Why was Ruth so serious about staying with Naomi?
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ShareThe book of Ruth is about a girl named Ruth who insists on staying with her mother in law, even after being urged to leave with her sister in law. There is a lot of other stuff that happens in this story, but this is the part I chose to focus on. Before this part of the story, Naomi's (the mother in laws) sons and husband die, leaving her with her two daughters in law. Naomi is heading to Bethlehem, but asks Ruth and her other daughter-in-law, Orpah, to turn back. Orpah leaves but Ruth stays.
But Ruth replied, “Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. (17) Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus and more may the LORD do to me if anything but death parts me from you.” (18) When [Naomi] saw how determined she was to go with her, she ceased to argue with her; (19) and the two went on until they reached Bethlehem.
Question:
1. Does Ruth mean that, when Naomi dies, she will die too, in the exact same place and time, or just the same place?
2. Was Ruth not already the same religion as Naomi?
3. What does this source show about Ruth's determination?
In this source, it talks about Naomi explaining harsh rules and punishments to Ruth, because you are supposed to discourage people from converting.
For wherever you go, I shall go. From here our Rabbis of blessed memory derived that if a [prospective] proselyte comes to convert, we inform him of some of the punishments [for violating the commandments] so that is he decides to renege [from his intention to convert], he can renege; for out of the words of Rus, you can learn what Naomi said to her. [Naomi said.] “We may not venture outside the boundary [of 2000 cubits beyond city limits] on Shabbos.” She [Rus] replied to her, “For wherever you go I shall go.” [Naomi then said,] “We are prohibited to allow a woman to be secluded with a man who is not her husband.” She [Rus] replied, “Where you lodge, I will lodge.” [Naomi said,] “Our nation is separated from other nations by 613 commandments,” [and Rus replied,] “Your people are my people.” [Naomi said,] “Idolatry is forbidden to us,” [to which Rus replied,] “Your God is my God.” [Naomi then said,] “Four [types of] death penalties were delegated to Beis Din [to punish transgressors],” [and Rus replied,] “Where you die, I will die.” [Naomi continued,] “Two burial plots were delegated to Beis Din [to bury those executed], one for those stoned and those burned, and one for those decapitated and those strangled.” She [Rus] replied, “And there I shall be buried.”
1. With the last line, was Ruth saying that she would need to be executed?
2.
3. Does this source change Ruths level of determination.