פּירוש אויף רות 1:2

“The man’s name was Elimelech” [1:2] The man’s name was Elimelech and the name of his wife was Naomi and the names of his two sons were Machlon and Chilion, people from the city of Bethlehem in Judah and they came to the plains of Moab. One can ask why does Scripture say the husband’s name? However, it wants to show that he was an important man, who was well known and of noble descent, a son of Nahshon ben Aminadav, who was a prince of Israel in the time of Moses Our Teacher.¹⁰B. Baba Bathra, 91a. Also, God punished him severely because he left the land of Israel and even the merit of his ancestors did not help him.¹¹B. Baba Bathra, 91a.

Since his parents were very religious and some sages say that the Holy One judged the world at that time and the court was standing in heaven. The Holy One concealed Elimelech from the court so that Elimelech should not be judged and that is why it says, “a man went from Bethlehem in Judah” [1:1]. This means that a man left Bethlehem and he was not mentioned by name. Afterwards, Scripture says, “the man’s name was Elimelech” [1:2]. This means, Elimelech was mentioned by name. The heavenly angels of the attribute of judgment did not want to tolerate him and brought him before [the court] and the decree was soon issued that Elimelech and all his children must die. Furthermore, one can ask, why does it have to mention his wife’s name or those of his children? However, Scripture shows that when the husband does not want to give charity to the poor and the wife or children tell the husband to give charity or the opposite, then the evil decree is annulled. When they all agree not to donate, heaven forbid, they are all equally culpable and all must die. Therefore, Scripture names them all individually, because they are equally [culpable].¹²Yalkut Shimoni, Ruth, Remez 599.

Some sages say that Elimelech and Machlon and Chilion were the greatest people of their generation and supposedly left the land of Israel as soon as they had to eat bread made of bran. Why did God, blessed be He, punish them? They should have prayed for their generation and they did not do it and that is why they were punished.¹³Yalkut Shimoni, Ruth, Remez 599.

Ephrathites. Important people, and similarly, “the son of Tochu, the son of Tzuph, an Ephrathite,”⁶I Shmuel 1:1. [meaning] an aristocrat. Look how important they were, for Eglon the King of Mo’av married off his daughter to Machlon, as the Master said, “Rus was the daughter of Eglon.”⁷Maseches Sanhedrin 105b. Another explanation of “Ephratites,” [they were from Beis Lechem,] because Beis Lechem is called Ephros.⁸See Bereishis 48:7, “and I buried her [Rachel] on the way to Ephros which is Beis Lechem.”