Midrash su Deuteronomio 23:14

Bar Kapara lectured: "What does the passage (Deut. 23, 14) And a spade shalt thou have with thy weapons, mean? Do not read it Azaynecha (weapon), but read it Az'necha (ears); i.e., if a man hear an unbecoming thing (Ib. b) he should put his finger in his ear." This is what R. Elazar meant, who said: "Why are the fingers of a man constructed peg-shaped?" What does he mean by this? Shall we assume that he asks why are they separated and not in one body? This is because every one is needed for its own purpose, for the master said: The smallest one is used for measuring the span; the next to it is used for Kemitza, the middle one is to be used in the cubit measure; the fourth from the little one (the one next to the thumb), is to be used whenever a finger-measure is mentioned; the thumb is to be used by priests for the sacrifice requirements. We must therefore say that he means to ask why are they slanting down peg-shaped? Because if one hear an unbecoming thing he should put his finger in his ear. In the college of R. Ishmael it was taught: Why is the entire ear hard and the attachment thereto soft? In case one hears an unbecoming thing he should be able to place the attachment into it [and prevent from hearing such things.] Our Rabbis were taught: Never shall a man permit his ears to listen to absurdities, because they will be burnt first of all other members.

“When a camp goes out against your enemies, you shall beware of everything evil” (Devarim 23:10). There should be no levity among you so that you do not incur any liability. From whom should you learn? From Yiftach. What is written about him? “…and he was the son of a harlot…” (Shoftim 11:1) Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said that she brought her sister-wife into her house, and our Rabbis say that she was really a harlot; and because there was some levity in him all of the people fell upon him. Therefore it is written “you shall beware of everything evil" and “If there is among you a man who is unclean…” These are Israel who became impure through idolatry, as it says “…scatter them afar like a menstruant; 'Go out,' say to it.” (Yeshayahu 30:22) “…he shall go outside the camp…” (Devarim 23:11) that they were exiled to Bavel. “And it shall be, towards evening…”(Devarim 23:12) the evening of the kingdoms, and the Holy One purifies them as it says “…he shall bathe in water…” (ibid.) and it is written “When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion…” (Yeshayahu 4:4) “…and when the sun sets…” (Devraim 23:12) When the King Messiah comes of whom it is written “…and his throne is like the sun before Me.” (Tehillim 89:37) “…he may come within the camp” (Devarim 23:12) These are Israel, entering into the Holy Temple. “And you shall have a designated place outside the camp…” (Devarim 23:13) this is the merit of Avraham. R. Pinchas said- “…so that you can go out there,” to Bavel. “And you shall keep a stake in addition to your weapons…” (Devarim 23:14) Nevuchadnezar demanded that they serve an idol and they said “…let it be known to you, O king, that we will not worship your god…” (Daniel 3:18) “…and you shall return and cover your excrement.” (Devarim 23:14) The covering of idolatry that was in Jerusalem. “For the Lord, your God, goes along in the midst of your camp…” (Devarim 23:15) The Holy One will be revealed to them immediately and saved them from the fire. “Therefore, your camp shall be holy…” (ibid.) Afterwards He will sanctify them as it says “And they shall call them the holy people, those redeemed by the Lord…” (Yeshayahu 62:12)

“Boaz said to his servant who was appointed over the reapers: Whose is this young woman?” (Ruth 2:5).
“Boaz said to his servant who was appointed over the reapers” – over how many was he appointed? Rabbi Eliezer bar Miriam said: He was appointed over forty-two, [as evident] from this [verse]: “Solomon counted all the strangers who were in the land of Israel…[and they were found to be one hundred fifty-three thousand, six hundred]. He set from them seventy thousand porters [and eighty thousand hewers in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred overseers to set the people at work]” (II Chronicles 2:16–17).¹⁶²Having 3,600 overseers for 150,000 workers yields a ratio of one overseer for approximately forty-two workers. One who does so can sustain it and know what each of them is doing.
“Whose is this young woman?” – did he not know who she was? Rather, once he saw that she was pleasant and her actions were fine, he began asking about her. All the women would bend at the waist and gather, and this one would sit and gather. All the women would raise their skirts, and she would lower her skirts. All the women would jest with the reapers, while she would conduct herself modestly. All the women would gather between the sheaves, and she would gather from what had been abandoned.
Similarly, “When Saul saw David emerge against the Philistine [he said to Avner, commander of the army: Avner, whose son is this lad?]” (I Samuel 17:55); did he not know who he was? The day before, he had sent to Yishai saying: “Please let David stand before me, as he has found favor in my eyes” (I Samuel 16:22), and now he is asking about him? Rather, when Saul saw the head of the Philistine in his hand, he began asking about him: If he descends from Peretz, he is a king. If he descends from Zeraḥ, he is a judge.¹⁶³Saul knew that David was from the tribe of Judah but did not know from which of Judah’s sons he descended, from Peretz or Zeraḥ. Apparently, there was a tradition that kings would descend form Peretz. Doeg the Edomite was there at that time, and said to him: Even if he descends from Peretz, is he not disqualified? Is he not of disqualified lineage; does he not descend from Ruth the Moavite? Avner said to him: Has the halakha of: An Amonite and not an Amonite woman, not been introduced? He said to him: If so, an Edomite and not an Edomite woman, an Egyptian and not an Egyptian woman.¹⁶⁴It is forbidden to marry an Edomite or Egyptian convert or his descendants, for three generations since his conversion (Deuteronomy 23:8–9). This is understood to apply to both male and female converts. Why were [Amonite and Moavite converts] barred? Was it not “because they did not meet you with bread and with water; [and they hired against you Bilam son of Beor from Petor, Aram Naharayim, to curse you]” (Deuteronomy 23:5)? The women should have gone out to the women [with bread and water]. Avner temporarily forgot the [reason for this] halakha. Saul said to him: The halakha that you forgot, go and ask Samuel and his court. When he came to Samuel in his court, he said to him: From where did you get this, was it not from Doeg? Doeg is a heretic and will not leave this world in peace. To send you away with nothing¹⁶⁵With no response to Doeg’s argument. is not possible. Rather, it is written: “All the glory of the king’s daughter is inside” (Psalms 45:14); it is not for a woman to go out, it is for a man to go out. “And they hired against you” (Deuteronomy 23:5) – it is for a man to pay wages and not for a woman.
“The servant that was appointed over the reapers answered and said: She is a Moavite young woman who returned with Naomi from the field of Moav” (Ruth 2:6).
“The servant that was appointed over the reapers answered and said: She is a Moavite young woman”; and you said her actions are fine and pleasant? Rather, her mentor cured her.¹⁶⁶Naomi cured her of her Moavite ways. This is derived from the continuation of the verse, “who returned with Naomi from the field of Moav” (Matnot Kehuna). The word returned [shava] can also mean “repented.”