{"id":95463,"date":"2018-07-09T18:01:12","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-2031\/"},"modified":"2021-08-08T17:29:41","modified_gmt":"2021-08-08T14:29:41","slug":"wall-2031","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-2031\/","title":{"rendered":"book-Writings-Ruth"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"book","wall_id":"2031","book":"Ruth","books_group":"Writings","hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"date":"","static_cube_title":"\u05e1\u05d9\u05db\u05d5\u05dd \u05de\u05d2\u05d9\u05dc\u05ea \u05e8\u05d5\u05ea","static_cube_brief":"

The Book of Ruth, one of the five\u00a0megillot<\/em> (scrolls) in the Tanach, presents the story of Ruth the Moabite who left her homeland and her people to join Naomi, her mother-in-law: “your people shall be my people.” This declaration of Ruth’s is an early expression of what would later come to be known as conversion.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the land of Canaan, Ruth marries Boaz, and from their offspring comes King David.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The main part of the plot revolves around the grain field of Boaz, during the harvest, which is one of the reasons why it is customary to ready this book on the holiday of Shavuot (Pentecost), the festival of the grain harvest, and the giving of the Torah.<\/p>\n","static_cube_color":"","updates_last_update":"19\/04\/2020","date_from":"20210809","date_to":"","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"96162","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"2","name":"Ruth and Other Game-Changers: David\u2019s Unorthodox Legacy ","post_title":"Ruth and Other Game-Changers: David\u2019s Unorthodox Legacy","slug":"ruth-and-other-game-changers-davids-unorthodox-legacy-2","old_id":"96162","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34245,"post_title":"Rachel Sharansky Danziger","slug":"rachel-sharansky-danziger","old_id":"34245","first_name":"Rachel Sharansky","last_name":"Danziger","description":"Rachel Sharansky Danziger is a Jerusalem-born writer and speaker who blogs about Judaism, parenting, and life in Israel. She currently lives in Boston, where she teaches about storytelling in the bible and the subversive depths of Hebrew words.\r\n","short_description":"Rachel Sharansky Danziger is a Jerusalem-born Boston-based writer and speaker about Judaism, parenting, and life in Israel. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34246,"alt":"","title":"RSDanziger","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger.jpg","width":1171,"height":1769,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-199x300.jpg","medium-width":199,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-678x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":678,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-678x1024.jpg","large-width":678,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger.jpg","1536x1536-width":1017,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger.jpg","2048x2048-width":1171,"2048x2048-height":1769,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-794x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":794,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-278x420.jpg","home_baner-width":278,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"2031","type_929":"2","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/wAO7kB8ZMmA","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Ruth and Other Game-Changers: David\u2019s Unorthodox Legacy","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/wAO7kB8ZMmA","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"2","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ruth","chapter":false,"chapter_main_number":false,"date":false,"wall_id":"2031"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"337","name":"Ruth","old_id":"737"}]},{"order":2,"id":"96164","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Ruth - Then And Now ","post_title":"Ruth - Then And Now","slug":"ruth-then-and-now-3","old_id":"96164","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":56964,"post_title":"Dalia Marx","slug":"dalia-marx","old_id":"56964","first_name":"Dalia ","last_name":"Marx","description":"Rabbi Dalia Marx, Ph.D., is the Rabbi Aaron D. Panken Professor of Liturgy and Midrash at the Taube Family Campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem, and teaches in various academic institutions in Israel and Europe. Marx, tenth generation in Jerusalem, earned her doctorate at the Hebrew University and her rabbinic ordination at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem and Cincinnati. She is the author of When I Sleep and When I Wake: On Prayers between Dusk and Dawn (Yediot Sfarim, 2010, in Hebrew), A Feminist Commentary of the Babylonian Talmud (Mohr Siebeck, 2013, in English), About Time: Journeys in the Jewish-Israeli Calendar (Yediot Sfarim, 2018, in Hebrew).","short_description":"Rabbi Dalia Marx, Ph.D., is Professor of Liturgy and Midrash at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":56965,"alt":"","title":"Marx, Dalia","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Marx-Dalia.jpg","width":1600,"height":1600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Marx-Dalia-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Marx-Dalia-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Marx-Dalia-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Marx-Dalia-1024x1024.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Marx-Dalia.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Marx-Dalia.jpg","2048x2048-width":1600,"2048x2048-height":1600,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Marx-Dalia-1200x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Marx-Dalia-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"2031","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Ruth - Then And Now","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"Companionship, acceptance, conversion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/dalia-marks-ruth-then-and-now-929-english","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"2","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ruth","chapter":false,"chapter_main_number":false,"date":false,"wall_id":"2031"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"337","name":"Ruth","old_id":"737"}]},{"order":3,"id":"96168","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"Deep Parallels, Contrasts and Lessons: Ruth in the Context of Judges 17-21 ","post_title":"Deep Parallels, Contrasts and Lessons: Ruth in the Context of Judges 17-21","slug":"deep-parallels-contrasts-and-lessons-ruth-in-the-context-of-judges-17-21-3","old_id":"96168","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":37404,"post_title":"Jennifer Raskas","slug":"jennifer-raskas","old_id":"37404","first_name":"Jennifer ","last_name":"Raskas ","description":"Jennifer Raskas is the Washington D.C. Manager for the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. She teaches classes widely on Hebrew literary approaches to readings in Tanakh. Jennifer received her Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University and her Master's in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.","short_description":"Jennifer Raskas is the Washington D.C. Manager for the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":37405,"alt":"","title":"Jennifer Raskas","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483.jpg","width":1680,"height":1647,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-300x294.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":294,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-768x753.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":753,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-1024x1004.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":1004,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1506,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483.jpg","2048x2048-width":1680,"2048x2048-height":1647,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-1200x1176.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1176,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jennifer-Raskas-e1533908320483-428x420.jpg","home_baner-width":428,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"2031","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Judges as Context and Counterpoint","post_main_content_content":"

