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ShareThis text is the first three pesukim of Megilat Ruth. Megilat Ruth is the story we read during Shavuot. It starts by introducing an Ephromite family from Bethlehem. Elimelech, his wife, Naomi, and two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. It states that there was a famine in Judah and so Elimelech went with his family to Moab. His two sons then married Urpa and Ruth. Naomi’s husband and sons died, leaving her with only her daughters-in-law. She hears that there is no longer a famine in Judah, so she returns to the land of Judah with Ruth.
(1) In the days when the chieftains ruled, there was a famine in the land; and a man of Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the country of Moab. (2) The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and his two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. They came to the country of Moab and remained there. (3) Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.
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Why is Elimelch and his family’s names only mentioned in the second pasuk?
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Why does the megillah keep on repeating itself in psukim 1- 3?
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וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ אִ֜ישׁ - it is later stated that Elimelech is an ephromite. Rashi says that this means he was important, wouldn’t that mean he would have enough food/money? So why would he leave then?
This next text is a commentary for the eighth pasuk of Megilat Ruth. It breaks down the pasuk and explains the context of some of the words. It also gives different Rabbis’ opinions on this pasuk and Megilat Ruth.
(יד) יַעַשׂ ה' עִמָּכֶם חֶסֶד, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר אָדָא אָמַר, יַעֲשֶׂה כְּתִיב, כַּאֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם עִם הַמֵּתִים, שֶׁנִּטְפַּלְתֶּם בְּתַכְרִיכֵיהוֹן, וְעִמָּדִי, שֶׁוִתְּרוּ לָהּ כְּתֻבּוֹתֵיהֶן. אָמַר רַבִּי זְעֵירָא, מְגִלָּה זוֹ אֵין בָּהּ לֹא טֻמְאָה, וְלֹא טָהֳרָה, וְלֹא אִסּוּר, וְלֹא הֶתֵּר, וְלָמָּה נִכְתְּבָה
(14) "G-d will deal kindly with you (Ruth 1:8)" . Rabbi Chanina son of Ada says, "He will deal (ya'aseh)" is what is written (k'tiv), "as you dealt with the dead" when you were occupied with their shrouds, "and with me" when they renounced their ketubot. Rabbi Zeira says: "This book [of Ruth] does not have anything in it concerned with impurity or purity nor what is forbidden and what is permitted. So why is it written?
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Why do you think the Megillah is written then?
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Why does she say with "the dead" and not with her sons?
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when she says "and with me" what do you think she means?
In this next source, Bava Batra 14b is discussing Megillat Ruth, 4:18-22. In this pasuk, Naomi said goodbye to Urpa and Ruth (even though Ruth refused to leave her) and gave them a blessing. Here, Bava Batra is giving more insight into the timeline of Megilat Ruth.
שְׁמוּאֵל כָּתַב סִפְרוֹ וְשׁוֹפְטִים וְרוּת
Samuel wrote his own book, the book of Judges, and the book of Ruth.
- What do these sources tell you about the timeline of Ruth?
- Why do you think Shmuel wrote Megilat Ruth and not David?
- Do you think that all texts from the Tanach need to discuss laws and purities and impurities?
In the last source we see the return of Naomi to Bethlehem along with Ruth. In the previous psukim, Ruth showed her devotion to Naomi by stating that wherever Naomi dies, she will die, Naomi’s G-d is now her G-d, and so on. In the previous psukim Naomi also says that the people should call her Mara, meaning bitter, because of her grief.
- Is this the beginning on Passover because it's at the start of the omer?
- If so, why would we celebrate it now?
- If so, why would we celebrate it now?
- It's previously stated that Ruth declared that Naomi's G-d will now be her G-d too, so why is Ruth introduces as a Moabite?
After reading thoroughly and learning in great detail Megilat Ruth we have realized that even a very short pasuk can provoke a lot of questions. When you start having questions about a pasuk you also are interested in learning more about the topic. In conclusion, studying Megilat Ruth in detail, helped us learn more about the story by asking questions about each part.
