until morning.” (14) So she lay at his feet until dawn. She rose before one person could distinguish another, for he thought, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” (15) And he said, “Hold out the shawl you are wearing.” She held it while he measured out six measures of barley, and he put it on her back. When she got back to the town, (16) she came to her mother-in-law, who asked, “Who are you, my daughter?” She told her all that the man had done for her; (17) and she added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying to me, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” (18) And Naomi said, “Stay here, daughter, till you learn how the matter turns out. For the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.”
Hevrutah Questions:
1. What is the plan here and who plans?
2. Does Ruth follow the plan?
3. Why do you think the question of identity is repeated twice?
4. How do the twin themes of identity and strangeness play out in this story?
5. Why do you think we read the Book of Ruth on Shavuot?
(א) חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אָקוּם לְהוֹדוֹת לָךְ עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ (תהלים קיט, סב), רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב כִּנּוֹר וְנֵבֶל הָיוּ נְתוּנִים מְרַאֲשׁוֹתָיו שֶׁל דָּוִד, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהָיָה מַגִּיעַ בַּחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה הָיָה עוֹמֵד וּמְנַגֵּן בָּהֶם. . ........דָּבָר אַחֵר, עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ, מִשְׁפָּטִים שֶׁהֵבֵאתָ עַל עַמּוֹנִים וּמוֹאָבִים, וּצְדָקוֹת שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ עִם זְקֵנִי וְעִם זְקֶנְתִּי, שֶׁאִלּוּ הֵחִישׁ לָהּ קְלָלָה אַחַת מֵאַיִן הָיִיתִי בָּא, וְנָתַתָּ בְּלִבּוֹ וּבֵרְכָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ לַה' בִּתִּי. (משלי כט, כה): ..... חֶרְדַּת אָדָם יִתֵּן מוֹקֵשׁ, חֲרָדָה שֶׁהֶחֱרִיד יַעֲקֹב לְיִצְחָק, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית כז, לג): וַיֶּחֱרַד יִצְחָק חֲרָדָה, וּבַדִּין הָיָה שֶׁיְקַלְּלֶנּוּ, אֶלָּא: וּבוֹטֵחַ בַּה' יְשֻׂגָּב, נָתַתָּ בְּלִבּוֹ וּבֵרְכוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כז, לג): גַּם בָּרוּךְ יִהְיֶה.
(1) "At midnight (Ruth 3:8)": "I arise at midnight to praise You for the judgments of Your righteousness (Psalm 119:62)." Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Jacob: "the harp and the lyre were set above the head of David and when he was awakened in the middle of the night, he stood and played on them". ........ Another interpretation: "for the judgments of Your righteousness", the "judgments are those which you brought on the Ammonites and Moabites, and the "righteousness" what you did with my [David's] grandfather and grandmother, because if he afflicted her with a curse once, and from where would I have come?, and you placed in his heart to bless her, as it is said: "Blessed are you to Hashem, my daughter (Ruth 3:10)": "A man’s fears become a trap for him, But he who trusts in Hashem shall be safeguarded (Proverbs 29:25)". ..........The fear (trembling) is that which Jacob caused Isaac, as it is written: "Isaac was seized with very violent trembling (Genesis 27:33)." And justly he could have cursed him, but rather "But he who trusts in Hashem shall be safeguarded" and you placed it in his heart to bless him, as it is said: "now he must remain blessed!(Genesis 27:33)". This fear, that is what Ruth caused Boaz, as it is said "the man was frightened, and turned himself (Ruth 3:8)". And he justly could have cursed her, but rather "But he who trusts in Hashem shall be safeguarded" and you placed it in his heart to bless her.....
The Book of Naomi and Ruth
By Marge Piercy
When you pick up the Tanakh and read
the Book of Ruth, it is a shock
how little it resembles memory.
It’s concerned with inheritance,
lands, men’s names, how women
must wiggle and wobble to live.
Yet women have kept it dear
for the beloved elder who
cherished Ruth, more friend than
daughter. Daughters leave. Ruth
brought even the baby she made
with Boaz home as a gift.
Where you go, I will go too,
your people shall be my people,
I will be a Jew for you,
for what is yours I will love
as I love you, oh Naomi
my mother, my sister, my heart.
Show me a woman who does not dream
a double, heart’s twin, a sister
of the mind in whose ear she can whisper,
whose hair she can braid as her life
twists its pleasure and pain and shame.
Show me a woman who does not hide
in the locket of bone that deep
eye beam of fiercely gentle love
she had once from mother, daughter,
sister; once like a warm moon
that radiance aligned the tides
of her blood into potent order.
At the season of first fruits, we recall
two travelers, co-conspirators, scavengers
making do with leftovers and mill ends,
whose friendship was stronger than fear,
stronger than hunger, who walked together,
the road of shards, hands joined.
Marge Piercy is a contemporary writer and activist.
Dr. Leila L. Bronner on Hesed
Hesed is indeed one of the key words controlling the text....
Every character acting in this brief story–from Naomi to Ruth to Boaz to the minor characters–behaves in a manner that demonstrates this heroic concept of some form of hesed. The main actors of the story all act in the spirit of hesed; some perform ordinary hesed, and some–especially Ruth–extraordinary hesed.Their exemplary behavior is somewhat reminiscent of that of the patriarchs and matriarchs.
The Ruth narrative resembles the older narratives in language, content, and style (Ruth 3.3-9; cf. Genesis 24.12-14). Ruth, like Abraham–the founder of the nation, the first of the proselytes–leaves the house of her father and mother and goes to join a people who, as far as she knows, will not accept her because of her foreign origins (Midrash GenesisRabbah 59.9; Talmud, Sukkah 49b). Yet she will not be dissuaded and joins the Israelite nation, with no thought of reward for this act of affiliation, and in this lies her great hesed.
The rabbinic sources emphasize the superabundancy of hesed,its "more- than-enoughness." As Maimonides puts it, the concept of hesed:
"Includes two notions, one of them consisting in the exercise of beneficence toward one who deserves it, but in a greater measure than he deserves it. In most cases, the prophetic books use the word hesed in the sense of practicing beneficence toward one who has no right at all to claim this from you" [Guide for the Perplexed].
Ruth’s mode is the second, to practice benevolence toward people who have no claim on her for it.
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/ruth-and-lovingkindness/
Excerpted from “A Thematic Approach to Ruth in Rabbinic Literature,” which appears in A Feminist Companion to Ruth, edited by Athalya Brenner and published by Sheffield Academic Press. Reprinted with permission of The Continuum International Publishing Group
Rebbetzin Leila Leah Bronner (née Amsel; April 22, 1930 – July 2, 2019) was an American historian and biblical scholar. She was born in Czechoslovakia and immigrated to the United States in 1937, growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Until the End of Strangeness
...because we were strangers in Egypt, [strangers] deserve.. special goodness for life or at least until the end of strangeness."
From Grace Paley, Midrash on Happiness
Grace Paley (December 11, 1922 – August 22, 2007) was an American short story author, poet, teacher, and political activist.