מדרש על רות 1:23

“It was in the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A man of Bethlehem of Judah went to reside in the fields of Moav; he, his wife, and his two sons” (Ruth 1:1).
“It was in the days when the judges judged [shefot hashofetim].” Woe to the generation that judged their judges, and woe to the generation whose judges require judgment, as it is stated: “They also did not heed their judges” (Judges 2:17). Who were they [those judges]? Rav said: They were Barak and Deborah. Rabbi Yehosha ben Levi said: They were Shamgar and Ehud. Rav Huna said: They were Deborah, Barak, and Yael. Shefot – one, shofetim – two, hashofetim – three.

“There was a famine in the land.” Ten famines came to the world. One during the days of Adam; one during the days of Lemekh; one during the days of Abraham; one during the days of Isaac; one during the days of Jacob; one during the days of Elijah; one during the days of Elisha; one during the days of David; one during the days when the judges judged; and one that is yet progressing and coming to the world.
One during the days of Adam, as it is stated: “Accursed is the ground because of you” (Genesis 3:17); one during the days of Lemekh, as it is stated: “From the ground that the Lord had cursed” (Genesis 5:29); one during the days of Abraham, as it is stated: “There was famine in the land and Abram descended to Egypt” (Genesis 12:10); one during the days of Isaac: “There was a famine in the land, beside the first famine” (Genesis 26:1); one during the days of Jacob, as it is stated: “For these two years there has been famine in the land” (Genesis 45:6); one during the days of Elijah, as it is stated: “There will not be dew or rain these years, except by my word” (I Kings 17:1); one during the days of Elisha, as it is stated: “There was a great famine in Samaria” (II Kings 6:25); one during the days of David, as it is stated: “There was a famine during the days of David, three years” (II Samuel 21:1); one during the days when the judges judged, as it is stated: “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1); and one that is advancing upon the world, as it is written: “I will send famine in the land, not famine for bread, not thirst for water” (Amos 8:11).
Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: It would have been appropriate for the main manifestation of them³⁹The years of famine during the days of David. to have been during the days of Saul, and it was not appropriate for them to have been during the days of David. [But] because Saul was an offshoot of a sycamore tree,⁴⁰The sycamore tree is frail. and would have been unable to withstand it, the Holy One blessed be He transferred it and brought it to David, who is the offshoot of an olive tree⁴¹The olive tree is sturdy. and [he] was able to withstand it. A parable says: Shila sinned and Yoḥana⁴²Generic names of that period. pays for it? So, all of them did not come upon lowly people, but rather upon mighty people who could withstand them. Rabbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar: [It is analogous] to a glazier who had a basket filled with cups of cut glass. When he sought to hang his basket, he would bring a peg, hammer it [into the wall,] and then hang his basket. So, all of them did not come upon lowly people, but rather to mighty people. Rabbi Berekhya would read in reference to them:⁴³David’s generation. “He gives strength to the weary” (Isaiah 40:29).
Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: Two [famines]⁴⁴That of Lemekh occurred while Adam was still alive. came during the days of Adam.⁴⁵In the parallel text of this midrash found in Bereishit Rabba 25:3 it says ‘Abraham’ instead of ‘Adam.’ Rav Huna in the name of Rav Aḥa: One was during the days of Abraham, and one was during the days of Lemekh. The famine that was during the days of Elijah was due to a drought. One year it produced [a harvest] and the other year it did not produce. But the famine during the days of Elisha was due to [economic] panic, as it is stated: “Until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty of silver” (II Kings 6:25). [Regarding] the famine that came during the days that the judges judged, Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Dosa: They were forty-two se’a⁴⁶A measure of dry volume roughly equivalent to 8 liters. and they became forty-one se’a.⁴⁷The reference is to the amount of produce that could be purchased for one sela. Some commentators suggest that the text should be read: they were [sold] at a rate of two se’a [per sela] and became one se’a [per sela]. See Etz Yosef. But is it not taught: A person may not depart to outside the Land of Israel until two se’a⁴⁸Of wheat. are bought for a shekel?⁴⁹The reference is to the biblical shekel, which is the equivalent of the rabbinic sela. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: When is that so? It is when one cannot find anything [else] to buy. But if he can find [other food] to buy, even [at] one se’a for a shekel, a Jew may not leave the Land of Israel.⁵⁰Elimelekh was punished because his decision to leave the Land of Israel was not justified. But is it not taught: During a time of pestilence, a time of war, gather everyone inside, but during a time of famine, scatter? Why was Elimelekh punished? It is because he sank the hearts of Israel.
[It is analogous] to a prominent person who lived in a province, and the residents of the province would depend upon him, and would say that if drought years would come, he could provide food for the province for ten years. When a drought year came, his maidservant went out, and went into the market with her basket in her hand. The residents of the province said: This is the one who we relied upon, that if there would be a drought he could support us for ten years? His maidservant is standing in the market with her basket in her hand! So, Elimelekh was one of the prominent residents of the province, and one of the leaders of the generation. When the years of famine arrived, he said: ‘Now, all Israel will come around to my door, this one with his basket and that one with his basket.’ He arose and fled from them; that is what is written: “A man of Bethlehem of Judah went.”

“A man…went” – Like a stump [with nothing]? Rather, come and see how much more the Holy One blessed be He appreciates entering the Land of Israel than leaving it. Below, it is written: “Their horses…their mules…their camels” (Ezra 2: 66–67), but here it is written: “A man…went” – like a stump. As opposed to below [the exiled Judeans returning to the land, as described in Ezra], because they were departing from the Land to outside the Land, the verse did not attribute their property to them. “A man…went” – like a stump.
“To reside in the fields of Moav” – Rabbi Levi said: Every place⁵¹It does not mean every place literally; depending on the context, there are places where field means city, e.g. when the field is mentioned as a place of residence. you find field, it is a city; [where you find] city, it is a province; province, it is a country. Field, it is a city – as it is stated: “Go to Anatot, to your fields” (I Kings 2:26). City – it is a province, as it is stated: “Pass in the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem”⁵²The word medina can refer to either a large city or a province. (Ezekiel 9:4). Province – it is a country, as it is stated: “One hundred and twenty-seven provinces” (Esther 1:1).
“He, his wife, and his two sons” – He was primary; his wife, secondary to him; and his sons, secondary to them.

(Fol. 10, b) And it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus. R. Levi, and according to others, R. Jochanan, said: "There is a tradition among us from our ancestors [who reicev it from] the men of the Great Assembly, that wherever Vayehi (it came to pass) occurs, it refers to some disaster. (Ruth 1) And it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, there was Haman; (Jud. 1) And it came to pass in the days of the Judges, there was hunger; (Gen. 6, 1) And it came to pass when men began to multiply, and soon after this it is written, And the children of man, etc. — [which caused the flood]; (Ib. 11, 2) And it came to pass as they journeyed toward the east, then there came the dispersion; (Ib. 14, 1) And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel … there was a war. (Josh. 5, 13) It came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho, etc. and he saw a man with a drawn sword in his hand; (Ib. 6, 27) And the Lord was (Va'yehi) with Joshua, and soon after this. And the children of Israel committed a trespass; (I Samuel) There was (Va'yehi) a certain man of Romathaim, and afterward, Hannah he loved, but the Lord had shut her womb; (Ib. 8, 1) It came to pass when Samuel became old … and his sons walked not in his way; (Ib. 18, 14) And David was successful all his ways, and soon follows, Saul was in dread of him; (II Sam. 7, 1) And it came to pass when the king dwelt in his house. But thou canst not build the Temple. But is it not written (Lev. 9, 1) And it came to pass on the eighth day, and we have been taught in a Baraitha: "That particular day caused as great rejoicing before the Holy One, praised be He! as did the day of creation, for it is written here. And it came to pass (Va'yehi) on the eighth day, and it is written (Gen. 1, 5) And it was (Vayehi) evening and it was morning the first day. [Hence we find Vayehi when a misfortune does not follow.] There also the tragedy of Nadab and Abihu happened (Lev. 10, 1-7). But is it not written (I Kings 6, 1) And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the going forth of the children of Israel out of Egypt, and it is also Written (Gen, 29, 16) While Jacob saw Rachel, and in Genesis (1, 5) And it was evening, and it was morning, the first day — and so on the second and third days although no disaster occurred? We must therefore say that wherever it is said, (Vayehi) It came to pass, there may or may not be a calamity; but whenever it is said, (Vayehi Bimai), And it came to pass in the days of, there a misfortune surely took place. There are five expressions, It came to pass in the days of, viz., in the days of Ahasuerus, the Judges, Amraphel, Ahaz (Is. 7) and Yehoyakim (Jer. 1) [and in every instance there was trouble] .

R. Jochanan said: "What does the passage (Ruth 1, 1) And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, mean? It was a generation that judged its judges. If the judge said to a person: 'Remove the mote from thy eye,' he answered: 'Take the beam out of thine own eyes.' If the judge said to one: 'Thy silver is become dross,' the answer was: (Is. 1, 32) Thy wine is drugged with water." (Job 1, 6-9) Now it happened … .that the accuser (Satan) also came in the midst of them, etc. Thus said Satan before the Holy One, praised be He! "Sovereign of the Universe! I have sped all over the world and found no trusty man like thy servant Abraham, to whom thou dost say (Gen. 13, 17) Arise, wall: through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it, for unto thee will I give it. And notwithstanding this, when he searched for a grave to bury his wife Sarah, and did not find one until he bought it for four hundred silver shekels, he did not murmur or bear anything against Thee." Then said the Lord to Satan: "Hast thou directed thy attention toward My servant Job, for there is none like him . . and shunned evil. What does shunned evil, mean? R. Aba b. Samuel said: "Job was liberal with his money; the custom of the world is if a laborer has done some service to the value of a P'ruta that the employer [takes him to the storekeeper] buys something for this coin, and gives the laborer one-half of what is due him. Job, however, gave him the whole coin for such services. R. Jochanan remarked: "That which was said concerning Job is more important than that which was said concerning Abraham, for regarding Abraham it is written (Gen. 22, 12) Now I know that thou fearest God, etc. And regarding Job it is written (Job. 1, 1) And that man was whole-heearted and upright, and one that feared God and shunned evil."

“It was during the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A man from Bethlehem of Judah went to reside in the field of Moav, he, his wife, and his two sons” (Ruth 1:1).
“It was during the days when the judges judged” – Rabbi Yoḥanan began and said: “Hear My people and I will speak; [Israel, and I will forewarn you]” (Psalms 50:7). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One forewarns only one who can hear it. Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Simon said: In the past they were called Israel like all other nations: “Savta, Rama, and Savtekha” (Genesis 10:7);¹These are the names of nations listed in Genesis, chap. 10. from here forward, they are called only My people. “Hear My people and I will speak” – from where did you merit to be called My people? From “and I will speak” – from what you spoke before Me at Sinai and said: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Hear My people” – [what I have said] in the past; “and I will speak” – in the future. “Hear My people” – in this world; “and I will speak” – in the World to Come. So I will have a response to the angels of the nations of the world who are destined to accuse them before Me and say: ‘Master of the universe, these worship idols and those worship idols, these engaged in forbidden sexual relations and those engaged in forbidden sexual relations, these spilled blood and those spilled blood, and these are going down to the Garden of Eden and those are going down to Gehenna?’
At that time, the advocate of Israel is silenced. That is what you say: “At that time Mikhael will stand” (Daniel 12:1). Is there sitting on high? Did Rabbi Ḥanina not say: There is no sitting on high, as it is written: “I approached one of those standing [kamaya]” (Daniel 7:16). What is this language kamaya? Standing [kayama], as it is written: “Seraphim stood above Him” (Isaiah 6:2), and it is written: “The entire host of heaven standing in His presence on His right hand and on His left” (see I Kings 22:19). And you say “will stand”?²Since angels always stand, what does it mean that the angel Mikhael will stand at that moment? [Rather,] what is “will stand”? It is stand silent, as you say: “Shall I wait, because they do not speak, amdu] and do not answer>?” (Job 32:16).
The Holy One blessed be He says to him: ‘Do you stand silent and not advocate on behalf of My children? By your life, I will speak in support of their righteousness and rescue My children.’ What righteousness? Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yoḥanan, one says: Due to the righteousness that you established My world because you accepted My Torah, as had you not accepted My Torah, I would have restored it [the world] to emptiness and disorder, as Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: “Earth and all its inhabitants dissolve, [I set its pillars, selah]” (Psalms 75:4). The world would have already dissolved, had Israel not stood before Mount Sinai…³Referring to a midrash that appears in Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:9: “If Israel had not stood on Mount Sinai and said: ‘Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will heed’ (Exodus 24:7), the world would have dissolved and returned to emptiness and disorder.” The midrash there then continues as it does here. And who established the world? “I [anokhi] set its pillars” (Psalms 75:4). Due to the merit of anokhi, “I set its pillars, selah.”⁴Anokhi is the first word of the Ten Commandments. In other words, due to the merit of Israel’s future acceptance of the Ten Commandments and the entire Torah, God established the foundations of the world. One said: Due to the righteousness you did for yourselves in accepting My Torah, as had you not done so, I would have eliminated you from among the nations.
“God; I am your God” (Psalms 50:7) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is sufficient for you that I am your patron. Reish Lakish said: Although I am your patron, how does My patronage help at trial?⁵The midrash is responding to the repetition in the verse: “God; I am your God.” God [Elohim] represents the attribute of justice, and the verse thus presents a tension between God being strictly just and God being particularly Israel’s God, i.e., their patron.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai taught: I am the God for all humankind, but I have designated My name only upon My people Israel. I am not called the God of all the nations, but rather, the God of Israel. “God [Elohim]; I am your God” – Rabbi Yudan interpreted the verse in reference to Moses: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Even though I called you “god to Pharaoh” (Exodus 7:1), “I am your God” – I am above you.’ Rabbi Abba bar Yudan interpreted the verse in reference to Israel: Although I called you god, as it is stated: “I said you are godlike [elohim]” (Psalms 82:6), “I am your God” – know that I am above you. The Rabbis interpreted the verse in reference to judges: Even though I called you elohim, as it is stated: “Do not curse elohim” (Exodus 22:27), know that I am above you. Then He said to Israel: ‘I accorded honor to the judges and called them elohim, and they demean them. Woe unto a generation that judges their judges.’

Another matter, “and Yokim” (I Chronicles 4:22) – this is Elimelekh.⁸⁰Who got up [kam] and departed; alternatively, because he established [hekim] all his wealth (Etz Yosef). “And the people of Kozeva” (I Chronicles 4:22) – these are his sons, who were discontinued.⁸¹They died without children. “Yoash” (I Chronicles 4:22) – as they despaired [nitya’ashu] of the Land of Israel. “And Saraf” (I Chronicles 4:22) – as they burned [sarfu] the Torah. Rabbi Menaḥama in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: Did they [actually] burn it? Rather, it teaches you that anyone who nullifies even one matter from the Torah, it is as though he burned it. “Who had dominion over Moav” (I Chronicles 4:22), as they married Moavite women, and forsook Israel and cleaved to the fields of Moav. “And Yashuvi Laḥem” (I Chronicles 4:22), this is Naomi, as it is stated: “Naomi returned [vatashav], and Ruth the Moavite, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned [hashava] from the fields of Moav, and they came to Beit Leḥem” (Ruth 1:22). “And the matters are ancient [atikim]” (I Chronicles 4:22) – each and every one of these matters is already [mentioned] explicitly.⁸²Each of these matters is mentioned explicitly in Ruth, and alluded to in the verse in I Chronicles.

“The name of the man was Elimelekh, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons Maḥlon and Kilyon, Ephratites of Bethlehem in Judah. They came to the fields of Moav, and were there” (Ruth 1:2).
“The name of the man was Elimelekh” (Ruth 1:2). Rabbi Meir would expound names. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa would expound names. “The name of the man was Elimelekh,” as he would say: To me [elai], the kingdom [malkhut] will come. “And the name of his wife was Naomi,” as her actions were fine [na’im], and pleasant [ne’imim]. “And the names of his two sons Maḥlon and Kilyon” – Maḥlon, for they were eradicated [nimḥu] from the world; Kilyon, for they were eliminated [kalu] from the world. “Ephratites,”⁸³An expression of greatness. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: He was a resident of the palace. Rabbi bar Rabbi Neḥemya says: He was a nobleman. Another matter, “Ephratites,” Rabbi Pinḥas said: The entire crown with which Ephraim was crowned by Jacob at the moment that he passed from the world. He said to him: ‘Ephraim, tribal heads, heads of the yeshiva; the most excellent and outstanding of my children will be called by your name.’ “Son of Toḥu, son of Tzuf, Ephratite” (I Samuel 1:1);⁸⁴This verse is referring to Elkana. Ephratite means from Ephraim. “Yorovam ben Nevat Ephratite” (I Kings 11:26); David, son of an Ephratite man” (I Samuel 17:12); “Maḥlon and Kilyon, Ephratites.”

“They came to the fields of Moav, and were there.” First they came to their towns, and they found them steeped in transgression. Then they came to the large cities, and they found them lacking in water. Then they returned to the towns; “they came to the fields of Moav, and were there.”

“Elimelekh Naomi's husband died; she and her two sons remained” (Ruth 1:3).
“Elimelekh Naomi's husband died.” It is taught: Everyone will die, and everyone [knows] that he will die. Praiseworthy is the person who has departed from the world with a good name. If a man dies, it is only his wife who misses him, as it is stated: “Elimelekh Naomi's husband died.” If a woman dies, it is only her husband who misses her, as it is stated: “But I, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died on me” (Genesis 48:7). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Jacob our patriarch said: ‘Rachel’s death was on me, and Rachel’s death was more difficult for me than all the troubles that befell me.’

Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak: The Holy One blessed be He brings groups of the same age, and groups that live together, to the world. If one member of the age group dies, the entire age group should be concerned. If one member of the local group dies, the entire group should be concerned, as Rabbi Shmuel bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: There are different kingdoms, and one does not enter the kingdom of his counterpart even a hairbreadth.⁸⁵Thus, when a man dies, it is because the time has come for someone else to take over whatever position of authority he had. Additionally, the entire group should be concerned that they are all now subject to divine judgement. This reinforces what was stated above, that Naomi must have been grieved by Elimelekh’s death (Yefei Einayim). Alternatively, this may be a veiled critique of Naomi and her sons, who should have taken Elimelekh’s death as a sign that they were all in danger, and returned to the land of Israel (Etz Yosef).
Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta said: I never called my wife my wife, or my house my house, but rather, my wife my house, and my house my wife.⁸⁶He did so in deference to his wife, to indicate that she was the foundation of his household. The midrash mentions this in connection with the fact that the verse refers to Elimelekh as Naomi’s husband (Yefei Einayim). I never called my ox my ox, or my field my field, but rather, my ox my field, and my field my ox. “She and her two sons remained,” Rabbi Ḥanina son of Rabbi Abbahu said: She became like the remnants of meal offerings.⁸⁷As opposed to the handful of the meal offering that is burned on the altar, the remnant has less sanctity. So too, the woman is lessened by the death of her husband.

“They took for themselves Moavite wives: the name of one was Orpa, and the name of the second was Ruth; and they dwelled there approximately ten years” (Ruth 1:4).
“They took for themselves Moavite wives.” It is taught in the name of Rabbi Meir: They did not convert them, they did not immerse them, the halakha had not yet been innovated, such that they would not have been punished for them; an Ammonite and not a female Ammonite, a Moavite and not a female Moavite.⁸⁸It had not yet been clarified that the Torah’s prohibition against marrying a convert from the nations of Amon and Moav (see Deuteronomy 23:4) applied only to male converts and not to female converts (see Yevamot 76b-77a). Maḥlon and Kilyon married them despite the fact that they did not convert, and despite the fact that, as far as they were aware, it was forbidden to marry them even if they converted.
“The name of one was Orpa,” because she turned her back [oref] to her mother-in-law. “And the name of the second was Ruth [Rut],” because she saw [ra’ata] truth in the words of her mother-in-law. Rabbi Beivai said in the name of Rabbi Reuven: Ruth and Orpa were the daughters of Eglon, as it is stated: “I have a secret matter for you king.⁸⁹Eglon, king of Moav. He said: Be silent…” (Judges 3:19), and it is written: “Ehud came to him…Ehud said: I have a matter of God to you, and he stood from his throne” (Judges 3:20). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You arose from your throne in deference to Me, by your life, I will establish a son from you who will sit on the throne of God.’
“They dwelled there approximately ten years.” [Whenever a verse uses this terminology, such as:]“Approximately thirty” (Judges 20:31), “approximately forty” (Joshua 4:13), [it means a bit] less or more [than the stated number].

“Both of them died, Maḥlon and Kilyon, and the woman was bereft of her two children and of her husband” (Ruth 1:5).
“Both of them died, Maḥlon and Kilyon.” Rabbi Ḥunya, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Rabbi Avin, and Rabbi Zavda, son-in-law of Rabbi Levi [said]: The all-Merciful [God] never exacts retribution against a person himself initially. From whom do you learn this? From Job, as it is stated: “There came a messenger to Job, and said: ‘The oxen were plowing [and the donkeys grazing beside them; and Sheba fell upon them, and took them; they smote the servants by sword; and only I by myself escaped to tell you]’” (Job 1:14–15).⁹⁰God did not initially kill Job or even afflict him with bodily pain; He struck Job’s property. Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: The Holy One blessed be He showed him a representative taste of the World to Come, “the plowman will meet the reaper” (Amos 9:13).⁹¹Donkeys do not typically graze in fields where oxen have just plowed. This was Job’s taste of the World to Come, when produce will be ready to be reaped as the field is still being plowed.
“Sheba fell upon them [and took them and smote the lads by sword].” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: They emerged from the village of Kerinos⁹²In Media. and went on all the rural paths until Migdal Tzabba’im⁹³In the Land of Israel. and they died there.⁹⁴At first they were attacked and taken captive along with the herd. Only later were they killed. “And only [rak] I by myself [levadi] escaped.” Rabbi Ḥanina said: [The term] Rak is restrictive; he, too, was broken and stricken. Rabbi Yudan said: Levadi.⁹⁵In the sense of bedding, meaning that the messenger was bedridden. The word leved means felt, which can be used for bedding. “This one was still speaking” (Job 1:16); he, too, once he stated his tidings, he died.
“This one was still speaking and that one came and said: The Chaldeans deployed in three columns…” (Job 1:17). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When Job heard, he began mobilizing his armies for war. He said: ‘How many armies can I enlist, how many troops can I muster? This is the most despicable nation in the world: “Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, this is a people that is not” (Isaiah 23:13). If only it had not been.⁹⁶If only the Chaldeans had never come into existence. It comes to intimidate me?’ But once [the messenger] said to him: “The fire of God fell from the heavens” (Job 1:16), [Job] said: ‘It is from the heavens; what can I do?’ – “I was silent and I did not go out the door” (Job 31:34).
Immediately, “he took an earthenware shard to scratch himself” (Job 2:8).⁹⁷This was after he was afflicted with boils. His body was afflicted only after his property was damaged. So it was in Egypt, as well: “He struck their vines and their fig trees” (Psalms 105:33). Then, “He subjected their livestock to the hail” (Psalms 78:48). And then, “He smote every firstborn in Egypt” (Psalms 78:51). Regarding leprosy, too, the same is true: Initially it afflicts his house. If he repents, excellent; if not, they require removal, as it is stated: “The priest shall command and they will remove [the stones]” (Leviticus 14:40). If he repents, excellent; if not, they require demolition. If he repents, excellent; if not, [the signs of leprosy] come upon his garments and they require laundering. If he repents, excellent; if not, they require rending, as it is stated: “He shall rip it from the garment” (Leviticus 13:56). If he repents, excellent; if not they require burning, as it is stated: “He shall burn the garment” (Leviticus 13:52). Then [leprosy] comes upon his body. If he repents, excellent; if not, he goes and comes.⁹⁸He leaves the camp for seven days and then returns. If he repents, excellent; if not, “he shall dwell in isolation, his dwelling shall be outside the camp” (Leviticus 13:46). Regarding Maḥlon and Kilyon, too, the same is true. Initially, it was their horses, their donkeys, and their camels. Then “Elimelekh died.” Then, “both of them died, Maḥlon and Kilyon.”
“And the woman remained bereft,” Rabbi Ḥanina said: She became the remnants of the remnants [of meal offerings].⁹⁹When her husband died, she was like the remnant; now that her sons died, she was like the remnant of the remnant.

“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 departed from the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law with her; they went on the way to return to the land of Judah” (Ruth 1:7).
“She departed from the place where she had been.” “She departed” – was it she alone who departed from there? Did not several camel drivers depart, several donkey drivers depart, and you say “she departed”? Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon [said]: The most prominent person in the city, he is its radiance, he is its splendor, he is its glory, and he is its praise. When he vacates it, its radiance vacates, its splendor vacates, its glory vacates, and its praise vacates. So you find with Jacob our patriarch when he departed from Beersheba. Was it he alone who departed from there? Did not several camel drivers depart, several donkey drivers depart, and [yet] you say “he departed”?¹⁰⁰See Genesis 28:10. When the righteous one is in the city, he is its radiance, he is its splendor, he is its glory, and he is its praise. When he departs from there, its radiance vacates, its splendor vacates, its glory vacates, and its praise vacates. There,¹⁰¹When Naomi left Moav. it works out well, because it was only that righteous woman who was there; however, here, wasn’t Isaac [still] there [in Beersheba]? Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Azarya ben Rabbi Simon: The merit of one righteous person is not comparable to the merit of two righteous people.
“They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.” Rabbi Yehuda said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They transgressed the letter of the law and they went on the festival.¹⁰²It says: “When they came to Bethlehem, the entire city was astir” (Ruth 1:19), and it says: “They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest” (Ruth 1:22). The midrash (Rut Rabba 3:6) interprets this as referring to the sixteenth of Nisan, when the barley for the Omer offering was cut. The city was astir because people from the surrounding villages would gather toward evening of the fifteenth of Nisan for this ceremony. Thus, in their hurry to arrive in the land of Israel, Naomi and Ruth traveled on the fifteenth of Nisan, which is Passover. Alternatively, “they went on the way”¹⁰³If it says that they went, it is obvious that they were on the way. – the way caused them distress, they went barefoot. “They went [on the way],”¹⁰⁴The way of the Torah. – they were engaged in the laws of converts.

“She departed from the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law with her; they went on the way to return to the land of Judah” (Ruth 1:7).
“She departed from the place where she had been.” “She departed” – was it she alone who departed from there? Did not several camel drivers depart, several donkey drivers depart, and you say “she departed”? Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon [said]: The most prominent person in the city, he is its radiance, he is its splendor, he is its glory, and he is its praise. When he vacates it, its radiance vacates, its splendor vacates, its glory vacates, and its praise vacates. So you find with Jacob our patriarch when he departed from Beersheba. Was it he alone who departed from there? Did not several camel drivers depart, several donkey drivers depart, and [yet] you say “he departed”?¹⁰⁰See Genesis 28:10. When the righteous one is in the city, he is its radiance, he is its splendor, he is its glory, and he is its praise. When he departs from there, its radiance vacates, its splendor vacates, its glory vacates, and its praise vacates. There,¹⁰¹When Naomi left Moav. it works out well, because it was only that righteous woman who was there; however, here, wasn’t Isaac [still] there [in Beersheba]? Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Azarya ben Rabbi Simon: The merit of one righteous person is not comparable to the merit of two righteous people.
“They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.” Rabbi Yehuda said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They transgressed the letter of the law and they went on the festival.¹⁰²It says: “When they came to Bethlehem, the entire city was astir” (Ruth 1:19), and it says: “They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest” (Ruth 1:22). The midrash (Rut Rabba 3:6) interprets this as referring to the sixteenth of Nisan, when the barley for the Omer offering was cut. The city was astir because people from the surrounding villages would gather toward evening of the fifteenth of Nisan for this ceremony. Thus, in their hurry to arrive in the land of Israel, Naomi and Ruth traveled on the fifteenth of Nisan, which is Passover. Alternatively, “they went on the way”¹⁰³If it says that they went, it is obvious that they were on the way. – the way caused them distress, they went barefoot. “They went [on the way],”¹⁰⁴The way of the Torah. – they were engaged in the laws of converts.

