Midrasch zu Rut 1:6
וַתָּ֤קָם הִיא֙ וְכַלֹּתֶ֔יהָ וַתָּ֖שָׁב מִשְּׂדֵ֣י מוֹאָ֑ב כִּ֤י שָֽׁמְעָה֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה מוֹאָ֔ב כִּֽי־פָקַ֤ד יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עַמּ֔וֹ לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם לָֽחֶם׃
Darauf machte sie sich auf mit ihren Schwiegertöchtern, um von dem Gefilde Moab zurückzukehren, denn daselbst, im Gefilde Moab, hatte sie gehört, dass der Herr sein Volk bedacht und ihm Brot gegeben habe.
Ruth Rabbah
“She and her daughters-in-law arose, and she returned from the fields of Moav; as she had heard in the fields of Moav that the Lord had remembered His people to give them bread” (Ruth 1:6).
“She and her daughters-in-law arose, and she returned from the fields of Moav; as she had heard in the fields of Moav.” She heard from the peddlers who were circulating in the towns. What did she hear? “That the Lord had remembered His people to give them bread.” One verse says: “For the Lord will not forsake His people, and will not abandon His inheritance” (Psalms 94:14), and one verse says: “For the Lord will not forsake His people for the sake of His great name” (I Samuel 12:22). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: At times, He does so for the sake of His people and His inheritance, and at times He does so for the sake of His great name. Rabbi Aivu said: When Israel merit it, it is for the sake of His people and His inheritance; when Israel does not merit it, it is for the sake of His great name. The Rabbis say: In the Land of Israel, it is for the sake of His people and His inheritance; outside the Land of Israel, it is for the sake of His great name, as it is stated: “For My sake, for My sake, I will do” (Isaiah 48:11).
“She and her daughters-in-law arose, and she returned from the fields of Moav; as she had heard in the fields of Moav.” She heard from the peddlers who were circulating in the towns. What did she hear? “That the Lord had remembered His people to give them bread.” One verse says: “For the Lord will not forsake His people, and will not abandon His inheritance” (Psalms 94:14), and one verse says: “For the Lord will not forsake His people for the sake of His great name” (I Samuel 12:22). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: At times, He does so for the sake of His people and His inheritance, and at times He does so for the sake of His great name. Rabbi Aivu said: When Israel merit it, it is for the sake of His people and His inheritance; when Israel does not merit it, it is for the sake of His great name. The Rabbis say: In the Land of Israel, it is for the sake of His people and His inheritance; outside the Land of Israel, it is for the sake of His great name, as it is stated: “For My sake, for My sake, I will do” (Isaiah 48:11).
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