Tafsiran yang Mengutip untuk Amsal 18:22

Solomon commenced the concluding chapter of Proverbs with the words אשת חיל מי ימצא, “who can find a woman of valour?” According to the plain meaning of the text he spoke about an intelligent woman, eager and competent to discharge the duties of her household, working hard both by day and by night; this is the meaning of Proverbs 31,18: “even when her affairs thrive her lamp does not go out at night.” This woman is known far and wide for the good she does for the poor, sustaining them with the work of her own hands. This is the meaning of 31,20: “she extends her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hand to the needy.” This whole chapter teaches us both moral/ethical lessons as well as lessons in good manners. A man is to look for this kind of a woman when he wants to get married as she is the mainstay of his home to be. Together with her he can look forward to building his family. Solomon wanted to enumerate all the virtues of such a woman in alphabetical order in order to demonstrate that a woman who possesses all these virtues also symbolizes the entire Torah. Her presence is her husband’s best preparation to achieve success in his Torah study and mitzvah performance, much as the body is the preparation for the soul to attain its objectives.
This is what the sages alluded to when they said (concerning a man finding a woman) “if he has merit, she will prove an invaluable helpmate” (Yevamot 63). Addressing the same subject, Solomon said: (Proverbs 18,22) “He who found a wife has found a good thing; he will obtain favor from the Lord,” seeing the Torah had said it is not good for man to remain solitary (Genesis 2,18) Solomon, when discussing marriage, said that a woman does not deserve to be praised on account of her physical beauty, graceful mannerism. Solomon said (Proverbs 31,30) “grace is deceptive, beauty is vain, a G’d-fearing woman is the woman who is truly praiseworthy.” This is also why he concludes by saying: “acknowledge her for the fruit of her hands and let her accomplishments praise her in the gates.” It is appropriate that she be praised for what she does, not for the attributes she was endowed with at birth [something for which one should praise the Lord, not her. Ed.] We find that Abigail was the prototype for such a woman whose good virtues employed at the right time and in the right place, saved her husband and her entire household from being killed by David and his men. David himself acknowledged this when he said to her (Samuel I 25,33): ”blessed be your prudence, and blessed be you yourself for restraining me from seeking redress in blood by my own hands.“

“And Boaz ate” [3:7]. And Boaz ate and drank and he was in a good mood, in the Torah and with prayer and he went to lie down at the side of the grain pile. She came and slowly uncovered his feet and lay down. Our sages write, “in a good mood” means, that after eating he thought about a wife, who is called “good,” as Scripture says, “He who find a wife, finds good” [Proverbs, 18:22]. Our sages also say that Boaz was a communal leader and a Judge and was correct that he should lie in the barn near the grain pile. However, the sages say that he did it, when at the same time, that generation was very promiscuous and used the barns for their activities. For the righteous who did not want to sin before God, it is correct that each righteous person should look to God and should not covet strangers.⁶¹Ruth Rabbah, 5.15.

V. 34. והרצת את שבתתיה ,אז תרצה וגו׳. Ebenso V. 41: ואז ירצו את עונם V. 43: והם ירצו את עונם ,ותרץ את שבתתיה וגו׳. Es ist nicht leicht, die Bedeutung der Wurzel רצה in diesen Ausdrücken festzustellen, obgleich der Zusammenhang völlig klar ist und es unzweifelhaft ein sühnendes Wiedergutmachen von Sünden bedeutet. Es ist zuvörderst zu bemerken, daß רצה durchaus nicht schlechthin: Wollen, d. i. den Entschluss zu einer Handlung bedeutet. Es kommt nur ein einziges mal in Verbindung mit einem Verbum – רצה ד׳ להצילני Ps. 40, 14 – vor, in allen übrigen Stellen hat es nur ein Substantiv oder ein dessen Stelle vertretendes Pronomen zum Objekt und zwar mit ב־ oder mit את־, wie לא בשוקי האיש ירצה, oder רוצה ד׳ את יראיו (Ps. 147, 10 u. 11), an etwas die Befriedigung seines Willens finden, oder: etwas als seinen Willen befriedigend finden. Allein es drückt auch die gegenseitige Gesinnung, das wohltuende Wohlwollen aus, das sich dem Gegenstande zuwendet, an welchem wir die Befriedigung unseres Willens finden. Diese Bedeutung tritt namentlich in dem Substantiv häufig hervor. Während in לעשות רצונך א׳ חפצתי (Ps. 40, 9) und sonst es das bezeichnet, was dem Willen Gottes gemäß ist, die Befriedigung, die Gott an uns findet, heißt שבע רצון :נפתלי. (Dewarim 33, 23), ורצון שכני סנה (daselbst 16). חיים ברצונו (Ps. 30, 6), ויפק רצון מד׳ (Prov. 18, 22) und sonst sehr häufig, die Befriedigung unserer Wünsche, die Gottes Wohlwollen uns gewährt. רצון heißt daher sowohl die Zufriedenheit, als ein die Wünsche des andern befriedigendes Wohlwollen. Im Verb tritt diese Bedeutung besonders zur Bezeichnung des Wiedergewährens bereits verlorenen Wohlwollens auf. So ותרצני (Bereschit 33, 6); יעתר אל אלוה וירצהו (Job 33, 26) רצית ד׳ ארצך (Ps. 85, 2). Diese Doppelseitigkeit des Begriffs erscheint ähnlich in der Wurzel רעה (ja chaldäisch soviel als רצה) wieder, die ebenso Weide gewähren, wie Weide genießen (im Grunde ja auch Befriedigung gewähren und Befriedigung empfangen) bedeutet (siehe Bereschit 4, 2). Ja, es dürfte רצה auch ganz in der Bedeutung desרעה: Befriedigung an jemandem und bei jemandem suchen, sich zu ihm gesellen, wie רועה כסילים (Prov. 13, 20) usw. vorkommen: אם ראית גנב ותרץ עמו (Ps. 50, 18). Ebenso vielleicht auch ברצותו עם אלקים (Job 34, 9): wenn er eine Befriedigung bei Gott sucht, sich zu Gott hält.