“She departed from the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law with her; they went on the way to return to the land of Judah” (Ruth 1:7).
“She departed from the place where she had been.” “She departed” – was it she alone who departed from there? Did not several camel drivers depart, several donkey drivers depart, and you say “she departed”? Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon [said]: The most prominent person in the city, he is its radiance, he is its splendor, he is its glory, and he is its praise. When he vacates it, its radiance vacates, its splendor vacates, its glory vacates, and its praise vacates. So you find with Jacob our patriarch when he departed from Beersheba. Was it he alone who departed from there? Did not several camel drivers depart, several donkey drivers depart, and [yet] you say “he departed”?¹⁰⁰See Genesis 28:10. When the righteous one is in the city, he is its radiance, he is its splendor, he is its glory, and he is its praise. When he departs from there, its radiance vacates, its splendor vacates, its glory vacates, and its praise vacates. There,¹⁰¹When Naomi left Moav. it works out well, because it was only that righteous woman who was there; however, here, wasn’t Isaac [still] there [in Beersheba]? Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Azarya ben Rabbi Simon: The merit of one righteous person is not comparable to the merit of two righteous people.
“They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.” Rabbi Yehuda said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They transgressed the letter of the law and they went on the festival.¹⁰²It says: “When they came to Bethlehem, the entire city was astir” (Ruth 1:19), and it says: “They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest” (Ruth 1:22). The midrash (Rut Rabba 3:6) interprets this as referring to the sixteenth of Nisan, when the barley for the Omer offering was cut. The city was astir because people from the surrounding villages would gather toward evening of the fifteenth of Nisan for this ceremony. Thus, in their hurry to arrive in the land of Israel, Naomi and Ruth traveled on the fifteenth of Nisan, which is Passover. Alternatively, “they went on the way”¹⁰³If it says that they went, it is obvious that they were on the way. – the way caused them distress, they went barefoot. “They went [on the way],”¹⁰⁴The way of the Torah. – they were engaged in the laws of converts.

“Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law: Go, return each woman to her mother's house; may the Lord perform kindness with you, as you performed with the dead, and with me” (Ruth 1:8).
“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].¹⁰⁵Typically one’s home is referred to as one’s father’s, not one’s mother’s, house. Consequently, the midrash finds in this term a reference to rejoining their original nations. 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”?¹⁰⁶Proving that the mother is more dear than the father. He said to him: ‘Well said, as there is no paternity among gentiles.’¹⁰⁷The identity of the father is uncertain. Rabbi Meir agreed with Avnimos but for a different reason. Avnimos was a gentile.

“May the Lord perform [ya’as] kindness with you” – Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ada said: It is written “ya’aseh.”¹⁰⁸Lest you think that Naomi’s blessing was halfhearted, as it is read without the heh, it is not so, as it is written with a heh. “As you performed with the dead” – that you tended to their shrouds; “and with me” – that you relinquished your marriage contracts. Rabbi Ze’eira said: This scroll¹⁰⁹The book of Ruth. does not contain [the laws of] purity or impurity, and not prohibitions or allowances. Why was it written? It is to teach you the extent of the good reward for those who perform kindness.

“May the Lord grant you that you find rest, each woman in the house of her husband. She kissed them; and they raised their voices, and wept” (Ruth 1:9).
“May the Lord grant [yitten] you” – Rabbi Yosei said: All the goodness and consolations that the Holy One blessed be He was destined to grant to Solomon, as it is written: “God granted [vayitten] wisdom to Solomon” (I Kings 5:9), will be from you.¹¹⁰This is an allusion to the fact that David and Solomon will descend from Ruth. “And find rest [umtzena]” – umtzena is written,¹¹¹The word is written without the concluding heh. one will find [rest], two will not find. “Each woman in the house of her husband” – from here [it may be derived] that there is satisfaction for a woman only in her husband’s house.
“Naomi said: Return my daughters; why would you go with me? Do I have more sons in my womb that would be husbands for you?” (Ruth 1:11).
“They raised their voices, and wept, and they said to her…Naomi said: Return my daughters, why would you go with me? Do I have more sons in my womb that would be husbands for you?” (Ruth 1:9–11). Does a person perform levirate marriage with the wife of his brother with whom he did not coexist?¹¹²If a married man dies without children, his brother marries his widow in a procedure called levirate marriage (see Deuteronomy 25:5–6). However, this may not be done if the brother had not yet been born during the deceased brother’s lifetime (see Yevamot 17b).

“May the Lord grant you that you find rest, each woman in the house of her husband. She kissed them; and they raised their voices, and wept” (Ruth 1:9).
“May the Lord grant [yitten] you” – Rabbi Yosei said: All the goodness and consolations that the Holy One blessed be He was destined to grant to Solomon, as it is written: “God granted [vayitten] wisdom to Solomon” (I Kings 5:9), will be from you.¹¹⁰This is an allusion to the fact that David and Solomon will descend from Ruth. “And find rest [umtzena]” – umtzena is written,¹¹¹The word is written without the concluding heh. one will find [rest], two will not find. “Each woman in the house of her husband” – from here [it may be derived] that there is satisfaction for a woman only in her husband’s house.
“Naomi said: Return my daughters; why would you go with me? Do I have more sons in my womb that would be husbands for you?” (Ruth 1:11).
“They raised their voices, and wept, and they said to her…Naomi said: Return my daughters, why would you go with me? Do I have more sons in my womb that would be husbands for you?” (Ruth 1:9–11). Does a person perform levirate marriage with the wife of his brother with whom he did not coexist?¹¹²If a married man dies without children, his brother marries his widow in a procedure called levirate marriage (see Deuteronomy 25:5–6). However, this may not be done if the brother had not yet been born during the deceased brother’s lifetime (see Yevamot 17b).

“Turn back, my daughters, go, as I am too old to be with a husband. If I were to say: I have hope, even were I to be with a husband tonight, and also were I to bear sons” (Ruth 1:12).
“Turn back, my daughters, go” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said in the name of Rabbi Yudan bar Rabbi Ḥanina: In three places it is written here: “Turn back” (Ruth 1:8), “Turn back” (Ruth 1:11), “Turn back” (Ruth 1:12), corresponding to the three times that one rejects a convert. If he insists beyond that, one accepts him. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “A stranger shall not stay the night outside” (Job 31:32). A person shall always reject with the left and accept with the right.¹¹³Rejection should be performed weakly, while the subsequent acceptance should be undertaken powerfully. “As I am too old to be with a husband […were I to be with a husband tonight]” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Torah teaches you proper conduct, that one engages in marital relations at night and not by day. That is what is written: “In the evening she would come and in the morning she would return” (Esther 2:14), and it is written: “Were I to be with a husband tonight.”

“Turn back, my daughters, go, as I am too old to be with a husband. If I were to say: I have hope, even were I to be with a husband tonight, and also were I to bear sons” (Ruth 1:12).
“Turn back, my daughters, go” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said in the name of Rabbi Yudan bar Rabbi Ḥanina: In three places it is written here: “Turn back” (Ruth 1:8), “Turn back” (Ruth 1:11), “Turn back” (Ruth 1:12), corresponding to the three times that one rejects a convert. If he insists beyond that, one accepts him. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “A stranger shall not stay the night outside” (Job 31:32). A person shall always reject with the left and accept with the right.¹¹³Rejection should be performed weakly, while the subsequent acceptance should be undertaken powerfully. “As I am too old to be with a husband […were I to be with a husband tonight]” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Torah teaches you proper conduct, that one engages in marital relations at night and not by day. That is what is written: “In the evening she would come and in the morning she would return” (Esther 2:14), and it is written: “Were I to be with a husband tonight.”

“Turn back, my daughters, go, as I am too old to be with a husband. If I were to say: I have hope, even were I to be with a husband tonight, and also were I to bear sons” (Ruth 1:12).
“Turn back, my daughters, go” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said in the name of Rabbi Yudan bar Rabbi Ḥanina: In three places it is written here: “Turn back” (Ruth 1:8), “Turn back” (Ruth 1:11), “Turn back” (Ruth 1:12), corresponding to the three times that one rejects a convert. If he insists beyond that, one accepts him. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “A stranger shall not stay the night outside” (Job 31:32). A person shall always reject with the left and accept with the right.¹¹³Rejection should be performed weakly, while the subsequent acceptance should be undertaken powerfully. “As I am too old to be with a husband […were I to be with a husband tonight]” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Torah teaches you proper conduct, that one engages in marital relations at night and not by day. That is what is written: “In the evening she would come and in the morning she would return” (Esther 2:14), and it is written: “Were I to be with a husband tonight.”

“Would you wait for them until they grow? Would you constrain yourselves for them, not to be with a husband? No, my daughters, for I am greatly embittered for you; as the hand of the Lord has emerged against me” (Ruth 1:13).
“Were I to be,” had I already borne sons, or were I to be with a man tonight and would bear sons, “would you wait,” would you sit idly “until they grow”? “Would you constrain yourselves?” Could you sit in forced solitude, “not to be with a husband”? “No [al], my daughters,” woe [alelai] my daughters, “for I am greatly embittered for you,” for your sakes. “As the hand of the Lord has emerged against me,” and my sons and my husband.

Rabbi Ḥanina son of Rabbi Abbahu interpreted the verse as referring to Moses. Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, I lauded you with the word hen, as it is stated: “Behold [hen], to the Lord are the heavens and the heaven of heavens” (Deuteronomy (10:14), and I believed that You would accord me greatness. “Would you constrain yourselves for them [halahen te’agena],” instead, You caused the angel of death to touch me [hogatani], You forsook my hen, and You said to me: “Behold [hen], your days approach that you must die” (Deuteronomy 31:14). Then he [Moses] said to Israel: “No [al], my daughters,” woe [alelai] my children, “for I am greatly embittered for you,” because of you, “as the hand of God has emerged against me” and my brother [Aaron].

R. Jochanan (and according to others, R. Elazar), said: "The wife of a man does not die [frequently] unless he is requested to pay [his donation] and has not to pay, as it is said (Prov. 22, 27) If thou have nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?" R. Jochanan said again: "To him whose first wife dies, it is as if the Temple had been destroyed in his days, as it is said (Ezek. 24, 10) I will take away from thee the desire of thy eyes, etc., and (Ib.) And when I had spoken unto the people in the morning, my wife died at evening; and (Ib. 21) I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the desire of your eyes." R. Alexandrai said: "To him whose wife dies, the world around him is dark, as it is said (Job 18, 6) The light becometh dark in his tent, and his lamp will be quenched above him." R. Jose b. Chanina said: Also his steps become shortened, as immediately it reads: The steps of his strength shall be narrowed. And R. Abahu said: "Also his advice is no more of use; as the end of the verse cited reads: And his own counsel shall cast him down." Rabba b. b. Chana said in the name of R. Jochanan: "Joining couples is as difficult as the dividing of the Red Sea, as it is said (Ps. 68, 7) God places those who are solitary in the midst of their families: He bringeth out those who are bound unto happiness. Do not read Motzi Assirim (bringeth out those who are bound), but read it K' motzi Assirim (like bringing out those who are bound). Do not read Bakosharoth (into happiness), but read B'chi V'shiruth (weeping and singing); i.e., at the Red Sea they wept first and then sang." Is this so? Has not R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "Forty days before the embryo is formed, a heavenly voice goes forth and says: 'This and that daughter to this and that son.'" This is not difficult to explain. The latter deals with the first marriage, and the former with the second marriage. R. Samuel b. Nachman said: "For everything there may be an exchange, but not for the wife of one's youth, as it is said (Is. 54, 6) And as a wife of one's youth that was rejected." R. Juda taught to his son, R. Isaac: "One can find pleasure only in his first wife, as it is said (Prov. 5, 18) Thy fountain will be blessed; and rejoice with the wife (Ib. b) of thy youth." "Whom do you mean?" his son asked, and he answered: "Your mother." Is that so? Did not R. Juda teach to R. Isaac his son (Ecc. 7, 26) And I find as more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, etc? And the latter asked him: "Who, for an example?" He answered: "Like your mother." True, she was irascible, but was easily appeased with a word. R. Samuel b. Unya said in the name of Rab: "A woman [unmarried] is an unfinished vessel, and she makes a covenant with [cares for] none but him who made her a vessel; as it is said (Is. 54, 5) For thy husband is thy master," etc. There is a Baraitha; No one feels the death of a man more than his wife, and no one feels the death of a woman more than her hushaud. No one feels the death of a man more than his wife, as it is said (Ruth 1, 3) Thereupon died Elimelcch, Naomi's husband; and no one feels the death of a woman more than her husband, as it is said (Gen. 48, 7) And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me.

“They raised their voices, and wept again. Orpa kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth cleaved to her” (Ruth 1:14).
“They raised [vatisena] their voices, and wept.” [The word vatisena appears in this verse] without an alef [indicating that] their strength was weakened,¹¹⁸The word is missing a letter to allude to the fact that their strength became lacking. as they were walking and weeping. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Orpa walked forty paces with her mother-in-law [before leaving], and [therefore] her descendant’s [sentence] was in abeyance for forty days, as it is stated: “The Philistine approached morning and evening [and stood for forty days]” (I Samuel 17:16).¹¹⁹The midrash claims that the Philistine warrior Goliath was a descendant of Orpa. He challenged the Israelites for forty days until David confronted him and killed him. Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Orpa walked four mil with her mother-in-law, and four mighty men came from her, as it is stated: “These four were born to the giant [harafa]”¹²⁰An allusion to Orpa. (II Samuel 21:22). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Throughout that night that Orpa took her leave from her mother-in-law, the nakedness of one hundred gentiles was intermingled with her; that is what is written: “He spoke with them…from the ranks [mima’arkhot] of the Philistines” (I Samuel 17:23) – mime’arot is written; from one hundred foreskins [me’a orlot] of gentiles that were inserted into her throughout the night. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: One dog, too, as it is written: “The Philistine said to David: Am I a dog?” (I Samuel 17:43).

“Orpa kissed her mother-in-law.” All kisses are of licentiousness, except for three: A kiss of greatness, a kiss of absence, and a kiss of parting. A kiss of greatness, as it is written: “Samuel took a flask of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him” (I Samuel 10:1). Of absence, as it is written: “He met him at the mountain of God at Ḥorev [and he kissed him]” (Exodus 4:27). Of parting, as it is stated: “Orpa kissed her mother-in-law.” Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Even a kiss of closeness, as it is stated: “Jacob kissed Rachel” (Genesis 29:11). Why? It is because she was his relative.
“She said: Behold, your sister-in-law has returned to her people, and to her god; return after your sister-in-law” (Ruth 1:15).
“She said: Behold, your sister-in-law has returned [to her people, and to her god]…” – once she returned to her people she returned to her god.

“Orpa kissed her mother-in-law.” All kisses are of licentiousness, except for three: A kiss of greatness, a kiss of absence, and a kiss of parting. A kiss of greatness, as it is written: “Samuel took a flask of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him” (I Samuel 10:1). Of absence, as it is written: “He met him at the mountain of God at Ḥorev [and he kissed him]” (Exodus 4:27). Of parting, as it is stated: “Orpa kissed her mother-in-law.” Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Even a kiss of closeness, as it is stated: “Jacob kissed Rachel” (Genesis 29:11). Why? It is because she was his relative.
“She said: Behold, your sister-in-law has returned to her people, and to her god; return after your sister-in-law” (Ruth 1:15).
“She said: Behold, your sister-in-law has returned [to her people, and to her god]…” – once she returned to her people she returned to her god.

“Ruth said: Do not entreat me to leave you, to return from following you, as where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people is my people, and your God is my God” (Ruth 1:16).
“Ruth said: Do not entreat me to leave you, to return from following you.” What is “do not entreat me”? She said to her: ‘Do not sin to me, do not impose your reservations upon me.’ “To leave you, to return from following you” – in any case, my intention is to convert. It is preferable through you, and not through another. When Naomi heard this, she began arranging the laws of converts for her. She said to her: ‘My daughter, it is not the way of Israelite women to go to theaters and circuses of the gentiles.’ [Ruth] said to her: “Where you go, I will go.” [Naomi] said to her: ‘My daughter, it is not the way of Israel to reside in a house where there is no mezuza.’ [Ruth] said to her: “And where you lodge, I will lodge.” “Your people is my people” – these are punishments and prohibitions.” “Your God is my God” – [these are] the rest of the mitzvot.

“Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried; so may the Lord do to me, and so may He continue, as death will separate between you and me” (Ruth 1:17).
“Where you die, I will die” – there are the four court-imposed death penalties: Stoning, burning, beheading, and strangling.¹²¹Ruth was accepting upon herself mitzvot, including the consequences they carry. “And there I will be buried,” these are the two cemeteries designated for the court, one for those stoned and burned, and one for those beheaded and strangled. “So may the Lord do to me, and so may He continue” – [Naomi] said to her: ‘My daughter, amass as many mitzvot and acts of righteousness that you can amass in this world, but in the future “death will separate between you and me.”¹²²After death one can no longer perform mitzvot, and each person is rewarded according to what he or she has done during their lifetime.

“It was during the days when the judges judged.” “Indolence casts into a deep sleep” (Proverbs 19:15) – because Israel were indolent in paying their respects to Joshua; that is what is written: “They buried him on the border of his inheritance…north of Mount Gaash” (Joshua 24:30). Rabbi Berekhya said: We reviewed the entire Bible and did not find a place named Gaash. What is Mount Gaash? It is because Israel was negligent [nitgaashu] in doing kindness for Joshua. At that time, the Land of Israel was being divided [among the tribes], and its division [i.e., the land] was too beloved to them. Israel were engaged in their labor; this one was occupied in his field, this one was occupied in his vineyard, this one was occupied in his olives, and this one was occupied with his planks [for construction]. “A deceitful soul will starve” (Proverbs 19:15)⁶This is the conclusion of the verse: “Indolence casts into a deep sleep, and the deceitful soul will starve” (Proverbs 19:5). – Israel was negligent [nitgaashu] in doing kindness for Joshua, and the Holy One blessed be He sought to bring an earthquake upon the world, upon all its inhabitants, as you say: “The earth shook [vatigash] and quaked” (Psalms 18:8). “A deceitful soul will starve” – because they were deceitful to the Holy One blessed be He: Some of them worshipped idols. Therefore, the Holy One blessed be He starved them of the divine spirit, as it is stated: “The word of the Lord was rare in those days” (I Samuel 3:1).
Another interpretation: “Indolence casts into a deep sleep” (Proverbs 19:15) – due to the fact that Israel was indolent about repenting during the days of Elijah, “casts into [tapil] a deep sleep” – prophecy proliferated. Proliferated? But you said tapil.⁷Tapil literally means ‘cause to fall’ or ‘cause to decline.’ It is as you say: The price of fruit has fallen.⁸Because the supply has increased, the price has declined. Rabbi Simon said: Like a person who says to another: ‘Here is a sack, here is a sela coin, arise and eat.’⁹In other words, prophecy was readily available, like buying produce. As Rabbi Derosa said: Six hundred thousand prophets arose for Israel during the days of Elijah; Rabbi Yaakov said: One million two hundred thousand. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Between Gevat and Antipatris¹⁰Gevat was at the southern border of Roman Judea and Antipatris at its northern border. This expression is a way of saying ‘throughout Judea.’ there were six hundred thousand towns, and there were no towns more corrupt that Beit El and Jericho; Jericho, because Joshua cursed it (see Joshua 6:26), and Beit El, because Yerovam’s calves were situated there (see I Kings 12:28–29). It is stated: “The disciples of the prophets who were in Beit El went out to Elisha” (II Kings 2:3). “Prophets” – prophets are no fewer than two.¹¹If in this corrupt city there were at least two prophets, presumably there were more elsewhere. Why were their prophecies not publicized? It is because they served no purpose for future generations. On this basis, say: Any prophecy that served no purpose for future generations was not publicized. But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will come and bring them with Him, and their prophecy will be publicized; that is what is written: “The Lord my God will come, all the holy ones with You” (Zechariah 14:5).
“A deceitful soul will starve” (Proverbs 19:15) – because they would deceive the Holy One blessed be He: Some of them worshipped idols and some of them worshipped the Holy One blessed be He. This is what Elijah said to them: “How long will you waver between the two opinions” (I Kings 18:21)? “Will starve” – the Holy One blessed be He starved them during the days of Elijah, as it is stated: “By the life of the Lord [. . .] before whom I have stood [there will not be dew or rain during these years]” (I Kings 17:1). Another interpretation: “Indolence casts into a deep sleep” (Proverbs 19:15) – because Israel were indolent about repenting during the days of the judges, a deep sleep will be cast upon them. “A deceitful soul will starve” – because they deceived the Holy One blessed be He with some of them worshipping idols and some of them worshipping the Holy One blessed be He, the Holy One blessed be He starved them with a famine during the days of their judges.

(Lev. 25:25:) ”When your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property, then his redeemer shall come.” Who is his redeemer? I am He, as stated (in Jer. 50:33-34), “The Children of Israel […] are oppressed […]. Their Redeemer is mighty, His name is the Lord of hosts […].” Seven names are given to the poor.¹⁴Cf. Lev. R. 34:6, which lists eight names. And they are the following: crushed (dakh), poor ('ani), lowly (makh), dispossessed (rash), oppressed (tekhakhim),¹⁵Cf. Lev. R. 34:6, followed by Yalqut Shim‘oni, Lev. 665, which reads dal (“impoverished”) here. wretched (misken), and pauper (evyon). [(Lev. 25:25:) “When your relative becomes poor.”] This text is related (to Ps. 106:43), “Many times He delivered them, but they rebelled; so they became poor through their iniquity.” You find that in the days that the Judges judged, Israel served idols; so they were enslaved in the hands of the peoples of the world, as stated (in Jud. 3:7-8), “Then the Children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord…. So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of Cushan.” What did they do (according to vs. 9)? “The Children of Israel cried unto the Lord, and the Lord raised up a savior for the Children of Israel [to save them, i.e.,] Othniel ben Kenaz.” They immediately repented and were redeemed. So [it happened] another time, as stated (in Jud. 3:12), “Then the Children of Israel again did evil….” They immediately repented; so the Lord raised up a redeemer for them, Ehud ben Gera the Binyaminite; and they were redeemed at his hands. Then they served idols again and were sold into the hands of Sisera, as stated (in Jud. 4:3), “and he oppressed the Children of Israel with might twenty years.” What is the meaning of “with might?” With blasphemies and with curses, just as you say (in Mal. 3:13), “Your words have been mighty against me.” When they repented, He raised up Barak and Deborah as redeemers for them; and they were redeemed at their hands. Ergo (in Ps. 106:43), “Many times He delivered them…; so they became poor through their iniquity.” What is the meaning of “so they became poor through their iniquity?” That they became impoverished in the midst of the nations, as stated (in Jud. 6:6), “And Israel became very impoverished….” What is the meaning of “and Israel became impoverished?” R. Isaac and R. Levi differed. One said, “They were impoverished (rt.: dll) from good works”; and the other said, “They did not have [enough] to bring even a poor person's (rt.: dll) offering, as stated (in Lev. 14:21), ‘If, however, he is poor (rt.: dll) and does not have the means.’” Ergo (in Ps. 106:43), “so they became poor through their iniquity,” as they had become impoverished (rt.: dll). Another interpretation (of Ps. 106:43), “Many times He delivered them”: [These words] speak about people. When trouble comes to one [of them] and he repents, the Holy One, blessed be He, delivers him. So it is the first time and the second. [If he repents, that is preferable; but if not, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings trouble upon him. And you yourself know that the Holy One, blessed be He, tests Israel to know if they will repent. First, He brings punishments against the [other] nations, as stated (Zeph. 3:6-7) “I wiped out nations: Their corner towers are desolate… I thought that she would fear Me, would learn a lesson.” [If] they repented, that is preferable; but if not, He destroys their money, as stated (Hos 7:9), “Strangers have consumed his strength….” [If they] repented, that is preferable; but if not, the Holy One blessed be He, brings evil upon one of the cities of Israel, as stated (Is. 42:25), “it blazed upon them all about… it burned among them.” [If] they repented, that is preferable; but if not, what is written (in Numbers 14:35)? “In this desert they will end, and there will they die.” And a person should not say, “The evil is not coming on my account.” He should know that he [too] will die, as stated (Amos 9:10), “All the sinners of My people shall perish [by the sword], who boast, ‘Never shall the evil overtake us or come near us.’” Come and see how difficult it is for the Holy One, blessed be He, to raise His hand against a human being. So what does He do to him? When he sins, He begins by raising His hand against his assets. From whom have you learned it? From Naomi, her sons, and Elimelech her husband, who was the head of [his] generation. When famine came, what did he do? He left the Land of Israel and went to the Land of Moab. Now the Holy One, blessed be He, was angry with him because he was prince (nasi) of [his] generation. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “These have abandoned My children and left the Land of Israel a wilderness.” What is written there (in Ruth 1:3)? “Then Naomi's husband Elimelech died,” but his sons were unable to learn from their father to return to the Land of Israel. And what did they do? (According to vs. 4) They also “took Moabite wives for themselves,” whom they neither immersed nor converted.¹⁶Ruth R. 2:9. (Ibid., cont.:) “The name of the one was Orpah ('rph) and the name of the second was Ruth”: Orpah ('rph), because she turned her back ('rp) on her mother-in-law; Ruth, because she esteemed (r'th) the words of her mother-in-law. (ibid., cont.:) “And they lived there about ten years.” All those ten years (in Moab) the Holy One, blessed be He, had been warning them, that they might repent and return to the Land of Israel. When He saw that they did not repent, he began to raise His hand against their camels and against their cattle.¹⁷Lev. R. 17:4; Ruth R. 2:10; PRK 7:10; PR 17:6. When He saw that they did not repent (literally, return in repentance), immediately (in vs. 5), “Both of them, Mahlon and Chilion, also died.” Thus [you may infer] that it is difficult for the Holy One, blessed be He, to raise His hand against [a human being]. So what does He do to them? He deprives them of their assets, and they sell them. When someone sins, what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do to him first? He brings poverty upon him, so that he sells his field. If he repents, then fine; but if not he sells his house. If he repents, then fine; but if not he sells himself. How is this shown? So is it written (in Lev. 25:25), “When your relative becomes poor.” If he repents, then fine; but if not, see what is written in the second section; (in Lev. 25:29), “And when someone sells a dwelling house.” If he repents, then fine; but if not, (in Lev. 25:39), “When your relative becomes poor and he is sold to you.” Why all this? Because they became poor through [their] iniquities. (Lev. 25:25:) “Then his redeemer shall come.” R. Simeon ben Johay said, “Elimelech, Salmon, So-and-So,¹⁸Peloni Almoni. According to Ruth 4:1, this was the “name” of Ruth’s most closely related redeemer. and Naomi's father were all descendants of Nahshon ben Amminadab;¹⁹BB 91a. See Ruth 4:20–21; also Exod. 6:23, according to which Nahshon ben Amminadab was Aaron’s brother-in-law. and Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion were leaders²⁰Rt.: PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoos (“prudent”). of the generation.” So for what reason were they punished? Because they went abroad from the Land of Israel. Thus it is stated (in Ruth 1:19), “the whole city was excited over them, [and the women said, ‘Is this Naomi?’]” What is the meaning of, “Is this (Hazot) Naomi?” You saw (hazitem) Naomi when she went abroad from the Land of Israel. What has happened to her? (Lev. 25:25:) “Then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related (qarov).” This is Boaz. When? When Naomi sold the field, as stated (in Ruth 4:3), “the parcel of land which belonged to our relative, [Elimelech].” (Lev. 25:25:) “Then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him.” This is Boaz, since it is stated (in Ruth 2:20), “The man is our relative (qarov), [he is one of our redeeming kin (go'el)].” At that time Ruth went to Boaz. Her mother-in-law said to her (in Ruth 3:2), “see, he is winnowing barley on the threshing floor tonight.” [If] he was a prince (nasi), would he have been winnowing on a threshing floor? It is simply because his generation was dissolute in matters of theft, and [so] he went out to guard his threshing floor. She said to her (in vs. 3), “You are to wash and anoint yourself.” Then after that (ibid), “and go down to the threshing floor.” "And I shall go down" is the actual written text (ketiv)]. What is the meaning of "and I shall go down?" She said to her, “My merit will go down with you.” Hence it is written, "And I shall go down."²¹Ruth R. 5:12. But she did not do as her mother-in-law had told her. What did Ruth do? [Only] after she went down to the threshing floor, she did what she was told, as stated (in vs. 6), “She went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her.”²²In other words, since she only obeyed Naomi after she had arrived at the threshing floor, she must have neglected to wash and anoint herself before then. Why? It is simply that she said, “The generation was dissolute in sexual matters. What if they see me made up and say, ‘Perhaps she is a harlot?’” Therefore, “She went down to the threshing floor and” afterwards “she did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her.” (Vs. 7:) Then, when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry.” What is the meaning of “and his heart was merry?” That he was occupied with words of the Torah.²³Ruth R. 5:15. Thus it is stated (Prov. 4:2), “As a good teaching…,” and it is [also] written (about wisdom in Prov. 9:5), “Come and eat of my bread.” (Ruth 3:7, cont.:) “And when he came to lie down beside the grain pile, then she came in secret.” What is the meaning of, “in secret (lt; rt.: lwt)?” [It is] just as you say (in I Sam. 21:10), “here it is wrapped (rt.: lwt) in a mantle.” (Ruth 3:8:) “Now it came to pass in the middle of the night that the man was startled. So he turned aside, [and here was a woman lying at his feet].” What is the meaning of, “turned aside (rt.: lpt)?” [It is] just as you say (in Jud. 16:29), “And Samson embraced (rt.: lpt) the two middle pillars.” That righteous man began to yell. [Fear] embraced him. (Ruth 3:9:) Then he said, “Who are you?” And she said, “I am your handmaid Ruth.” He said to her, “What have you come here to do?” She said to him, “To fulfill the Torah (in Lev. 25:25), ‘When your relative becomes poor [… then his redeemer shall come].’ Arise and fulfill the Torah.” He said to her, “Since you have come to fulfill the Torah, (Ruth 3:13:) ‘Spend the night; then it shall come to pass in the morning that, if he will redeem you, good (tov)’”; for he had a relative older than he, whose name was Tov. R. Hanina said, “She said to him, ‘And are you dismissing me with words?’” He said to her (ibid., cont.), “’As the Lord lives,’ I am not dismissing you with words.” (Ruth 4:1:) “Then Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken was passing by.” He said to him, “Sit down, and we shall look into the Torah; what is written there? Is it not written (in Lev. 25:25), ‘When your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property, [then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him, and redeem…]’” Boaz said to Tov (in Ruth 4:3–4), “’Naomi is selling the parcel of land which belonged to our relative Elimelech […]. And I thought I should disclose it to you, saying, ‘Buy it,’” since you are a senior redeemer than I [and have the right] to redeem it. [Hence] (as in vs. 4, cont.,) “If you will redeem it, redeem it.” (Vs. 6:) “Then the redeemer said, ‘Acquire it for yourself.’” At that time Boaz redeemed what Naomi had sold. Now from where did Boaz learn [what to do]? From this section (in Lev. 25:25), “When your relative becomes poor and sells [some of his property, then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him, and redeem…].” And who else was [like] this? Jeremiah was [like] this. At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Jeremiah 32:7), “Behold Hanamel the son of Shalum your uncle is coming to you…,” [Jeremiah said] (in Jeremiah 32:8), “And just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the prison compound.” Immediately, Jeremiah fulfilled this section [of the Torah], as stated (in Jeremiah 32:9), “And I bought the field.” Now from where did he learn [what to do]? From this section (in Lev. 25:25), “When your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property, [then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him, and redeem…].”

