Komentarz do Rut 3:14

For he said, “It must not be known.” This refers back to “and she arose before one could recognize [another].” He hurried her to rise because he said in his heart, “It does not befit my honor that it should be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”¹⁹According to the Alshich, Bo’az was concerned with Rus’ reputation rather than his own, because his righteousness was well known and nobody would suspect him of acting immorally.

She rose before (biterem) one person could distinguish another… The sages comment in the Midrash⁷⁰Ruth Rabbah 7:1: “Before [beterem] one could distinguish” — beterom [with a vav] is written, teaching that she stayed there six hours, corresponding to the numerical value of vav. Besides the statement of the sages, there are those who say that the extra vav is a hint that it was because of King David who in the future would rise up every night at the sixth hour before the day began. In this way he helped his neighbor recognize that God joins the blessed Holy One and the Shechina in a primordial coupling, as is explained in the Holy Zohar in the rising up at Midnight. Because of it Ruth was saved and was not punished and she was given life as is hinted by the letter vav which is a sign of life. The Holy Zohar⁷¹See Zohar 2:2a
- שְׁאַל לְךָ אוֹת, אוֹת מַמָּשׁ. דְּכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ נַטְלִין בְּרָזָא דְּאַתְוָון. וְכֵן בְּרָחָב מַה כְּתִיב, (יהושע ב׳:י״ב-י״ג) וּנְתַתֶּם לִי אוֹת אֱמֶת, דָּא אָת ו', דְּדָא אִקְרֵי אוֹת אֱמֶת. וְאִי תֵּימָא שְׁאָר אַתְוָון לָאו אִינּוּן אֱמֶת. אִין, אֶלָּא אוֹת דָּא אוֹת אֱמֶת אִקְרֵי. states when explaining the verse, “Provide me with a reliable sign.” (Josh. 2:12) According to the sages this is an allusion to the six hours that she tarried there, so that, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” (Ruth 2:14) In the Midrash, the sages explained that all that night Boaz prostrated himself and prayed that it should not be known that a woman had come to the threshing floor, lest it be a desecration of God’s name, God forbid. It was through the merit of the six hours that Boaz controlled his inclination that it was God’s will that it not be known that there was a woman in the threshing floor.