(א) וּבֹ֨עַז עָלָ֣ה הַשַּׁ֘עַר֮ וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב שָׁם֒ וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַגֹּאֵ֤ל עֹבֵר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּר־בֹּ֔עַז וַיֹּ֛אמֶר ס֥וּרָה שְׁבָה־פֹּ֖ה פְּלֹנִ֣י אַלְמֹנִ֑י וַיָּ֖סַר וַיֵּשֵֽׁב׃
(1) 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.
Israel Koschitzky Torat Har Etzion, Ruth Lesson 28: Boaz and Ploni Almoni
The term ploni almoni occurs in two other biblical narratives to denote a place which, for reasons of military secrecy, cannot be named (I Shemuel 21:3; II Melakhim 6:8).[16] The unique appearance of this idiom to refer to a person implies the deliberate removal of his name.[17] Indeed, the usage of the words seems to indicate a person without an identity.[18]
So-and-so. But his name was not written because he did not wish to redeem.
(ה) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר בֹּ֔עַז בְּיוֹם־קְנוֹתְךָ֥ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה מִיַּ֣ד נׇעֳמִ֑י וּ֠מֵאֵ֠ת ר֣וּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֤ה אֵֽשֶׁת־הַמֵּת֙ (קניתי) [קָנִ֔יתָ] לְהָקִ֥ים שֵׁם־הַמֵּ֖ת עַל־נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃
(5) Boaz continued, “When you acquire the property from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabite, you must also acquire the wife of the deceased,-b so as to perpetuate the name of the deceased upon his estate.”
(ו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַגֹּאֵ֗ל לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ (לגאול) [לִגְאׇל־]לִ֔י פֶּן־אַשְׁחִ֖ית אֶת־נַחֲלָתִ֑י גְּאַל־לְךָ֤ אַתָּה֙ אֶת־גְּאֻלָּתִ֔י כִּ֥י לֹא־אוּכַ֖ל לִגְאֹֽל׃
(6) The redeemer replied, “Then I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own estate. You take over my right of redemption, for I am unable to exercise it.”
(א) וּבֹעַז עָלָה הַשַּׁעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב שָׁם וְהִנֵּה הַגֹּאֵל עֹבֵר אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בֹּעַז (רות ד, א)
[...]
. ר' שמואל [בר נחמן] אמר, אלם היה (זו) בדברי תורה. אמר, הראשונים לא מתו אלא על ידי שנטלו אותה, ואני הולך ליטול אותה? חס לי. לית אנא מערב זרעיתי. אין אנא מערב פסולת בבני. ולא היה יודע שכבר נתחדשה ההלכה, עמוני (דברים כג: ד) - ולא עמונית. מואבי (שם) - ולא מואבית.
“Boaz went up to the gate and sat there and, behold, the redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken was passing; he said: Turn aside, sit here so-and-so. He turned aside and sat” (Ruth 4:1).
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Translation by Dr. Yael Zeigler
R. Shemuel bar Nachman said: He was mute (ilem) in the words of Torah, for he said, “The first ones [Machlon and Khilyon] died because they took them [the Moavite women]. Shall I go and take her [in marriage]?! God forbid that I should take her! I shall not mix my seed. I shall not mix the disqualified along with my sons!” And he did not know that the halakha had been renewed: An Ammonite man [shall not enter the congregation of God], but an Ammonite woman [may enter]. A Moavite man [shall not enter the congregation of God], but a Moavite woman [may enter].
Israel Koschitzky Torat Har Etzion, Ruth Lesson 28: Boaz and Ploni Almoni
Anonymity may be wielded by the text as a punishment. One who loses his name is one who does not deserve a name, either because he sinned or because he did not fulfill his destiny, and instead shirked his responsibility.[24] This would certainly seem to be the case of the erstwhile go’el, who shirks his responsibility as redeemer. Rashi states this simply
[...]
