Commentary for Ruth 1:23

And it happened in the days when judges judged. [During the period] before King Shaul reigned, when the generations were administered by judges;¹There was no individual judge who could exercise control over all of Yisroel, rather there were many judges. (Malbim) Alternatively, this was a period when God judged the judges. (Gra) and this occurred in the days of Ivtzan, as our sages said, “Ivtzan is Bo’az.”²Maseches Bava Basra 91a; and Bo’az is a central figure in Megillas Rus.

In the days when the judges judged: The first letters of Vayehi bi’yemei shefot hashoftim spell shuvah, return/repent. All of the prophets prophesied that they people should return to God but they did not turn; therefore, there was a famine in the land. It might also be related to the statement of the sages: At a time when the voice is the voice of Jacob, the hands of Esau have no power.¹This is a reference to Gen 27:22, So Jacob drew close to his father Isaac, who felt his arms and wondered out loud, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, yet the hands are the hands of Esau.” Possibly this means that in that generation, the voice of Jacob was muted so the hands of Esau took precedence. It is also taught, “If there is no Torah there is no bread.”²Pirkei Avot 3:17 There is an allusion to this - the numerical value of Kol Kol is the same as the word raav. famine, 272. When there is neglect of Torah, Esau, the demonic realm rules and there is prosecution from above. Thus, the verse states, “In the days when the judges judge.” Torah decreased and it caused a famine in the land.

And a man went. He was very wealthy,³איש denotes an important person, as Targum renders, גברא רבא, “a great man.” and the leader of the generation. He left Eretz Yisroel for regions out of the land because of stinginess, for he was miserly toward the poor who came to press him;⁴He was the only man to leave Eretz Yisroel because of the famine. Because of his stature and greatness he was severely punished for leaving Eretz Yisroel and remaining in Mo’av. (Malbim) therefore he was punished.⁵He was afraid that the poor would unite and confiscate all of his possessions. (Malbim)

Ephrathites. Important people, and similarly, “the son of Tochu, the son of Tzuph, an Ephrathite,”⁶I Shmuel 1:1. [meaning] an aristocrat. Look how important they were, for Eglon the King of Mo’av married off his daughter to Machlon, as the Master said, “Rus was the daughter of Eglon.”⁷Maseches Sanhedrin 105b. Another explanation of “Ephratites,” [they were from Beis Lechem,] because Beis Lechem is called Ephros.⁸See Bereishis 48:7, “and I buried her [Rachel] on the way to Ephros which is Beis Lechem.”

Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah: (Rut. 1:2) The verse repeats “Ephraithites of Bethlehem in Judah “ to teach us that the sons of Elimelech were not forced to leave the land of Israel since they were adults and it was within their power to protest or agree. The expression Ephrathites means “important;”³See Rashi on Rut. 1:2 therefore, they were caught up in the sin of their father and Scripture states that they left Bethlehem in Judah.

Naomi’s husband. Why is this stated again? From here they derived, “A man does not die except for his wife [i.e., she feels the loss more than anyone].⁹Maseches Sanhedrin 22b. ([Another interpretation:] And it states, “Naomi’s husband,” i.e., that because he was Naomi’s husband and ruled over her¹⁰See Rashi in Bereishis 9:20. and she was subordinate to him, therefore the Divine Attribute of Justice struck him and not her.)¹¹Because once he decided to leave, his wife and two sons were compelled to follow.

One named Orpah: (Rut. 1:4) The numerical value of Orpah is nachash, serpent. By including the letters, it equals 358. For from the impurity of jealousy and from the root of the serpent the poison of Goliath went forth. The final letters of shem ha’echat Orpah, spell mitah, death, because the wicked are called dead even while they are alive.