(Lev. 25:25:) ”When your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property, then his redeemer shall come.” Who is his redeemer? I am He, as stated (in Jer. 50:33-34), “The Children of Israel […] are oppressed […]. Their Redeemer is mighty, His name is the Lord of hosts […].” Seven names are given to the poor.¹⁴Cf. Lev. R. 34:6, which lists eight names. And they are the following: crushed (dakh), poor ('ani), lowly (makh), dispossessed (rash), oppressed (tekhakhim),¹⁵Cf. Lev. R. 34:6, followed by Yalqut Shim‘oni, Lev. 665, which reads dal (“impoverished”) here. wretched (misken), and pauper (evyon). [(Lev. 25:25:) “When your relative becomes poor.”] This text is related (to Ps. 106:43), “Many times He delivered them, but they rebelled; so they became poor through their iniquity.” You find that in the days that the Judges judged, Israel served idols; so they were enslaved in the hands of the peoples of the world, as stated (in Jud. 3:7-8), “Then the Children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord…. So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of Cushan.” What did they do (according to vs. 9)? “The Children of Israel cried unto the Lord, and the Lord raised up a savior for the Children of Israel [to save them, i.e.,] Othniel ben Kenaz.” They immediately repented and were redeemed. So [it happened] another time, as stated (in Jud. 3:12), “Then the Children of Israel again did evil….” They immediately repented; so the Lord raised up a redeemer for them, Ehud ben Gera the Binyaminite; and they were redeemed at his hands. Then they served idols again and were sold into the hands of Sisera, as stated (in Jud. 4:3), “and he oppressed the Children of Israel with might twenty years.” What is the meaning of “with might?” With blasphemies and with curses, just as you say (in Mal. 3:13), “Your words have been mighty against me.” When they repented, He raised up Barak and Deborah as redeemers for them; and they were redeemed at their hands. Ergo (in Ps. 106:43), “Many times He delivered them…; so they became poor through their iniquity.” What is the meaning of “so they became poor through their iniquity?” That they became impoverished in the midst of the nations, as stated (in Jud. 6:6), “And Israel became very impoverished….” What is the meaning of “and Israel became impoverished?” R. Isaac and R. Levi differed. One said, “They were impoverished (rt.: dll) from good works”; and the other said, “They did not have [enough] to bring even a poor person's (rt.: dll) offering, as stated (in Lev. 14:21), ‘If, however, he is poor (rt.: dll) and does not have the means.’” Ergo (in Ps. 106:43), “so they became poor through their iniquity,” as they had become impoverished (rt.: dll). Another interpretation (of Ps. 106:43), “Many times He delivered them”: [These words] speak about people. When trouble comes to one [of them] and he repents, the Holy One, blessed be He, delivers him. So it is the first time and the second. [If he repents, that is preferable; but if not, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings trouble upon him. And you yourself know that the Holy One, blessed be He, tests Israel to know if they will repent. First, He brings punishments against the [other] nations, as stated (Zeph. 3:6-7) “I wiped out nations: Their corner towers are desolate… I thought that she would fear Me, would learn a lesson.” [If] they repented, that is preferable; but if not, He destroys their money, as stated (Hos 7:9), “Strangers have consumed his strength….” [If they] repented, that is preferable; but if not, the Holy One blessed be He, brings evil upon one of the cities of Israel, as stated (Is. 42:25), “it blazed upon them all about… it burned among them.” [If] they repented, that is preferable; but if not, what is written (in Numbers 14:35)? “In this desert they will end, and there will they die.” And a person should not say, “The evil is not coming on my account.” He should know that he [too] will die, as stated (Amos 9:10), “All the sinners of My people shall perish [by the sword], who boast, ‘Never shall the evil overtake us or come near us.’” Come and see how difficult it is for the Holy One, blessed be He, to raise His hand against a human being. So what does He do to him? When he sins, He begins by raising His hand against his assets. From whom have you learned it? From Naomi, her sons, and Elimelech her husband, who was the head of [his] generation. When famine came, what did he do? He left the Land of Israel and went to the Land of Moab. Now the Holy One, blessed be He, was angry with him because he was prince (nasi) of [his] generation. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “These have abandoned My children and left the Land of Israel a wilderness.” What is written there (in Ruth 1:3)? “Then Naomi's husband Elimelech died,” but his sons were unable to learn from their father to return to the Land of Israel. And what did they do? (According to vs. 4) They also “took Moabite wives for themselves,” whom they neither immersed nor converted.¹⁶Ruth R. 2:9. (Ibid., cont.:) “The name of the one was Orpah ('rph) and the name of the second was Ruth”: Orpah ('rph), because she turned her back ('rp) on her mother-in-law; Ruth, because she esteemed (r'th) the words of her mother-in-law. (ibid., cont.:) “And they lived there about ten years.” All those ten years (in Moab) the Holy One, blessed be He, had been warning them, that they might repent and return to the Land of Israel. When He saw that they did not repent, he began to raise His hand against their camels and against their cattle.¹⁷Lev. R. 17:4; Ruth R. 2:10; PRK 7:10; PR 17:6. When He saw that they did not repent (literally, return in repentance), immediately (in vs. 5), “Both of them, Mahlon and Chilion, also died.” Thus [you may infer] that it is difficult for the Holy One, blessed be He, to raise His hand against [a human being]. So what does He do to them? He deprives them of their assets, and they sell them. When someone sins, what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do to him first? He brings poverty upon him, so that he sells his field. If he repents, then fine; but if not he sells his house. If he repents, then fine; but if not he sells himself. How is this shown? So is it written (in Lev. 25:25), “When your relative becomes poor.” If he repents, then fine; but if not, see what is written in the second section; (in Lev. 25:29), “And when someone sells a dwelling house.” If he repents, then fine; but if not, (in Lev. 25:39), “When your relative becomes poor and he is sold to you.” Why all this? Because they became poor through [their] iniquities. (Lev. 25:25:) “Then his redeemer shall come.” R. Simeon ben Johay said, “Elimelech, Salmon, So-and-So,¹⁸Peloni Almoni. According to Ruth 4:1, this was the “name” of Ruth’s most closely related redeemer. and Naomi's father were all descendants of Nahshon ben Amminadab;¹⁹BB 91a. See Ruth 4:20–21; also Exod. 6:23, according to which Nahshon ben Amminadab was Aaron’s brother-in-law. and Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion were leaders²⁰Rt.: PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoos (“prudent”). of the generation.” So for what reason were they punished? Because they went abroad from the Land of Israel. Thus it is stated (in Ruth 1:19), “the whole city was excited over them, [and the women said, ‘Is this Naomi?’]” What is the meaning of, “Is this (Hazot) Naomi?” You saw (hazitem) Naomi when she went abroad from the Land of Israel. What has happened to her? (Lev. 25:25:) “Then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related (qarov).” This is Boaz. When? When Naomi sold the field, as stated (in Ruth 4:3), “the parcel of land which belonged to our relative, [Elimelech].” (Lev. 25:25:) “Then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him.” This is Boaz, since it is stated (in Ruth 2:20), “The man is our relative (qarov), [he is one of our redeeming kin (go'el)].” At that time Ruth went to Boaz. Her mother-in-law said to her (in Ruth 3:2), “see, he is winnowing barley on the threshing floor tonight.” [If] he was a prince (nasi), would he have been winnowing on a threshing floor? It is simply because his generation was dissolute in matters of theft, and [so] he went out to guard his threshing floor. She said to her (in vs. 3), “You are to wash and anoint yourself.” Then after that (ibid), “and go down to the threshing floor.” "And I shall go down" is the actual written text (ketiv)]. What is the meaning of "and I shall go down?" She said to her, “My merit will go down with you.” Hence it is written, "And I shall go down."²¹Ruth R. 5:12. But she did not do as her mother-in-law had told her. What did Ruth do? [Only] after she went down to the threshing floor, she did what she was told, as stated (in vs. 6), “She went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her.”²²In other words, since she only obeyed Naomi after she had arrived at the threshing floor, she must have neglected to wash and anoint herself before then. Why? It is simply that she said, “The generation was dissolute in sexual matters. What if they see me made up and say, ‘Perhaps she is a harlot?’” Therefore, “She went down to the threshing floor and” afterwards “she did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her.” (Vs. 7:) Then, when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry.” What is the meaning of “and his heart was merry?” That he was occupied with words of the Torah.²³Ruth R. 5:15. Thus it is stated (Prov. 4:2), “As a good teaching…,” and it is [also] written (about wisdom in Prov. 9:5), “Come and eat of my bread.” (Ruth 3:7, cont.:) “And when he came to lie down beside the grain pile, then she came in secret.” What is the meaning of, “in secret (lt; rt.: lwt)?” [It is] just as you say (in I Sam. 21:10), “here it is wrapped (rt.: lwt) in a mantle.” (Ruth 3:8:) “Now it came to pass in the middle of the night that the man was startled. So he turned aside, [and here was a woman lying at his feet].” What is the meaning of, “turned aside (rt.: lpt)?” [It is] just as you say (in Jud. 16:29), “And Samson embraced (rt.: lpt) the two middle pillars.” That righteous man began to yell. [Fear] embraced him. (Ruth 3:9:) Then he said, “Who are you?” And she said, “I am your handmaid Ruth.” He said to her, “What have you come here to do?” She said to him, “To fulfill the Torah (in Lev. 25:25), ‘When your relative becomes poor [… then his redeemer shall come].’ Arise and fulfill the Torah.” He said to her, “Since you have come to fulfill the Torah, (Ruth 3:13:) ‘Spend the night; then it shall come to pass in the morning that, if he will redeem you, good (tov)’”; for he had a relative older than he, whose name was Tov. R. Hanina said, “She said to him, ‘And are you dismissing me with words?’” He said to her (ibid., cont.), “’As the Lord lives,’ I am not dismissing you with words.” (Ruth 4:1:) “Then Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken was passing by.” He said to him, “Sit down, and we shall look into the Torah; what is written there? Is it not written (in Lev. 25:25), ‘When your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property, [then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him, and redeem…]’” Boaz said to Tov (in Ruth 4:3–4), “’Naomi is selling the parcel of land which belonged to our relative Elimelech […]. And I thought I should disclose it to you, saying, ‘Buy it,’” since you are a senior redeemer than I [and have the right] to redeem it. [Hence] (as in vs. 4, cont.,) “If you will redeem it, redeem it.” (Vs. 6:) “Then the redeemer said, ‘Acquire it for yourself.’” At that time Boaz redeemed what Naomi had sold. Now from where did Boaz learn [what to do]? From this section (in Lev. 25:25), “When your relative becomes poor and sells [some of his property, then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him, and redeem…].” And who else was [like] this? Jeremiah was [like] this. At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Jeremiah 32:7), “Behold Hanamel the son of Shalum your uncle is coming to you…,” [Jeremiah said] (in Jeremiah 32:8), “And just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the prison compound.” Immediately, Jeremiah fulfilled this section [of the Torah], as stated (in Jeremiah 32:9), “And I bought the field.” Now from where did he learn [what to do]? From this section (in Lev. 25:25), “When your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property, [then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him, and redeem…].”

“She saw that she was determined to go with her” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Come and see how precious converts are before the Omnipresent. Once she [Ruth] decided to convert, Scripture equated her with Naomi.¹³⁸In the following verse it says: “The two of them went until they came to Bethlehem” (Ruth 1:19).

“She saw that she was determined to go with her” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Come and see how precious converts are before the Omnipresent. Once she [Ruth] decided to convert, Scripture equated her with Naomi.¹³⁸In the following verse it says: “The two of them went until they came to Bethlehem” (Ruth 1:19).

“The two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. Upon their arrival in Bethlehem the entire city was in a tumult about them, and the women said: Is that Naomi?” (Ruth 1:19).
“The two of them went” – Rabbi Shmuel son of Rabbi Simon said: That day was the harvesting of the omer,¹³⁹Meaning, it was the second day of Passover, on which the new barley would be harvested in order to bring the omer offering. as it is taught there:¹⁴⁰In the Land of Israel. See Mishna Menaḥot 10:3. All the adjacent towns would assemble there, so that it would be harvested with great fanfare. Some say: Ivtzan was marrying off his daughters that day. Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Azarya, and Rabbi Menaḥama in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin: It is written: “Lord, [God] of hosts, who is mighty like You, Lord” (Psalms 89:9) – who brings things about in their appropriate time. Boaz’s wife died on that day, and all of Israel assembled to show kindness [to participate in the funeral]. As all the populace was going to show kindness, Ruth entered with Naomi; this one [Boaz’s first wife] departed, and that one entered.
“The entire city was in a tumult about them and the women said: Is that Naomi” – is that she whose actions are fine and pleasant [ne’imim]? In the past, she would go about in her litters, and now she is walking barefoot, and [that is why] you say: “Is that Naomi?” In the past she was clothed in silken garments, and now she is clothed in rags, and you say: “Is that Naomi?” In the past, her face was red from food and drink, and now her face is pale from hunger, and you say: “Is that Naomi?”
She said to them: Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara; as the Almighty has greatly embittered [hemar] me (Ruth 1:20).
And she says to them: “Do not call me Naomi [pleasantness]; call me Mara [bitterness]” – Bar Kappara said: [It is analogous] to an inferior cow whose owner stood it in the marketplace and said: It is for plowing and it plows straight furrows. They said: If it is for plowing, what are all these wounds on it?¹⁴¹If the cow plowed well it would not have been necessary to whip it. So said Naomi: “[I went full, and the Lord brought me back empty;] why [call me Naomi,] and the Lord has afflicted me, and the Almighty has hurt me” (Ruth 1:21)?

“The two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. Upon their arrival in Bethlehem the entire city was in a tumult about them, and the women said: Is that Naomi?” (Ruth 1:19).
“The two of them went” – Rabbi Shmuel son of Rabbi Simon said: That day was the harvesting of the omer,¹³⁹Meaning, it was the second day of Passover, on which the new barley would be harvested in order to bring the omer offering. as it is taught there:¹⁴⁰In the Land of Israel. See Mishna Menaḥot 10:3. All the adjacent towns would assemble there, so that it would be harvested with great fanfare. Some say: Ivtzan was marrying off his daughters that day. Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Azarya, and Rabbi Menaḥama in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin: It is written: “Lord, [God] of hosts, who is mighty like You, Lord” (Psalms 89:9) – who brings things about in their appropriate time. Boaz’s wife died on that day, and all of Israel assembled to show kindness [to participate in the funeral]. As all the populace was going to show kindness, Ruth entered with Naomi; this one [Boaz’s first wife] departed, and that one entered.
“The entire city was in a tumult about them and the women said: Is that Naomi” – is that she whose actions are fine and pleasant [ne’imim]? In the past, she would go about in her litters, and now she is walking barefoot, and [that is why] you say: “Is that Naomi?” In the past she was clothed in silken garments, and now she is clothed in rags, and you say: “Is that Naomi?” In the past, her face was red from food and drink, and now her face is pale from hunger, and you say: “Is that Naomi?”
She said to them: Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara; as the Almighty has greatly embittered [hemar] me (Ruth 1:20).
And she says to them: “Do not call me Naomi [pleasantness]; call me Mara [bitterness]” – Bar Kappara said: [It is analogous] to an inferior cow whose owner stood it in the marketplace and said: It is for plowing and it plows straight furrows. They said: If it is for plowing, what are all these wounds on it?¹⁴¹If the cow plowed well it would not have been necessary to whip it. So said Naomi: “[I went full, and the Lord brought me back empty;] why [call me Naomi,] and the Lord has afflicted me, and the Almighty has hurt me” (Ruth 1:21)?

“The two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. Upon their arrival in Bethlehem the entire city was in a tumult about them, and the women said: Is that Naomi?” (Ruth 1:19).
“The two of them went” – Rabbi Shmuel son of Rabbi Simon said: That day was the harvesting of the omer,¹³⁹Meaning, it was the second day of Passover, on which the new barley would be harvested in order to bring the omer offering. as it is taught there:¹⁴⁰In the Land of Israel. See Mishna Menaḥot 10:3. All the adjacent towns would assemble there, so that it would be harvested with great fanfare. Some say: Ivtzan was marrying off his daughters that day. Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Azarya, and Rabbi Menaḥama in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin: It is written: “Lord, [God] of hosts, who is mighty like You, Lord” (Psalms 89:9) – who brings things about in their appropriate time. Boaz’s wife died on that day, and all of Israel assembled to show kindness [to participate in the funeral]. As all the populace was going to show kindness, Ruth entered with Naomi; this one [Boaz’s first wife] departed, and that one entered.
“The entire city was in a tumult about them and the women said: Is that Naomi” – is that she whose actions are fine and pleasant [ne’imim]? In the past, she would go about in her litters, and now she is walking barefoot, and [that is why] you say: “Is that Naomi?” In the past she was clothed in silken garments, and now she is clothed in rags, and you say: “Is that Naomi?” In the past, her face was red from food and drink, and now her face is pale from hunger, and you say: “Is that Naomi?”
She said to them: Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara; as the Almighty has greatly embittered [hemar] me (Ruth 1:20).
And she says to them: “Do not call me Naomi [pleasantness]; call me Mara [bitterness]” – Bar Kappara said: [It is analogous] to an inferior cow whose owner stood it in the marketplace and said: It is for plowing and it plows straight furrows. They said: If it is for plowing, what are all these wounds on it?¹⁴¹If the cow plowed well it would not have been necessary to whip it. So said Naomi: “[I went full, and the Lord brought me back empty;] why [call me Naomi,] and the Lord has afflicted me, and the Almighty has hurt me” (Ruth 1:21)?

“The two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. Upon their arrival in Bethlehem the entire city was in a tumult about them, and the women said: Is that Naomi?” (Ruth 1:19).
“The two of them went” – Rabbi Shmuel son of Rabbi Simon said: That day was the harvesting of the omer,¹³⁹Meaning, it was the second day of Passover, on which the new barley would be harvested in order to bring the omer offering. as it is taught there:¹⁴⁰In the Land of Israel. See Mishna Menaḥot 10:3. All the adjacent towns would assemble there, so that it would be harvested with great fanfare. Some say: Ivtzan was marrying off his daughters that day. Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Azarya, and Rabbi Menaḥama in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin: It is written: “Lord, [God] of hosts, who is mighty like You, Lord” (Psalms 89:9) – who brings things about in their appropriate time. Boaz’s wife died on that day, and all of Israel assembled to show kindness [to participate in the funeral]. As all the populace was going to show kindness, Ruth entered with Naomi; this one [Boaz’s first wife] departed, and that one entered.
“The entire city was in a tumult about them and the women said: Is that Naomi” – is that she whose actions are fine and pleasant [ne’imim]? In the past, she would go about in her litters, and now she is walking barefoot, and [that is why] you say: “Is that Naomi?” In the past she was clothed in silken garments, and now she is clothed in rags, and you say: “Is that Naomi?” In the past, her face was red from food and drink, and now her face is pale from hunger, and you say: “Is that Naomi?”
She said to them: Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara; as the Almighty has greatly embittered [hemar] me (Ruth 1:20).
And she says to them: “Do not call me Naomi [pleasantness]; call me Mara [bitterness]” – Bar Kappara said: [It is analogous] to an inferior cow whose owner stood it in the marketplace and said: It is for plowing and it plows straight furrows. They said: If it is for plowing, what are all these wounds on it?¹⁴¹If the cow plowed well it would not have been necessary to whip it. So said Naomi: “[I went full, and the Lord brought me back empty;] why [call me Naomi,] and the Lord has afflicted me, and the Almighty has hurt me” (Ruth 1:21)?

“I went full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has afflicted [ana] me, and the Almighty has harmed me” (Ruth 1:21).
“I went full, and the Lord brought me back empty” – I went full with sons, and full with daughters. Alternatively: “I went full,” as I was pregnant. “Why call me Naomi, and the Lord has afflicted [ana] me” – the attribute of justice afflicted me;¹⁴²The word ana is in an unusual form. If read ina, it means afflicted. If read ana, it could mean to speak against or to testify against. The midrash suggests a variety of readings. that is what you say: “If you afflict him [aneh te’aneh] [then when he cries out to Me, I will hear his cry]” (Exodus 22:22). Alternatively: “The Lord has afflicted [ana] me” – He testified against me, as you say: “He testified [ana] falsely against his brother” (Deuteronomy 19:18). Alternatively: “The Lord afflicted [ana] me” – all of His concern [inyan] was with me, as in this world, the Lord afflicted [ana] me. But regarding the future, what is written? “I will rejoice over them to do them good” (Jeremiah 32:41).

“It was during the days when the judges judged, there was a famine.” “The path of a man is erratic [hafakhpakh] and strange, [but as for the pure, his conduct is upright]” (Proverbs 21:8) – this is the wicked Esau [Rome] who would erratically [mithapekh] assail Israel with [evil] decrees. ‘Did you steal?’ ‘We did not steal.’ ‘Did you kill?’ ‘We did not kill.’ ‘You did not steal, who stole with you?’ ‘You did not kill, who killed with you?’ They would confiscate from them and impose monetary penalties upon them: Bring your property tax, bring your head tax, bring your state tax. “Man” – this is the wicked Esau, as it is stated: “Esau was a man who knew hunting” (Genesis 25:27). “And strange” – as he made himself estranged from circumcision and estranged from mitzvot. “Pure” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, who treats him in upright ways and gives him his reward in this world, like a laborer who performs labor in good faith with his employer.
Another interpretation: “The path of a man [ish] is erratic [hafakhpakh] and strange” (Proverbs 21:8) – these are the nations of the world who constantly [mehapekhin] assail Israel with [evil] decrees. “A man” – they who descend from Noah, who was called “a man” (Genesis 6:9); “and strange” – as they worship idols. “But as for the pure, his conduct is upright [yashar]” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, who treats them in an upright manner. Rabbi Aḥa said: “The path…is erratic” – this is Israel, as it is stated: “As they are an erratic generation” (Deuteronomy 32:20). “A man [ish]” – “The men [ish] of Israel took an oath” (Judges 21:1).¹²It is difficult to ascertain what is meant by this reference. Perhaps the midrash seeks to connect “the path of a man is erratic” to the tragic events surrounding the concubine of Giva recounted in Judges, chaps. 19–21. “And strange [vazar]” – because they estranged themselves from the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “They betrayed the Lord, as they begot foreign [zarim] children” (Hosea 5:7). “But as for the pure” – that is the Holy One blessed be He, who conducts Himself with uprightness in this world and gives them a complete reward in the future, like a craftsman who performs his labor in good faith with his employer. At that time, the Holy One blessed be He said: My children are recalcitrant; to eliminate them is impossible, to return them to Egypt is impossible, to exchange them with another nation, I am unable. What shall I do to them? I will afflict them with suffering and will refine them with famine during the days when the judges judged. That is what is written: “It was during the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land.”

(Fol. 47) Our Rabbis were taught: When a proselyte comes and desires to be converted to Judaism nowadays, he is asked: "What is your reason for desiring to be converted to Judaism? Are you not aware that Israel is broken down nowadays [under persecution] driven around [from one place to another], covered in mourning and tossed about, subject to so much affliction?" If he say: "I am aware of the fact and am not worthy even as they are," he is immediately accepted into Judaism. (Ib. b.) He is then informed concerning some of the light commandments, and some of the vigorous commandments [requiring self-denial], so that if upon such information, he desires to withdraw, he may do so. Because, R. Chelbo said: "Proselytes are as bad to Israel as a sore (Sappachath) is on the skin, for it is written (Is. 14, 1) And the strangers shall be joined unto them (V'nisspechu), and they shall attach themselves to the house of Jacob." He is then informed of the sin of [neglecting] Leket, Shik'cha, Peah, and Thites for the poor. Why these commandments? R. Chiya b. Aba said in the name of R. Jochanan: "Because the penalty of a Noahide for stealing a thing to the amount of even less than the smallest coin is death," [and thus upon observing that the poor take grain from his field, he might kill them for it.] The proposed proselyte is then informed concerning the punishment for [transgressing] the positive commandments; i.e., he is told: "You should be aware of the fact that prior to your conversion, when you had eaten fat [designated for the altar] you were not subject to Divine [capital] punishment; or if you had profaned the Sabbath [by doing any forbidden labor] you were not subject to the penalty of being executed by stoning; but henceforth if you eat the fat you will be subject to Divine [capital] punishment, and if you violate the Sabbath you will be subject to the penalty of stoning." Just as he is informed concerning the punishment [in the event of failure to observe] these commandments, so is he also informed concerning the reward [upon the fulfillment] of these commandments. He is told: "You shall be aware of the fact that the future world has been created for none else than the righteous, and that Israel nowadays is capable of withstanding the trials neither of much wealth nor of much retribution." No further [aversion] is to be used for him and no particular attention is to be paid [to his knowledge]. R. Elazar said: "What is the passage from whence we infer the above? It is written (Ruth 1, 18) When she thus saw that she was persisting to go with her, she left off speaking unto her. This means that Na'omi said unto Ruth: 'We are subject to Sabbatical limitations.' Whereupon the response came (Ib.) For whither thou goest, will I go. 'We are subject to the prohibition of privacy between a man and woman.' (Ib.) Where thou lodgest will I lodge. 'We are instructed to live in accordance with six hundred and thirteen commandments.' Whereupon Ruth replied (Ib) Thy people shall be my people. 'We are warned against idolatry.' (Ib) And thy God is my God. 'We are under jurisdiction of the court which has the right to execute us with either of the four kinds of capital punishment. (Ib.) Where thou diest shall I die. 'The court has even the right to bury one upon one of the two cemeteries it chooses.! (Ib) And there will I be buried, came again Ruth's reply. Immediately after this the passage said: When she thus saw that she was persisting to go," etc.

“Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moavite, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned from the field of Moav, and they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest” (Ruth 1:22).
“Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moavite, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned from the field of Moav” – it was she who returned from the field of Moav.¹⁴⁷She was the first Moavite woman to marry into Israel. “And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Wherever “barley harvest” is stated, the verse is referring to the cutting of the omer. “Wheat harvest” – the verse is referring to the offering of the two loaves.¹⁴⁸The omer offering, brought on the sixteenth of Nisan, was made from barley flour. The offering of the two loaves, brought on Shavuot, was made from wheat flour. [The term] harvest without specification can be used for this or for that.

(Fol. 91) R. Simon b. Jochai used to say that Elimelech, Machlon and Kilyon were the great men and the leaders of their generation, and they were punished only because they emigrated from Palestine, as it is said (Ruth 1, 19) All the city was in commotion about them, and people said, "Is this Naomi?" What did they mean by their question, Is this Naomi? R. Isaac said: "They wanted to see what had become of Naomi, who emigrated from the land of Israel?" R. Isaac said again: "The same day on which Ruth reached the land of Israel, the wife of Boaz died. This is why people say that before the deceased depart, the substitute for managing the house is already prepared." Rabba b. R. Huna, in the name of Rab, said: "Boaz is identical with Abzan." For what purpose does he inform us? To inform the other thing, which he (Rab b. R. Huna) said, viz: "One hundred and twenty banquets Boaz prepared for his children, as it is said (Jud. 12, 9) And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters he sent abroad, and thirty daughters he brought in for his sons from abroad, etc. And at each marriage two banquets were given — one in the father's and one in the father-in-law's house — and not to one of them did he invite Manoah, saying: 'What return can I expect of this childless man?' " And we are taught in a Baraitha that all his children died during his (Boaz's) lifetime. And this is meant by the popular saying: "By thy life, the sixty (weaklings) thou begottest, what didst thou beget them for? Marry again and beget one as strong as sixty." R. Chanan b. Raba said again, in the name of Rab: "Elimelech, Shalam, the kinsman [referred to in Ruth 4, 1] and the father of Naomi all were the descendants of Nachshon ben Aminadab." For what purpose was this said? To teach that even a man who has distinguished ancestors to rely upon is not saved when he emigrates from Palestine.

It is written (Ruth 1, 2) Machlon and Chilyon, and in (I Chron. 4, 22) Joash and Saraph. Rab and Samuel differ. One said that their real names were Machlon and Chilyon. But why were they named Joash and Saraph? Joash, because they gave up hope of Divine redemption, and Saraph, because they were doomed to be burnt. And the other says their real names were Joash and Saraph. And why were they named Machlon and Chilyon? Machlon, because they made themselves very common by their emigration, and Chilyon, because they were doomed to destruction. We are taught in a Baraitha in accordance with the one who holds that Machlon and Chilyon were their real names. What is the meaning of the passage (Ib., ib.) And Joachim and the men of Goseba, and Joash and Saraph, who had dominion in Moab and Yoshbei lechem. And these are ancient things. Joachim, refers to Joshua, who had confirmed the oath which was given to the men of Gibeon; and the men of Goseba refers to Machlon and Chilyon. And why were they named Yoash and Saraph? Because they gave up hope of Divine remeption. Who had dominion in Moab, refers that they had married daughters of Moab. And Joshbei-lechem, refers to Ruth, who was a Mo'abite. And these are ancient things, means the Ancient of Days has decreed these things, as it is written (Ps. 99, 21) I have found David My servant. It is also written (Gen. 19, 15) And thy two daughters, that are found. These were the potters (hayozrim) and those that dwelt in plantations and sheepfolds. For the king's sake, to do his work, they dwelt there. Hayozrim, refers to the children of Jonadab b. Rechab, who preserved the oath of their father. (Ib. 4) In plantation, refers to King Solomon, who was a plant in his kingdom. Vegidroh (sheepfold), refers to the Sanhedrin, who had fenced the broken partition of Israel. For the king's sake, etc., refers to Ruth the Moabite, who lived to see the kingdom of Solomon, her great-grandson, as it is said (I Kings 2, 19) And placed a chair for the king's mother. Upon which R. Elazar said that it means to the mother of the kingdom.

“The name of the man was Elimelekh, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Maḥlon and Khilyon, Efratites of Bethlehem in Judah. They came to the field of Moav, and they were there” (Ruth 1:2).
“The name of the man was Elimelekh” – once trouble came, you went and abandoned them. “A man from Bethlehem of Judah” (Ruth 1:1) – that is what the verse says: “Our oxen [alufeinu]¹⁴The word aluf can also mean leader. The midrash is reading the verse to refer to Elimelekh as a leader of the people. are laden [mesubalim]; [there is no breach, none have gone out; there is no outcry in our plazas]” (Psalms 144:14). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: It is not written here: Bearing [sovelim],¹⁵As in, the leaders bear the burdens of the people. but rather: “Are laden [mesubalim].” When the lesser bear the burden [sovelim] of the greater, “there is no breach [peretz]” – there is no outbreak [pirtza] of plague, as you say: “A plague broke out among them” (Psalms 106:29). “None have gone out [yotzet]” (Psalms 144:14) – there is no emergence of a plague, as you say: “Fire emerged [vatetzeh] from before the Lord” (Leviticus 9:24). “There is no outcry” (Psalms 144:14) – there is no outcry of plague, as you say: “All Israel that were around them fled at their cry” (Numbers 16:34).¹⁶This verse appears in the story of Koraḥ, which concludes with a plague (Numbers 16–17). Reish Lakish reverses the order of the verse: When the greater tolerate¹⁷He reads alufeinu mesubalim to mean, ‘our leaders bear [tolerate].’ the lesser there is no breach of exile, as it is written: “Through breaches they will go out” (Amos 4:3). “None have gone out” – to exile, as it is written: “Cast them from before Me and let them go out” (Jeremiah 15:1). “There is no outcry” – of exile, as it is written: “Behold the sound of the outcry of the daughter of my people” (Jeremiah 8:19), and it is written: “And the outcry of Jerusalem has risen up” (Jeremiah 14:2). Rabbi Luliani said: When the lesser heed the greater, but the greater do not bear the burden of the lesser, about them Scripture states: “The Lord will enter into judgment” (Isaiah 3:14). “The name of the man was Elimelekh” – when trouble came, you [Elimelekh] went and abandoned them: “A man from Bethlehem of Judah went” (Ruth 1:1).

“The name of the man was Elimelekh, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Maḥlon and Khilyon, Efratites of Bethlehem in Judah. They came to the field of Moav, and they were there” (Ruth 1:2).
“The name of the man was Elimelekh” – once trouble came, you went and abandoned them. “A man from Bethlehem of Judah” (Ruth 1:1) – that is what the verse says: “Our oxen [alufeinu]¹⁴The word aluf can also mean leader. The midrash is reading the verse to refer to Elimelekh as a leader of the people. are laden [mesubalim]; [there is no breach, none have gone out; there is no outcry in our plazas]” (Psalms 144:14). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: It is not written here: Bearing [sovelim],¹⁵As in, the leaders bear the burdens of the people. but rather: “Are laden [mesubalim].” When the lesser bear the burden [sovelim] of the greater, “there is no breach [peretz]” – there is no outbreak [pirtza] of plague, as you say: “A plague broke out among them” (Psalms 106:29). “None have gone out [yotzet]” (Psalms 144:14) – there is no emergence of a plague, as you say: “Fire emerged [vatetzeh] from before the Lord” (Leviticus 9:24). “There is no outcry” (Psalms 144:14) – there is no outcry of plague, as you say: “All Israel that were around them fled at their cry” (Numbers 16:34).¹⁶This verse appears in the story of Koraḥ, which concludes with a plague (Numbers 16–17). Reish Lakish reverses the order of the verse: When the greater tolerate¹⁷He reads alufeinu mesubalim to mean, ‘our leaders bear [tolerate].’ the lesser there is no breach of exile, as it is written: “Through breaches they will go out” (Amos 4:3). “None have gone out” – to exile, as it is written: “Cast them from before Me and let them go out” (Jeremiah 15:1). “There is no outcry” – of exile, as it is written: “Behold the sound of the outcry of the daughter of my people” (Jeremiah 8:19), and it is written: “And the outcry of Jerusalem has risen up” (Jeremiah 14:2). Rabbi Luliani said: When the lesser heed the greater, but the greater do not bear the burden of the lesser, about them Scripture states: “The Lord will enter into judgment” (Isaiah 3:14). “The name of the man was Elimelekh” – when trouble came, you [Elimelekh] went and abandoned them: “A man from Bethlehem of Judah went” (Ruth 1:1).

Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great, and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Elazar: This midrash came up with us from the Exile:¹⁸From Babylonia. Presumably, this is a way of stating that it is an ancient tradition. Any place that “It was [vayhi]” is stated, [it alludes to] trouble. Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great: Any place that “It was [vayhi]” is stated, it can serve [to allude to] either trouble or joy. If it is trouble, there is none like it. If it is joy, there is none like it. Rabbi Shmuel said: There are five [instances of] “during the days of [bimei].” “It was [vayhi] during the days of [bimei] Amrafel” (Genesis 14:1) – what was the trouble there? They waged a war. [It is analogous] to the friend of a king who was located in a certain province. Because of him, the king took care of the province. One time, barbarians came and beset him [the king’s friend]. They say: Woe for us, the king will no longer care for the province as he had done. Likewise, the entire world was created only due to the merit of Abraham our patriarch; that is what is written: “They turned back and came to Ein Mishpat,¹⁹Ein Mishpat literally means ‘eye of justice’. which is [hi] Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7). Rabbi Aḥa said: They came to beset the eyeball of the world.²⁰Abraham. The eye that overcame the attribute of justice in the world you seek to blind?²¹The midrash is rhetorically addressing the kings that attacked Abraham. “Which is [hi] Kadesh” – Rabbi Aḥa said: Hu Kadesh.²²The word hi, meaning ‘which is,’ is spelled with a vav as the middle letter, which could be read as the masculine hu. The midrash is reading hi Kadesh as hu kidesh, he sanctified. He [Abraham] sanctified [kidesh] the name of the Holy One blessed be He in the fiery furnace.²³See Tanḥuma, Lekh Lekha 6. When everyone saw that all the kings came to beset him, they began screaming: Woe [vai]; that is, “It was [vayhi] during the reign of Amrafel.”
“It was during the days of Aḥaz” (Isaiah 7:1) – what was the trouble there? “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west” (Isaiah 9:11) – [it is analogous] to the son of a king who had a tutor who sought to kill him. He [the tutor] said: If I kill him, I will be condemned to death by the king; instead, I will withhold his wet nurse from him, and he will die on his own. So did Aḥaz say: If there are no kids, there are no rams, and if there are no rams there is no flock, and if there is no flock there is no shepherd. So Aḥaz thought to say: If there are no children, there are no adults, and if there are no adults there are no students, if there are no students there are no scholars, if there are no scholars, there are no synagogues and study halls, if there are no synagogues and study halls, the Holy One blessed be He, as it were, cannot rest His Divine Presence in the world. Therefore, I will seize all the synagogues and study halls. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rabbi Ḥanina said: Why was he named Aḥaz? It is because he seized [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Avin: Isaiah said: “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no time that was as difficult for Israel as that time, as it is stated: “I will conceal My face” (Deuteronomy 31:18) – in this world. But from that moment, “I hoped for Him” (Isaiah 8:17), as it is written: “As it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21). Was it [this verse] fulfilled for him [Isaiah]? “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord gave me” (Isaiah 8:18) – were they his [Isaiah’s] children? Were they not his students? It teaches that they were as dear to him as his sons. Once everyone saw that he seized the synagogues and study halls, they began screaming: Woe [vai]: that is, “It was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was during the days of Yehoyakim” (Jeremiah 1:3) – what was the trouble there? “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder, and the heavens, and their light is not” (Jeremiah 4:23) – [it is analogous] to a king who sent a proclamation to a province. What did the residents of the province do to it? They took it, ripped it, and burned it in fire. They said: Woe to us when the king becomes aware of these matters. That is what is written: “It was, as Yehudi would read three columns or four” (Jeremiah 36:23) – three or four verses. When he reached the fifth verse: “Its besiegers are ascendant” (Lamentations 1:5),²⁴This is the fifth verse of the first chapter of Lamentations. immediately: “He would cut it with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace, until the end of the scroll, upon the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). Once they saw that it was so, they began screaming: Woe [vai]; that is, “it was [vayhi] during the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1) – what was the trouble there? [It was] “to kill, and to eliminate all the Jews” (Esther 3:13). [It is analogous] to a king who entered a vineyard and three enemies beset him: The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began trimming the clusters, and the third sought to uproot all the vines. Likewise, the wicked Pharaoh begin picking the unripe grapes; that is what is written: “[Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying:] Every son who is born you shall cast into the Nile” (Exodus 1:22).
The wicked Nebuchadnezzar began trimming the clusters; that is what is written: “[He exiled Yehoyakhin.…] and the artisans and the smiths, one thousand” (II Kings 24:15–16). Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda said: One thousand artisans and one thousand smiths; Rabbi Yoḥanan said: All of them were one thousand. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak said: These are the notables. Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Simon said: These are the Torah scholars.
Haman the wicked sought to uproot the entire egg;²⁵Egg, in the sense of the very origins of Israel. [as] they say buy [the hen] with the egg²⁶A aphorism meaning that he sought to complete the task, leaving no future. – “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). When they saw that it was so, they began screaming: Woe [vai]; “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh.”
“It was during the days when the judges judged” (Ruth 1:1) – what was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1) – [it is analogous] to a province that owed a tax to the king. What did the king do? He sent a tax collector to collect it. What did the residents of the province do? They took him, struck him, and extracted it [the money] from him. They said: What he sought to do to us we did to him. Likewise, during the days when the judges judged, an Israelite person would worship idols, and a judge would seek to bring him to trial, and he would come and flog the judge. He would say: What he sought to do to me, I did to him. Woe unto a generation whose judges are judged;²⁷The midrash is reading the verse to mean that it was in the days that the judges were judged, i.e. punished. that is, “It was during the days when the judges judged.”
Shimon bar Rabbi Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Everywhere that it [“it was,” vayhi] is stated, [it alludes to] trouble or to joy; if trouble, there is no trouble like it, if joy, there is no joy like it in the world. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman came and suggested a [different] distinction: Everywhere that it says, “it was [vayhi],” [it alludes to] trouble, everywhere that it says “it will be [vehaya],” joy.
But it is written: “God said: Let there be light, and there was [vayhi] light.” He said to them: Even that is not light of joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. By the light that was created on the first day, a person could look out and see from one end of the world to the other end. When He perceived that the wicked were destined to appear, like the generation of Enosh, the generation of the Flood, and the generation of the Dispersion,²⁸After the Tower of Babel. and like the people of Sodom, He took it [the light] away. That is what is written: “From the wicked their light is withheld” (Job 38:15). He sequestered it for the righteous in the future, as it is stated: “Light is sown for the righteous” (Psalms 97:11).
They objected to him: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as the heavens are destined to wither; that is what is written: “As the heavens will be eroded like smoke” (Isaiah 51:6).
They objected to him: Is it not written: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day.… third.… fourth.… fifth.… sixth” (Genesis 1:8–31). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created during the six days of Creation requires action, e.g., it is necessary to sweeten mustard, lupines must be sweetened, and wheat requires grinding.
But it is written: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it is written: “For they placed me in the pit” (Genesis 40:15). But it is written: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses completed [assembling the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it was sequestered when the Temple was built, as it is stated: “Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting” (Exodus 40:35).²⁹The verse does not seem to be related to the point. Perhaps it is brought to communicate that even on the day that the construction of the Tabernacle was completed, the celebration was tempered by the fact that Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting. But it is written: “It was [vayhi] when Joshua was [at Jericho]” (Joshua 5:13). He said to them: That too is not joy, as Joshua rent his garments, as it is stated: “Joshua rent his garments” (Joshua 7:6).³⁰After the setback at Ai. But it is written: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day” (Leviticus 9:1).³¹The day of the dedication of the Temple. He said to them: That too is not joy, as on that day Nadav and Avihu died.³²See Leviticus 10:1–2. But it is written: “It was [vayhi] when the king³³David. dwelled in his house” (II Samuel 7:1). He said to them: That too was not joy, as it was then that Natan the prophet came and said to him: “However, you will not build the House” (I Kings 8:19).
They said to him: We said ours, now you say yours.³⁴Prove that every place it says vehaya it is an expression of joy. He said to them: It is written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar” (Joel 4:18). “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge [from Jerusalem]” (Zechariah 14:8). “It will be on that day that the Lord will set His hand again the second time, [to recover the remnant of His people]” (Isaiah 11:11). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man shall keep [a calf of the herd and two sheep] alive” (Isaiah 7:21). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, that a great shofar will be sounded, [and they will come…and bow down to the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem]” (Isaiah 27:13). “It will be that one who is left in Zion and he that remains in Jerusalem [will be called holy]” (Isaiah 4:3). They objected to him: It is written: “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: Even that is not trouble but joy, as on that day, Israel made complete penance for their iniquities, on the day that the Temple was destroyed.
Conclusion of the prologue to Rut Rabba

Another interpretation (of Ps. 106:43): MANY TIMES HE DELIVERED THEM. < These words > speak about the children of Adam.²²Tanh., Lev. 9:3. When trouble comes to one < of them >, he immediately repents, and the Holy One delivers him. So it is the first time and the second. < If > he repents, that is preferable; but if not, < the Holy One > brings trouble upon him. Why? Because it is difficult for the Holy One to raise his hand against a human being. So what does he do to him? When he sins, he begins by raising his hand against his assets. From whom have you learned it? From Naomi, her sons, and Elimelech, who was the head of < his > generation. When famine came, what did he do? He left the land of Israel and went to the land of Moab. Now the Holy One was angry with him because he was prince (nasi) of < his > generation. The Holy One said to him: If my children had acted like this, they would have left the land of Israel a wilderness. What is written there (in Ruth 1:3)? THEN NAOMI'S HUSBAND ELIMELECH DIED, but his sons were unable to learn from their father to return to the land of Israel. And what did they do in addition? (According to vs. 4) THEY TOOK MOABITE WIVES FOR THEMSELVES, whom they neither baptized nor proselytized.²³Ruth R. 2:9. (Ibid., cont.:) THE NAME OF THE ONE WAS ORPAH ('RPH) AND THE NAME OF THE SECOND WAS RUTH: ORPAH ('RPH), because she turned her back ('RP) on her mother-in-law; RUTH, because she regarded (R'TH) the words of her mother-in-law. (Ibid., cont.:) AND THEY LIVED THERE ABOUT TEN YEARS. All those ten years (in Moab) the Holy One had been warning them. When he saw that they did not repent, he began to raise his hand against their camels and against their cattle; but they did not return.²⁴Lev. R. 17:4; Ruth R. 2:10; PRK 7:10; PR 17:6. When he saw that they did not repent (literally: return in repentance), immediately (in vs. 5): BOTH OF THEM, MAHLON AND CHILION, ALSO DIED. Thus < you may infer > that it is difficult for the Holy One to raise his hand against a human being. So what does he do to them? He deprives them of their assets, and they sell them.

(Gen. 44:18:) AND < JUDAH > SAID: PRAY, MY LORD…. FOR YOUR SERVANT HAS BECOME SURETY FOR THE LAD. When did Judah discharge his surety? In the days of Goliath. At that time, when Israel was in trouble, what is written (in I Sam. 17:16)? THEN THE PHILISTINE DREW NEAR AT DAWN AND IN THE EVENING. < He was > cursing and reviling. Saul began sending out a herald < to proclaim > (as implied in I Sam. 17:25): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS FOR THE MAN WHO KILLS HIM THAT THE KING SHALL ENRICH HIM < WITH GREAT RICHES >…. Now you find that anyone who curses is liable for death, as stated (in Lev. 24:16): AND THE ONE WHO BLASPHEMES THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH … but that wicked man had been cursing (according to I Sam. 17:16): FOR FORTY DAYS. Moses said (in Deut. 7:10): AND < GOD > INSTANTLY REPAYS THOSE WHO HATE HIM WITH DESTRUCTION. In the case of someone wicked who performs a righteous act, the Holy One renders it unfit < by giving him his reward > during his life in this world in order to destroy him in the world to come; but for the righteous, he sets aside their righteous acts for the world to come.²²M. Pss.94:4. What < righteous act > did this wicked man (i.e., Goliath) do for him to curse for forty days? R. Isaac and R. Levi differ.²³Ruth R. 2:20. R. Levi said: Because his mother, Orpah ('RPH), walked four miles²⁴Lat.: mille. with her mother-in-law (cf. Ruth 1:7, 14), [the Holy One repaid her for it]. So from her the Holy One raised four heroes. Thus it is stated (in II Sam. 21:22): THESE FOUR WERE BORN TO THE GIANT (HRPH) OF GATH.²⁵According to vss. 15-20, the four heroes were Ishbi-benob, Saph, Goliath, and a fourth man with twelve fingers and twelve toes. R. Isaac said: She walked forty paces²⁶Lat.: passus. with her; therefore, the Holy One granted her her reward and gave her Goliath.²⁷Ruth R. 2:20 states more specifically that in return for her forty paces the Holy One granted her son a forty-day reprieve. So he was cursing before the Holy One forty days, as stated (in I Sam. 17:16): AND HE (the Philistine) TOOK HIS STAND FOR FORTY DAYS. Jesse said to his son David: Now is the time to make good on the surety of your ancestor who became surety for Benjamin under the hand of his father, as stated (in Gen. 43:9): I MYSELF WILL BE SURETY FOR HIM. Now go and discharge him from his surety. Thus it is stated (in I Sam. 17:18): SEE ALSO TO THE WELFARE OF YOUR BROTHERS, AND TAKE THEIR TOKEN. Now THEIR TOKEN ('RBH) is nothing but a surety ('RBWT). What did David do? He went and made good on the surety by killing Goliath. The Holy One said to him: By your life, just as you have risked your life for Saul, since he is from the tribe of Benjamin, even as your ancestor Judah did for Benjamin < himself >, as stated (in Gen. 44:33): AND NOW PLEASE LET YOUR SERVANT REMAIN AS A SLAVE TO MY LORD INSTEAD OF THE LAD … so I am placing the Sanctuary < both > within your territory and within the territory of Benjamin. And where is it shown that the Sanctuary is < both > within the inheritance of Benjamin and within the inheritance of Judah? Where one text (Gen. 49:27) says: BENJAMIN IS A RAVENOUS WOLF; IN THE MORNING HE CONSUMES PREY, i.e., the dawn tamid (sacrifice), AND IN THE EVENING HE DIVIDES THE SPOIL, i.e., the twilight tamid; while another text (Ps. 48:3 [2]) says: BEAUTEOUS LANDSCAPE, JOY OF THE WHOLE EARTH, < EVEN MOUNT ZION >. By your life, moreover, when all the tribes are going into exile, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin are not going into exile along with them. Why? Because these two tribes believed in me and sanctified my name in the sea with Moses. R. Abba bar Kahana said in the name of R. Levi: When the sea was split open for Israel, there was mire in it. Now the tribe of Reuben said to the tribe of Simeon: From mud you have come and to mud you are going. Thus it is stated (in Hos. 12:1): EPHRAIM SURROUNDS ME WITH DECEIT, THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL WITH FALSE-HOOD…. What did the tribes of Judah and Benjamin do? They sanctified the name of the Holy One, as stated (in Ps. 68:28 [27]): LITTLE BENJAMIN IS THERE RULING OVER THEM, THE PRINCES OF JUDAH IN THEIR GLORY….

