וְה֣וּא שָׁ֗ב מִן־הַפְּסִילִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶת־הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל וַיֹּ֕אמֶר דְּבַר־סֵ֥תֶר לִ֛י אֵלֶ֖יךָ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הָ֔ס וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ מֵֽעָלָ֔יו כָּל־הָעֹמְדִ֖ים עָלָֽיו׃
Poczem wróciwszy sam od posągów, znajdujących się w Gilgal, oznajmił: Mam tajemne słowo do ciebie, królu! Wtedy rzekł: cisza! I usunęli się odeń wszyscy, którzy go otaczali.
Ruth Rabbah
“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].
“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].
Bereshit Rabbah
“Benjamin is a wolf that mauls; in the morning he devours prey, and in the evening he divides spoils” (Genesis 49:27).
“Benjamin is a wolf that mauls” – this is referring to his judges. Just as the wolf snatches, so Ehud snatched Eglon’s heart. That is what is written: “Ehud came to him, and he was sitting [alone] in his cool upper chamber” (see Judges 3:20). “He said: [I have] a secret matter…” (Judges 3:19). He said to him: ‘So did the Master of the world say to me: Take a sword and plunge it into your innards.’ “The parshedona emerged” (Judges 3:22) – his excrement. “Ehud emerged into the vestibule [hamisderona]” (Judges 3:23) – Rabbi Yudan said: A portico that obscures the light. Rabbi Berekhya said: There the ministering angels sat in order [mesudarin].
Another matter: It is referring to his kingdom.17Jacob was referring to King Saul, who descended from Benjamin. Just as the wolf snatches, so Saul snatched the kingdom, as it is stated: “Saul secured [lakhad] the kingdom over Israel” (I Samuel 14:47).18Lakhad has the connotation of capturing something that belonged to another, and the tribe of Judah had been granted the right to the kingship (see Etz Yosef). “In the morning19At the beginning of his reign. he devours prey” – “he waged war against all his enemies all around” (I Samuel 14:47). “In the evening he divides spoils” – “Saul died for his trespass that he trespassed [against the Lord]” (I Chronicles 10:13).20Toward the end of his reign, signified by evening, Saul became spoils for his enemies.
It is referring to his kingdom. Just as the wolf snatches, so Esther snatched the kingdom. That is what is written: “Esther was taken [to the king’s palace” (Esther 2:8). “In the morning it devours its prey” – “On that day, King Aḥashverosh gave the house of Haman to Queen Esther” (Esther 8:1). “In the evening he divides spoils” – “Esther appointed Mordekhai over the house of Haman” (Esther 8:2).
It is referring to his land. Just as the wolf snatches, so Benjamin’s land snatches its produce.21The produce grows very quickly there. “In the morning it devours its prey” – this is Jericho, whose produce would ripen first. “In the evening he divides spoils” – this is Beit El, whose produce would ripen last.
Rabbi Pinḥas interprets the verse regarding the altar. Just as the wolf snatches, so the altar snatches the offerings. “In the morning it devours its prey” – “the one lamb you shall offer in the morning” (Numbers 28:4). “In the evening he divides spoils” – “and the second lamb you shall offer in the afternoon” (Numbers 28:4).
“Benjamin is a wolf that mauls” – this is referring to his judges. Just as the wolf snatches, so Ehud snatched Eglon’s heart. That is what is written: “Ehud came to him, and he was sitting [alone] in his cool upper chamber” (see Judges 3:20). “He said: [I have] a secret matter…” (Judges 3:19). He said to him: ‘So did the Master of the world say to me: Take a sword and plunge it into your innards.’ “The parshedona emerged” (Judges 3:22) – his excrement. “Ehud emerged into the vestibule [hamisderona]” (Judges 3:23) – Rabbi Yudan said: A portico that obscures the light. Rabbi Berekhya said: There the ministering angels sat in order [mesudarin].
Another matter: It is referring to his kingdom.17Jacob was referring to King Saul, who descended from Benjamin. Just as the wolf snatches, so Saul snatched the kingdom, as it is stated: “Saul secured [lakhad] the kingdom over Israel” (I Samuel 14:47).18Lakhad has the connotation of capturing something that belonged to another, and the tribe of Judah had been granted the right to the kingship (see Etz Yosef). “In the morning19At the beginning of his reign. he devours prey” – “he waged war against all his enemies all around” (I Samuel 14:47). “In the evening he divides spoils” – “Saul died for his trespass that he trespassed [against the Lord]” (I Chronicles 10:13).20Toward the end of his reign, signified by evening, Saul became spoils for his enemies.
It is referring to his kingdom. Just as the wolf snatches, so Esther snatched the kingdom. That is what is written: “Esther was taken [to the king’s palace” (Esther 2:8). “In the morning it devours its prey” – “On that day, King Aḥashverosh gave the house of Haman to Queen Esther” (Esther 8:1). “In the evening he divides spoils” – “Esther appointed Mordekhai over the house of Haman” (Esther 8:2).
It is referring to his land. Just as the wolf snatches, so Benjamin’s land snatches its produce.21The produce grows very quickly there. “In the morning it devours its prey” – this is Jericho, whose produce would ripen first. “In the evening he divides spoils” – this is Beit El, whose produce would ripen last.
Rabbi Pinḥas interprets the verse regarding the altar. Just as the wolf snatches, so the altar snatches the offerings. “In the morning it devours its prey” – “the one lamb you shall offer in the morning” (Numbers 28:4). “In the evening he divides spoils” – “and the second lamb you shall offer in the afternoon” (Numbers 28:4).