And the name of the second was Ruth: (Rut. 1:4) The disciples of the Ari write “Ruth and Na’amah were “two virtuous fledglings”⁴See BT Baba Kama 38b, “The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: That which has entered your mind has not entered Mine, because I have two virtuous fledglings [feridot tovot) ], i.e., girls, to extract from them: Ruth the Moabite, who will be the foremother of the dynasty of David, and Naamah the Ammonite, Solomon’s wife, from whom the continuation of that dynasty will emerge. For the sake of these women, the Moabites and Ammonites must not be destroyed.” (Sefaria) Also see Rashi on Numbers 31:2 upon which the kingship of Israel was built. Ruth is the mystery of Malchut, and Na’ama is the mystery of Binah. Since Binah, the upper land, is hidden, husks do not have contact with it. It provided Rechabam with enough merit to give birth to a Messiah. But his generation was not worthy, the enlightenment of Malchut was minimal so she revealed slowly so that they were troubled. It was necessary for there to be a great man with vast power (Is, 40:26) who would defeat Israel’s accusers. This person was none other than David, king of Israel, and the sweet singer of Israel, (ll Sam. 23:1) who satiated the blessed Holy One with songs and praises.” From this we may explain what Rechabam said (of his father, Solomon), ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.” (I Ki. 12:10) Anyone who heard this must have been shocked; how could Rechabam portray Solomon with so few virtues? But it makes sense if Rechabam knew the strength of his mother, the mystery of Binah, and that with little merit he could be the progenitor of the Messiah. That is why he said, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.” This comment appears in a slightly different form in what our teacher, the Arizal, wrote in Shaar HaPesukim, Parshat Vayera: “Na’ama is from Binah; she is called Noam Adonai, “The beauty of Adonai,” (Ps. 27:4) Because she comes from the Sephirah of Binah there is very little connection to husks in her, nor were there all the souls. But Ruth is Malchut, the world that is revealed which clings to the many husks in the world that is revealed. All the souls of the house of David until the Messiah were included in her. These two daughters are Ruth And Naama.” This is what he writes in brief.
It may be that Rehoboam said, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.” (I Ki. 12:10) is because his mother was connected to the Binah so that there is no connection to the husks and she was not in need of clarification since he was just born from her. But Ruth had to give birth to Obed who gave birth to Jesse. King David was despised and hated by his father until Samuel the prophet came, as I have explained in other places…
According to what has been said in the statement, “He (Solomon) had a throne placed for the queen mother and she sat on his right,” (I Ki. 2:19) refers to Ruth who was the mother of royalty since all the souls of the kings were included in the house of David.⁵See Rashi on I Kings 2:19. Also BT Baba Batra 91b It is quite correct that she was the mother of the monarchy. The first letters of the words V’shem hasheinit Rut, “And the name of the second one was Ruth,” spell Riva, because she satiated the blessed Holy One with songs and praise. That is why Ruth’s name was not changed when she converted since the name hinted at David. Why was she called Ruth because she was the ancestor of King David who satiated the blessed Holy One with songs and praise to God.

Both. What is the meaning of “also” גַם? First they were struck by financial loss and their camels and their cattle died; afterwards they “also” died.¹²When God punishes man He first deprives him of his property, and if he does not repent, God smites him in person. Alternatively, “also” indicates that their death was punishment “also” for having remained outside of Eretz Yisroel.

She had heard that Adonai had taken note of His people. The sages said that she had heard this from the merchants who visit the towns. Rabbi Hirsch Darshan of Krakow explains that one cannot contradict merchants (about prices) since they sell women’s jewelry and because they visit all the towns they know the prices of jewelry. They told Naomi that they had traveled throughout the land of Israel so the famine must have stopped…

She left the place. Why is this stated? It is already stated, “and she returned from the fields of Mo’av,”¹³Above, verse 6. and from where could she return if not from the place where she had been? Rather the phrase tells us that the departure of a righteous person from a place is noticeable and makes an impression; its splendor departs, its glory departs, the praise of the city departs. And similarly, “And Yaakov left Be’er Sheva.”¹⁴Bereishis 28:10.

With the dead. This refers to her sons. [Naomi's sons, Machlon and Kilyon, who died].

Each of you, to her mother’s house. The first letters of these words Eesha libayt eema spell ele, which is an abbreviation of Ayn avot l’goy, “There are no fathers for gentiles,” as the sages say in Midrash on this verse, and as in the story of Nimos HaGardi.⁶See Midrash Ruth 2:13 - Sefaria Translation - “Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law: Go, return each woman to her mother's house [beit immah]” – to the house of her nation [beit ummatah]. The mother of Avnimos the weaver died, and Rabbi Meir ascended to pay his respects and found them sitting in mourning. Later, his father died, and Rabbi Meir ascended to pay his respects and found them engaged in their labor. He said to him: ‘It appears to me that your mother was dearer to you than your father.’ He said to him: ‘But is it not written so: “Each…to her mother’s house”? He said to him: ‘Well said, as there is no paternity among gentiles.’

