Can be read any time during the year, but especially on shavuot pentecost, the. It should also be noted that the book of ruth s inclusion into the canon of scripture is done so as a book that typifies gods intimate relationships with his people. In this vow, ruth relinquishes ties with her own people and culture to embrace the home, people and god of naomi for the rest of their lives. It is set up as one year of jewish life as told by 54 different voices and covers jewish life, death, birth, marriage, holidays. The allusion to the act of confirmation by the ceremony of the shoe as though it were an obsolete practice is only one of several indications that the book is later than this. The child born of this marriage, oved, was king davids grandfather. Ruth, book of the 1901 jewish encyclopedia bible encyclopedia. What is the meaning of ruths uncovering of boazs feet.
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. The book of ruth shavuot judaism, torah and jewish info. Ruth returns to judah from moab with her motherinlaw, naomi ruth 1. On the right are artful illustrations with brief story summaries that can be read to young children. Next week, as jews celebrate the festival of shavuot the ancient hebrew words of the book of ruth will be read out loud around the world. The book of ruth is recited as part of the program of study for shavuot night. From this point of view, it would be a mlislil, the basic literary genre of b,okhmah, which means allegory and fable as well as proverb. And a certain man of bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. Listen to chuck swindolls overview of ruth in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork. Following jewish customs, ruth lets boaz know he is a kinsmanredeemer and that she is eligible to marry him ruth 3. Gaining a sense of the hebrew meaning of redeem gaal.
Additionally, in many synagogues it is read publicly on the second day of shavuot. Yet they were expected to greet the jews with food and drink. The law required property owners to leave some grain for the poor and widows, like ruth ruth 2. Its clear that nothing imoral took place,the same book of ruth says it loud and clear in chap. Furthermore, boaz blesses ruth because she did not go after young men, which is to say, she did not pursue the cares and fleeting security of this world. The days of the judges are referred to as a time far past i. In establishing that ruth was the great grandmother of david, the book of ruth serves as a prologue into 1 samuel by affirming king davids rights to the throne of israel. Is the book of ruth reflecting the practice of local law at the time of writing. Book of ruth, old testament book belonging to the third section of the biblical canon, known as the ketuvim, or writings. The foundation is dedicated to revitalizing jewish identity through educational and cultural. These nations did not attack the passing straggling group of jewish slaves as the amalekites did. The ancient custom of reading ruth on shavuoth goes back to talmudic times cf. But, as it turned out, only orpah, after much persuasion from her motherinlaw, turned back to her own people.
The added word ephahs is almost certainly incorrect. The book of ruth it is customary to read the book of ruth on shavuot. The book of ruth, megillat ruth is read on shavuot because. Jewish customs in judith by tal ilan the book of judith was composed sometime after the hebrew bible was completed.
On shavuot, we read the book of ruth, about a young non jewish woman who ties her fate to her motherinlaw. Among historical narratives in scripture it is unexcelled in its compactness, vividness, warmth, beauty and dramatic effectiveness an exquisitely wrought jewel of hebrew narrative art. Whats more, from moabite society which valued me, with a capital m, ruth has transformed herself to a point where she is committed to laboring in the fields in order to support her motherinlaw. It is set in the time of the judges not the best ones, if we.
First, because it gives us a picture of how the poor were treated in the harvest season with sympathy and love. Naomi tries to dissuade them, telling them how hard life is for the jewish people. The story of ruth ruth was a moabite princess of very fine character, who became the greatgrandmother of king david. Its an intimate family tale of misfortune, crafty use of kinship ties, and ultimately, loyalty. Now a and another any attestation become concerning confirm custom earlier exchange final for former gave his in israel israel it land legalizing man manner matter method now of off one other party property redemption removed sandal the this times to took transactions transfer was. Shavuot is the birthday and yahrtzeit anniversary of passing of king david, and the book of ruth records his ancestry. It is a story about a hebrew woman named naomi who lives during the period of the judges, prior to the establishment of the monarchy. The short story revolves around the deep relationship between the heroine and her bethlehemite motherinlaw, naomi, forged after the death of the latters husband and two sons. In the hebrew bible, ruth stands with the song of solomon, lamentations, ecclesiastes, and esther. Ruths acceptance of judaism corresponds nicely with. Tractate soferim is one of the latest books of the talmud, probably dating no earlier than the eighth century.
According to the talmud jewish tradition, the prophet samuel wrote the book of ruth. The book of ruth clearly depicts the lives of the estate owners and farmers in the land of judah at the time of the judges, depicting their way of life, the customs and the laws of the israelites dwelling in their country. While orpah is convinced to stay in moab and remarry, ruth refuses. Finally, it is readily seen that however great the contrast may appear between the general tone of simplicity, repose, purity, etc.