The book of Ruth starts with the words, \u201cVayehi Bi\u2019ymei Sh\u2019fot Hashoftim\u201d, \u201cAnd it came to pass in the days that the judges judged\u201d (Ruth 1:1). These words set the book of Ruth in the time period of the Shoftim, Judges. When we take a deeper look at the last five chapters of the book of Judges, we see many signs that the book of Ruth actually serves as a \u201cTikkun\u201d, or correction, for many of the terrible acts that the Israelites perform in Judges chapters 17-21.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Though these terrible acts will include lying, rape, stealing, killing and civil war, the people in the text often perceive their own actions as virtuous. In that way the stories describe a society where on the surface everything is fine, but beyond the surface lies depravity and sin. \u00a0In contrast, the book of Ruth is largely about Israelites meeting a woman, Ruth, who on the surface is a foreigner of little concern, and then discovering what a true \u201cEshet Chayil\u201d, woman of valor, she is (Ruth 3:11). In this way the Israelites learn to look beyond the surface and recognize true virtue.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chapter 17<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In chapter 17, for example, we meet Micah, who returns missing money to his mother. His mother, proud of her son, exclaims, \u201cBlessed be my son to God\u201d (Judges 17:2) and then dedicates the money to the Lord. On the surface, this seems like a great pious, familial tale of righteousness. However, when we dig deeper and look at the other details, we see that Micah knows where the money is because he stole it from his mother, and they use the money to build a \u201cgraven image\u201d (17:3). Just this short episode contains multiple violations of the Ten Commandments!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In contrast, in the book of Ruth we will see acts of pure generosity, family standing loyally beside one another, and no less than five different episodes of people blessing others to God, each after an actual virtuous act. \u00a0These blessings include Boaz\u2019s servants blessing him (Ruth 2:4), Naomi twice blessing Boaz (2:19, 20), Boaz blessing Ruth (3:10), and all the women present at the end of the book blessing God over the acts he performed for Naomi (4:14).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What is an ultimate sign that we may be meant to read these texts in contrast to one another? While the last five chapters of the Book of Judges contain the refrain, \u201cthere was no king in Israel, every man did what was right in their own eyes\u201d (see Judges 17:6 for example), the Book of Ruth ends with the pronouncement of a new era of leadership for Israel, the birth, through Ruth, of King David. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chapter 18<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We begin Chapter 18 by noting the familiar phrase, \u201cIn those days there was no King\u201d (18:1). This will serve as a direct contrast to Ruth, which ends with the birth of King David.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chapter 18 tells the story of the tribe of Dan searching for a place to \u201cla\u2019shevet\u201d to dwell in. \u00a0The book of Ruth will similarly start with Naomi\u2019s family looking for a place to \u201cshev\u201d, settle, as well as Naomi\u2019s resettling in her home in Beth-lehem (Ruth 1:4,22). The way those in Judges and Ruth choose to \u201csettle\u201d, however, show vast differences in moral priorities and piousness.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Tribe of Dan, in searching for a place of their own, first steal Micah\u2019s idols and convince Micah\u2019s priest to abandon him. They do not repent when Micah confronts them. When they arrive at Laish, the city they desire, where the \u201cpeople are quiet and secure,\u201d the people of Dan \u201cput them to the sword and burned down the town\u201d (Judges 18:27). They then rename the city Dan and set up Micah\u2019s idols in the city. The people of Dan find a place to settle, therefore, through stealing, idolatry, killing innocent people and setting a quiet city on fire, all deplorable acts. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

In contrast, when Naomi seeks to re-settle in Beth-lehem, she first releases her widowed Moabite daughters-in-law from coming with her, putting their needs first as she explains, she has no more sons to give them. Ruth then chooses the virtuous act of helping others over remaining settled in her home of Moab, as she \u2018sticks\u2019 to Naomi, and proclaims, \u201cwherever you lodge, I will lodge\u201d <\/span>(1:16). Boaz praises Ruth for these actions by implicitly comparing Ruth to Abraham: \u201chow you left your father and mother and the land of your birth and came to a people you had not known before\u201d (2:11). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