May Adonai deal kindly with you, (as you did with the dead and with me.) It seems that according to the sages, for gentiles thoughts are not joined to actions. Naomi makes this point when she said, “May God deal kindly with you as you did…” In other words, it specifically speaks of actions and not thoughts. However, the blessed Holy One does not withhold the reward of any being. What then was the purpose of this prayer? It is possible that Naomi’s prayer was beyond their reward - it meant, “May God deal kindly with you beyond the requirements of the law.” You have done more than was required by the law; so may God treat you kindly according to the Torah of kindness.

May God give to you. [May God give what to you?] A husband.

For I am too old to have a husband. That I should marry him and bear sons, that you would marry them, for they would not be forbidden to you [to marry] and you would not be forbidden to them as far as [the prohibition against marrying] the wife of an older brother who died before he was born, for she [the widow] does require a levirate marriage because Machlon and Chilyon were not [halachically] married to them because they were gentiles and had not converted,¹⁵Had they converted before, their marriage would be binding and Rus would be prohibited from marrying Machlon’s yet unborn brother. The law of levirate marriage does not apply to a person born after his brother’s death. Marrying one’s brother’s wife constitutes incest when levirate marriage does not apply. However, since there was no binding marriage, Rus would be permitted to marry Machlon’s yet unborn brother. and now they were coming to convert as it is stated, “We will return with you to your people.”¹⁶Above, verse 10. From now on we will become one people.

Even if I could say, “I have yet hope.” For even if my heart told me that I have hope to marry again and to bear sons.

Even if I were to have a husband tonight. And more than this, even if I were to conceive male offspring tonight.

And even if I were to bear sons. Or even if I had already borne sons.

Would you wait for them. This is a question posed in wonder, “Would you perhaps wait for them until they grew up?”¹⁷The feminine form of them [להן] is used, because Naomi was hinting that perhaps she would bear daughters instead of sons, so why wait for “them”? This תְּשַׂבֵּרְנָה is an expression similar to, “whose hope שִׂבְרוֹ is in Adonoy his God.”¹⁸Tehillim 146:5. Also, see Megillas Esther 9:1.

Would you shut yourselves in. An expression of עוֹג, being bound and imprisoned, as in, “He made a [confining] circle and stood within it.”¹⁹Maseches Ta’anis 19a. Others interpret it as an expression of עִגּוּן, anchoring [i.e., being unable to marry], but that cannot be, for if so the nun should have been punctuated with a dagesh or it should have been spelled with two nuns.²⁰See Maseches Bava Basra 73a and Rashi’s commentary there.

For against me is directed the hand of Adonoy. Rabbi Leivi said, “Wherever it mentions “the hand of Adonoy,” it refers to a plague of pestilence, and the classic example is, “Behold the hand of Adonoy is directed [at your livestock ... a very heavy pestilence].”²¹Shemos 9:3.

See, your sister-in-law has gone back. In this [word], the accent is at the beginning [on the first syllable] under the shin, because it is in the past tense. [But,] “and in the morning she would return,”²²Megillas Esther 2:14. the accent is at the end [on the last syllable], on the bais, because it is in the present tense, and so it is in all similar cases.²³See Rashi in Bereishis 29:6.

Do not urge me. Do not press me.

For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. The sages say in Masechet Yevamot,⁷See BT Yevamot 47b The passage continues, “Naomi said to her: Four types of capital punishment were handed over to a court with which to punish those who transgress the mitzvot. Ruth responded: “Where you die, I shall die” (Ruth 1:17). Naomi said to her: Two burial grounds were handed over to the court, one for those executed for more severe crimes and another for those executed for less severe crimes. Ruth responded: “And there I shall be buried” (Ruth 1:17). “Naomi said to her: It is prohibited on Shabbat for us to go beyond the Shabbat limit. Ruth said: “Where you go, I shall go,” and no further. Naomi then said: It is forbidden for us to be alone together with a man with whom it is forbidden to engage in relations. Ruth said: “Where you lodge, I shall lodge.” Naomi said: We are commanded to observe 613 commandments. Ruth responded: “Your people are my people.” Naomi said: Idolatrous worship is forbidden to us. Ruth responded: “Your God is my God.”
There is a reason for this order. First Naomi mentioned the Sabbath because Israel was commanded regarding the Sabbath before Mount Sinai because the Sabbath teaches us about the Divine, that the blessed Holy One created the world and is the Master of everything - this is the essential teaching. Also the Sabbath teaches us about the special status of Israel; they are the children of the Holy One and are allowed to imitate God’s ways. This is not so for the gentiles who are considered slaves and cannot hold the King’s sceptre. This was an important matter for Ruth; when she converted she would gain the status of a child of God, like the people of Israel.
Naomi then mentioned forbidden relations because one cannot use the scepter of the King, as Radbaz⁸David ben Solomon ibn (Abi) Zimra: (1479–1573) also called Radbaz (רַדְבָּ"ז) after the initials of his name, was an early Acharon of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries who was a leading posek, rosh yeshiva, chief rabbi, and author of more than 3,000 responsa (halakhic decisions) as well as several scholarly works. wrote in his responsa. Now that they were commanded about the Sabbath and they had the status of “children,” they were still warned about forbidden relations and even regarding a man and woman being alone privately so that they should not say that a child may use the king’s scepter for forbidden relations that are permitted for Israelites. That is to say, that they are on the level of a mortal child but on the level of a slave they must obey God’s decree.
From this it goes on to talk about obeying the 613 commandments - they must obey them as servants. The conclusion is a type of beginning - it begins with praise and concludes with idolatry. For our God is the essence and there is no other - so we must observe His commandments. One who transgresses is punished with four types of death penalties as the passage goes on to say. And some would say that the statement, “We are forbidden to worship idols,” is meant to include that even the thought of idolatry is considered like actions. So when Ruth said “Your people are my people,” she accepts the commandments and when she says “Your God is my God,” it is because Adonai Elohei Yisrael has the numerical value of 613.

