The impression one gains from the end of judges is that of a nation in chaos, with no moral compass or sense of right and wrong. The book of ruth is one of two in the hebrew bible that bears a womans name the other is esther. Likewise, boazs response signifies that his thoughts were consistent with hers. Boaz commonly taken to mean, strength is in him compare 1 kings 7. May 14, 2002 see the commentary of the gaon of vilna on the book of ruth. It has been called the most beautiful short story ever. Book of ruth, old testament book belonging to the third section of the biblical canon, known as the ketuvim, or writings. See the full text of the book of ruth in hebrew and english with rashis commentary. Boaz goes beyond obligation to show kindness to ruth and naomi.
It is set in the time of the judges not the best ones, if we assign it to the period of gideon and samson and it attempts to define the rights of widows and aliens within a society fallen upon hard times. Ruth is a moabite woman who marries a judean immigrant named mahlon 1. Because they the peoples of amon and moab did not greet you with bread and water on. Residing in seattle, washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom. The book of ruth is a hebrew short story, told with consummate skill. The book of ruth tells a touching story of the love and devotion of an ancestor of david and jesus christ. For this reason it is placed in the septuagint after the book of judges.
Ruth 2 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. The book of leviticus comes to life here, with its injunctions to leave part of the harvest for the needy, and with all of its concern and compassion for the underprivileged within the society. Jan 03, 2016 rabbi matalon delivers an informative introduction to the book of ruth, based on the commentary of the gaon from vilna. Ruth deserves to become part of the jewish royal family which will eventually produce the messiah, and be an eternal light for the jewish people and the world. The first one seems quite straightforward, at least at first glance. There elimelech died, and the two sons married, mahlon taking ruth as his wife, and chilion taking ophraboth women of moab. She took care not to lose time, for she gleaned until evening. Elimelech, a man of bethlehemjudah, with his wife, naomi, and his two sons, mahlon and chilion, went in time of famine and sojourned in the land of moab. It has been called the most beautiful short story ever written.
Rediscovering judaism ruth wisse, commentary magazine. According to the talmud jewish tradition, the prophet samuel wrote the book of ruth. Ruth is a book for all times, whether written in post. Ruth said, entreat me not to leave thee, for i will be a proselyte. Naomis plight shapes the narrative, and her plan brings it to resolution. An easyenglish bible version and commentary 2800 word vocabulary on the book of ruth. She lived long enough to see her greatgrandson david, who became the l. This commentary by tamara cohn eskenazi and tikva frymerkensky is an important addition to the extant scholarship on this biblical book. Jewish traditions say that the six measures of barley given as a gift to ruth were a sign of six pious men who would descend from her, endowed with six spiritual gifts. This list is adapted from the jps commentary on ruth, by tikva frymerkensky and tamara cohn eskenazi. The book of ruth is read on shavuot, the holiday celebrating the giving of the torah on mount sinai. A word list at the end explains words with a star by them.
We must not be weary of welldoing, because in due season we shall reap. Though the story takes its name from the younger woman, the older is the dominant character. For ruth and boaz had a son named obed, who became the father of jesse. Posted on june 12, 2005 5765 main commentary holidays. The time of year is early spring, the beginning of the barley harvest ruth 1. The text indicates the direct lineage of king david. Rabbi david gedzelman explores the book of ruth with an eye. But the hebrew word is not the same as that rendered kinsman in ruth 2. Ruth, esther and judith, israel drazin, gefen publishing. The book of ruth, the second of the tanakhs five scrolls to be read on shavuot, turns on at least one of these mandated forms of charity. Appealing to scholars and laypersons alike, jpss bible commentary on the book of ruth follows a similar pattern to the volumes dealing with jonah, esther, and ecclesiastes published.
Naomi said, we are commanded to keep sabbaths and good days, on which we may not travel above 2000 cubitsa sabbathdays journey. Ruth, naomi and boaz all occupy the stage in turn, and gods. Jewish law assigns this book to the festival of shavuot for various reasons. Ruth, the newest in the jps bible commentary series, is a magnificent achievement. Who is this woman, special enough to have an entire book in the bible named for her, which we read on shavuot, the epic day on which the torah was given to the jewish people. Upon his death she becomes a childless widow who chooses to accompany her motherinlaw, naomi, to judah. Ruths kindness as noted in the book of ruth by boaz is seen in the jewish tradition as in rare contradistinction to the peoples of moab where ruth comes from and amon in general, who were noted by the torah for their distinct lack of kindness.
The jewish publication societys highly acclaimed bible commentary series provides a critical linebyline commentary of the biblical text, which is presented in its original hebrew, complete with vocalization and cantillation marks, as well as the jps english translation the moving story of ruth, with its themes of loyalty, loving kindness hesed, and redemption, is one. The book of ruth abbreviated rth is included in the third division, or the writings ketuvim. Ruth presents a very different view of that era, in which people lead peaceful lives and help one another. The chaldee paraphrase thus relates the debate between naomi and ruth. Ruth s kindness as noted in the book of ruth by boaz is seen in the jewish tradition as in rare contradistinction to the peoples of moab where ruth comes from and amon in general, who were noted by the torah for their distinct lack of kindness. Both ruth and naomi, her motherinlaw, have returned to israel from moab widowed and forlorn. Are there any miracles in the books of esther and ruth. Why we read the book of ruth on shavuot my jewish learning. An easytoread english rendition of the book of ruth. The story of ruth offers vital lessons to every generation and has enjoyed nearly universal acceptance by biblical scholars and critics throughout the centuries.