There may also be a specific reason for this go’el to lose his name. This go’el did not merely evade a responsibility; he refused to do an act whose very objective is “to uphold the name of the dead person upon his inheritance” (Ruth 4:5, 10). It is an apt punishment, measure for measure (midda ke-negged mida), to delete the name of the one who refused to establish the name of his deceased relative. Likewise, a man who refuses to perform the mitzva of yibbum (which is similarly designed to uphold the name of the deceased brother)[25] is given a new, shameful name.[26] The name that he is henceforth called in Israel is “the house of the one who removes his shoe,” alluding to the ceremony which accompanies the refusal of the brother to marry his sister-in-law. Thus, the go’el, the man who had the opportunity and the responsibility to restore the name of his deceased relative, loses his name in this narrative, as a fitting consequence for his refusal to fulfill this duty.
(ה) כִּֽי־יֵשְׁב֨וּ אַחִ֜ים יַחְדָּ֗ו וּמֵ֨ת אַחַ֤ד מֵהֶם֙ וּבֵ֣ן אֵֽין־ל֔וֹ לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֧ה אֵֽשֶׁת־הַמֵּ֛ת הַח֖וּצָה לְאִ֣ישׁ זָ֑ר יְבָמָהּ֙ יָבֹ֣א עָלֶ֔יהָ וּלְקָחָ֥הּ ל֛וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֖ה וְיִבְּמָֽהּ׃ (ו) וְהָיָ֗ה הַבְּכוֹר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּלֵ֔ד יָק֕וּם עַל־שֵׁ֥ם אָחִ֖יו הַמֵּ֑ת וְלֹֽא־יִמָּחֶ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ז) וְאִם־לֹ֤א יַחְפֹּץ֙ הָאִ֔ישׁ לָקַ֖חַת אֶת־יְבִמְתּ֑וֹ וְעָלְתָה֩ יְבִמְתּ֨וֹ הַשַּׁ֜עְרָה אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים וְאָֽמְרָה֙ מֵאֵ֨ן יְבָמִ֜י לְהָקִ֨ים לְאָחִ֥יו שֵׁם֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה יַבְּמִֽי׃ (ח) וְקָֽרְאוּ־ל֥וֹ זִקְנֵי־עִיר֖וֹ וְדִבְּר֣וּ אֵלָ֑יו וְעָמַ֣ד וְאָמַ֔ר לֹ֥א חָפַ֖צְתִּי לְקַחְתָּֽהּ׃ (ט) וְנִגְּשָׁ֨ה יְבִמְתּ֣וֹ אֵלָיו֮ לְעֵינֵ֣י הַזְּקֵנִים֒ וְחָלְצָ֤ה נַעֲלוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְל֔וֹ וְיָרְקָ֖ה בְּפָנָ֑יו וְעָֽנְתָה֙ וְאָ֣מְרָ֔ה כָּ֚כָה יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִבְנֶ֖ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אָחִֽיו׃ (י) וְנִקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בֵּ֖ית חֲל֥וּץ הַנָּֽעַל׃ {ס}
(5) When brothers dwell together and one of them dies and leaves no offspring, the wife of the deceased shall not become that of another party, outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall unite with her: he shall take her as his wife and perform the levir’s duty. (6) The first child that she bears shall be accounted to the dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out in Israel. (7) But if that party does not want to take his brother’s widow [to wife], his brother’s widow shall appear before the elders in the gate and declare, “My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name in Israel for his brother; he will not perform the duty of a levir.” (8) The elders of his town shall then summon him and talk to him. If he insists, saying, “I do not want to take her,” (9) his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, pull the sandal off his foot, spit in his face, and make this declaration: Thus shall be done to the man who will not build up his brother’s house! (10) And he shall go in Israel by the name of “the family of the unsandaled one.”
(י) וְגַ֣ם אֶת־ר֣וּת הַמֹּאֲבִיָּה֩ אֵ֨שֶׁת מַחְל֜וֹן קָנִ֧יתִי לִ֣י לְאִשָּׁ֗ה לְהָקִ֤ים שֵׁם־הַמֵּת֙ עַל־נַ֣חֲלָת֔וֹ וְלֹא־יִכָּרֵ֧ת שֵׁם־הַמֵּ֛ת מֵעִ֥ם אֶחָ֖יו וּמִשַּׁ֣עַר מְקוֹמ֑וֹ עֵדִ֥ים אַתֶּ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם׃
(10) I am also acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife, so as to perpetuate the name of the deceased upon his estate, that the name of the deceased may not disappear from among his kinsmen and from the gate of his home town. You are witnesses today.”