For wherever you go, I shall go. From here our Rabbis of blessed memory derived²⁴In Maseches Yevamos 47b. that if a [prospective] proselyte comes to convert, we inform him of some of the punishments [for violating the commandments] so that is he decides to renege [from his intention to convert], he can renege; for out of the words of Rus, you can learn what Naomi said to her. [Naomi said.] “We may not venture outside the boundary [of 2000 cubits beyond city limits] on Shabbos.” She [Rus] replied to her, “For wherever you go I shall go.”²⁵Alternatively, just as you are going to Eretz Yisroel for the sake of your religion, so it is my purpose to go there in order to be able to keep the Torah’s commandments. (Malbim) [Naomi then said,] “We are prohibited to allow a woman to be secluded with a man who is not her husband.” She [Rus] replied, “Where you lodge, I will lodge.” [Naomi said,] “Our nation is separated from other nations by 613 commandments,” [and Rus replied,] “Your people are my people.” [Naomi said,] “Idolatry is forbidden to us,”²⁶Although idolatry is forbidden to Noahites, they are forbidden to worship idols only if they do so exclusively, but not if they worship God in conjunction with their idolatry. (Torah Temimah) [to which Rus replied,] “Your God is my God.” [Naomi then said,] “Four [types of] death penalties were delegated to Beis Din [to punish transgressors],” [and Rus replied,] “Where you die, I will die.” [Naomi continued,] “Two burial plots were delegated to Beis Din [to bury those executed], one for those stoned and those burned, and one for those decapitated and those strangled.” She [Rus] replied, “And there I shall be buried.”

So may Adonoy do to me. As He has begun to afflict [me], for His hand has gone forth against me to kill my husband and to cause me to lose my possessions.

And even more. If anything but death separates me from you.

She refrained from further discussion with her. From here they derived, “we neither overburden him [a prospective convert], nor are we meticulous with him.”²⁷Maseches Yevamos 47b; i.e., we neither persuade nor dissuade him too much.

When she [Naomi] saw how determined she was to go with her: The final letters of the words, “She was determined to go with her” (hee lechet eeta) spells eeta (אתה) alludes to the fact that Ruth merited to have her body and soul attached with Naomi. Ruth was an aspect of Rachel while Naomi an aspect of Leah, the basis of which is mentioned in Simchat HaRegel.⁹Another work by the Chida; it is a commentary on the Haggadah and the book of Ruth. I will add another gem, with the help of God. Lechet eeta refers to the aspect of Leah, as is written there; that is why the word eeta is hidden (in the final letters). The first letters of these words allude to Leah. Also the word hee, she, alludes to Leah as our teacher of blessed memory wrote… The husks that were with Ruth eventually clinged to Orpa so that Goliath came forth from it. “A man (Goliath) came forward… and he was six cubits and a span tall.” (I Sam. 17:4) The numerical value of zeret (a span) is the same as Ruth when we add the word (607). These husks went to Orpah so that anyone who received it became powerful. It is the aspect of Leah, hovering over Ruth. Therefore it ceased to be with her.