(Lev. 25:25:) < WHEN YOUR RELATIVE BECOMES POOR AND SELLS SOME OF HIS PROPERTY, > THEN HIS REDEEMER SHALL COME, < THE ONE MOST CLOSELY RELATED TO HIM, AND REDEEM…. > Who was this? Boaz. When? When Naomi sold the field, as stated (in Ruth 4:3): NAOMI IS SELLING THE PARCEL OF LAND WHICH BELONGED TO OUR KINSMAN ELIMELECH. Ergo (in Lev. 25:25): AND SELLS SOME OF HIS PROPERTY. R. Simeon ben Johay said: Elimelech, Salmon, So-and-So,²⁶Peloni Almoni. According to Ruth 4:1, this was the “name” of Ruth’s most closely related redeemer. and Naomi's father were all descendants of Nahshon ben Amminadab.²⁷BB 91a. See Ruth 4:20–21; also Exod. 6:23, according to which Nahshon ben Amminadab was Aaron’s brother-in-law. Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion were leaders²⁸Rt.: PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoos (“prudent”). of the generation. So for what reason were they punished? Because they went abroad from the land of Israel. Thus it is stated (in Ruth 1:19): < WHEN THEY CAME TO BETHLEHEM, > THE WHOLE CITY WAS EXCITED OVER THEM, AND THE WOMEN SAID: IS THIS NAOMI? What is the meaning of IS THIS NAOMI? You saw Naomi when she went abroad from the land of Israel. What has happened to her? (Lev. 25:25:) THEN HIS REDEEMER (go'el) SHALL COME, < THE ONE MOST CLOSELY RELATED (qarov) >. This is Boaz, since it is stated (in Ruth 2:20): THE MAN IS OUR RELATIVE (qarov), HE IS ONE OF OUR REDEEMING KIN (go'el). At that time Ruth went to Boaz. Her mother-in-law said to her (in Ruth 3:2): SEE, HE IS WINNOWING BARLEY ON THE THRESHING FLOOR TONIGHT. < If > he was a prince (nasi), would he have been winnowing on a threshing floor?²⁹Above, Exod. 3:16. It is simply because his generation was dissolute in sexual matters, that he went out to guard his threshing floor. She said to her (in vs. 3): YOU ARE TO WASH AND ANOINT YOURSELF. Then after that (ibid): AND GO DOWN TO THE THRESHING FLOOR. "And I shall go down" is {not written} [the actual written text (ketiv)]. She said to her: My merit will go down with you.³⁰Ruth R. 5:12. She did not do as her mother-in-law had told her. What did Ruth do? After she went down to the threshing floor, she did < what she was told >, as stated (in vs. 6): SHE WENT DOWN TO THE THRESHING FLOOR AND DID JUST AS HER MOTHER-IN-LAW HAD COMMANDED HER.³¹In other words, since she only obeyed Naomi after she had arrived at the threshing floor, she must have neglected to wash and anoint herself. Why? It is simply that she said: The generation was dissolute in sexual matters. What if they see me made up and say: Perhaps she is a harlot? (Vs. 7:) THEN, WHEN BOAZ HAD EATEN AND DRUNK, AND HIS HEART WAS MERRY. What is the meaning of AND HIS HEART WAS MERRY? That he was busy at the Torah.³²Ruth R. 5:15. Thus it is stated (by wisdom in Prov. 9:5): COME AND EAT OF MY BREAD. (Ruth 3:7, cont.:) AND WHEN HE CAME TO LIE DOWN BESIDE THE GRAIN PILE, THEN SHE CAME IN SECRET. [What is the meaning of IN SECRET (LT; rt.: LWT)? In a hiding place,] just as you say (in I Sam. 21:10 [9]): HERE IT IS WRAPPED (rt.: LWT) IN A MANTLE. (Ruth 3:8:) NOW IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT THAT THE MAN WAS STARTLED. SO HE TURNED ASIDE, < AND HERE WAS A WOMAN LYING AT HIS FEET >. What is the meaning of TURNED ASIDE (rt.: LPT)? That he seized her head, because he thought that it was a spirit.³³See above, Exod. 3:16; Ruth R. 6:1, both of which explain further that he felt her head for hair, because demons have no hair. < It is > just as you say (in Jud. 16:29): AND SAMSON EMBRACED (rt.: LPT) THE TWO MIDDLE PILLARS. (Ruth 3:9:) THEN HE SAID: WHO ARE YOU? AND SHE SAID: I AM YOUR HANDMAID RUTH. He said to her: what have you come here to do? She said to him: To fulfill the Torah (in Lev. 25:25): WHEN YOUR RELATIVE BECOMES POOR…, [THEN HIS REDEEMER SHALL COME]. Arise and fulfill the Torah. He said to her: Since you have come to fulfill the Torah, (Ruth 3:13:) SPEND THE NIGHT. THEN IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE MORNING THAT, IF HE WILL REDEEM YOU, GOOD (tov); for he had a kinsman older than he, whose name was Tov. R. Hanina said: She said to him: Are you dismissing me with words? He said to her (Ibid., cont.): AS THE LORD LIVES, I am not dismissing you with words. (Ruth 4:1:) THEN BOAZ WENT UP TO THE GATE AND SAT DOWN THERE, < AND BEHOLD, THE REDEEMER OF WHOM BOAZ HAD SPOKEN WAS PASSING BY >. He said to him: Sit down, and we shall look into the Torah. What < is written > (in Lev. 25:25)? WHEN YOUR RELATIVE BECOMES POOR < AND SELLS SOME OF HIS PROPERTY, THEN HIS REDEEMER SHALL COME, THE ONE MOST CLOSELY RELATED TO HIM, AND REDEEM…. > Boaz said to Tov (in Ruth 4:3–4): NAOMI IS SELLING THE PARCEL OF LAND WHICH BELONGED TO OUR KINSMAN ELIMELECH < …; > AND I THOUGHT I SHOULD DISCLOSE IT TO YOU, SAYING: BUY IT, since you are an older kinsman than I < and have the right > to redeem it. (Vs. 4, cont.:) IF YOU WILL REDEEM IT, REDEEM IT. (Vs. 6:) THEN THE REDEEMER SAID {TO BOAZ}: < YOU > TAKE OVER < MY RIGHT OF REDEMPTION > FOR YOURSELF. At that time Boaz redeemed what Naomi had sold. Now from where did Boaz learn < what to do >? From this section (in Lev. 25:25): WHEN YOUR RELATIVE BECOMES POOR AND SELLS SOME OF HIS PROPERTY, < THEN HIS REDEEMER SHALL COME, THE ONE MOST CLOSELY RELATED TO HIM, AND REDEEM…. >

(II Sam. 21) And they all fell in the hand of David and his servants. (Ruth 1, 14) And Orpa kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth cleaved unto her. To whom does this refer? To the following passage said R. Isaac: "The Holy One, praised be He, said, 'Let the children of the one who kissed her, fall in to the hand of the one who cleaved unto her.'" Raba expounded: "As a reward for the four tears which Orpa shed over her mother-in-law, she was rewarded that the four giants were descended from her." The four tears are referred to in the following passage (Ib., ib.,14) And they lifted up their voices and wept a long time.

And it was on the eighth day: Rabbi Tanchuma, Rabbi Chiya, Rabbah and Rabbi Berakhiya in the name of Rabbi Elazar [all] said, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (vayehi),' it is nothing but a term of grief [hinting to the sound, (vay), meaning woe]." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Natan, "This midrash came up to our hands from the exile - 'Any place that it is stated, "and it was in the days of," it is nothing but a term of grief.'" And there are five: (1) "And it was in the days of Amrafel" (Genesis 14:1). What grief was there over there? They made a war to kill Avraham, our father, as it is stated (Genesis 14:2), "made war." [It is comparable] to a dear friend of a king who entered a province, and on his account was the king [concerned] about that whole province. [Then people] came and grappled with him with words. And when he wanted to leave, they all said to him, "Woe that the king will no longer be concerned about the province as he was." So [too,] was Avraham a dear friend of the Holy One, blessed be He - as it is written about him (Isaiah 41:8), "the seed of Avraham, My dear one"; and it is written (Genesis 12:3), "and through you shall all the families of the world be blessed." And when the kings came and grappled with him, they all said, "Woe that the Holy One, blessed be He, will not be concerned with the world as He was; since He was concerned with the world for his sake." This is [the meaning of] that which the verse stated (Genesis 14:7), "And they came to Ein Mishpat (which can be understand as the eye of justice)" - Rabbi Acha said, "They sought to grapple with no less than the eyeball of the world." They said, "They sought to blind the eye that [suppressed] the trait of [strict] judgment in the world." [The verse continues -] "It (hee) is Kadesh," [but] it is written, "he (hu) is Kadesh"; meaning to say, he sanctified (hu kidesh) the name of the Holy One, blessed be He and went down to the fiery furnace. When they saw that the things were like this, they cried out. (2) "And it was in the days of Achaz the son of Yoshiah, King of Yehudah" (Isaiah 7:1). What grief was there over there? "It is what is stated by the verse (Isaiah 9:11), "Aram is in front and the Philistines are behind, etc." [It is comparable] to a king that gave his son over to a mentor, and the mentor hated him. He said, "If I kill him, I will become liable for death. Rather, I will take away his nourishment from him and he will die on his own." So did the evil Achaz say, "If there are no goats, there will be no rams; if there is no flock, there will be no shepherd, [and] where will the world be?" So did he say, "If there are no masters, there will be no students; if there are no students, there will be no sages; if there is no Torah, there will be no synagogues and study halls." What did he do? He passed all the synagogues and study halls and sealed them. And this [is the meaning of] that which the verse states (Isaiah 8:16), "Bind up the message; seal the instruction with My disciples." And when they saw that the things were like this, they all started to cry out, "Woe that the world is being destroyed" - when [study of] the Torah was negated, that was in the days of Achaz. (3) "And it was in the days of Yehoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu" (Jeremiah 1:3). What grief was there over there? "I looked at the earth, and behold it was empty and void; at the heavens and their light was not" (Jeremiah 4:23), [It is comparable] to edicts of the kings that were brought to the provinces of the kingdom. In each and every province, when it came to their hands, everyone would stand on their feet, uncover their heads and read them with fear, trembling and perspiration. But when they were brought to the province of the king, they tore them up and burned them: When the Holy One, blessed be He, sends His messenger to the nations of the world, they repent, cover themselves in sackcloth and fast - as did the people of Nineveh, as it is stated (Jonah 3:7), "from the order of the king and his principals, etc." They, may their memory be blessed, said, "One who had a beam or a stone that was stolen in his house would destroy the house and remove it and return the theft." And because of this did Yonah fear to prophesy to Nineveh. As Rabbi Tarfon said, "The fish was designated, etc." And the nations of the world are afraid in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, and [so, they are] close to repentance, whereas Israel is stiff-necked. This is what the verse stated (Jeremiah 36:23), "And it was when Yehudi would read three columns or four" - meaning to say, he read four verses - and in the fifth verse, he read, "And her tormentors became the head" (Lamentations 1:5) - and it is is written (Jeremiah 36:23), "he would tear it with a scribe's blade and throw it into the fire until the end of all of the scroll." And when they saw this, everyone began to cry out, "Woe for the decree that is hanging over us." And the other (4) - "And it was in the days of Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1). What grief was there over there? [It is comparable] to a king that had a vineyard, and he had three enemies. What did they do? One cut the small berries, the second ripped the clusters and the third uprooted the vines: The king is King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He; His vineyard is Israel, as it is stated (Isaiah 5:7), "For a vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel"; [And] their three enemies are Pharaoh, Nevukhadnetsar and Haman. Pharaoh began with the small berries, as it is stated (Exodus 1:22), "Any son that is born, throw him into the river." Nevukhadnetsar ripped the clusters, as it is stated (Jeremiah 29:2), "the craftsmen and the smiths." Who are the craftsmen (charash)? These are the ones that pray the mute prayer silently, and are victorious with their prayer over all the nations of the world. The smiths? That all the nations of the world come in a vice in front of them but [then] flee, as they put a vice on all the nations - and Nevukhadnetsar come to destroy them; and he destroyed the craftsmen and the smiths, and exiled them. The evil Haman [then] came [to] uproot the vines, as it is stated (Esther 3:13), "to annihilate, to kill and to destroy." Everyone began to cry out, "Woe," and they mourned in front of the Omnipresent. (5) "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" (Ruth 1:1) - there was famine there; and what grief is greater than famine? And from where [do we know] that there was famine? As it is stated (Ruth 1:1), "and there was a famine in the land." And why was there a famine? Because Israel and the judges were not judging true judgement; as it is is stated, "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" - [and] we find [following it], "he", which indicates evildoers. [As] so do we find, "he was Datan and Aviram" (Numbers 26:9); "he was Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1); "he was [...] Achaz" (II Chronicles 28:22). So too were the judges. And to what is the matter comparable? To a province that was liable a tax to the king. [So] he sent collectors to collect it. The people of the province rose and smote the collectors and hung them. The judgment that they were liable - as they appointed other judges for themselves - they did to the collectors. So did they do at that time, as Elimelekh would judge the judges; [since] he was a strongman and there were many men below him. He saw the distress and the famine, but he did not warn the sinners to repent from their evil. And he stopped living in Beit Lechem for himself to live in the field of Moav - to sustain his soul during the famine, and the soul of his wife during the famine, and the soul of his sons; and he did not know that [it is] the Torah that sustains its masters and not the vanities of the world. And he was one who was important, as it is stated (Ruth 1:1), "and a man went from Beit Lechem, Yehudah." And we only say, "man," about an important man, as it is stated (Numbers 12:3), "And the man, Moshe, was very humble." As Elimelekh was an important man, as they would consider him [so] in his place - and [yet] he went to save his soul and the soul of his household, and did not trouble himself about the matters of the community; even as he was an important man and they would have believed his words, [such as] to make them repent from their evil and bring them to repentance. And therefore, it occurred to him as it is written in the verse (Ruth 1:3), "And Elimelekh, the husband of Naomi died." And so [too,] his sons died, as it is stated (Ruth 1:5), "And [...his] two [sons,] Machlon and Khilyon died, and the woman survived her two children and her husband." As so were they judging their judges, like Sodom. Rabbi Shimon ben Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (vayehi),' it is used for grief and it is used for joy. And when for grief, there is no grief like it, and when for joy, there is no joy like it." (The text is missing the following integral part of the midrash, found in Bereishit Rabbah 42:3 and other places: Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman came and divided it, "Any place that it is stated 'it will be,' it is used for joy; [but] 'and it was' [is for] grief.") The Sages responded, "Behold 'And God said, "Vayehi (here used as a command form, and not past tense) light"' [is] joy!" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. As so did Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon say, '[Regarding] the light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day, Adam [could] look and observe from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. [But] since the Holy One, blessed be He, saw the deeds of the generation of Enosh and the generation of the flood, He arose and hid it from them. That is [the meaning of] what the verse states (Job 38:15), "From the wicked is their light withheld." And to where is it hidden? [It is] in the Garden of Eden, for the righteous ones, as it is stated (Psalms 97:11), "Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the straight-hearted."'" They responded to him further, "It states, 'And it was evening and it was morning, one day.'" He said to them, "On that day too, it is not of joy, as all the acts of the first day are destined to wither, as it is stated (Isaiah 51:6), 'when the heavens melt away like smoke and the earth wither like a garment.'" They responded to him, "Behold, the [acts of] the second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day." He said to them, "They too are not of joy, as all the acts of the six days of creation require further action - for example, wheat needs to be ground; mustard needs to be mellowed; lupine need to be mellowed." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yosef and he was a successful man' (Genesis 39:7)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as that 'bear' chanced upon him from this, as it is stated in the verse, 'after' - 'And it was after these things, and the wife of his master raised, etc.' (Genesis 39:7)." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yehoshua, and his reputation was in all the land' (Joshua 6:27)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as Yair the son of Menashe, whose weight corresponded to the majority of the Sanhedrin, fell at that time; as it is stated (Joshua 7:5), 'And the men of Ai smote of them, like thirty-six men' - and the master said, 'That is Yair the son of Menashe, whose weight corresponded to the majority of the Sanhedrin.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (I Samuel 18:14), 'And it was that David was successful in all of his ways and the Lord was with him'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as enmity descended into the heart of Shaul from this, as it is stated (I Samuel 18:9), 'And it was that Shaul eyed David.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (II Samuel 7:1), 'And it was when the king sat in his house and the Lord allowed him rest from all of his enemies'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as on that same day, Natan the prophet came to David and said to him, 'However you will not build the House' (I Kings 8:19)." They said to him, "Behold, we have said what is ours; [now] say what is yours - that 'and it will be' is joy." He said to them, "'And it will be on that day that the mountains will drip with nectar' (Joel 4:18), that will be in the days of the messiah, and there will be great joy for Israel. And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that a man shall save alive a heifer of the herd and two sheep' (Isaiah 7:21). And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that living waters will come out from Jerusalem' (Zechariah 14:8). And so [too,] 'And he will be like a tree planted over streams of water' (Psalms 1:3). And so [too,] 'And the remnant of Yaakov will be among many nations' (Micah 5:6)." They said to him, "But behold, it is written (Jeremiah 38:28), 'vahaya (here used in the past tense, and not like the other examples) when Jerusalem was captured'!" He said to them, "It too is not of grief, as on that day was the verdict of Israel for their sins taken; as so is it written (Lamentations 4:22), 'Your sin has been completed, Daughter of Zion, He will not again exile you.'"

And it was on the eighth day: Rabbi Tanchuma, Rabbi Chiya, Rabbah and Rabbi Berakhiya in the name of Rabbi Elazar [all] said, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (vayehi),' it is nothing but a term of grief [hinting to the sound, (vay), meaning woe]." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Natan, "This midrash came up to our hands from the exile - 'Any place that it is stated, "and it was in the days of," it is nothing but a term of grief.'" And there are five: (1) "And it was in the days of Amrafel" (Genesis 14:1). What grief was there over there? They made a war to kill Avraham, our father, as it is stated (Genesis 14:2), "made war." [It is comparable] to a dear friend of a king who entered a province, and on his account was the king [concerned] about that whole province. [Then people] came and grappled with him with words. And when he wanted to leave, they all said to him, "Woe that the king will no longer be concerned about the province as he was." So [too,] was Avraham a dear friend of the Holy One, blessed be He - as it is written about him (Isaiah 41:8), "the seed of Avraham, My dear one"; and it is written (Genesis 12:3), "and through you shall all the families of the world be blessed." And when the kings came and grappled with him, they all said, "Woe that the Holy One, blessed be He, will not be concerned with the world as He was; since He was concerned with the world for his sake." This is [the meaning of] that which the verse stated (Genesis 14:7), "And they came to Ein Mishpat (which can be understand as the eye of justice)" - Rabbi Acha said, "They sought to grapple with no less than the eyeball of the world." They said, "They sought to blind the eye that [suppressed] the trait of [strict] judgment in the world." [The verse continues -] "It (hee) is Kadesh," [but] it is written, "he (hu) is Kadesh"; meaning to say, he sanctified (hu kidesh) the name of the Holy One, blessed be He and went down to the fiery furnace. When they saw that the things were like this, they cried out. (2) "And it was in the days of Achaz the son of Yoshiah, King of Yehudah" (Isaiah 7:1). What grief was there over there? "It is what is stated by the verse (Isaiah 9:11), "Aram is in front and the Philistines are behind, etc." [It is comparable] to a king that gave his son over to a mentor, and the mentor hated him. He said, "If I kill him, I will become liable for death. Rather, I will take away his nourishment from him and he will die on his own." So did the evil Achaz say, "If there are no goats, there will be no rams; if there is no flock, there will be no shepherd, [and] where will the world be?" So did he say, "If there are no masters, there will be no students; if there are no students, there will be no sages; if there is no Torah, there will be no synagogues and study halls." What did he do? He passed all the synagogues and study halls and sealed them. And this [is the meaning of] that which the verse states (Isaiah 8:16), "Bind up the message; seal the instruction with My disciples." And when they saw that the things were like this, they all started to cry out, "Woe that the world is being destroyed" - when [study of] the Torah was negated, that was in the days of Achaz. (3) "And it was in the days of Yehoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu" (Jeremiah 1:3). What grief was there over there? "I looked at the earth, and behold it was empty and void; at the heavens and their light was not" (Jeremiah 4:23), [It is comparable] to edicts of the kings that were brought to the provinces of the kingdom. In each and every province, when it came to their hands, everyone would stand on their feet, uncover their heads and read them with fear, trembling and perspiration. But when they were brought to the province of the king, they tore them up and burned them: When the Holy One, blessed be He, sends His messenger to the nations of the world, they repent, cover themselves in sackcloth and fast - as did the people of Nineveh, as it is stated (Jonah 3:7), "from the order of the king and his principals, etc." They, may their memory be blessed, said, "One who had a beam or a stone that was stolen in his house would destroy the house and remove it and return the theft." And because of this did Yonah fear to prophesy to Nineveh. As Rabbi Tarfon said, "The fish was designated, etc." And the nations of the world are afraid in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, and [so, they are] close to repentance, whereas Israel is stiff-necked. This is what the verse stated (Jeremiah 36:23), "And it was when Yehudi would read three columns or four" - meaning to say, he read four verses - and in the fifth verse, he read, "And her tormentors became the head" (Lamentations 1:5) - and it is is written (Jeremiah 36:23), "he would tear it with a scribe's blade and throw it into the fire until the end of all of the scroll." And when they saw this, everyone began to cry out, "Woe for the decree that is hanging over us." And the other (4) - "And it was in the days of Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1). What grief was there over there? [It is comparable] to a king that had a vineyard, and he had three enemies. What did they do? One cut the small berries, the second ripped the clusters and the third uprooted the vines: The king is King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He; His vineyard is Israel, as it is stated (Isaiah 5:7), "For a vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel"; [And] their three enemies are Pharaoh, Nevukhadnetsar and Haman. Pharaoh began with the small berries, as it is stated (Exodus 1:22), "Any son that is born, throw him into the river." Nevukhadnetsar ripped the clusters, as it is stated (Jeremiah 29:2), "the craftsmen and the smiths." Who are the craftsmen (charash)? These are the ones that pray the mute prayer silently, and are victorious with their prayer over all the nations of the world. The smiths? That all the nations of the world come in a vice in front of them but [then] flee, as they put a vice on all the nations - and Nevukhadnetsar come to destroy them; and he destroyed the craftsmen and the smiths, and exiled them. The evil Haman [then] came [to] uproot the vines, as it is stated (Esther 3:13), "to annihilate, to kill and to destroy." Everyone began to cry out, "Woe," and they mourned in front of the Omnipresent. (5) "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" (Ruth 1:1) - there was famine there; and what grief is greater than famine? And from where [do we know] that there was famine? As it is stated (Ruth 1:1), "and there was a famine in the land." And why was there a famine? Because Israel and the judges were not judging true judgement; as it is is stated, "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" - [and] we find [following it], "he", which indicates evildoers. [As] so do we find, "he was Datan and Aviram" (Numbers 26:9); "he was Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1); "he was [...] Achaz" (II Chronicles 28:22). So too were the judges. And to what is the matter comparable? To a province that was liable a tax to the king. [So] he sent collectors to collect it. The people of the province rose and smote the collectors and hung them. The judgment that they were liable - as they appointed other judges for themselves - they did to the collectors. So did they do at that time, as Elimelekh would judge the judges; [since] he was a strongman and there were many men below him. He saw the distress and the famine, but he did not warn the sinners to repent from their evil. And he stopped living in Beit Lechem for himself to live in the field of Moav - to sustain his soul during the famine, and the soul of his wife during the famine, and the soul of his sons; and he did not know that [it is] the Torah that sustains its masters and not the vanities of the world. And he was one who was important, as it is stated (Ruth 1:1), "and a man went from Beit Lechem, Yehudah." And we only say, "man," about an important man, as it is stated (Numbers 12:3), "And the man, Moshe, was very humble." As Elimelekh was an important man, as they would consider him [so] in his place - and [yet] he went to save his soul and the soul of his household, and did not trouble himself about the matters of the community; even as he was an important man and they would have believed his words, [such as] to make them repent from their evil and bring them to repentance. And therefore, it occurred to him as it is written in the verse (Ruth 1:3), "And Elimelekh, the husband of Naomi died." And so [too,] his sons died, as it is stated (Ruth 1:5), "And [...his] two [sons,] Machlon and Khilyon died, and the woman survived her two children and her husband." As so were they judging their judges, like Sodom. Rabbi Shimon ben Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (vayehi),' it is used for grief and it is used for joy. And when for grief, there is no grief like it, and when for joy, there is no joy like it." (The text is missing the following integral part of the midrash, found in Bereishit Rabbah 42:3 and other places: Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman came and divided it, "Any place that it is stated 'it will be,' it is used for joy; [but] 'and it was' [is for] grief.") The Sages responded, "Behold 'And God said, "Vayehi (here used as a command form, and not past tense) light"' [is] joy!" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. As so did Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon say, '[Regarding] the light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day, Adam [could] look and observe from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. [But] since the Holy One, blessed be He, saw the deeds of the generation of Enosh and the generation of the flood, He arose and hid it from them. That is [the meaning of] what the verse states (Job 38:15), "From the wicked is their light withheld." And to where is it hidden? [It is] in the Garden of Eden, for the righteous ones, as it is stated (Psalms 97:11), "Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the straight-hearted."'" They responded to him further, "It states, 'And it was evening and it was morning, one day.'" He said to them, "On that day too, it is not of joy, as all the acts of the first day are destined to wither, as it is stated (Isaiah 51:6), 'when the heavens melt away like smoke and the earth wither like a garment.'" They responded to him, "Behold, the [acts of] the second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day." He said to them, "They too are not of joy, as all the acts of the six days of creation require further action - for example, wheat needs to be ground; mustard needs to be mellowed; lupine need to be mellowed." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yosef and he was a successful man' (Genesis 39:7)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as that 'bear' chanced upon him from this, as it is stated in the verse, 'after' - 'And it was after these things, and the wife of his master raised, etc.' (Genesis 39:7)." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yehoshua, and his reputation was in all the land' (Joshua 6:27)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as Yair the son of Menashe, whose weight corresponded to the majority of the Sanhedrin, fell at that time; as it is stated (Joshua 7:5), 'And the men of Ai smote of them, like thirty-six men' - and the master said, 'That is Yair the son of Menashe, whose weight corresponded to the majority of the Sanhedrin.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (I Samuel 18:14), 'And it was that David was successful in all of his ways and the Lord was with him'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as enmity descended into the heart of Shaul from this, as it is stated (I Samuel 18:9), 'And it was that Shaul eyed David.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (II Samuel 7:1), 'And it was when the king sat in his house and the Lord allowed him rest from all of his enemies'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as on that same day, Natan the prophet came to David and said to him, 'However you will not build the House' (I Kings 8:19)." They said to him, "Behold, we have said what is ours; [now] say what is yours - that 'and it will be' is joy." He said to them, "'And it will be on that day that the mountains will drip with nectar' (Joel 4:18), that will be in the days of the messiah, and there will be great joy for Israel. And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that a man shall save alive a heifer of the herd and two sheep' (Isaiah 7:21). And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that living waters will come out from Jerusalem' (Zechariah 14:8). And so [too,] 'And he will be like a tree planted over streams of water' (Psalms 1:3). And so [too,] 'And the remnant of Yaakov will be among many nations' (Micah 5:6)." They said to him, "But behold, it is written (Jeremiah 38:28), 'vahaya (here used in the past tense, and not like the other examples) when Jerusalem was captured'!" He said to them, "It too is not of grief, as on that day was the verdict of Israel for their sins taken; as so is it written (Lamentations 4:22), 'Your sin has been completed, Daughter of Zion, He will not again exile you.'"

