פּירוש אויף רות 3:12

“And now indeed” [3:12]. While it is true that I am the redeemer, there is another redeemer closer than I. Stay the night and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, it is good. If he does not want to redeem you, I will, as God lives. Lie down until morning. Our sages say: “someone” was called by his proper name, Good [Tov]. The same person was the brother of Elimelech. This is the meaning of the verse “if Tov will redeem.” That is to say, if the man whose name is Tov will redeem you, it is good. Boaz was the son of Salmon and Salmon was the brother of Elimelech. Thus, Boaz was the cousin of Machlon, Ruth’s husband. It was more correct for the man called Tov to be the redeemer, since he was the uncle of Machlon.⁶⁷Ruth Rabbah, 6.3.

Now, though it is true that. אִם [=if] is written but not read, i.e., it conveys uncertainty [who will be the actual redeemer], for there is surely a redeemer closer than I.¹³The kinsman was Elimelech’s brother whereas Bo’az was only his nephew. (Another version: “כִּי אִם” conveys doubt, but it is certain [that he was a definite redeemer]).¹⁴I.e., without the word אם to indicate that there was actually no uncertainty, i.e., that Bo’az knew that he would indeed be the one to redeem her. Rabbi Yehoshua the son of Leivi said, “Salmone, Elimelech, and Tov were brothers. Then what is the meaning [of the statement by Bo’az], “which belonged to our brother, to Elimelech”? A person always refers to his uncle as his brother, as the matter is stated, “And Avrom heard that his brother was captured.”¹⁵Bereishis 14:14. Now was not Avrohom his [Lot’s] uncle?¹⁶Lot’s father Haran, was Avrohom’s brother; see Bereishis 11:27. So was Bo’az, Elimelech’s nephew, a relative of Machlon, but Tov was more closely related.

Even closer than I. For he [Tov] is a brother, and I am a brother’s son [i.e., nephew].¹⁷And therefore he has priority.