According to schellekens interpretation, the book of esther is a fanciful family history of a rich and powerful jewish family in 4th century b. The book of ruth and the power of names my jewish learning. Depending on whether youre using a jewish or christian version, the book of ruth is placed between judges and samuel or between the song of songs and lamentations. Among sephardic jews, there are many additional traditions that add to the wonder and joy of the holiday. In stark contrast, the book of ruth was the highest example of responsible living. The kinsman who redeems or vindicates a relative is illustrated most clearly in the book of ruth, where the kinsmanredeemer is boaz. Ruth is a book for all times, whether written in post. Book of ruth overview insight for living ministries.
Gaining a sense of the hebrew meaning of redeem gaal the. Ruths name provides the title for the book of ruth, probably a piece of historical fiction set in the time of the judges. Ruth, however, had become so convinced of the truth and beauty of the jewish religion and customs that under no circumstances would she now part from naomi to return to her royal home and live as an idol worshipper. She and boaz were blessed with children who became famous in history. Their very first walking together is understood as a discussion of the laws of conversion ruth rabbah 2. Dec 08, 2010 its clear that nothing imoral took place,the same book of ruth says it loud and clear in chap. The text itself says nothing of the author, but whoever wrote it was a skilled storyteller. See the full text of the book of ruth in hebrew and english with rashis commentary. Under jewish law, a childless widow could be redeemed by a close male relative. Love, marriage, and business in the book of ruth 243 lationship of love subsisting between god and israel. 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. The jewish community has always looked upon marriage as a sacred and divine institution. For ruth and boaz had a son named obed, who became the father of jesse.
Torah commentators offer two major theses to explain the custom. All of the stories above come directly from my book, this jewish life. For this reason it is placed in the septuagint after the book of judges. Both the torah, which was given on shavuot, and ruth are all about kindness and generosity hesed.
Ruths joining naomi is seen by the rabbis, in different texts, as the process of full conversion that ruth underwent. Finally, god took care of all of them, blessing ruth and boaz with a child they named obed, who became the grandfather of david. This would be distinct from the written law and, perhaps, even ignorant of it. Facts and stories of jewish traditions and customs on the eighth day of life, jewish boys are ritually circumcised in a ceremony called a bris, or covenant. She lived long enough to see her greatgrandson david, who became the l. The book of ruth abbreviated rth is included in the third division, or the writings ketuvim, of the hebrew bible.
Upon closer evaluation, to spread your garment over me in ruth 3 was not merely a symbolic gesture or a request for sexual relations, but was rather ruth s way of asking boaz to marry her, in obedience to naomis directions. 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. Ruth was a moabite princess so utterly devoted to her jewish. A plain reading of ruth, coming to the book with no bias of immorality, reveals a tender, moral, and loving interpretation that has its basis in ancient jewish traditions and rituals. It is viewed as a holy covenant between a man and a woman, a necessity for the divine plan to propagate the human race gen. Its main character is a moabite woman named ruth, the daughterinlaw of a jewish widow named naomi. While i do not think that ruth is literally marrying naomi there is of course the need for boaz in the book, im wondering if this is done in imitation of an ancient wedding. Why is it that we read the book of ruth the story of a moabite woman who converted to judaism and who eventually married a judge of israel, boaz on shavuot, the holiday when we celebrate the giving of the torah at mount sinai. Entry for ruth, book of the 1901 jewish encyclopedia one of 8 bible encyclopedias freely available, this encyclopedia is a descriptive record of the history, religion and customs of the jewish people. Whats more, from moabite society which valued me, with a capital m, ruth has transformed herself to a point where she is committed to laboring in the fields in. Boazs response ultimately resulted in a godhonoring marriage. Ruth is the ancestor of king david, and consequently the matriarch of the messianic line.
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. Besides the opening statement of the book, the internal evidence reveals an intimate acquaintance with ancient hebrew and near eastern social customs chapters three and four. Ruth took care of naomi, naomi took care of ruth, then boaz took care of both women. In the next several posts ill respond to this interpretation by addressing the various claims its based on. The book of ruth is one of the bibles shortest books, telling its story in just four chapters. Ruth and her husband boaz were king david s greatgrandparents. Secondly, because shavuot is the yahrzeit anniversary of the death of king david, and in the book of ruth we are shown the origin of the house of david king.
Also, jewish tradition teaches that king david ruths greatgreatgrandson was born and died on shavuot. Like the book of jonah, the book of ruth, a masterpiece of storytelling, has a moral lesson, but this lesson may not be the chief reason why the book was written. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Rabbi david gedzelman explores the book of ruth with an eye toward structures of. Shushan, a legendary account of how the familys ancestor mordechai gained power in court, and of the source of the familys wealth and authority. In traditional settings, the book of ruth is read on the second day of shavuot. It celebrates the loyalty and reward of a young moabite widow ruth who chooses to follow her israelite mother in law naomi back to bethlehem after naomi was bereaved of her own husband and two sons. Oct 30, 2018 a few possibilities arise from that fact. Such a view tends to regard the book as reliable history. More personal stories of jewish life, traditions and customs. 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. The book is dedicated to contemporary personal accounts of jewish life and culture. Ruths name provides the title for the book of ruth, probably a piece of historical. Marriage and redemption in the book of ruth targuman.