And it was on the eighth day: Rabbi Tanchuma, Rabbi Chiya, Rabbah and Rabbi Berakhiya in the name of Rabbi Elazar [all] said, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (vayehi),' it is nothing but a term of grief [hinting to the sound, (vay), meaning woe]." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Natan, "This midrash came up to our hands from the exile - 'Any place that it is stated, "and it was in the days of," it is nothing but a term of grief.'" And there are five: (1) "And it was in the days of Amrafel" (Genesis 14:1). What grief was there over there? They made a war to kill Avraham, our father, as it is stated (Genesis 14:2), "made war." [It is comparable] to a dear friend of a king who entered a province, and on his account was the king [concerned] about that whole province. [Then people] came and grappled with him with words. And when he wanted to leave, they all said to him, "Woe that the king will no longer be concerned about the province as he was." So [too,] was Avraham a dear friend of the Holy One, blessed be He - as it is written about him (Isaiah 41:8), "the seed of Avraham, My dear one"; and it is written (Genesis 12:3), "and through you shall all the families of the world be blessed." And when the kings came and grappled with him, they all said, "Woe that the Holy One, blessed be He, will not be concerned with the world as He was; since He was concerned with the world for his sake." This is [the meaning of] that which the verse stated (Genesis 14:7), "And they came to Ein Mishpat (which can be understand as the eye of justice)" - Rabbi Acha said, "They sought to grapple with no less than the eyeball of the world." They said, "They sought to blind the eye that [suppressed] the trait of [strict] judgment in the world." [The verse continues -] "It (hee) is Kadesh," [but] it is written, "he (hu) is Kadesh"; meaning to say, he sanctified (hu kidesh) the name of the Holy One, blessed be He and went down to the fiery furnace. When they saw that the things were like this, they cried out. (2) "And it was in the days of Achaz the son of Yoshiah, King of Yehudah" (Isaiah 7:1). What grief was there over there? "It is what is stated by the verse (Isaiah 9:11), "Aram is in front and the Philistines are behind, etc." [It is comparable] to a king that gave his son over to a mentor, and the mentor hated him. He said, "If I kill him, I will become liable for death. Rather, I will take away his nourishment from him and he will die on his own." So did the evil Achaz say, "If there are no goats, there will be no rams; if there is no flock, there will be no shepherd, [and] where will the world be?" So did he say, "If there are no masters, there will be no students; if there are no students, there will be no sages; if there is no Torah, there will be no synagogues and study halls." What did he do? He passed all the synagogues and study halls and sealed them. And this [is the meaning of] that which the verse states (Isaiah 8:16), "Bind up the message; seal the instruction with My disciples." And when they saw that the things were like this, they all started to cry out, "Woe that the world is being destroyed" - when [study of] the Torah was negated, that was in the days of Achaz. (3) "And it was in the days of Yehoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu" (Jeremiah 1:3). What grief was there over there? "I looked at the earth, and behold it was empty and void; at the heavens and their light was not" (Jeremiah 4:23), [It is comparable] to edicts of the kings that were brought to the provinces of the kingdom. In each and every province, when it came to their hands, everyone would stand on their feet, uncover their heads and read them with fear, trembling and perspiration. But when they were brought to the province of the king, they tore them up and burned them: When the Holy One, blessed be He, sends His messenger to the nations of the world, they repent, cover themselves in sackcloth and fast - as did the people of Nineveh, as it is stated (Jonah 3:7), "from the order of the king and his principals, etc." They, may their memory be blessed, said, "One who had a beam or a stone that was stolen in his house would destroy the house and remove it and return the theft." And because of this did Yonah fear to prophesy to Nineveh. As Rabbi Tarfon said, "The fish was designated, etc." And the nations of the world are afraid in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, and [so, they are] close to repentance, whereas Israel is stiff-necked. This is what the verse stated (Jeremiah 36:23), "And it was when Yehudi would read three columns or four" - meaning to say, he read four verses - and in the fifth verse, he read, "And her tormentors became the head" (Lamentations 1:5) - and it is is written (Jeremiah 36:23), "he would tear it with a scribe's blade and throw it into the fire until the end of all of the scroll." And when they saw this, everyone began to cry out, "Woe for the decree that is hanging over us." And the other (4) - "And it was in the days of Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1). What grief was there over there? [It is comparable] to a king that had a vineyard, and he had three enemies. What did they do? One cut the small berries, the second ripped the clusters and the third uprooted the vines: The king is King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He; His vineyard is Israel, as it is stated (Isaiah 5:7), "For a vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel"; [And] their three enemies are Pharaoh, Nevukhadnetsar and Haman. Pharaoh began with the small berries, as it is stated (Exodus 1:22), "Any son that is born, throw him into the river." Nevukhadnetsar ripped the clusters, as it is stated (Jeremiah 29:2), "the craftsmen and the smiths." Who are the craftsmen (charash)? These are the ones that pray the mute prayer silently, and are victorious with their prayer over all the nations of the world. The smiths? That all the nations of the world come in a vice in front of them but [then] flee, as they put a vice on all the nations - and Nevukhadnetsar come to destroy them; and he destroyed the craftsmen and the smiths, and exiled them. The evil Haman [then] came [to] uproot the vines, as it is stated (Esther 3:13), "to annihilate, to kill and to destroy." Everyone began to cry out, "Woe," and they mourned in front of the Omnipresent. (5) "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" (Ruth 1:1) - there was famine there; and what grief is greater than famine? And from where [do we know] that there was famine? As it is stated (Ruth 1:1), "and there was a famine in the land." And why was there a famine? Because Israel and the judges were not judging true judgement; as it is is stated, "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" - [and] we find [following it], "he", which indicates evildoers. [As] so do we find, "he was Datan and Aviram" (Numbers 26:9); "he was Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1); "he was [...] Achaz" (II Chronicles 28:22). So too were the judges. And to what is the matter comparable? To a province that was liable a tax to the king. [So] he sent collectors to collect it. The people of the province rose and smote the collectors and hung them. The judgment that they were liable - as they appointed other judges for themselves - they did to the collectors. So did they do at that time, as Elimelekh would judge the judges; [since] he was a strongman and there were many men below him. He saw the distress and the famine, but he did not warn the sinners to repent from their evil. And he stopped living in Beit Lechem for himself to live in the field of Moav - to sustain his soul during the famine, and the soul of his wife during the famine, and the soul of his sons; and he did not know that [it is] the Torah that sustains its masters and not the vanities of the world. And he was one who was important, as it is stated (Ruth 1:1), "and a man went from Beit Lechem, Yehudah." And we only say, "man," about an important man, as it is stated (Numbers 12:3), "And the man, Moshe, was very humble." As Elimelekh was an important man, as they would consider him [so] in his place - and [yet] he went to save his soul and the soul of his household, and did not trouble himself about the matters of the community; even as he was an important man and they would have believed his words, [such as] to make them repent from their evil and bring them to repentance. And therefore, it occurred to him as it is written in the verse (Ruth 1:3), "And Elimelekh, the husband of Naomi died." And so [too,] his sons died, as it is stated (Ruth 1:5), "And [...his] two [sons,] Machlon and Khilyon died, and the woman survived her two children and her husband." As so were they judging their judges, like Sodom. Rabbi Shimon ben Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (vayehi),' it is used for grief and it is used for joy. And when for grief, there is no grief like it, and when for joy, there is no joy like it." (The text is missing the following integral part of the midrash, found in Bereishit Rabbah 42:3 and other places: Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman came and divided it, "Any place that it is stated 'it will be,' it is used for joy; [but] 'and it was' [is for] grief.") The Sages responded, "Behold 'And God said, "Vayehi (here used as a command form, and not past tense) light"' [is] joy!" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. As so did Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon say, '[Regarding] the light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day, Adam [could] look and observe from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. [But] since the Holy One, blessed be He, saw the deeds of the generation of Enosh and the generation of the flood, He arose and hid it from them. That is [the meaning of] what the verse states (Job 38:15), "From the wicked is their light withheld." And to where is it hidden? [It is] in the Garden of Eden, for the righteous ones, as it is stated (Psalms 97:11), "Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the straight-hearted."'" They responded to him further, "It states, 'And it was evening and it was morning, one day.'" He said to them, "On that day too, it is not of joy, as all the acts of the first day are destined to wither, as it is stated (Isaiah 51:6), 'when the heavens melt away like smoke and the earth wither like a garment.'" They responded to him, "Behold, the [acts of] the second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day." He said to them, "They too are not of joy, as all the acts of the six days of creation require further action - for example, wheat needs to be ground; mustard needs to be mellowed; lupine need to be mellowed." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yosef and he was a successful man' (Genesis 39:7)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as that 'bear' chanced upon him from this, as it is stated in the verse, 'after' - 'And it was after these things, and the wife of his master raised, etc.' (Genesis 39:7)." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yehoshua, and his reputation was in all the land' (Joshua 6:27)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as Yair the son of Menashe, whose weight corresponded to the majority of the Sanhedrin, fell at that time; as it is stated (Joshua 7:5), 'And the men of Ai smote of them, like thirty-six men' - and the master said, 'That is Yair the son of Menashe, whose weight corresponded to the majority of the Sanhedrin.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (I Samuel 18:14), 'And it was that David was successful in all of his ways and the Lord was with him'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as enmity descended into the heart of Shaul from this, as it is stated (I Samuel 18:9), 'And it was that Shaul eyed David.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (II Samuel 7:1), 'And it was when the king sat in his house and the Lord allowed him rest from all of his enemies'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as on that same day, Natan the prophet came to David and said to him, 'However you will not build the House' (I Kings 8:19)." They said to him, "Behold, we have said what is ours; [now] say what is yours - that 'and it will be' is joy." He said to them, "'And it will be on that day that the mountains will drip with nectar' (Joel 4:18), that will be in the days of the messiah, and there will be great joy for Israel. And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that a man shall save alive a heifer of the herd and two sheep' (Isaiah 7:21). And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that living waters will come out from Jerusalem' (Zechariah 14:8). And so [too,] 'And he will be like a tree planted over streams of water' (Psalms 1:3). And so [too,] 'And the remnant of Yaakov will be among many nations' (Micah 5:6)." They said to him, "But behold, it is written (Jeremiah 38:28), 'vahaya (here used in the past tense, and not like the other examples) when Jerusalem was captured'!" He said to them, "It too is not of grief, as on that day was the verdict of Israel for their sins taken; as so is it written (Lamentations 4:22), 'Your sin has been completed, Daughter of Zion, He will not again exile you.'"

Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon began: “From a hypocritical person’s rule; from snares of the people” (Job 34:30). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish: Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When the king is a hypocrite and rules the people, “from snares [mimokeshei] of the people,” it is due to the stubbornness [kashyuteihen] and the liabilities of the people who do not perform the will of the Creator of the world. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: It is preferable for people to grow themselves wings and fly in the air rather than for them to be turned over and subjugated to a hypocritical king.
Alternatively, “from a hypocritical person’s rule,” that is Aḥashverosh, who was hypocritical, who killed his wife because of his friend, and a different time killed his friend because of his wife.
Abba Oriyan of Sidon said five things in the name of Rabban Gamliel:
When lying judges increase, lying witnesses increase.
When informants increase, the property of the people is plundered.
When brazenness increases, glory, majesty, and honor are taken from the people.
When the actions of beloved children anger their Father in Heaven, He sets over them a hypocritical king who exacts retribution from them.¹⁴Abba Oriyan is said to list five things he heard from Rabban Gamliel, and this list contains only four. In Yalkut Shimoni, Esther, 1,044, the following is inserted here: “When the younger says to the elder: I am greater than you, the lives of people are truncated.”
And who is this? It is Aḥashverosh. When everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming; ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1).

Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon began: “From a hypocritical person’s rule; from snares of the people” (Job 34:30). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish: Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When the king is a hypocrite and rules the people, “from snares [mimokeshei] of the people,” it is due to the stubbornness [kashyuteihen] and the liabilities of the people who do not perform the will of the Creator of the world. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: It is preferable for people to grow themselves wings and fly in the air rather than for them to be turned over and subjugated to a hypocritical king.
Alternatively, “from a hypocritical person’s rule,” that is Aḥashverosh, who was hypocritical, who killed his wife because of his friend, and a different time killed his friend because of his wife.
Abba Oriyan of Sidon said five things in the name of Rabban Gamliel:
When lying judges increase, lying witnesses increase.
When informants increase, the property of the people is plundered.
When brazenness increases, glory, majesty, and honor are taken from the people.
When the actions of beloved children anger their Father in Heaven, He sets over them a hypocritical king who exacts retribution from them.¹⁴Abba Oriyan is said to list five things he heard from Rabban Gamliel, and this list contains only four. In Yalkut Shimoni, Esther, 1,044, the following is inserted here: “When the younger says to the elder: I am greater than you, the lives of people are truncated.”
And who is this? It is Aḥashverosh. When everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming; ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1).

Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon began: “From a hypocritical person’s rule; from snares of the people” (Job 34:30). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish: Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When the king is a hypocrite and rules the people, “from snares [mimokeshei] of the people,” it is due to the stubbornness [kashyuteihen] and the liabilities of the people who do not perform the will of the Creator of the world. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: It is preferable for people to grow themselves wings and fly in the air rather than for them to be turned over and subjugated to a hypocritical king.
Alternatively, “from a hypocritical person’s rule,” that is Aḥashverosh, who was hypocritical, who killed his wife because of his friend, and a different time killed his friend because of his wife.
Abba Oriyan of Sidon said five things in the name of Rabban Gamliel:
When lying judges increase, lying witnesses increase.
When informants increase, the property of the people is plundered.
When brazenness increases, glory, majesty, and honor are taken from the people.
When the actions of beloved children anger their Father in Heaven, He sets over them a hypocritical king who exacts retribution from them.¹⁴Abba Oriyan is said to list five things he heard from Rabban Gamliel, and this list contains only four. In Yalkut Shimoni, Esther, 1,044, the following is inserted here: “When the younger says to the elder: I am greater than you, the lives of people are truncated.”
And who is this? It is Aḥashverosh. When everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming; ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1).

What is written following that? Thou shalt not delay to offer the fullness of thy harvest (ibid.): That is to say, if you curse the judge, you curse your harvest, and so you find that whenever judges are cursed, harvests diminish considerably and famine develops, as it is said: And it came to pass, in the days when the judges judged, that there was a great famine in the land (Ruth 1:1). This verse indicates that this must have been a generation that passed judgment upon its judges. Hence it is said: Thou shalt not revile God. Thou shalt not delay to offer of the fullness of thy harvest, and of the outflow of thy presses (Exod. 22:28).

Rabbi Berekhya began: “Who acted and accomplished it? He who proclaimed the generations from the beginning; I, the Lord was first and with the last, I am He” (Isaiah 41:4). From the beginning of the creation of the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, instituted for each and every person what is appropriate for him: Adam, head of the created; Cain, head of the killers; Abel, head of the killed; Noah, head of the survivors; Abraham, head of the circumcised; Isaac, head of the bound; Jacob, head of the wholehearted; Judah, head of the tribes; Joseph, head of the pious; Aaron, head of the priests; Moses, head of the prophets; Joshua, head of the conquerors; Otniel, head of the allocators;¹⁵He completed the allocation of the tribal portions that Joshua did not allocate in his lifetime. Samuel, of the anointers; Saul, of the anointed; David, of the musicians; Solomon, head of the builders; Nebuchadnezzar, head of the destroyers; Aḥashverosh, head of the sellers; Haman, head of the buyers; when everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1).

Rabbi Berekhya began: “Who acted and accomplished it? He who proclaimed the generations from the beginning; I, the Lord was first and with the last, I am He” (Isaiah 41:4). From the beginning of the creation of the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, instituted for each and every person what is appropriate for him: Adam, head of the created; Cain, head of the killers; Abel, head of the killed; Noah, head of the survivors; Abraham, head of the circumcised; Isaac, head of the bound; Jacob, head of the wholehearted; Judah, head of the tribes; Joseph, head of the pious; Aaron, head of the priests; Moses, head of the prophets; Joshua, head of the conquerors; Otniel, head of the allocators;¹⁵He completed the allocation of the tribal portions that Joshua did not allocate in his lifetime. Samuel, of the anointers; Saul, of the anointed; David, of the musicians; Solomon, head of the builders; Nebuchadnezzar, head of the destroyers; Aḥashverosh, head of the sellers; Haman, head of the buyers; when everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1).

Rabbi Berekhya began: “Who acted and accomplished it? He who proclaimed the generations from the beginning; I, the Lord was first and with the last, I am He” (Isaiah 41:4). From the beginning of the creation of the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, instituted for each and every person what is appropriate for him: Adam, head of the created; Cain, head of the killers; Abel, head of the killed; Noah, head of the survivors; Abraham, head of the circumcised; Isaac, head of the bound; Jacob, head of the wholehearted; Judah, head of the tribes; Joseph, head of the pious; Aaron, head of the priests; Moses, head of the prophets; Joshua, head of the conquerors; Otniel, head of the allocators;¹⁵He completed the allocation of the tribal portions that Joshua did not allocate in his lifetime. Samuel, of the anointers; Saul, of the anointed; David, of the musicians; Solomon, head of the builders; Nebuchadnezzar, head of the destroyers; Aḥashverosh, head of the sellers; Haman, head of the buyers; when everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1).

... Shimon bar Rav Abba said, in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, that "vayehi" serves [to introduce] joy or suffering. If [it comes to introduce] suffering, then the suffering [in question] is unparalleled. If [it comes to introduce] joy, then the joy [in question] is unparalleled. Rabbi Yishmael came and made the [following] division. Every place where it says “vayehi” there is no joy [and every place where it says] “vehaya” there is no suffering. They challenged him [citing Genesis 1:3] “And God said, “let there be light”, and there was [vaheyi] light.” He said to them, “even this case isn’t joyous, since the world didn’t merit to use that light, for Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said [regarding] the light created by the Holy One, blessed be He, on the first day [of creation], [that] a person could use it to see from one end of the universe to the other [from the beginning of time, to the end of time]. When the Holy One, blessed be he, saw [by this light] the deeds of the generation of Enosh, and the deeds of the generation of flood, that they were destructive, [God] arose and confiscated [the light] from them, as it is written, “Their light is withheld from the wicked,” (Job 38:15). And where was it placed? In the Garden of Eden; at it is said (Psalms 97:11): “Light is sown for the righteous, radiance for the upright” [i.e., the light of the first day of creation is reserved for the righteous in the world to come].” They challenged him [citing Genesis 1:5, which describes the first day of creation]: “And there was [vayehi] evening, and there was [vayehi] morning; day one.” He said to them, “even this case isn’t joyous, since everything that was created on the first day is destined to be destroyed, as it is written (Isaiah 51:6): “when the heavens will melt away like smoke, and the earth wear out like a garment”.” They challenged him [citing all the other days of creation since it is written], “and there was [vayehi] evening, and there was [vayehi] morning” [regarding] the second, third, fourth, fifth, [and] sixth day. He said to them, “even this case isn’t joyous, since [the creation was incomplete such that] everything created in the six days of creation required [human] labour [in order that it should be completed]. The wheat needed grinding. Mustard needed sweetening. The Lupin bean needs sweetening. They challenged him [citing Genesis 39:2, and its description of Jospeh’s success in the house of Potiphar, which reads]: “And it was [vayehi] that God was with Joseph, and it was [vayehi] that he was a successful man.” He said to them: “even this case isn’t joyous since it was because of this [success] that that wicked woman [i.e. Potiphar’s wife] chanced upon him." They challenged him [citing Leviticus 9:1, and its description of the completing of the inauguration of the Tabernacle]: “And it was [vayehi] on the eighth day”. He said to them: “even this case isn’t joyous, since on that day, Nadav and Avihu died.”They challenged him [citing the description, in the book of Numbers (7:1), of Moses completing the building of the Tabernacle]: “And it was [vayehi] on the day that Moses completed the raising of the Tabernacle”. He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous, since on the day that it was built it [was also collapsed and] stored away.” [Rabbi Yishmael is alluding to the fact that the Tabernacle was a portable structure, and just as Moses constructed it on that day, he also tested it by taking it apart. Moreover, this symbolises that the Tabernacle was not to be permanent]." They challenged him [by citing the verse from the book of Joshua (6:27)]: “And it was [vayehi] that God was with Joshua”. He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous [since it comes just before the military defeat in the city of Ai, in which Yair [son of Menashe], who was equivalent in stature to the majority of a Sanhedrin, was killed. As it says (Joshua 7:5): “And the men of Ai smote about thirty-six of [the Israelites]”. It doesn’t say [that they killed] 36 [men]; rather, it says that they killed "about" 36 men [literally, it says that they killed "something like" 36 men]. Rabbi Yudan said that this refers to Yair son of Menashe who was equivalent to the majority of a Sanhedrin [which would have 71 members; by killing him, it was as if they had killed 36 men].” They challenged him [by citing the verse from I Samuel (18:14): “And it was [Vayehi] that David was successful in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him.” He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous since it is written regarding him, “From that day on Saul kept a jealous eye on David” (Ibid. 18:9).” They challenged him [by citing the verse from II Samuel (7:1)]: “And it was [vayehi] when the king was settled in his palace and God had granted him safety from all the enemies around him”. He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous because, on that very day, Nathan the prophet came and said to him, “Only, you will not build the Temple” (I Kings 8:19, and II Samuel 7:5).” They said to him, we have brought our own verses [as counter-examples to your theory. Now it’s your turn]. Say your own verses [as evidence for your theory]. He said to them [the following verses]: They said to him, we have brought our own verses [as counter-examples to your theory. Now it’s your turn]. Say your own verses [as evidence for your theory]. He said to them [the following verses]: “And it was [vehaya – this is an instance of the Prophetic Future Tense, when the Bible uses the past tense to describe the future, presumably because the prophetic future is as certain as the past], on that day: The mountains shall drip with wine, the hills shall flow with milk, and all the watercourses of Judah shall flow with water; A spring shall issue from the house of God and shall water the Wadi of the Acacias” (Joel 4:18); “And it was [vehaya], on that day: each man shall save alive a heifer of the herd and two animals of the flock” (Isaiah 7:21); “And it was [vehaya] on that day: fresh water shall flow from Jerusalem, part of it to the Eastern Sea and part to the Western Sea, throughout the summer and winter” (Zecharia 14:8); “He was [vehaya] like a tree planted beside streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, whose foliage never fades, and whatever it produces thrives” (Psalms 1:3); “The remnant of Jacob was [vehaya – once again used in the prophetic future tense] in the midst of many peoples, like dew from God, Like droplets on grass — Which do not look to any man nor place their hope in mortals” (Micah 5:6). They challenged him. “Is it not written “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28)?” He said to them: “even this case contains no suffering, since on that day Israel received their judgement for their sins. For Rabbi Ishmael ben Rabbi Nachman said, “Israel took a complete judgement for their sins on the day that the Temple was destroyed. For so it is written (Lametation 4:22): “Your iniquity, Fair Zion, is expiated; He will exile you no longer.”

Rabbi Tanḥuma, Rabbi Berekhya, and Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great interpreted in the name of Rabbi Elazar: This midrash came up with us from the Exile. Everyplace that vayhi is stated, it means nothing but trouble. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman interpreted in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: This midrash came into our possession. Everyplace that vayhi bimei is stated, it means nothing but trouble.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: They are five:
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Amrafel king of Shinar, Ariokh, king of Elasar, Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goyim” (Genesis 14:1). What was the trouble there? “They waged war with Bera, king of Sodom…” (Genesis 14:2). [This is analogous] to the beloved of a king who resided in a province and, for his sake, the king attended to that province. When barbarians came and afflicted him [the beloved of the king], they [the other residents of the province] said: ‘Woe unto us that the king is not attending to the province the way that he once did.’ So too, Abraham our patriarch, the beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:4). For his sake, the Holy One blessed be He attended to His entire world. That is what is written: “They returned and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7). They sought to afflict only the eye of the world [Abraham]. They sought to blind the eye that acts upon the attribute of justice in the world. ¹⁶ This probably means that Abraham is responsible for the suppression of the attribute of justice, the result of which is that God rules the world through the attribute of mercy. “Which is [hi] Kadesh” – Rabbi Aḥa said: Hu [i.e. he rather than she] is written. He [Abraham] sanctified [kiddesh] the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and he went into the fiery furnace. When everyone saw that all the kings came to afflict him, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the reign of Amrafel.”
“It was during the days [vayhi bimei] when the judges judged; there was a famine in the land and a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to stay in the field of Moab, he, his wife, and his two sons” (Ruth 1:1). What was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land.” [This is comparable] to a province that owed a tax to the king, and the king sent a tax collector to collect it. What did the residents of the province do? They suspended him [on a pole] and struck him and extracted it [the money] from him. They said: Woe unto us when the king becomes aware of these matters; we did to the emissary of the king what he sought to do to us. So too, when one of the people of Israel would perform inappropriate actions, they would take him to the judge, and what the judge sought to do to the defendant, the defendant would do to the judge. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: You humiliate your judges; by your lives, I will bring upon you a matter that you are unable to endure. What is that? It is famine, as it is stated: “It was during the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1).
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Aḥaz son of Yotam, son of Uziyahu, king of Judah; Retzin, king of Aram and Pekaḥ, son of Remalyahu, king of Israel, went to war against Jerusalem, but he was unable to make war against it” (Isaiah 7:1). What was the trouble there? It was as it is written: “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west” (Isaiah 9:11). [This is comparable] to a king who handed his son over to a tutor, and his tutor hated him. He said: If I kill him, I will be condemned to death by the king; instead, I will withhold his nurse from him, and he will die on his own. So too, Aḥaz said: If there are no kids, there are no goats, and if there are no goats there is no flock, and if there is no flock there is no shepherd, and if there is no shepherd, the world cannot exist. So Aḥaz thought and said: If there are no children, there are no adults, and if there are no adults there are no students, if there are no students there are no scholars, if there are no scholars there are no elders, if there are no elders there is no Torah, if there is no Torah there are no synagogues and study halls, if there are no synagogues and study halls, the Holy One, blessed be He, will not rest His Divine Presence in the world. What did he do? He arose and locked all the synagogues and study halls, so that no one would engage in Torah study. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Why was he named Aḥaz? It is because he seized [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Aḥa derived it from this verse, as it is written: “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for Him” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no time that was as grim for Israel as that time, as it is stated: “I will conceal My face on that day because of all the evil that they did…” (Deuteronomy 31:18). But from that moment I hoped for Him,¹⁷A reference to the verse quoted above “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for Him” (Isaiah 8:17). as it is written: “As it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21). What did you [Aḥaz] accomplish? “Behold, I [Isaiah] and the children whom the Lord gave me are to become signs and wonders in Israel” (Isaiah 8:18). Were they his children? Surely, they were nothing but his students! Rather, from here [we learn] that a person’s student is called his son. Once everyone saw that he seized the synagogues and study halls, they began screaming: Woe [vai]: “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Yehoyakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month” (Jeremiah 1:3). What was the trouble there? “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder; the heavens, and their light is not” (Jeremiah 4:23). [This is comparable] to a king who sent letters from province to province and in each and every province that his letters reached, they would embrace and kiss them, standing on their feet, baring their heads and reading them with reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling. When they reached the king’s province, they read them, ripped them, and burned them. That is what is written: “It was, as Yehudi would read three columns or four,” (Jeremiah 36:23) – three or four verses. When they reached the fifth verse: “Its besiegers are ascendant” (Lamentations 1:5), immediately: “He would cut it with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). Once everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Aḥashverosh; that Aḥashverosh who reigned from India to Kush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces” (Esther 1:1). What was the trouble there? It was “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). [This is comparable] to a king who entered a vineyard and encountered three enemies: The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began trimming the clusters, and the third began uprooting vines. So too, wicked Pharaoh began picking unripe grapes; that is what is written: “Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying: Every son who is born you shall cast into the Nile…” (Exodus 1:22).
Nebuchadnezzar, may his bones be crushed, began trimming the clusters; that is what is written: “He exiled Yehoyakhin…and the artisans and the smiths, one thousand” (II Kings 24:14). Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda said: One thousand artisans and one thousand smiths; the Rabbis said: One thousand artisans and smiths. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: These are the Torah scholars. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak said: These are the notables.
Haman the wicked, may he be crushed and wiped out, began uprooting the vines; that is what is written: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). He sought to undermine the foundation of Israel, he wanted to devastate the whole house [of Israel]. Once everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh.”
Shimon bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Yonatan said: Everywhere that vayhi is stated it refers to trouble or to joy; if it is to trouble, it is unparalleled trouble, if it is to joy, it is unparalleled joy. Rabban Shmuel bar Naḥman came and suggested a different distinction: Everywhere that it says vayhi (it was), it refers to trouble, everywhere that it says vehaya (it will be), joy.
They objected: Is it not written: “God said: Let there be light, and there was [vayhi] light”? He said to them: Even that is not joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: By the light that was created on the first day, a person could look out and see from one end of the world to the other end. When the Holy One, blessed be He, perceived that the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion (after the Tower of Babel) were destined to sin before Him, He arose and concealed it from them. That is what is written: “From the wicked was withheld their light” (Job 38:15). Where did He conceal it? In the Garden of Eden; that is what is written: “Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright” (Psalms 97:11).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created on the first day is destined to wither; that is what is written: “As the heavens will be eroded like smoke and the earth will be tattered like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6).
They objected: It is written: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day,” “…a third day,” through the sixth day. He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created during the six days of Creation requires action, as they were not completely made, e.g. wheat requires grinding, and mustard and lupines require sweetening.
They objected: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as that resulted in that bear¹⁸Potifar’s wife. confronting him.
They objected: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day, Moses summoned Aaron and his sons” (Leviticus 9:1). He said to them: That, too, is not good, as on that day, Nadav and Avihu died and all of Israel lamented them, as it is stated: “Your brethren, the entire house of Israel, will lament the burning” (Leviticus 10:6).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses completed assembling the Tabernacle” (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it was put away when the eternal Temple was built.
They objected: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joshua” (Joshua 6:27). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day Ya’ir, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin, was killed; that is what is written: “The men of Ai smote them, about thirty-six men” (Joshua 7:5). Thirty-six men is not written, but rather “like thirty-six;”¹⁹ The verse says: “The men of the Ai killed about thirty-six [ki-shloshim ve-shisha] men…” The prepositional ‘ki-’ can designate approximation, “about thirty-six” or comparison, “like thirty-six.” that is Ya’ir, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin [of 70 or 71 members]. What is written there? “Joshua rent his garments” (Joshua 7:6).
They objected: “David was [vayhi] successful in all his ways” (I Samuel 18:14). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it resulted in what is written: Saul felt enmity to David” (I Samuel 18:9).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] when David dwelled in his house” (I Chronicles 17:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day, Natan the prophet came and said to him: “It will not be you who builds Me the House” (I Chronicles 17:4).
They said to him: We said ours, now you say yours. He said to them, it is written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar and the hills will flow with milk” (Joel 4:18). “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge from Jerusalem” (Zechariah 14:8). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man shall keep a calf of the herd and two sheep alive, and from the abundance of milk produced, he will eat butter, for everyone who remains in the midst of the land will eat butter and honey” (Isaiah 7:21-22). “The remnant of Jacob will be [vehaya] among the nations, in the midst of many peoples like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he passes, tramples and mauls, and there is no deliverer” (Micah 5:7). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, that a great shofar will be sounded, and the lost in the land of Assyria and the outcasts in the land of Egypt will come and bow down to the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 27:13). “He will be [vehaya] like a tree planted near streams of water which yields fruit in season; its leaves shall not wither, and whatever he does will prosper” (Psalms 1:3).
They objected to him: “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: Even that is not trouble but joy, as on that day, Menaḥem²⁰The Messiah. was born and Israel made penance for its sins, as Rav and Shmuel say: Israel made great penance at the moment that the Temple was destroyed. That is what is written: “Your sin is completed, daughter of Zion” (Lamentations 4:22).

