Your people will be my people and your God my God. We cannot disparage her for choosing the familiar and comfortable option, but we can learn that our choices have eternal consequences. Podcast: Play in new window | Download (0.0KB) | Embed. As the Talmud (Sotah 42b) puts it, The Holy One blessed be He said, Let the sons of the kissed one (of Orpah, whom Naomi kissed goodbye) fall in the hands of the sons of the one who cleaved.. 25 Boaz married Ruth. It follows the life of naomi and ruth as they struggle through difficult trials. ), Orpah lived in the country of Moab, a land that had been thriving whilst the city of Bethlehem in Judea was suffering great famine. Community answers are sorted based on votes. Adele Berlin was the Robert H. Smith Professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of Maryland before retiring. But the Talmud tells us otherwise. redeemer. The Chida writes that Shmuel wrote Megillas Ruth to counter the claims that arose later against David's kingship saying that he was unfit being that he descended from a Moabite which the Torah prohibits entering our nation. Who should be making the financial decisions for a church body? Is there a difference between priests and Levites? The famous response to this was " " (only male Moabites are prohibited to marry). Perhaps, Naomi began to consider her future and the future and hopes of her daughters-in-law. Moab was familiar and comfortable, and there were possible marriage proposals. Not everything missing never happened. Additionally there is no attempt, deliberate or otherwise, to link the concept of redeeming with the Messiah. Through marriage, the two women become sisters-in-law and family. In this coming together of family and peoplehood, we are again reminded of the stories of the patriarchs, in which the family represents the people. Who should be making the financial decisions for a church body? Ruths poetic words, Wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge, I will lodge, are rightly famous, both for their beauty of expression and for their sentiment. 982, page 76), based on some other Midrashic statements, that at the time of her marriage Ruth was halachically not yet an adult, because she was an ailonis (a woman who never undergoes the normal bodily changes of puberty) but didn't exhibit the symptoms thereof (listed in Rambam, Hil. Alshich also follows this approach, pointing to the fact that the Talmud Bavli (Yevamos 47) learns from the dialogue between Naami and Ruth with regards to the laws of conversion. from Egypt to the land they have been promised, having Nabot killed so they could get his vineyard. In other words: even though she was a Moabite, look how great she was and how Boaz accepted her etc. Instead of becoming a spiritual giant, she became a mother of physical giants. However, Orpah may deserve more grace than we often give her. Theres no grave containing his body. From the lot of them she became pregnant and bore the giant Goliath, whom the young David would later meet in battle. Ruth lived in the time of the judges. She almost gave up her entire past and homeland to embrace a new religion. So they were married and had a son, Obed, who was the father of Jesse, father of David (Ruth 4:17). Kovetz Haoros Ubeurim Oholei Torah, no. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. Why did the first kinsman redeemer in Ruth refuse to marry her? When Boaz awakes, startled to find Ruth at his feet, she asks him to spread his robe over hera symbolic act of espousalbecause Boaz is a redeeming kinsman, that is, one who has a right to redeem Elimelechs property and at the same time to marry his sons widow so as to perpetuate the name of the deceased upon his estate (Ruth 4:5). Tamela Turbeville wants every woman to know God loves them, no matter what their past looks like. Vote Up Naomi stands on the road to Judah as her two Moabite daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, beg to accompany her to her native land in this watercolor by Salvador Dali. As a Christian we see in Ruth the coming of the church, the gentiles as part of the people of God. God says to Abraham: The early chapters of Genesis are a prologue to this covenant, describing the creation of all the land in the world and of all of its peoples, until the narrative focuses on one particular family: Abrahams. Ruth made a _____ when she decided to go with Naomi to Bethlehem. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! When Naomi hears that the famine in Judah has retreated she decides to return to Judah. Far from being a casual move, the importance of returning is emphasized in chapter 1 by the repetition of the root shuv, return, twelve times as Naomi bids her daughters-in-law return to their families in Moab and as she returns to Judah with Ruth. Thus, the rabbi disagreed as to when Ruth converted. A further interesting point to the story it that Ruth, as a Moabitess, belonged the people founded by Moab: the son of Lots eldest daughter by her father (Gen 19:37). This book is often used by people who want to undermine modern halakhic standards of giyur. Matt 7:14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. At times we choose the familiar, more comfortable route, and other times, we embrace the unexplored way and trust God to lead. The story opens with Naomis clan having left the land of promise, and their faith, for a new life in the land of Moab, apart from God. See Jennifer Knust Unprotected Texts, p.36. We read a lot about Ruth, who seems to be Naomis favored daughter-in-law, but not so much about Orpah, the second daughter-in-law. Why did Boaz not want anyone to know Ruth was at the threshing floor? The Fall of the House of Orpah. Orpah chose the familiar path while Ruth chose the faithful way. Community answers are sorted based on votes. The lives of these three women were interwoven. 