She did not make an excuse to sit still, or go home, till the evening. Ruths joining naomi is seen by the rabbis, in different texts, as the process of full. See the commentary of the gaon of vilna on the book of ruth. Ruths name provides the title for the book of ruth, probably a piece of. The translated bible text has been through advanced checking. We, who were all present as a nation at mount sinai, who experienced the revelation of god and became jews by nature of the overwhelming force of that revelation, have much to learn from ruth, who converted on her own and whose whole life was. From a christian point of view, the first two explicit old testament references to king david are in this book, and the way in which ruth, as a gentile woman, gets incorporated into israel. Anyone reading the story of ruth is immediately struck by the strength of her dedication to her mother in law, naomi. From alienation to monarchy maggid studies in tanakh yael ziegler, koren, 2015. Ruth is the ancestor of king david, and consequently the matriarch of the messianic line. While the books of ruth and esther each focus on a heroine, they depict very different pictures of jewish life.
The book of ruth, which is poetically idyllic in character, although the narrative is in the form of prose, contains an episode from the period of the judges. Book of ruth overview insight for living ministries. The book of ruth, which appears in the third section of the hebrew bible, ktuvim, writings, is a beautiful folktale written in four short chapters. And david, as you know, was the youngest son of jesse. Events in this book occur during the time of the judges in israel ruth 1. The text itself says nothing of the author, but whoever wrote it was a skilled storyteller. Naomis plight shapes the narrative, and her plan brings it. She was dissatisfied with the idolworship of her own people, and when the opportunity arose, she gladly gave up the privileges of royalty in her land and accepted a life of poverty among people she admired. Commentary on the book of ruth by matthew henry old. The book of ruth, the second of the tanakhs five scrolls to be read on shavuot, turns on at. The book of ruth also functions liturgically, as it is read during the jewish holiday of shavuot weeks. Shavuot commemorates the acceptance of the torah by the jewish people, and the book of ruth describes the acceptance of the torah by a single individual through an act of conversion. Both the torah, which was given on shavuot, and ruth are all about kindness and generosity hesed.
It is set in the time of the judges not the best ones, if we. Background of the book of ruth most conservative authorities accept samuel as the probable author of ruth. As if in answer, we have the recently published first book of allen hoffman, a collection of short stories named for the longest of them, kagans superfecta. While quite obvious at first glance, this theme does present a major difficulty on closer examination. Had ruth acted in any respect that in those days was judged indecent or immodest, it is most likely she would have highly displeased such a grave.
Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of the old testament, and the gospels and acts in the new testament. Ruth s name provides the title for the book of ruth, probably a piece of historical fiction set in the time of the judges. Listen to chuck swindolls overview of ruth in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork. In addition, ruths bold proposal to boaz as her kinsman redeemer ruth 3 indicates that she no longer saw herself as a foreigner, but as one subject to the jewish laws and traditions. The book of ruth provides a contrast to the last two narratives in the book of judges. In traditional settings, the book of ruth is read on the second day of shavuot.
Jewish bible commentaries merrimack valley havurah. The latest in the jps bible commentary series, 2011 national jewish book award winner, barbara dobkin award in womens studies the moving story of ruth, with its themes of loyalty, loving kindness hesed, and redemption, is one of the great narratives of the bible. The book of ruth is a vignette of the land of israel a few hundred years after the. Uncover his feet remove the clothes which are upon his feet.
Broch book of ruth, as reflected in rabbinic literature new york, philipp feldheim, 1975. The book of ruth does not mention that boaz had a wife and children. The jps bible commentary ruth, commentary by tamara cohn eskenazi and tikva frymerkensky, jewish publication society, 2011, 178 pp. The book of ruth summary ruth was a moabite princess of very fine character, who became the greatgrandmother of king david. The book of ruth, which appears in the third section of the hebrew bible, ktuvim, writings, is a. Let us work the works of him that sent us, while it is day. Jewish sources offer six explanations for the custom of reading the book of ruth on shavuot, the festival commemorating the giving of the torah at sinai. According to a rabbinical tradition, boaz was a nephew of elimelech. Rabbi matalon delivers an informative introduction to the book of ruth, based on the commentary of the gaon from vilna.
And a certain man of bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. Ruth offers herself to boaz and encourages him to become her redeemer. When providence had made her poor, she cheerfully stoops to her lot. The much beloved story of ruth is told with a consummate skill that most likely reflects a long process of polishing through repeated retellings. Ruth depicts the struggles of naomi and ruth for survival in a patriarchal environment. The hidden symbolism you never saw in the book of ruth. Jun 12, 2005 the book of ruth, the second of the tanakhs five scrolls to be read on shavuot, turns on at least one of these mandated forms of charity. Sefira ross is a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many pages. In the hebrew bible, ruth stands with the song of solomon, lamentations, ecclesiastes, and esther. Introduction to ruth as a book of chesed the hebrew nerd. Whereas there are few traditional commentaries on jonah, we are fortunate to.
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