Rabbi Tanḥuma, Rabbi Berekhya, and Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great interpreted in the name of Rabbi Elazar: This midrash came up with us from the Exile. Everyplace that vayhi is stated, it means nothing but trouble. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman interpreted in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: This midrash came into our possession. Everyplace that vayhi bimei is stated, it means nothing but trouble.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: They are five:
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Amrafel king of Shinar, Ariokh, king of Elasar, Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goyim” (Genesis 14:1). What was the trouble there? “They waged war with Bera, king of Sodom…” (Genesis 14:2). [This is analogous] to the beloved of a king who resided in a province and, for his sake, the king attended to that province. When barbarians came and afflicted him [the beloved of the king], they [the other residents of the province] said: ‘Woe unto us that the king is not attending to the province the way that he once did.’ So too, Abraham our patriarch, the beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:4). For his sake, the Holy One blessed be He attended to His entire world. That is what is written: “They returned and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7). They sought to afflict only the eye of the world [Abraham]. They sought to blind the eye that acts upon the attribute of justice in the world. ¹⁶ This probably means that Abraham is responsible for the suppression of the attribute of justice, the result of which is that God rules the world through the attribute of mercy. “Which is [hi] Kadesh” – Rabbi Aḥa said: Hu [i.e. he rather than she] is written. He [Abraham] sanctified [kiddesh] the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and he went into the fiery furnace. When everyone saw that all the kings came to afflict him, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the reign of Amrafel.”
“It was during the days [vayhi bimei] when the judges judged; there was a famine in the land and a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to stay in the field of Moab, he, his wife, and his two sons” (Ruth 1:1). What was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land.” [This is comparable] to a province that owed a tax to the king, and the king sent a tax collector to collect it. What did the residents of the province do? They suspended him [on a pole] and struck him and extracted it [the money] from him. They said: Woe unto us when the king becomes aware of these matters; we did to the emissary of the king what he sought to do to us. So too, when one of the people of Israel would perform inappropriate actions, they would take him to the judge, and what the judge sought to do to the defendant, the defendant would do to the judge. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: You humiliate your judges; by your lives, I will bring upon you a matter that you are unable to endure. What is that? It is famine, as it is stated: “It was during the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1).
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Aḥaz son of Yotam, son of Uziyahu, king of Judah; Retzin, king of Aram and Pekaḥ, son of Remalyahu, king of Israel, went to war against Jerusalem, but he was unable to make war against it” (Isaiah 7:1). What was the trouble there? It was as it is written: “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west” (Isaiah 9:11). [This is comparable] to a king who handed his son over to a tutor, and his tutor hated him. He said: If I kill him, I will be condemned to death by the king; instead, I will withhold his nurse from him, and he will die on his own. So too, Aḥaz said: If there are no kids, there are no goats, and if there are no goats there is no flock, and if there is no flock there is no shepherd, and if there is no shepherd, the world cannot exist. So Aḥaz thought and said: If there are no children, there are no adults, and if there are no adults there are no students, if there are no students there are no scholars, if there are no scholars there are no elders, if there are no elders there is no Torah, if there is no Torah there are no synagogues and study halls, if there are no synagogues and study halls, the Holy One, blessed be He, will not rest His Divine Presence in the world. What did he do? He arose and locked all the synagogues and study halls, so that no one would engage in Torah study. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Why was he named Aḥaz? It is because he seized [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Aḥa derived it from this verse, as it is written: “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for Him” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no time that was as grim for Israel as that time, as it is stated: “I will conceal My face on that day because of all the evil that they did…” (Deuteronomy 31:18). But from that moment I hoped for Him,¹⁷A reference to the verse quoted above “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for Him” (Isaiah 8:17). as it is written: “As it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21). What did you [Aḥaz] accomplish? “Behold, I [Isaiah] and the children whom the Lord gave me are to become signs and wonders in Israel” (Isaiah 8:18). Were they his children? Surely, they were nothing but his students! Rather, from here [we learn] that a person’s student is called his son. Once everyone saw that he seized the synagogues and study halls, they began screaming: Woe [vai]: “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Yehoyakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month” (Jeremiah 1:3). What was the trouble there? “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder; the heavens, and their light is not” (Jeremiah 4:23). [This is comparable] to a king who sent letters from province to province and in each and every province that his letters reached, they would embrace and kiss them, standing on their feet, baring their heads and reading them with reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling. When they reached the king’s province, they read them, ripped them, and burned them. That is what is written: “It was, as Yehudi would read three columns or four,” (Jeremiah 36:23) – three or four verses. When they reached the fifth verse: “Its besiegers are ascendant” (Lamentations 1:5), immediately: “He would cut it with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). Once everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Aḥashverosh; that Aḥashverosh who reigned from India to Kush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces” (Esther 1:1). What was the trouble there? It was “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). [This is comparable] to a king who entered a vineyard and encountered three enemies: The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began trimming the clusters, and the third began uprooting vines. So too, wicked Pharaoh began picking unripe grapes; that is what is written: “Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying: Every son who is born you shall cast into the Nile…” (Exodus 1:22).
Nebuchadnezzar, may his bones be crushed, began trimming the clusters; that is what is written: “He exiled Yehoyakhin…and the artisans and the smiths, one thousand” (II Kings 24:14). Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda said: One thousand artisans and one thousand smiths; the Rabbis said: One thousand artisans and smiths. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: These are the Torah scholars. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak said: These are the notables.
Haman the wicked, may he be crushed and wiped out, began uprooting the vines; that is what is written: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). He sought to undermine the foundation of Israel, he wanted to devastate the whole house [of Israel]. Once everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh.”
Shimon bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Yonatan said: Everywhere that vayhi is stated it refers to trouble or to joy; if it is to trouble, it is unparalleled trouble, if it is to joy, it is unparalleled joy. Rabban Shmuel bar Naḥman came and suggested a different distinction: Everywhere that it says vayhi (it was), it refers to trouble, everywhere that it says vehaya (it will be), joy.
They objected: Is it not written: “God said: Let there be light, and there was [vayhi] light”? He said to them: Even that is not joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: By the light that was created on the first day, a person could look out and see from one end of the world to the other end. When the Holy One, blessed be He, perceived that the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion (after the Tower of Babel) were destined to sin before Him, He arose and concealed it from them. That is what is written: “From the wicked was withheld their light” (Job 38:15). Where did He conceal it? In the Garden of Eden; that is what is written: “Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright” (Psalms 97:11).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created on the first day is destined to wither; that is what is written: “As the heavens will be eroded like smoke and the earth will be tattered like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6).
They objected: It is written: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day,” “…a third day,” through the sixth day. He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created during the six days of Creation requires action, as they were not completely made, e.g. wheat requires grinding, and mustard and lupines require sweetening.
They objected: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as that resulted in that bear¹⁸Potifar’s wife. confronting him.
They objected: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day, Moses summoned Aaron and his sons” (Leviticus 9:1). He said to them: That, too, is not good, as on that day, Nadav and Avihu died and all of Israel lamented them, as it is stated: “Your brethren, the entire house of Israel, will lament the burning” (Leviticus 10:6).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses completed assembling the Tabernacle” (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it was put away when the eternal Temple was built.
They objected: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joshua” (Joshua 6:27). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day Ya’ir, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin, was killed; that is what is written: “The men of Ai smote them, about thirty-six men” (Joshua 7:5). Thirty-six men is not written, but rather “like thirty-six;”¹⁹ The verse says: “The men of the Ai killed about thirty-six [ki-shloshim ve-shisha] men…” The prepositional ‘ki-’ can designate approximation, “about thirty-six” or comparison, “like thirty-six.” that is Ya’ir, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin [of 70 or 71 members]. What is written there? “Joshua rent his garments” (Joshua 7:6).
They objected: “David was [vayhi] successful in all his ways” (I Samuel 18:14). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it resulted in what is written: Saul felt enmity to David” (I Samuel 18:9).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] when David dwelled in his house” (I Chronicles 17:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day, Natan the prophet came and said to him: “It will not be you who builds Me the House” (I Chronicles 17:4).
They said to him: We said ours, now you say yours. He said to them, it is written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar and the hills will flow with milk” (Joel 4:18). “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge from Jerusalem” (Zechariah 14:8). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man shall keep a calf of the herd and two sheep alive, and from the abundance of milk produced, he will eat butter, for everyone who remains in the midst of the land will eat butter and honey” (Isaiah 7:21-22). “The remnant of Jacob will be [vehaya] among the nations, in the midst of many peoples like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he passes, tramples and mauls, and there is no deliverer” (Micah 5:7). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, that a great shofar will be sounded, and the lost in the land of Assyria and the outcasts in the land of Egypt will come and bow down to the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 27:13). “He will be [vehaya] like a tree planted near streams of water which yields fruit in season; its leaves shall not wither, and whatever he does will prosper” (Psalms 1:3).
They objected to him: “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: Even that is not trouble but joy, as on that day, Menaḥem²⁰The Messiah. was born and Israel made penance for its sins, as Rav and Shmuel say: Israel made great penance at the moment that the Temple was destroyed. That is what is written: “Your sin is completed, daughter of Zion” (Lamentations 4:22).

Rabbi Tanḥuma, Rabbi Berekhya, and Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great interpreted in the name of Rabbi Elazar: This midrash came up with us from the Exile. Everyplace that vayhi is stated, it means nothing but trouble. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman interpreted in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: This midrash came into our possession. Everyplace that vayhi bimei is stated, it means nothing but trouble.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: They are five:
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Amrafel king of Shinar, Ariokh, king of Elasar, Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goyim” (Genesis 14:1). What was the trouble there? “They waged war with Bera, king of Sodom…” (Genesis 14:2). [This is analogous] to the beloved of a king who resided in a province and, for his sake, the king attended to that province. When barbarians came and afflicted him [the beloved of the king], they [the other residents of the province] said: ‘Woe unto us that the king is not attending to the province the way that he once did.’ So too, Abraham our patriarch, the beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:4). For his sake, the Holy One blessed be He attended to His entire world. That is what is written: “They returned and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7). They sought to afflict only the eye of the world [Abraham]. They sought to blind the eye that acts upon the attribute of justice in the world. ¹⁶ This probably means that Abraham is responsible for the suppression of the attribute of justice, the result of which is that God rules the world through the attribute of mercy. “Which is [hi] Kadesh” – Rabbi Aḥa said: Hu [i.e. he rather than she] is written. He [Abraham] sanctified [kiddesh] the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and he went into the fiery furnace. When everyone saw that all the kings came to afflict him, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the reign of Amrafel.”
“It was during the days [vayhi bimei] when the judges judged; there was a famine in the land and a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to stay in the field of Moab, he, his wife, and his two sons” (Ruth 1:1). What was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land.” [This is comparable] to a province that owed a tax to the king, and the king sent a tax collector to collect it. What did the residents of the province do? They suspended him [on a pole] and struck him and extracted it [the money] from him. They said: Woe unto us when the king becomes aware of these matters; we did to the emissary of the king what he sought to do to us. So too, when one of the people of Israel would perform inappropriate actions, they would take him to the judge, and what the judge sought to do to the defendant, the defendant would do to the judge. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: You humiliate your judges; by your lives, I will bring upon you a matter that you are unable to endure. What is that? It is famine, as it is stated: “It was during the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1).
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Aḥaz son of Yotam, son of Uziyahu, king of Judah; Retzin, king of Aram and Pekaḥ, son of Remalyahu, king of Israel, went to war against Jerusalem, but he was unable to make war against it” (Isaiah 7:1). What was the trouble there? It was as it is written: “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west” (Isaiah 9:11). [This is comparable] to a king who handed his son over to a tutor, and his tutor hated him. He said: If I kill him, I will be condemned to death by the king; instead, I will withhold his nurse from him, and he will die on his own. So too, Aḥaz said: If there are no kids, there are no goats, and if there are no goats there is no flock, and if there is no flock there is no shepherd, and if there is no shepherd, the world cannot exist. So Aḥaz thought and said: If there are no children, there are no adults, and if there are no adults there are no students, if there are no students there are no scholars, if there are no scholars there are no elders, if there are no elders there is no Torah, if there is no Torah there are no synagogues and study halls, if there are no synagogues and study halls, the Holy One, blessed be He, will not rest His Divine Presence in the world. What did he do? He arose and locked all the synagogues and study halls, so that no one would engage in Torah study. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Why was he named Aḥaz? It is because he seized [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Aḥa derived it from this verse, as it is written: “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for Him” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no time that was as grim for Israel as that time, as it is stated: “I will conceal My face on that day because of all the evil that they did…” (Deuteronomy 31:18). But from that moment I hoped for Him,¹⁷A reference to the verse quoted above “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for Him” (Isaiah 8:17). as it is written: “As it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21). What did you [Aḥaz] accomplish? “Behold, I [Isaiah] and the children whom the Lord gave me are to become signs and wonders in Israel” (Isaiah 8:18). Were they his children? Surely, they were nothing but his students! Rather, from here [we learn] that a person’s student is called his son. Once everyone saw that he seized the synagogues and study halls, they began screaming: Woe [vai]: “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Yehoyakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month” (Jeremiah 1:3). What was the trouble there? “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder; the heavens, and their light is not” (Jeremiah 4:23). [This is comparable] to a king who sent letters from province to province and in each and every province that his letters reached, they would embrace and kiss them, standing on their feet, baring their heads and reading them with reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling. When they reached the king’s province, they read them, ripped them, and burned them. That is what is written: “It was, as Yehudi would read three columns or four,” (Jeremiah 36:23) – three or four verses. When they reached the fifth verse: “Its besiegers are ascendant” (Lamentations 1:5), immediately: “He would cut it with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). Once everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Aḥashverosh; that Aḥashverosh who reigned from India to Kush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces” (Esther 1:1). What was the trouble there? It was “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). [This is comparable] to a king who entered a vineyard and encountered three enemies: The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began trimming the clusters, and the third began uprooting vines. So too, wicked Pharaoh began picking unripe grapes; that is what is written: “Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying: Every son who is born you shall cast into the Nile…” (Exodus 1:22).
Nebuchadnezzar, may his bones be crushed, began trimming the clusters; that is what is written: “He exiled Yehoyakhin…and the artisans and the smiths, one thousand” (II Kings 24:14). Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda said: One thousand artisans and one thousand smiths; the Rabbis said: One thousand artisans and smiths. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: These are the Torah scholars. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak said: These are the notables.
Haman the wicked, may he be crushed and wiped out, began uprooting the vines; that is what is written: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). He sought to undermine the foundation of Israel, he wanted to devastate the whole house [of Israel]. Once everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh.”
Shimon bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Yonatan said: Everywhere that vayhi is stated it refers to trouble or to joy; if it is to trouble, it is unparalleled trouble, if it is to joy, it is unparalleled joy. Rabban Shmuel bar Naḥman came and suggested a different distinction: Everywhere that it says vayhi (it was), it refers to trouble, everywhere that it says vehaya (it will be), joy.
They objected: Is it not written: “God said: Let there be light, and there was [vayhi] light”? He said to them: Even that is not joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: By the light that was created on the first day, a person could look out and see from one end of the world to the other end. When the Holy One, blessed be He, perceived that the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion (after the Tower of Babel) were destined to sin before Him, He arose and concealed it from them. That is what is written: “From the wicked was withheld their light” (Job 38:15). Where did He conceal it? In the Garden of Eden; that is what is written: “Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright” (Psalms 97:11).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created on the first day is destined to wither; that is what is written: “As the heavens will be eroded like smoke and the earth will be tattered like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6).
They objected: It is written: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day,” “…a third day,” through the sixth day. He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created during the six days of Creation requires action, as they were not completely made, e.g. wheat requires grinding, and mustard and lupines require sweetening.
They objected: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as that resulted in that bear¹⁸Potifar’s wife. confronting him.
They objected: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day, Moses summoned Aaron and his sons” (Leviticus 9:1). He said to them: That, too, is not good, as on that day, Nadav and Avihu died and all of Israel lamented them, as it is stated: “Your brethren, the entire house of Israel, will lament the burning” (Leviticus 10:6).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses completed assembling the Tabernacle” (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it was put away when the eternal Temple was built.
They objected: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joshua” (Joshua 6:27). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day Ya’ir, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin, was killed; that is what is written: “The men of Ai smote them, about thirty-six men” (Joshua 7:5). Thirty-six men is not written, but rather “like thirty-six;”¹⁹ The verse says: “The men of the Ai killed about thirty-six [ki-shloshim ve-shisha] men…” The prepositional ‘ki-’ can designate approximation, “about thirty-six” or comparison, “like thirty-six.” that is Ya’ir, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin [of 70 or 71 members]. What is written there? “Joshua rent his garments” (Joshua 7:6).
They objected: “David was [vayhi] successful in all his ways” (I Samuel 18:14). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it resulted in what is written: Saul felt enmity to David” (I Samuel 18:9).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] when David dwelled in his house” (I Chronicles 17:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day, Natan the prophet came and said to him: “It will not be you who builds Me the House” (I Chronicles 17:4).
They said to him: We said ours, now you say yours. He said to them, it is written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar and the hills will flow with milk” (Joel 4:18). “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge from Jerusalem” (Zechariah 14:8). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man shall keep a calf of the herd and two sheep alive, and from the abundance of milk produced, he will eat butter, for everyone who remains in the midst of the land will eat butter and honey” (Isaiah 7:21-22). “The remnant of Jacob will be [vehaya] among the nations, in the midst of many peoples like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he passes, tramples and mauls, and there is no deliverer” (Micah 5:7). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, that a great shofar will be sounded, and the lost in the land of Assyria and the outcasts in the land of Egypt will come and bow down to the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 27:13). “He will be [vehaya] like a tree planted near streams of water which yields fruit in season; its leaves shall not wither, and whatever he does will prosper” (Psalms 1:3).
They objected to him: “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: Even that is not trouble but joy, as on that day, Menaḥem²⁰The Messiah. was born and Israel made penance for its sins, as Rav and Shmuel say: Israel made great penance at the moment that the Temple was destroyed. That is what is written: “Your sin is completed, daughter of Zion” (Lamentations 4:22).

Give instructions to the wise and he will become yet wiser (Pr. 9, 9). "This refers," said R. Elazar, "to Ruth, the Moabite, and to Samuel of Ramath. As to Ruth, although Na'omi said to her, (Ruth 3, 3.) Therefore bathe, and anoint thyself and put thy garments upon thee, still Ruth did otherwise, as it is written (Ib. ib. 6.) And she went down at the threshing floor, and then it says, And she did in accordance with all that her mother-in-law commanded her. Concerning Samuel, although Eli said to him (I Sam. 3, 9.) Go, lie down, and it shall be, if He call thee, that thou shall say, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth, Samuel did otherwise, at it is written (Ib. ib. 10.) And the Lord came, and placed Himself and called as at the previous times, Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant heareth, and he did not say Speak Lord [lest it might not be the Sheehina on account of which God's name cannot be mentioned]." And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers (Ib. 2, 3). R. Elazar said: "She went and came, to and fro. until she found such men as were fit company for her." And Bo'az said, etc., Whose maiden is this? (Ib.) Was it proper for Bo'az to inquire whose maiden she was? R. Elazar said: "He noticed an act of wisdom committed by her, viz., two ears of corn she picked up, but three she did not." In a Baraitha we are taught: "He noticed that she was very modest, the standing sheaves she gleaned while she was standing and the sheaves that were lying on the ground, she gleaned while sitting." And keep close company with my own maidens. (Ib.) Was it proper for Bo'az to be attached to women? R. Elazar said: "As soon as Bo'az saw Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung unto her (Ib. 1, 14), he thought it proper to be attached to her.'" And Bo'az said unto her, at meal time. 'Come near hither.' (Ib.) R. Elazar said: "By the word Halom (hither) he intimated to her that from her is destined to come forth the kingdom of David, who also used the expression, Halom (hither), as it is said (II Sam. 7, 18.) Then King David went in, and sat down before the Lord, and said. Who am I, O Lord Eternal? And what is my house that Thou hast brought me thither (halom)?" And dip thy morsel in the vinegar (Ruth 2, 14). "We infer from this," said R. Elazar, 'that vinegar is good for [relieving] heat." But R. Samuel b. Nachmeini said: "This was also an intimation to her, viz., it is destined that a son shall come forth from thee whose deeds will be as sour as vinegar (evil acts) and this refers , to King Menashe." And she seated herself beside the. reapers. (Ib.) R. Elazar said: "She took a seat beside the reapers, and not between them; this was also an intimation to her, viz., the kingdom of David is destined to be divided." And he reached her parched corn, and she ate, etc., (Ib.) R. Elazar said: "She ate, refers to the days of David [when Israel had already enjoyed rest]; Was satisfied, refers to the times of Solomon; And had some left; refers to the days of Hezekiah." Others say: "And she ate, refers to the days of David and Solomon; And was satisfied, refers to the days of King Hezekiah; And had some left, refers to the days of Rabbi; for the master said the officer of the stables of Rabbi was richer than the King Shabur (Persian Shah)." We are taught: "And she ate; refers to this world; And was satisfied, refers to the world to come; And had some left, refers to the time of Messiah."

(Exod. 12:29:) AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT THAT THE LORD SMOTE ALL THE FIRST-BORN…. This text is related (to Ps. 119:62): AT MIDNIGHT I WILL ARISE TO THANK YOU.⁶¹See PRK 7:4; PR 17:3. David said: I am obliged to stand and thank you for what you did with my great grandfather and my great grandmother at midnight. When? When Naomi and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, returned. What is written (in Ruth 1:19): <AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT, WHEN THEY CAME TO BETHLEHEM,> THE WHOLE CITY WAS EXCITED [OVER THEM, AND THE WOMEN SAID: IS THIS NAOMI?]⁶²Cf. Ruth R. 3:6. This is the woman who went away in a covered wagon!⁶³Gk.: skepaste. The word can also denote a sedan chair. This Naomi is the one who went away and dressed in fine wool!⁶⁴Gk.: melote (“sheepskin”). (Lam. 4:5:) THOSE WHO WERE REARED IN PURPLE <HAVE EMBRACED REFUSE HEAPS >…. Both of them dwelt in a single house. (Ruth 3:1:) THEN [HER MOTHER-IN-LAW NAOMI SAID TO HER:] {NAOMI SAID UNTO HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW RUTH:} SHALL I NOT SEEK A RESTING PLACE [FOR YOU]…? Hence they said that a woman has a resting place, not in her father's house, but in her husband's house. (Ruth 3:2:) AND NOW, IS THERE NOT OUR ACQUAINTANCE BOAZ? What is <meant that he is> OUR ACQUAINTANCE (moda'tanu)? He is one of our relatives (qarov). {Is not (according to Ruth 2:21) THE MAN RELATED (qarov) TO US…?} [Thus it is stated (in Ruth 2:21): THE MAN IS RELATED (qarov) TO US…. ] But as a prince of <his> generation, why did he go out and sleep on the threshing floor?⁶⁵Below, Lev. 9:8. Simply because the generation was extremely lawless. So he went out and slept on the threshing floor. <He did so> in order to ward off the lawless. However (according to Ruth 3:3), YOU (Ruth) ARE TO WASH AND ANOINT YOURSELF. She did not do so. Rather Ruth was extremely pure. She said: Whatever woman saw me thus would say: This is a whore. What did she do (according to vs. 6)? SHE WENT DOWN TO THE THRESHING FLOOR AND DID JUST AS HER MOTHER-IN-LAW HAD COMMANDED HER. <It was only> after she went down, <that> she did everything that her mother-in-law had commanded her.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 4:27): AND KISSED HIM. All kisses are indecent except three, and these are the following: the kiss of departure, the kiss of greatness, and the kiss of reunion (literally: of crossroads).¹¹⁷Exod.R.5:1. The kiss of departure <is not silly> because it is stated (in Ruth 1:14): AND ORPAH KISSED HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; the kiss of greatness, because it is stated (in I Sam. 10:1): THEN SAMUEL TOOK THE FLASK OF OIL, POURED IT UPON HIS HEAD, AND KISSED HIM….; the kiss of reunion, because it is stated (in Exod. 4:27): SO HE WENT TO MEET HIM <ON THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD> AND KISSED HIM.

Have kissed each other (Ps. 85:11) tells us that he kissed him. Our rabbis teach us that all but three kinds of kisses are frivolous. Those not frivolous are the kiss of parting, the kiss of homage, (and) the kiss of reunion. How do we know about the kiss of parting? From the fact that it is written: And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law Ruth (Ruth 1:14); the kiss of homage we know from what is written: Then Samuel took the vial of oil, poured it upon his head, and kissed him (I Sam. 10:1); we know about the kiss of reunion because it is written: And he went, and met him in the mountain of God and kissed him (Exod. 2:27).