So the two of them went on. Rabbi Abahu said, “Come and see how dear the proselytes are before the Holy One, Blessed Is He. As soon as she decided to convert, Scripture compared her to Naomi [by stating, “the two of them...”].²⁸Despite leaving her home and family, Rus’ determination was so strong that Scripture ranks her equally with Naomi.

The whole city buzzed with excitement over them. The women said, “Can this be Naomi?” The gematria of Vatayhom kol ha’ir, “The whole city buzzed,” is the same as Yom katzir omer hayah, “It was the day of the harvesting of barley,” according to Rabbi Moses Galante.¹⁰Moshe ben Yonatan Galante (1621 – 1689 Jerusalem), grandson of Moshe Galante, was a 17th-century rabbi at Jerusalem. He served as the first Rishon Le'Zion and was called Magen (מגן) with reference to the initials of his name. He wrote Zebaḥ ha-Shelamim, a harmonization of contradictory Biblical passages and of Biblical with Talmudical statements (edited by his grandson Moses Ḥagis, Amsterdam, 1707–08), and Ḳorban Ḥagigah, halakhic and kabalistic novellæ (Venice, 1714). (Wikipedia) As it says, “Call me Mara,” (Ruth 1:20) The Leket Shmuel¹¹A midrashic compilation on various subjects with a supplement entitled Derush Shemu’el on the Torah by R. Samuel Feivush ben Joseph Yuzpa Katz. He was a grandson of R. Joshua Falk (Perishah u-Derishah) and served as sofer in Lublin. Samuel was forced to flee that city in 1656 due to pogroms, settling in Vienna, where he was appointed the city scribe. explained that because Naomi did not protest to her husbands and sons (for leaving Beit Lechem), it caused their deaths, Moshe Alsheikh¹²Alsheikh, Moses (d. after 1593), rabbi and Bible commentator, born in Adrianople. He studied in Salonika under Joseph *Taitaẓak and Joseph *Caro, and then emigrated to Ereẓ Israel, settling in Safed, where he gained prominence as an halakhic authority, a teacher in two talmudic academies, and a preacher. (Encyclopedia.com) writes that if this is so, then she was guilty of the sin of bloodshed and was judged to be reincarnated as Mara as the holy Zohar states. That is why she says, “Call me Mara.” It might be that this is alluded to when it says, “for Shaddai has made my lot very bitter.” “Made bitter,” Ha’mayr has the same letters as Marah. In other words God would forgive her in the way he embittered her and caused her to be punished bitterly in a place of bitterness. She said, “I went forth full…” It is possible that this alludes to what Rabbi Israel Saruk¹³Israel Sarug Ashkenazi (also "Saruk") (16th cent.; fl. 1590–1610) was a pupil of Isaac Luria, and devoted himself at the death of his master to the propagation of the latter's Kabbalistic system, for which he gained many adherents in various parts of Italy. Among these the most prominent were Menahem Azariah da Fano, whom he persuaded to spend large sums of money in the acquisition of Luria's manuscripts, and Aaron Berechiah of Modena, author of the Ma'abar Yabboḳ (Ma'abar Yabboḳ, Ḳorban Ta'anit, i.). (Wikipedia) said. Naomi is connected to the mystery of Leah. The statement, I left full (milai’ah); read it, with a hirik under the mem so it says Me’Leah, (read the verse, “I went forth like Leah”) This is strange, for it says, “But Adonai has sent me back empty,” even though Leah was successful in giving birth to children.

The whole city was astir. The whole city became astir. They had all gathered to bury the wife of Bo’az, who had died that very day.²⁹Apparently the people of the city were gathered together because “the whole city” learned so quickly of their return. Rashi therefore explains why they had gathered.

Is this [really] Naomi. The hai is vowelized with a chataf because it is in the interrogative. Is this Naomi who was accustomed to travel in covered wagons and with the mules?³⁰Because of the affliction and the hunger that she endured, Naomi’s appearance changed so drastically that they were hardly able to recognize her. Have you seen what has befallen her because she went abroad [i.e., outside Eretz Yisroel]?

I had gone forth full. With wealth and sons. Another interpretation [of “full”] is that she was pregnant.

Has testified against me. Has testified against me that I had sinned before Him. Another explanation is that the Divine Attribute of Justice has humbled me, as in, “And the pride of Yisroel shall be עָנָה humbled.”³¹Hoshe’a 5:5.

At the start of the barley harvest. The verse speaks about the harvest of the Omer.³²The barley for the omer was harvested on the second night of Pesach and offered on the following day.