This is part of the ongoing Forest Hills Ruth Series, with the focus being on midrash. The rest of the material can be found here:
Summary of what we've seen so far
(https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/231650?lang=bi)
At the opening of the story, we were introduced to Elimelekh (=My-god-is-King), whom the story seemed to set up as our hero. The setting is the land of Judah during the time of the Judges (i.e., Very early Israelite history, before even the Era of Kings). There is devastating famine.
Elimelekh, in order to find food, takes his family (wife and two sons) and and head east to Moab. To our sudden surprise, Elimelekh dies immediately. His surviving sons then take two Moabite women as wives - Orpah (=The-back-of-the-neck) and Rut(=Friendship) - but then the sons die as well!
We pick up today with the only three survivors of Elimelekh's clan; The women - his wife and two daughters-in-law.
(6) She started out with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab that YHWH had taken note of His people and given them food. (7) Accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, she left the place where she had been living; and they set out on the road back to the land of Judah.
(8) But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Turn back, each of you to her mother’s house. May YHWH deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me! (9) May YHWH grant that each of you find security in the house of a husband!” And she kissed them farewell, and they broke into weeping
וַתָּקָם הִיא וְכַלֹתֶיהָ וַתָּשָׁב מִשְֹּׂדֵי מוֹאָב כִּי שָׁמְעָה בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב (רות א, ו), שָׁמְעָה מֵהָרוֹכְלִין הַמַּחֲזִירִין בָּעֲיָרוֹת, וּמַה שָּׁמְעָה, כִּי פָקַד ה' אֶת עַמּוֹ לָתֵת לָהֶם לָחֶם. כָּתוּב
אֶחָד אוֹמֵר (תהלים צד, יד): כִּי לֹא יִטּשׁ ה' עַמּוֹ וְנַחֲלָתוֹ לֹא יַעֲזֹב,
וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר (שמואל א יב, כב): כִּי לֹא יִטּשׁ ה' אֶת עַמּוֹ בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל,
אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי, פְּעָמִים שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה בַּעֲבוּר עַמּוֹ וְנַחֲלָתוֹ, וּפְעָמִים שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה בִּשְׁבִיל שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל.
אָמַר רַבִּי אַיְּבוּ כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל זַכָּאִין, בַּעֲבוּר עַמּוֹ וְנַחֲלָתוֹ, וּכְשֶׁאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל זַכָּאִין, בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל.
וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁבִיל עַמּוֹ וְנַחֲלָתוֹ, בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מח, יא): לְמַעֲנִי לְמַעֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה.
"She started out with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab for in the country of Moab she had heard (Ruth 1:6)": She heard from the merchants traveling in the cities. And what did she hear? "That YHWH had taken note of His people and given them food".
One scripture says: "For YHWH will not forsake His people; He will not abandon His very own (Psalms 94:14)".
Another scripture says: "For the sake of His great name, YHWH will never abandon His people (1 Samuel 12:22)".
Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachmani said: "Sometimes He acts for the sake of His people and His heritage, and at other times he acts for the sake of His great name".
Rabbi Ayybu explained: "When Israel is innocent, for the sake of His people and heritage. When Israel is not innocent, for the sake of His great name".
And the rabbis said: "In the land of Israel for the sake of His people and His heritage, and outside the land of Israel for the sake of His great name, as it is said: "For My sake, My own sake, do I act (Isaiah 48:11)"".
Some Questions for Thought
The midrash pits two texts against each other. One says God will never forsake His people (Psalms); The other says God will never forsake His people for the sake of His name (Samuel).
If the reason God never forsakes His people is because of His name, then why not say that in the first text? Therefore, the midrash reasons that there are multiple reasons at play, and introduces two distinctions:
- Passage 1 is when Israel is innocent. Passage 2 is when Israel is guilty.
OR
- Passage 1 is when the People of Israel is in the Land of Israel. Passage 2 is when they are in exile.
Which distinction do you find more compelling? Is there another possible distinction you can think of?