Many women have done well (Proverbs 31:29): Adam, the first man, was commanded about six commandments. Noach [was additionally commanded] about [not eating] a limb from a live animal. Avraham about circumcision. Yitschak was educated with [these] eight [commandments]. Yaakov [was additionally commanded] about [not eating] the sciatic nerve. Yehudah about levirate marriage. [The people of] Israel about two hundred and forty-eight positive commandments corresponding to the two hundred and forty-eight limbs in a man - each and every limb says to man, "I plead of you to do this commandment with me" - and three hundred and sixty-five negative commandments corresponding to the three hundred and sixty-five days of the solar [year] - and each and every day says to man, "I plead of you not to do this sin on me." "Grace is false, beauty is illusory" (Proverbs 31:30) - the grace of Noach was false, as it states (Genesis 6:8), "But Noach found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Rabbi Levi said, "Only in his generation [did he find grace]." "Beauty is illusory" - illusory was the beauty of Adam, the first man. Rabbi Shimon ben Manassia said, "The ball of Adam, the first man's heel would dim the sun. And do not wonder - it is customary in the world that when a man makes two salver vessels, one for himself and one for his household, which does he make [nicer], is it not his? So [too], Adam, the first man, was created to serve in front of the Holy One, blessed be He; and the sun was created to make light for the creatures. And if the ball of his heel was such, the contour of his face, all the more so." "A woman that has fear of the Lord, she is to be praised" - this is Moshe. "Give of the fruit of her hand" (Proverbs 31:30) - Rabbi Yose bar Yirmiyah said, "Why did he compare the prophets to women? Rather, just like [a] woman is not embarrassed to claim the needs of the home from her husband, so [too] were the prophets not embarrassed to claim the needs of Israel from in front of the Holy One, blessed be He." The Holy One blessed be He said, "My sons, be involved in Torah [study] day and night, and I will count it for you as if you hold up the heavens and the earth," as it states (Joshua 1:8), "Let not this book of the Torah cease from your mouth, but meditate upon it day and night"; and it states (Joshua 1:9), “Did I not command you, 'Be strong and resolute; do not be terrified or dismayed'"; and it states (Ezra 3:11), "with praise and thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His kindness upon Israel is forever, and the people raised a great shout with praise to the Lord, for the foundation of the House of the Lord had been laid"; (Proverbs 23:23) "Acquire truth"; (Proverbs 5:17) "They will be yours alone"; (Proverbs 9:9) "Give to a wise man, and he will grow wiser"; (Proverbs 9:11) "For through me your days will increase, and years of life be added." Another interpretation: "A woman of valor who can find?" - this is [the meaning] of what the verse states (Psalms 92:15), "In old age they still produce fruit, etc." - corresponding to Avraham and Sarah who were of the same measure concerning charity and acts of kindness; they were a good sign for the world. In this way, He does not prevent proper women from the righteous ones, [but] matches them. As so [too] do we find with the wife of Noach that her actions and his actions were of the same measure - that is why she merited with him and was rescued from the waters of the flood. "Her husband puts his confidence in her" - this is Sarah, our mother, as Avaraham grew rich on her account, as it states (Genesis 12:16), "And he benefited Avraham for her sake." "She bestows good to him, and not bad" - this is Rivkah, our mother, who bestowed [good] to Yitzchak at the time that Sarah, his mother died. "She seeks wool and flax" - this is Leah, our mother, who received Yaakov with a pleasant countenance, as it is written (Genesis 30:16), "And Yaakov came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him and said, 'You are to sleep with me, for I have hired you, etc.'" Therefore she merited and kings and prophets came from her. "She is like a merchant fleet" - this is Rachel, our mother, who was embarrassed about [her lack of] children every day. Therefore she merited and a son came from her who was similar to a ship that is filled will all the good [found] in the world - so [was it with] Yosef, that the whole world survived from his merit and he supported the world in the years of famine. "She rises while it is still night" - this is Batya, the daughter of Pharaoh. She was a gentile and became a Jewess and they mentioned her name among the proper [women], since she took care of Moshe. Therefore she merited and entered the Garden of Eden in her lifetime. "She sets her mind on a field and acquires it; [she plants a vineyard from the produce of her hand]" - this is Yocheved, that from her came Moshe who is equivalent to all of Israel, which is called a vineyard, as it states (Isaiah 5:7), "For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the House of Israel." "She girds her loins with strength" - this is Miriam, as before Moshe was born, she said, "In the future, my mother will give birth to the savior of Israel." Once he was born and the yoke upon them became heavier, her father got up and bopped her on the head. He said to her, "Where is your prophecy?" And he got up and spit in front of her face. And nonetheless, she exerted herself about her prophecy, as it is written (Exodus 2:4), "And his sister stood from a distance." "She advises (taamah) that her merchandise is good; [her lamp never goes out at night]" - this is Channah who tasted (taamah) the taste of prayer, as it states (I Samuel 2:1), "And Hannah prayed, 'My heart exults in the Lord, etc.'" Therefore she merited and a son came from her that was the match of Moshe and Aharon, which would bring light to Israel like lamps, as it is written (Psalms 99:6), "Moshe and Aharon among his priests, and Shmuel among the ones that call His name." And it is written about Shmuel (I Samuel 3:3), "The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Shmuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord." "She sets her hand to the distaff" - this is Yael, who did not kill Sisera with a weapon, but rather with a peg through the force of her hands. And because of what did she not kill him with a weapon? In order to fulfill that which it states (Deuteronomy 22:5), "There shall not be the vessel of a man on a woman." "Her palm she spreads out to the poor" - this is the widowed woman of Tsarfat, who supported Eliyahu with bread and water. "She is not worried for her home because of snow, for her whole home is dressed in crimson" - this is Rachav the prostitute. When Israel came to destroy Yericho, she did not fear from them, because they give her a sign - (Joshua 2:18) "this line of scarlet string." "She makes covers for herself; [her clothing is linen and purple]" - this is Batsheva, that from her came Shlomo, who was adorned with linen and purple and ruled from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. "Her husband is known in the gates," - this is Michal, who saved David from death. "She makes cloth and sells it" - this is the mother of Shimshon, that through him Israel was saved. "Strength and splendor are her clothing; [and she laughs to the last day]" - this is Elisheva, the daughter of Aminadav, who saw four joyful events in one day: her brother [became] a prince; her husband, high priest; the brother of her husband, king; and her two children, young priests. "She opens her mouth with wisdom" - this is the wise woman who said (II Samuel 20:16), “Listen, listen! Please tell Yoav, 'Come over here and I will speak to you,'” who saved the city with her wisdom; and this was Sarach the daughter of Asher. "She oversees the activities of her household" - this is the wife of Ovadiah, who rescued her sons and they did not worship idolatry with Achav. "Her children rise and declare her happy" - this is the Shunamite, who is called a great woman (II Kings 4:8). And because of what? Because she pressed upon Elisha to eat. “Many women have done well, but you surpass them all” - this is Ruth the Moabitess, who came under the wings of the Divine presence. "Grace is false, beauty is illusory" - as she left her mother and her forefathers and her wealth, and came with her mother-in-law and accepted all of the commandments: the domain of Shabbat - "to where you will walk, I will walk" (Ruth 1:16); the prohibition of isolation with a man - "and in that which you will lay, I will lay"; the six hundred and thirteen commandments - "your people is my people"; idolatry - "your God is my God"; the four death penalties of the court - "and in that which you will die, I will die"; "and there will I be buried" - these are the two graveyards arranged for the court, one for the stoned and the burned, and one for the killed and the strangled. Therefore, she merited and David came from her, who gave pleasure with songs and praises to the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore it is stated, "Give of the fruit of her hand and let her works praise her in the gates." Be strong in ethical behavior, keep the Torah, and be rescued from the evil inclination.

Another [understanding]: And it was in the days of Amrafel: Rabbi Tanchuma in the name of Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Berakhiya in the name of Rabbi Elazar [all] said, "This midrash came up to our hands from the exile - 'Any place that it is stated, "and it was in the days of," it is nothing but a term of grief.'" "And it was in the days of Amrafel" (Genesis 14:1): What grief was there over there? They made a war. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Natan, "And there are five": (1) [It is comparable] to a dear friend of a king who entered a province, and on his account was the king [concerned] about that whole province. [Then] barbarians came and grappled with him. And when he wanted to leave, they all said to him, "Woe that the king will no longer be concerned about the province as he was": So [too,] was Avraham a dear friend of the Holy One, blessed be He - as it is written about him (Isaiah 41:8), "the seed of Avraham, My dear one"; and it is written (Genesis 12:3), "and through you shall all the families of the world be blessed." And when the barbarians came and grappled with him, they all said, "Woe that the Holy One, blessed be He, will not be concerned with the world as He was; since He was concerned with the world for his sake." This is [the meaning of] that which the verse stated (Genesis 14:7), "And they came to Ein Mishpat (which can be understand as the eye of justice)" - Rabbi Acha said, "They sought to grapple with no less than the eyeball of the world." They said, "They sought to blind the eye that [suppressed] the trait of [strict] judgment in the world." [The verse continues -] "It (hee) is Kadesh," [but] it is written, "he (hu) is Kadesh"; meaning to say, he sanctified (hu kidesh) the name of the Holy One, blessed be He and went down to the fiery furnace. When they saw that the things were like this, they cried out. (2) "And it was in the days of Achaz the son of Yoshiah, King of Yehudah" (Isaiah 7:1). What grief was there over there? "It is what is stated by the verse (Isaiah 9:11), "Aram is in front and the Philistines are behind, etc." [It is comparable] to a king that gave his son over to a mentor, and the mentor hated him. He said, "If I kill him, I will become liable for death. Rather, I will take away his nourishment from him and he will die on his own": So did the evil Achaz say, "If there are no goats, there will be no rams; if there is no flock, there will be no shepherd, [and] where will the world be?" So did he say, "If there are no masters, there will be no students; if there are no students, there will be no sages; if there is no Torah, there will be no synagogues and study halls." What did he do? He passed all the synagogues and study halls and sealed them. And this [is the meaning of] that which the verse states (Isaiah 8:16), "Bind up the message; seal the instruction with My disciples.".... And when they saw that the things were like this, they all started to cried out, "Woe that the world is being destroyed" - when [study of] the Torah was negated, that was in the days of Achaz. (3) "And it was in the days of Yehoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu" (Jeremiah 1:3). What grief was there over there? "I looked at the earth, and behold it was empty and void; at the heavens and their light was not" (Jeremiah 4:23), [It is comparable] to edicts of the kings that were were brought to the province. What did the people of the province do? They tore them up and burned them. This is what the verse stated (Jeremiah 36:23), "And it was when Yehudi would read three columns or four" - meaning to say, he read four verses - and in the fifth verse, he read, "And her tormentors became the head" (Lamentations 1:5) - and it is is written (Jeremiah 36:23), "he would tear it with a scribe's blade and throw it into the fire until the end of all of the scroll." And when they saw this, everyone began to cry out, "Woe for the decree that is hanging over us." (4) "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" (Ruth 1:1) - there was famine there. [And to what is the matter comparable?] To a province that was liable a tax to the king. [So] he sent collectors to collect it. The people of the province rose and smote the collectors and hung them. The judgment that they were liable - as they appointed other judges for themselves - they did to the collectors. So did they do at that time.... (5) "And it was in the days of Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1). What grief was there over there? [It is comparable] to a king that had a vineyard, and he had three enemies. What did they do? One cut the small berries, the second ripped the clusters and the third uprooted the vines: So did Pharaoh began with the small berries, as it is stated (Exodus 1:22), "Any son that is born, throw him into the river." Nevukhadnetsar [ripped the clusters,] as it is stated (Jeremiah 29:2), "the craftsmen and the smiths".... Haman [then] came [to] uproot the vines, as it is stated (Esther 3:13), "to annihilate, to kill and to destroy." Everyone began to cry out, "Woe." Rabbi Shimon ben Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (vayehi),' it is used for grief and it is used for joy. And when for grief, there is no grief like it, and when for joy, there is no joy like it." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman came and divided it, "Any place that it is stated 'it will be,' it is used for joy; [but] 'and it was' [is for] grief." The Sages responded, "Behold 'And God said, "Vayehi (here used as a command form, and not past tense) light"' [is] joy!" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. As so did Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon say, '[Regarding] the light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day, Adam [could] look and observe from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. [But] since the Holy One, blessed be He, saw the deeds of the generation of Enosh and the generation of the flood, He arose and hid it from them. That is [the meaning of] what the verse states (Job 38:15), "From the wicked is their light withheld." And to where is it hidden? [It is] in the Garden of Eden, for the righteous ones, as it is stated (Psalms 97:11), "Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the straight-hearted."'" They responded to him further, "It states, 'And it was evening and it was morning, one day.'" He said to them, "On that day too, it is not of joy, as all the acts of the first day are destined to wither, as it is stated (Isaiah 51:6), 'when the heavens melt away like smoke and the earth wither like a garment.'" They responded to him, "Behold, the [acts of] the second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day." He said to them, "They too are not of joy, as all the acts of the six days of creation require further action - for example, wheat needs to be ground; mustard needs to be mellowed; lupine need to be mellowed." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yosef and he was a successful man' (Genesis 39:7)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as that 'bear' chanced upon him from this, as it is stated in the verse, 'after' - 'And it was after these things, and the wife of his master raised, etc.' (Genesis 39:7)...." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yehoshua, and his reputation was in all the land' (Joshua 6:27)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as he had to rend his garments." They responded to him, "And is it not written (I Samuel 18:14), 'And it was that David was successful in all of his ways and the Lord was with him'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as enmity descended into the heart of Shaul from this, as it is stated (I Samuel 18:9), 'And it was that Shaul eyed David.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (II Samuel 7:1), 'And it was when the king sat in his house and the Lord allowed him rest from all of his enemies'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as on that same day, Natan the prophet came to David and said to him, 'However you will not build the House' (I Kings 8:19)." They said to him, "Behold, we have said what is ours; [now] say what is yours - that 'and it will be' is joy." He said to them, "'And it will be on that day that the mountains will drip with nectar' (Joel 4:18), that will be in the days of the messiah, and there will be great joy for Israel. And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that a man shall save alive a heifer of the herd and two sheep' (Isaiah 7:21). And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that living waters will come out from Jerusalem' (Zechariah 14:8). And so [too,] 'And he will be like a tree planted over streams of water' (Psalms 1:3). And so [too,] 'And the remnant of Yaakov will be among many nations' (Micah 5:6)." They said to him, "But behold, it is written (Jeremiah 38:28), 'vahaya (here used in the past tense, and not like the other examples) when Jerusalem was captured'!" He said to them, "It too is not of grief, as on that day was the verdict of Israel for their sins taken; as so is it written (Lamentations 4:22), 'Your sin has been completed, Daughter of Zion, He will not again exile you.'"

(Bamidbar 10:29) "And Moses said to Chovav (Yithro) the son of Reuel the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses": Was Chovav the father-in-law of Moses, or Reuel, viz. (Shemot 2:8) "And they came to Reuel, their father, etc."? — (Judges 4:11) "And Chever the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, from the children of Chovav, the father-in-law of Moses" (indicates that) his name was Chovav and not Reuel. How, then, are we to understand "And they came to Reuel their father"? We are hereby apprised that the young children called their father's father "father." R. Shimon b. Menassia says: His name was Reuel, "the friend (re'a) of G-d," viz. (Shemot 5:12) "And Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before G-d." R. Dostai says: His name was Keini, for he had separated from the provocative deeds of the kanai ("the provokers"), who provoke the L-rd, viz. (Devarim 32:21) "They provoked Me (kinuni) with a no-god," and (Ezekiel 8:3) "where was the seat of the provocative image of provocation ("semel hakinah hamekaneh"). R. Yossi says: His name was Keini, for he had acquired (kanah) Torah for himself. R. Yishmael b. R. Yossi says: His name was Reuel, for he had befriended G-d, viz. (Proverbs 27:10) "Your Friend and the Friend of your father do not forsake." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: He had two names — Chovav and Yithro. "Yithro," because he added a section ("Yithro") to the Torah, viz. (Shemot 18:21) "And (Yithro said) you shall see from all the people men of valor, etc." Now were these things (of appointing judges) not known to Moses from Sinai, viz. (Ibid. 23) "If you do this thing and G-d commands you"? And why did they escape Moses? To credit the thing to Yithro. "Chovav," because he loved ("chivev") the Torah. For we find no other proselyte who loved the Torah as Yithro did. And just as Yithro loved the Torah, so did his descendants love the Torah, viz. (I Chronicles 2:55) "and the families of scribes who dwelt in Yabetz: Tirathim, Shimathim, Suchathim. (These were the Kenites, etc.") "Tirathim" — because they heard the teruah from Mount Sinai. "Tirathim" — because they cried out ("mathri'im) and fasted. "Tirathim" — because they did not shave themselves ("ta'ar" is a blade). "Tirathim" — because they sat in the gates ("tara" is a gate) of Jerusalem. "Shimathim" — because they did not anoint themselves with oil (because of their mourning over the destruction of the Temple). "Suchathim" — because they dwelt in succoth. "who dwelt in Yabetz": They left Yericho and went to Yabetz, to the desert of Judah in the south of Arad to learn Torah from him (Yabetz), viz. (Ibid. 4:10) "And Yabetz called out to the G-d of Israel … and G-d granted him what he requested." They were chassidim, who entreated G-d for someone to learn from, and he was a chassid who entreated G-d for someone to teach. The chassidim came to learn from the chassid, as it is written (Judges 1:16) "And the sons of the Keini, the father-in-law of Moses, etc.", and (Jeremiah 25:12) "Go to the house of the Rechavim and speak to them, and bring them to the house of the L-rd, etc.", and (Ibid. 6) "And they said: We will not drink wine for Yonadav the son of Rechav our father commanded us, saying … and a house you shall not build and seed you shall not sow … so that you may live many years on the land where you live" — Since this house (the Temple) is destined to be destroyed, see it as if it is already destroyed. (Ibid. 8-10) "And we heeded the vice of Yonadav ben Rechav our father … and we live in tents, for we heeded and did according to everything that Yonadav our father commanded us." And whence is it derived that the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav were of the sons of the sons of Yithro? For it is written (I Chronicles 2:55) "These were the Keinites, who descended from Chammath, the father of the house of the Rechavim." And what was their reward for this? (Jeremiah 35:18) "And to the Rechavim Jeremiah said: Thus said the L-rd of hosts, the G-d of Israel: Because you have heeded the command of Yonadav your father … (19) there will not be cut off from Yonadav ben Rechav one who stands before Me all of the days." R. Yehoshua says: Now may proselytes enter the sanctuary? Rather, they sat in the Sanhedrin and taught Torah. Others say: Some of their daughters were wed to Cohanim and their descendents entered the sanctuary. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If those, who drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with Rachav Hazonah. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:21) "And the families of the house of the linen work, of the house of Ashbea": "the families" — Rachav Hazonah ("the feeder"), who kept an inn to feed her family. "the linen work" — She hid the spies among the linens. "the house of Ashbea" — The spies swore ("nisb'u") to her (to spare her family). Eight prophets, issued from Rachav Hazonah: Yirmiyahu, Chilkiyahu, Serayah, Machseyah, Baruch, Neriah, Chanamel, and Shalom. R. Yehudah says: Chuldah the prophetess was also of the descendants of Rachav Hazonah, as it is written (II Kings 22:14) "And Chilkiyahu the Cohein and Achikam and Achbor and Shafan and Asayah went to Chuldah the prophetess, the wife of Shalom the son of Tikvah, etc." And it is written (Joshua 2:18) "behold, when we (the spies) come to the land, you (Rachav) shall bind this line (tikvah) of scarlet thread, etc." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who came from a people of whom it is written (Devarim 20:16) "You shall not spare any soul," because she drew near (to Israel), was thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with the Giveonites. What is written of them? (I Chronicles 4:22) "And Yokim and the men of Chezeva. "And Yokim" — Joshua fulfilled ("kiyem") for them his oath (to spare them). "Chezeva" — they deceived ("kizvu") Joshua, saying (Joshua 9:9) "From a very distant land did your servants come," and not from Eretz Yisrael." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If these, who came from a people consigned to destruction, because they drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near)! And thus do you find with Ruth the Moavitess. What did she say to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16-17) "Your people is my people, and your G-d is my G-d. Where you will die, I will die." The L-rd said to her: You have lost nothing. kingdom is yours in this world and in the world to come. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:22) "and Yoash and Saraph, who had dominion in Moav." Yoash and Saraph are Machlon and Kilyon (viz. Ruth 1:2-6) "Yoash" — they despaired (nithya'ashu) of redemption. "Saraph" — they were liable to (the penalty of) burning, to the L-rd. "who had dominion over Moav" — they married Moavite women and left Eretz Yisrael and went and sojourned in the field of Moav. (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "and Yashuvilechem" — this is Ruth the Moavitess, who returned and dwelt in Beth Lechem. (Ibid.) "And these are ancient things" — each is discussed in its place. (Ibid. 23) "These are 'the keepers'" — the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav, who kept the oath of their father. "and the dwellers among the plants" — Solomon, who was like a (flourishing) plant in his kingdom. "and gedeirah ("the fence") — Sanhedrin, who sit and delimit the "fences" of Torah. "With the king in his work they sat there" — Ruth the Moavitess did not die until she saw Solomon, the grandson of her grandson (Yishai) sitting on his throne of kingdom, as it is written (I Kings 2:19) "And he (Solomon) sat on his throne, and he placed a seat for the mother of the king" — the mother of kingdom (i.e., Ruth). "and she sat at his right hand": as he busied himself with the work of the Temple, viz.: (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "with the king in his work they sat there. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who was of the people of whom it is written (I Kings 11:2) "You shall not come into them, and they shall not come into you," because she drew near (to Israel), she was drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so! And if you would ask: But where do we see this (that the L-rd draws them near) with Israel? It is written (Shemot 1:15) "And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, the first of whom was named Shifrah; and the second, Puah": Shifra is Yocheved (Moses' mother). Puah is Miriam (Moses' sister). "Shifra" — because she "beautifies (meshapereth) the child. "Puah" — because she "coos" (poeh) to the child. Variantly: "Shifra" — because Israel was fruitful (paru) and multiplied in her days. "Puah" — because she moaned (poah) and wept over her brother, as it is written (Ibid. 2:4) "And his sister stood from afar to know what would be done with him." (Ibid. 1:16) "And he (Pharaoh) said: When you deliver the Hebrew women … (17) and the midwives feared G-d … (21) and He made for them (the midwives) houses": I would not know what these "houses" were if not for (I Kings 9:10) "And it was at the end of twenty years that Solomon built the two houses — the house of the L-rd and the house of the king." "the house of the L-rd" — the priesthood; "the house of the king" — royalty. Yocheved attained to priesthood, and Miriam, to royalty. As it is written (I Chronicles 4:4) "These were the sons of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem": "Efrathah" — Miriam, who married Calev, viz.: (I Chronicles 2:19) "And Calev took Efrath, and she bore to him Chur," and (Ibid. 50) "These were the sons of Calev, the son of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem. "Efrathah" — This is the (royal) house of David, as it is written (I Samuel 17:12) "And David was the son of an Efrati man of Beth-lechem."

(Bamidbar 10:29) "And Moses said to Chovav (Yithro) the son of Reuel the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses": Was Chovav the father-in-law of Moses, or Reuel, viz. (Shemot 2:8) "And they came to Reuel, their father, etc."? — (Judges 4:11) "And Chever the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, from the children of Chovav, the father-in-law of Moses" (indicates that) his name was Chovav and not Reuel. How, then, are we to understand "And they came to Reuel their father"? We are hereby apprised that the young children called their father's father "father." R. Shimon b. Menassia says: His name was Reuel, "the friend (re'a) of G-d," viz. (Shemot 5:12) "And Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before G-d." R. Dostai says: His name was Keini, for he had separated from the provocative deeds of the kanai ("the provokers"), who provoke the L-rd, viz. (Devarim 32:21) "They provoked Me (kinuni) with a no-god," and (Ezekiel 8:3) "where was the seat of the provocative image of provocation ("semel hakinah hamekaneh"). R. Yossi says: His name was Keini, for he had acquired (kanah) Torah for himself. R. Yishmael b. R. Yossi says: His name was Reuel, for he had befriended G-d, viz. (Proverbs 27:10) "Your Friend and the Friend of your father do not forsake." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: He had two names — Chovav and Yithro. "Yithro," because he added a section ("Yithro") to the Torah, viz. (Shemot 18:21) "And (Yithro said) you shall see from all the people men of valor, etc." Now were these things (of appointing judges) not known to Moses from Sinai, viz. (Ibid. 23) "If you do this thing and G-d commands you"? And why did they escape Moses? To credit the thing to Yithro. "Chovav," because he loved ("chivev") the Torah. For we find no other proselyte who loved the Torah as Yithro did. And just as Yithro loved the Torah, so did his descendants love the Torah, viz. (I Chronicles 2:55) "and the families of scribes who dwelt in Yabetz: Tirathim, Shimathim, Suchathim. (These were the Kenites, etc.") "Tirathim" — because they heard the teruah from Mount Sinai. "Tirathim" — because they cried out ("mathri'im) and fasted. "Tirathim" — because they did not shave themselves ("ta'ar" is a blade). "Tirathim" — because they sat in the gates ("tara" is a gate) of Jerusalem. "Shimathim" — because they did not anoint themselves with oil (because of their mourning over the destruction of the Temple). "Suchathim" — because they dwelt in succoth. "who dwelt in Yabetz": They left Yericho and went to Yabetz, to the desert of Judah in the south of Arad to learn Torah from him (Yabetz), viz. (Ibid. 4:10) "And Yabetz called out to the G-d of Israel … and G-d granted him what he requested." They were chassidim, who entreated G-d for someone to learn from, and he was a chassid who entreated G-d for someone to teach. The chassidim came to learn from the chassid, as it is written (Judges 1:16) "And the sons of the Keini, the father-in-law of Moses, etc.", and (Jeremiah 25:12) "Go to the house of the Rechavim and speak to them, and bring them to the house of the L-rd, etc.", and (Ibid. 6) "And they said: We will not drink wine for Yonadav the son of Rechav our father commanded us, saying … and a house you shall not build and seed you shall not sow … so that you may live many years on the land where you live" — Since this house (the Temple) is destined to be destroyed, see it as if it is already destroyed. (Ibid. 8-10) "And we heeded the vice of Yonadav ben Rechav our father … and we live in tents, for we heeded and did according to everything that Yonadav our father commanded us." And whence is it derived that the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav were of the sons of the sons of Yithro? For it is written (I Chronicles 2:55) "These were the Keinites, who descended from Chammath, the father of the house of the Rechavim." And what was their reward for this? (Jeremiah 35:18) "And to the Rechavim Jeremiah said: Thus said the L-rd of hosts, the G-d of Israel: Because you have heeded the command of Yonadav your father … (19) there will not be cut off from Yonadav ben Rechav one who stands before Me all of the days." R. Yehoshua says: Now may proselytes enter the sanctuary? Rather, they sat in the Sanhedrin and taught Torah. Others say: Some of their daughters were wed to Cohanim and their descendents entered the sanctuary. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If those, who drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with Rachav Hazonah. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:21) "And the families of the house of the linen work, of the house of Ashbea": "the families" — Rachav Hazonah ("the feeder"), who kept an inn to feed her family. "the linen work" — She hid the spies among the linens. "the house of Ashbea" — The spies swore ("nisb'u") to her (to spare her family). Eight prophets, issued from Rachav Hazonah: Yirmiyahu, Chilkiyahu, Serayah, Machseyah, Baruch, Neriah, Chanamel, and Shalom. R. Yehudah says: Chuldah the prophetess was also of the descendants of Rachav Hazonah, as it is written (II Kings 22:14) "And Chilkiyahu the Cohein and Achikam and Achbor and Shafan and Asayah went to Chuldah the prophetess, the wife of Shalom the son of Tikvah, etc." And it is written (Joshua 2:18) "behold, when we (the spies) come to the land, you (Rachav) shall bind this line (tikvah) of scarlet thread, etc." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who came from a people of whom it is written (Devarim 20:16) "You shall not spare any soul," because she drew near (to Israel), was thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with the Giveonites. What is written of them? (I Chronicles 4:22) "And Yokim and the men of Chezeva. "And Yokim" — Joshua fulfilled ("kiyem") for them his oath (to spare them). "Chezeva" — they deceived ("kizvu") Joshua, saying (Joshua 9:9) "From a very distant land did your servants come," and not from Eretz Yisrael." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If these, who came from a people consigned to destruction, because they drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near)! And thus do you find with Ruth the Moavitess. What did she say to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16-17) "Your people is my people, and your G-d is my G-d. Where you will die, I will die." The L-rd said to her: You have lost nothing. kingdom is yours in this world and in the world to come. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:22) "and Yoash and Saraph, who had dominion in Moav." Yoash and Saraph are Machlon and Kilyon (viz. Ruth 1:2-6) "Yoash" — they despaired (nithya'ashu) of redemption. "Saraph" — they were liable to (the penalty of) burning, to the L-rd. "who had dominion over Moav" — they married Moavite women and left Eretz Yisrael and went and sojourned in the field of Moav. (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "and Yashuvilechem" — this is Ruth the Moavitess, who returned and dwelt in Beth Lechem. (Ibid.) "And these are ancient things" — each is discussed in its place. (Ibid. 23) "These are 'the keepers'" — the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav, who kept the oath of their father. "and the dwellers among the plants" — Solomon, who was like a (flourishing) plant in his kingdom. "and gedeirah ("the fence") — Sanhedrin, who sit and delimit the "fences" of Torah. "With the king in his work they sat there" — Ruth the Moavitess did not die until she saw Solomon, the grandson of her grandson (Yishai) sitting on his throne of kingdom, as it is written (I Kings 2:19) "And he (Solomon) sat on his throne, and he placed a seat for the mother of the king" — the mother of kingdom (i.e., Ruth). "and she sat at his right hand": as he busied himself with the work of the Temple, viz.: (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "with the king in his work they sat there. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who was of the people of whom it is written (I Kings 11:2) "You shall not come into them, and they shall not come into you," because she drew near (to Israel), she was drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so! And if you would ask: But where do we see this (that the L-rd draws them near) with Israel? It is written (Shemot 1:15) "And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, the first of whom was named Shifrah; and the second, Puah": Shifra is Yocheved (Moses' mother). Puah is Miriam (Moses' sister). "Shifra" — because she "beautifies (meshapereth) the child. "Puah" — because she "coos" (poeh) to the child. Variantly: "Shifra" — because Israel was fruitful (paru) and multiplied in her days. "Puah" — because she moaned (poah) and wept over her brother, as it is written (Ibid. 2:4) "And his sister stood from afar to know what would be done with him." (Ibid. 1:16) "And he (Pharaoh) said: When you deliver the Hebrew women … (17) and the midwives feared G-d … (21) and He made for them (the midwives) houses": I would not know what these "houses" were if not for (I Kings 9:10) "And it was at the end of twenty years that Solomon built the two houses — the house of the L-rd and the house of the king." "the house of the L-rd" — the priesthood; "the house of the king" — royalty. Yocheved attained to priesthood, and Miriam, to royalty. As it is written (I Chronicles 4:4) "These were the sons of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem": "Efrathah" — Miriam, who married Calev, viz.: (I Chronicles 2:19) "And Calev took Efrath, and she bore to him Chur," and (Ibid. 50) "These were the sons of Calev, the son of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem. "Efrathah" — This is the (royal) house of David, as it is written (I Samuel 17:12) "And David was the son of an Efrati man of Beth-lechem."