0 Responses She willingly submitted herself to them all. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. 2022 28 Jun. Why did Ruth and Orpah make different decisions? The references in the Book of Ruth to Rachel, Leah and Tamar serve not only to welcome Ruth into the Judahite community by linking her with the mothers of that community, they especially lead us to view Ruth in the mold of the heroic women who ensured the preservation of the people of Israel. One path can lead away from God, and the other takes us toward God and into His loving care and protection. This Ruth does. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Midrashic interpretation departs from the plain sense or context of a Bible passage in order to fill in gaps, forge links with other parts of the Bible, or teach ethical and religious values. Combine a one-year tablet and print subscription to BAR with membership in the BAS Library to start your journey into the ancient past today! I think that anyone who uses Ruth to do so is absolutely wrong and doing something atrocious. What Do I Do When My Teen Doesn't Want to Attend Church? Anonymous (via GotQuestions). Ask Us! More from . God gave Israel the Torah to enable us to direct those drives. This transaction raises legal questions, but more importantly, the proper inheritance of land has special significance in the Bible. Orpah is not often depicted in a positive light in the Bible, because she didn't choose to stay with Naomi, and Ruth did. Once more Naomi made the attempt to persuade Ruth to follow her sister-in-law, saying, "Behold, your sister-in-law is gone back to her people and to her gods. your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. What were the cities of refuge in the Old Testament? RUTH: GOD PROVIDES A KINSMAN-REDEEMER. Moab was a pagan country, a thorn in the side of Judea . I thought according to the Hebrew the phase uncovered his feet meant something more salacious. Ruth vows, Your people will be my people and your God my God, a declaration of love and loyalty cemented when Ruth marries Elimelechs wealthy kinsman, Boaz. New external SSD acting up, no eject option. Thanks to Ruth, the family of Naomi (strangely, the text does not put it in terms of Elimelech or Mahlon) survives. Answer. By Adele Berlin. There her husband died, and her sons married Moabite women named Ruth and Orpah. Naomi warned that Orpah and Ruth might not have the opportunity to remarry if they went with her to Bethlehem. Ask a Question. Her many publications include Zephaniah (Doubleday, 1991), Biblical Poetry Through Medieval Jewish Eyes (Indiana Univ. Naturally, the Book of Ruth continues with the story of Naomi and Ruth how they return impoverished to Bethlehem, how Ruth attracts the notice of Naomis illustrious relative Boaz, and how she unconventionally hints to him that he marry her and preserve Elimelechs family line. When Naomis family arrived in Moab, Orpah and Ruth would have worshiped the gods of their people, and some scholars believe they did not convert when they married. Ruth demonstrates great loyalty when she says to Naomi, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. What did Jesus mean when he said, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees"? Login or But there is a powerful message in this. Where can I find a consolidated list of converts who are mentioned in the Bible, Mishnah and Talmud? Comments are sorted chronologically. In the story of Ruth and Naomi, we see Compassion, Acceptance, Kindness, and finally, Loyalty. Ruth said, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Ruth is also one of the few women who are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus found in the book of Matthew. What happened to Orpah is what we find happening to many great people throughout history. Can I ask for a refund or credit next year? Why can't Ploni Almoni be a real name, in Ruth? Orpah agrees, but Ruth refuses with the resounding words: Together they journey to Naomis former home in Bethlehem. David represents both the United Monarchy at its height and the promise of its eternal existence. The narrative from Exodus to Deuteronomy relates the return of this people from Egypt to the land they have been promised. Naomi at least had kinsman and suddenly Naomis God is Ruths God, Naomis people, her people? Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. We read a lot about Ruth, who seems to be Naomis favored daughter-in-law, but not so much about Orpah, the second daughter-in-law. Instead of becoming a spiritual giant, she became a mother of physical giants. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. She began her website and blog, Living One Word, to share how God redeems even the most broken lives. Do so is absolutely wrong and doing something atrocious, to share how God redeems even the most broken.... Promised, having Nabot killed so they could get his vineyard we see in Ruth refuse marry. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but we can not disparage her for choosing the familiar path while Ruth the... 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