(יא) וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ כׇּל־הָעָ֧ם אֲשֶׁר־בַּשַּׁ֛עַר וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים עֵדִ֑ים יִתֵּן֩ ה' אֶֽת־הָאִשָּׁ֜ה הַבָּאָ֣ה אֶל־בֵּיתֶ֗ךָ כְּרָחֵ֤ל ׀ וּכְלֵאָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנ֤וּ שְׁתֵּיהֶם֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַעֲשֵׂה־חַ֣יִל בְּאֶפְרָ֔תָה וּקְרָא־שֵׁ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃
(11) All the people at the gate and the elders answered, “We are. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the House of Israel! Prosper in Ephrathah and perpetuate your name in Bethlehem!
(יב) וִיהִ֤י בֵֽיתְךָ֙ כְּבֵ֣ית פֶּ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָ֥ה תָמָ֖ר לִיהוּדָ֑ה מִן־הַזֶּ֗רַע אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֤ן ה' לְךָ֔ מִן־הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃
(12) And may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah—through the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman.”
(יד) וַתֹּאמַ֤רְנָה הַנָּשִׁים֙ אֶֽל־נׇעֳמִ֔י בָּר֣וּךְ ה' אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹ֣א הִשְׁבִּ֥ית לָ֛ךְ גֹּאֵ֖ל הַיּ֑וֹם וְיִקָּרֵ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(14) And the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not withheld a redeemer from you today! May his name be perpetuated in Israel!
(טז) וַתִּקַּ֨ח נׇעֳמִ֤י אֶת־הַיֶּ֙לֶד֙ וַתְּשִׁתֵ֣הוּ בְחֵיקָ֔הּ וַתְּהִי־ל֖וֹ לְאֹמֶֽנֶת׃
(16) Naomi took the child and held it to her bosom. She became its foster mother,
(יז) וַתִּקְרֶ֩אנָה֩ ל֨וֹ הַשְּׁכֵנ֥וֹת שֵׁם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יֻלַּד־בֵּ֖ן לְנׇעֳמִ֑י וַתִּקְרֶ֤אנָֽה שְׁמוֹ֙ עוֹבֵ֔ד ה֥וּא אֲבִֽי־יִשַׁ֖י אֲבִ֥י דָוִֽד׃ {פ}
(17) and the women neighbors gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi!” They named him Obed; he was the father of Jesse, father of David.
Perek 3 24:10
Interestingly, Rut 4:17 states “יֻלַּד-בֵּן לְנָעֳמִי — a child is born to Naomi” when a son was born to Rut and Boaz. It seems that Rut’s childbirth was fulfilling not only Machlon’s legacy and yibbum, but also that of Naomi and Elimelech.
Israel Koschitzky Torat Har Etzion, Ruth Lesson 38: Actions and Rewards: A Harmonious Story, Part II
[...] As noted many times, Megillat Ruth aspires toward kingship, which is its ultimate goal. This harmonious story anticipates and paves the way for the new harmonious era of monarchy. In its ideal state, the Davidic monarchy is designated to create a just society in which all people receive their due recompense, and conflicts and tensions dissipate or are resolved by the king. This short, idyllic book, with its difficult beginning and triumphant conclusion, provides a prelude and a foretaste for a hopeful and promising future, which is set in motion by the harmonious conditions of Megillat Ruth.
In Lifting Others, We are Lifted
Shavuot is when we celebrate the giving of the law at Mount Sinai. The fact that we read Ruth’s story at this time tells us that society cannot be made by laws alone. It needs something more — the unforced, unlegislated kindness that makes us reach out to the lonely and vulnerable, even if we are lonely and vulnerable ourselves. Then and now, society needs the kindness of strangers.
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I find it moving that the Bible dedicates a book to the story of David’s great-grandmother Ruth, as if to say that her life was no less significant than his. She was a stranger, an outsider, someone with nothing but her own force of character, her refusal to walk away from another person’s troubles. David was a military hero, a master politician, a king. There is a form of greatness, suggests the Bible, that has nothing to do with power, fame or renown. It exists in simple deeds of kindness and friendship, generosity and grace.