Midrasch zu Rut 4:4
וַאֲנִ֨י אָמַ֜רְתִּי אֶגְלֶ֧ה אָזְנְךָ֣ לֵאמֹ֗ר קְ֠נֵה נֶ֥גֶד הַֽיֹּשְׁבִים֮ וְנֶ֣גֶד זִקְנֵ֣י עַמִּי֒ אִם־תִּגְאַל֙ גְּאָ֔ל וְאִם־לֹ֨א יִגְאַ֜ל הַגִּ֣ידָה לִּ֗י ואדע [וְאֵֽדְעָה֙] כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין זוּלָֽתְךָ֙ לִגְא֔וֹל וְאָנֹכִ֖י אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָנֹכִ֥י אֶגְאָֽל׃
Und ich meinte, ich will es dir mitteilen. Kaufe es in Gegenwart der hier Sitzenden und in Gegenwart der Ältesten meines Volkes. Wenn du es einlösen willst, löse; wenn du es aber nicht einlösen willst, sage es mir, dass ich es wisse; denn da ist keiner außer dir zu lösen, ich komme nach dir. Jener erwiderte: Ich will lösen.
Ruth Rabbah
“He took ten men of the elders of the city, and said: Sit here, and they sat” (Ruth 4:2).
“He took ten men of the elders of the city.” Rabbi Alexandri said: From here [it may be derived] that lesser people are not permitted to sit unless the greater person grants him permission. Rabbi Pinḥas said: From here [it may be derived] that the court appoints elders to [attend] their wedding feasts.234The court appoints elders to attend wedding feasts so that the celebration will remain appropriate. Boaz invited the elders to sit because he intended to marry Ruth at that very gathering. Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Yosei said: From here [it may be derived] that the blessing of the groom is with ten.235The seven blessings recited at the wedding ceremony require a quorum of ten men. Rabbi Yudan ben Pazi said: Not only when a bachelor [marries] a virgin, but even when a widower [marries] a widow [these blessings are recited, but] only if there are ten.
“He took ten men of the elders of the city.” Rabbi Alexandri said: From here [it may be derived] that lesser people are not permitted to sit unless the greater person grants him permission. Rabbi Pinḥas said: From here [it may be derived] that the court appoints elders to [attend] their wedding feasts.234The court appoints elders to attend wedding feasts so that the celebration will remain appropriate. Boaz invited the elders to sit because he intended to marry Ruth at that very gathering. Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Yosei said: From here [it may be derived] that the blessing of the groom is with ten.235The seven blessings recited at the wedding ceremony require a quorum of ten men. Rabbi Yudan ben Pazi said: Not only when a bachelor [marries] a virgin, but even when a widower [marries] a widow [these blessings are recited, but] only if there are ten.
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Ruth Rabbah
“He said to the redeemer: The parcel of land that was our brother Elimelekh’s, Naomi, who returned from the field of Moav, is selling. I said to disclose it to you, saying: Purchase it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if he will not redeem it, tell me, and I will know, as there is no one to redeem it beside you, and I am after you. He said: I will redeem it” (Ruth 4:3–4).
“He said to the redeemer: The parcel of land that was our brother Elimelekh’s…I said to disclose it to you, saying…if you will redeem it, redeem it,” – he said to the redeemer. “But if he will not redeem it,” – he said to the court. “Tell me, and I will know [ve’ede’a].”236The heh found at the end of the word indicates “I will know her” (instead of instead of ve’eda, “I will know.” Boaz is saying that his intent is to marry Ruth and have children with her. Do not say: I have a wife and I have children, I will take her into my house with the intention of not having relations with her. When the redeemer heard this, he said: ‘Certainly any notion of marrying Ruth is gone.’
“He said to the redeemer: The parcel of land that was our brother Elimelekh’s…I said to disclose it to you, saying…if you will redeem it, redeem it,” – he said to the redeemer. “But if he will not redeem it,” – he said to the court. “Tell me, and I will know [ve’ede’a].”236The heh found at the end of the word indicates “I will know her” (instead of instead of ve’eda, “I will know.” Boaz is saying that his intent is to marry Ruth and have children with her. Do not say: I have a wife and I have children, I will take her into my house with the intention of not having relations with her. When the redeemer heard this, he said: ‘Certainly any notion of marrying Ruth is gone.’
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