Warriors and Widows Why Megillat Rut is Read on Shavuot

(14) ...Rabbi Zeira says, "This scroll does not have anything in it concerned with impurity or purity nor what is forbidden and what is permitted. So why is it written? To teach us the greatness of the reward for acts of loving-kindness."

Rabbi Yosei the son of Kisma says, "I am bewildered. If this scroll is here simply to trace the genealogy of David, who was born from Ruth the Moabite, it should say only that. Why do we have the rest? It should simply say the children of Boaz and Ruth, until 'and Jesse fathered David.' Rather, the entirety of the scroll is necessary because of the righteous woman (Ruth), who came to convert and came under the wings of the Shechinah, and to tell of her modesty and righteousness."

Rather, this is what Saul was saying, in his attempt to clarify David’s lineage: Does he come from the descendants of Perez, or does he come from the descendants of Zerah? What is the significance of this question? If he comes from Perez he will be king, as a king may breach [poretz] a way for himself and no one can stop him. And if he comes from Zerah he will be merely a man of importance, but not a king...

At that point, Doeg the Edomite said to Saul: Before you inquire as to whether or not he is fit for kingship, inquire as to whether or not he is even fit to enter into the congregation. What is the reason for such doubts? It is that he descends from Ruth the Moabite, and Moabites are permanently barred from entering the congregation...

Abner said to him: We already learned that there is no room for such concern. As the verse states: “An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 23:4), teaching that an Ammonite man is barred from entering into the congregation, but not an Ammonite woman; and similarly, a Moabite man is barred from entering into the congregation, but not a Moabite woman...

the reason for the prohibition recorded in this verse with regard to Ammonites is explicit: “Because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came forth out of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 23:5). Since it is the way of a man to go forth to meet guests but it is not the way of a woman to go forth, females were not included in this prohibition.

(1) It is a positive biblical command that a man shall take in levirate marriage his paternal brother's wife if he died childless whether after wedlock or after betrothal...

(6) How is the ḥalitzah shoe removed? A heeled leather-shoe that is not stitched with flax is brought to him, who puts it on and fastens its straps on his right foot. Then he and she stand before the judges of the court, who instruct her to say in Hebrew: "My husband's brother refuses to establish a name in Israel for his brother; he will not perform the duty of a levir" (Deuteronomy 25:7). Then the yavam is made to recite: "I do not wish to marry her" (8). He puts his foot down on the ground, and she sits down, stretches out her hand in front of the court, unties the straps of the shoe from his foot, takes off the shoe and throws it upon the ground. As soon as most of the heeled shoe is detached from his foot, the brother's widow is permitted to marry a stranger.

(7) — — Thereupon she is made to recite: "Thus shall be done to the man who will not build up his brother's house! And he shall become known in Israel as the unsandaled one" (9-10).

(3) Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. (4) They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth, and they lived there about ten years. (5) Then those two—Mahlon and Chilion—also died; so the woman was left without her two sons and without her husband.

(10) and 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 the LORD has struck out against me.” (14) They broke into weeping again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell. But Ruth clung to her.

(8) Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen to me, daughter. Don’t go to glean in another field. Don’t go elsewhere, but stay here close to my girls. (9) Keep your eyes on the field they are reaping, and follow them. I have ordered the men not to molest you. And when you are thirsty, go to the jars and drink some of [the water] that the men have drawn.”

(19) her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be he who took such generous notice of you!” So she told her mother-in-law whom she had worked with, saying, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.” (20) Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not failed in His kindness to the living or to the dead! For,” Naomi explained to her daughter-in-law, “the man is related to us; he is one of our redeeming kinsmen.”

(9) “Who are you?” he asked. And she replied, “I am your handmaid Ruth. Spread your robe over your handmaid, for you are a redeeming kinsman.” (10) He exclaimed, “Be blessed of the LORD, daughter! Your latest deed of loyalty is greater than the first, in that you have not turned to younger men, whether poor or rich. (11) And now, daughter, have no fear. I will do in your behalf whatever you ask, for all the elders of my town know what you are a woman of valor.

(1) Now Naomi had a kinsman on her husband’s side, a mighty warrior, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.

(9) And Boaz said to the elders and to the rest of the people, “You are witnesses today that I am acquiring from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. (10) I am also acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife, so as to perpetuate the name of the deceased upon his estate, that the name of the deceased may not disappear from among his kinsmen and from the gate of his home town. You are witnesses today.”

(12) And may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah—through the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman.”