(י) וַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָה־לָּ֑הּ כִּי־אִתָּ֥ךְ נָשׁ֖וּב לְעַמֵּֽךְ׃
(יא) וַתֹּ֤אמֶר נָעֳמִי֙
שֹׁ֣בְנָה בְנֹתַ֔י לָ֥מָּה תֵלַ֖כְנָה עִמִּ֑י הַֽעֽוֹד־לִ֤י בָנִים֙ בְּֽמֵעַ֔י וְהָי֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם לַאֲנָשִֽׁים׃ (יב) שֹׁ֤בְנָה בְנֹתַי֙ לֵ֔כְןָ כִּ֥י זָקַ֖נְתִּי מִהְי֣וֹת לְאִ֑ישׁ כִּ֤י אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ יֶשׁ־לִ֣י תִקְוָ֔ה גַּ֣ם הָיִ֤יתִי הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ לְאִ֔ישׁ וְגַ֖ם יָלַ֥דְתִּי בָנִֽים׃ (יג) הֲלָהֵ֣ן ׀ תְּשַׂבֵּ֗רְנָה עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִגְדָּ֔לוּ הֲלָהֵן֙ תֵּֽעָגֵ֔נָה לְבִלְתִּ֖י הֱי֣וֹת לְאִ֑ישׁ אַ֣ל בְּנֹתַ֗י כִּֽי־מַר־לִ֤י מְאֹד֙ מִכֶּ֔ם כִּֽי־יָצְאָ֥ה בִ֖י יַד־יְהוָֽה׃
(יד) וַתִּשֶּׂ֣נָה קוֹלָ֔ן וַתִּבְכֶּ֖ינָה ע֑וֹד וַתִּשַּׁ֤ק עָרְפָּה֙ לַחֲמוֹתָ֔הּ וְר֖וּת דָּ֥בְקָה בָּֽהּ׃
(10) Then they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.”
(11) But Naomi replied:
Turn back, my daughters!
Why should you go with me?
Have I any more sons in my body who might be husbands for you?
(12) Turn back, my daughters!
For I am too old to be married.
Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I were married tonight and I also bore sons,
(13) should you wait for them to grow up? Should you on their account debar yourselves from marriage?
Oh no, my daughters!
My lot is far more bitter than yours, for the hand of YHWH has struck out against me.”
(14) They broke into weeping again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell. But Ruth clung to her.
וַתִּשַּׁק עָרְפָּה לַחֲמוֹתָהּ
כָּל נְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל תִּפְלוּת בַּר מִן תְּלָת,
נְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל גְדֻלָּה, וּנְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל פְּרָקִים, וּנְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל פְּרִישׁוּת.
שֶׁל גְּדֻלָּה, דִּכְתִיב (שמואל א י, א): וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת פַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶן וַיִּצֹּק עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּ.
שֶׁל פְּרָקִים, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ד, כז): וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ בְּהַר הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּשַּׁק לוֹ.
שֶׁל פְּרִישׁוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַתִּשַּׁק עָרְפָּה לַחֲמוֹתָהּ.
רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא אָמַר אַף נְשִׁיקָה שֶׁל קְרִיבוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כט, יא): וַיִּשַּׁק יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל, לָמָּה, שֶׁהָיְתָה קְרוֹבָתוֹ.
"And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell (Ruth 1:14)":
Every kiss is frivolous except for three:
- Kisses of greatness
- Kisses of meeting
- Kisses of leaving
- Of greatness, as it is written: "Samuel took a flask of oil and poured some on Saul’s head and kissed him (1 Samuel 10:1)".
- And kisses of meeting, as it is written: "He went and met him at the mountain of God, and he kissed him (Exodus 4:27)". (This is Aaron kissing Moses upon his return to Egypt from Midian).
- And kisses of leaving, as it is said: "And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell".
- Rabbi Tanchuma said: Also kisses of closeness as it is said: "Then Jacob kissed Rachel (Genesis 29:11)". Why? Because she was close to him.
Some Questions for Thought
- What is different about the case of Jacob kissing Rachel? (i.e., Why did the sages leave it off of their original list?)