What did it mean to spread the corner of your garment over. This surprising tradition possibly results from the desire to absolve their marriage of any. It has been called the most beautiful short story ever. Ruth famously states, where you go i will go, your home will be my home, your people my people, and your god my god ruth 1. Only in the second verse are these individuals named, in a dense cluster of words that includes the threefold mention of the word hebrew word for name, shem. Upon his death she becomes a childless widow who chooses to accompany her motherinlaw, naomi, to judah. Ruth is wellloved for her loyalty to her mother in law naomi and is often called judaisms most. The book of ruth is one of only two books of the bible to be named after women the other is esther. Since there was no heir to inherit elimelechs land, custom required a close relative usually the dead mans brother to marry the widow of the deceased. The act of ruth s conversion took place during the harvest season, from the beginning of the barley harvest to the conclusion of the wheat harvest.
Oct 16, 2019 the book of ruth is one of only two books of the bible to be named after women the other is esther. The book of ruth is read during shavuot because it takes place during the harvest season and because ruths conversion is thought to reflect our acceptance of the torah on shavuot. Is the book of ruth thus descriptive of local practices and customs e. Her two daughters in law, orpah and ruth, request to accompany her to judah. Oct 09, 2018 the sexual interpretation of this episode reflects an inadequate understanding of hebrew vocabulary and idiom, of the thematic development of the book of ruth, and of ancient israelite customs. 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. Even though its small, this remarkable book contains many principles with profound impact to our lives today. One day ruth s motherinlaw naomi said to her, my daughter, i must find a home a for you, where you will be well provided for. This is the moment when the infant is welcomed into the jewish community and is brought into the covenant god made with abraham according to jewish tradition. Sep 28, 2004 fifteen years ago while researching jewish imagery, awardwinning book designer scottmartin kosofsky happened upon a 1645 edition of the minhogimbukh the customs book a beautifully designed and illustrated guide to the jewish year written in yiddish, the peoples vernacular. The book of ruth does not mention that boaz had a wife and children.
To start off, i would suggest that you sit down and read through this beautiful book. Shavuot is the birthday and yahrtzeit anniversary of passing of king david, and the book of ruth records. These opening verses draw our attention to the manner in which this family hovers between names and namelessness. How the book of ruth inspires a culture of kindness urj. A sense of safekeeping is emphasized in the book of ruth. Jonah, ruth, and esther cliffsnotes study guides book. Traditionally, shavuot is the day that king david was born, and died. It celebrates the loyalty and reward of a young moabite widow ruth who chooses to follow her israelite motherinlaw naomi back to bethlehem after naomi was bereaved of her own husband and two sons.
What ruth can teach us about celebrating shavuot my. It is appropriate to read the book of ruth on shavuot for two reasons. They look at the bible and its galaxies of commentaries and at customs surrounding marriage and sexuality to describe a tradition that both honors and esteems the pleasures of sex. Naomi and her husband, elimelech, immigrate to moab, a nation bordering the land of judah, to escape starvation. Ruth and jonathan mark associate editor, jewish week offer an engaging, accessible tour of sexuality within jewish religion and culture. The story of ruth and boaz begins when ruth and her motherinlaw, naomi, return to bethlehem from moab where they had been living. May 22, 2014 the torahs book of ruth tells of ruth the moabite choosing to make the israelites her people. May 14, 2002 the first one seems quite straightforward, at least at first glance. The book of ruth is a hebrew short story, told with consummate skill. Why we read the book of ruth on shavuot my jewish learning. The book of ruth summary ruth was a moabite princess of very fine character, who became the greatgrandmother of king david. Ruth returns to judah from moab with her mother in law, naomi ruth 1. Ruth s name provides the title for the book of ruth, probably a piece of historical fiction set in the time of the judges. The book of ruth, which appears in the third section of the hebrew bible.
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. Ruth is a moabite woman who marries a judean immigrant named mahlon 1. Moreover, jewish canonical tradition links judges and ruth, together as one book, again pointing to an early date. This delightful version of the book of ruth includes the full text from the complete jewish bible on the left page of the twopage spread. Ruth is a moabite woman who marries a judean immigrant named mahlon. Now ruth was unexpectedly rewarded with wealth and happiness. The story of ruth takes place between the 12th and 11th centuries, b. The custom of doing this is already mentioned in the talmudic tractate of soferim 14.
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