- There are many other cases of kissing in the Bible. (Can you think of any?) Why did the midrash pick these specifically, and leave out others? Is there a common denominator that links the above examples?
(טו) וַתֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּה֙ שָׁ֣בָה יְבִמְתֵּ֔ךְ אֶל־עַמָּ֖הּ וְאֶל־אֱלֹהֶ֑יהָ שׁ֖וּבִי אַחֲרֵ֥י יְבִמְתֵּֽךְ׃
(טז) וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רוּת֙ אַל־תִּפְגְּעִי־בִ֔י לְעָזְבֵ֖ךְ לָשׁ֣וּב מֵאַחֲרָ֑יִךְ
כִּ֠י אֶל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֵּלְכִ֜י אֵלֵ֗ךְ
וּבַאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּלִ֙ינִי֙ אָלִ֔ין
עַמֵּ֣ךְ עַמִּ֔י
וֵאלֹהַ֖יִךְ אֱלֹהָֽי׃
(יז) בַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּמ֙וּתִי֙ אָמ֔וּת וְשָׁ֖ם אֶקָּבֵ֑ר כֹּה֩ יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה יְהוָ֥ה לִי֙ וְכֹ֣ה יֹסִ֔יף כִּ֣י הַמָּ֔וֶת יַפְרִ֖יד בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֵֽךְ׃
(יח) וַתֵּ֕רֶא כִּֽי־מִתְאַמֶּ֥צֶת הִ֖יא לָלֶ֣כֶת אִתָּ֑הּ וַתֶּחְדַּ֖ל לְדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶֽיהָ׃
(15) So she said, “See, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and her gods. Go follow your sister-in-law.”
(16) 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 YHWH 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) Then the two of them went on until they reached Bethlehem.
When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole city buzzed with excitement over them. The women said, “Can this be Naomi?”
(20) She replied to them, "Do not call me Naomi! Call me Mara (=Bitter), for Shaddai has made my lot very bitter. (21) I went away full, and YHWH has brought me back empty. How can you call me Naomi, when YHWH has dealt harshly with me, when Shaddai has brought misfortune upon me!”
(22) Thus Naomi returned from the country of Moab; she returned with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabite. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
וַתֵּהוֹם כָּל הָעִיר עֲלֵיהֶן וַתֹּאמַרְנָה הֲזֹאת נָעֳמִי, זוֹ הִיא שֶׁמַּעֲשֶׂיהָ נָאִים וּנְעִימִים,
לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיְתָה מְהַלֶּכֶת בְּאִיסְקַפְּטִיאוֹת שֶׁלָּהּ, וְעַכְשָׁיו הִיא מְהַלֶּכֶת יְחֵפָה, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ הֲזֹאת נָעֳמִי,
לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיְתָה מְכֻסָּה בְּבִגְדֵי מֵילָתִין, וְעַכְשָׁיו הִיא מְכֻסָּה בִּסְמַרְטוּטִין, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ הֲזֹאת נָעֳמִי
לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיוּ פָּנֶיהָ מַאֲדִימוֹת מִכֹּחַ מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה, וְעַכְשָׁיו פָּנֶיהָ מוֹרִיקוֹת מִן רְעָבוֹן, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ הֲזֹאת נָעֳמִי
וְאוֹמֶרֶת לָהֶן, אַל תִּקְרֶאנָה לִי נָעֳמִי קְרֶאןָ לִי מָרָא
"The whole city buzzed with excitement over them. The women said, “Can this be Naomi???” She whose works were pleasant (naʾim) and pleasing (neʿimim)??
In times past, she was carried around on her litter! And now she is walking uncovered, and you say “Can this be Naomi?”.
In times past she was covered in garments of very soft wool, and now she is covered in rags, and you say “Can this be Naomi?”
In times past her face was flushed from the strength of food and drink, and now her face is wan from hunger, and you say “Can this be Naomi?”
And she said to them: "Do not call me Naomi...Call me Mara, for Shaddai has made my lot very bitter (Ruth 1:20)".