In this way the actions of Naomi and Ruth serve as a contrast and \u201cTikkun\u201d for those in Judges. While the tribe of Dan puts their own need to \u201csettle\u201d before the needs and lives of an entire city, Naomi and Ruth demonstrate putting others first, and create a home together through bonds of righteousness and loyalty. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chapter 19<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Judges chapter 19 is a powerful story of immoral hospitality that ultimately leads to civil war. \u00a0The Hebrew root \u201c<\/span>l-y-n<\/span><\/i>\u201d, to lodge, is a <\/span>leitwort<\/span><\/i> or recurring word, appearing 12 times. \u00a0When we compare this story to episodes in the book of Ruth that use the root \u201c<\/span>l-y-n<\/span><\/i>\u201d, we see how Boaz and Ruth provide a \u201cTikkun\u201d, corrective, for these morally corrupt acts of hospitality. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

In our chapter, as in chapters 17 and 18, the characters\u2019 actions at first appear moral. The story begins with a Levite who has followed his concubine to her father's house and is repeatedly offered hospitality by her father. Upon leaving, the Levite and concubine travel through the area of Benjamin, searching for new hospitality. \u00a0They find an old man from Ephraim who welcomes them into his home, feeds them and their donkeys and bathes their feet. That night the host seeks to protect the Levite when debased men demand to become intimate with him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The hospitality takes a corrupt turn, however, when the host offers the depraved men his own virgin daughter and the Levite's concubine in return for keeping the Levite safe. The debased men then rape and abuse the concubine throughout the night. In the morning, the Levite, upon finding his assaulted concubine non-responsive, cuts her into 12 pieces and sends the pieces around Israel, ultimately initiating a civil war against the tribe of Benjamin. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

In contrast to the morally reprehensible acts in Judges 19, Boaz, in the book of Ruth, demonstrates how to virtuously treat a guest. Ruth, with Naomi\u2019s encouragement, secretly lies near Boaz at night, hoping he will offer to become her husband. When Boaz finds Ruth, he reassures her that she is safe by expressing how \u201call the elders of my town know what a fine woman you are\u201d<\/span> (Ruth 3:12).<\/span> Boaz then invites Ruth to stay with him [<\/span>lyni<\/span><\/i>] using that same Hebrew root featured in Judges 19. This root is also in the statement Ruth had uttered when she loyally told Naomi, \u201cwherever you lodge, I will lodge\u201d (Ruth 1:16). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

In further contrast between these texts, the depraved men who seek to assault the Levite, use the word, <\/span>ve-nedaenu<\/span><\/i>, that we may <\/span>know<\/span><\/i> him, to convey their depraved intentions (Judges 19:22). \u00a0Boaz in contrast, uses a similar word when he states that all the men <\/span>yodeah<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>know<\/span><\/i> what a fine woman Ruth is (Ruth 3:12). Boaz then devises a plan to ensure Ruth\u2019s safety by sending her back before it becomes <\/span>known<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>yi-vadeh<\/span><\/i>, where she was. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

While the actions of hospitality on the surface of Judges 19 seem at first righteous, they end in depravity. \u00a0In contrast, in the book of Ruth, Boaz demonstrates virtuous hospitality by reassuring, protecting and ultimately redeeming his guest, Ruth. It is no surprise that Judges 19 opened with the familiar refrain of anarchy; \u201cIn those days when there was no king in Israel\u201d (Judg. 19:1) while the book of Ruth will end with the birth of King David.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chapter 20<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Judges 20 glaringly describes a story that on its surface appears virtuous but is replete with depravity and sin: the civil war. On the surface the Israelites are repeatedly described as uniting as <\/span>one man<\/span><\/i> before the Lord<\/span><\/i> (see Judges 20:1) and they heroically proclaim their intention to <\/span>stamp out the evil from Israel<\/span><\/i> (20:13). They even bring God offerings while seeking His advice. This unified and \u201cnoble\u201d war, however, is a civil war! The Israelites proclaim unity as they literally fight against their brother, the tribe of Benjamin. The text emphasizes this perverse association with brotherhood as the Israelites refer to the tribe of Benjamin as <\/span>achi<\/span><\/i>, my brother, even as they seek to kill them (Judges 20:23,28).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In stark contrast, in the book of Ruth, Boaz displays true loyalty in the name of brotherhood.<\/span> \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Inspired by Ruth\u2019s loyalty to Naomi, Boaz announces that he will redeem the field that belonged <\/span>le\u2019achenu,<\/span><\/i> to our brother (Ruth 4:3) because <\/span>echav,<\/span><\/i> brothers of Israel should never be cut off (4:10). <\/span><\/p>\r\n

There are numerous words in Judges that describe perverse aspects of the civil war and then describe virtuous acts in Ruth. In Judges, for example, the soldiers in the civil war are described as foot soldiers who<\/span> shalaf<\/span><\/i>, draw their swords (Judges 20:2). Nowhere else in Tanakh are soldiers described as drawing their swords and also as <\/span>fighting men on foot<\/span><\/i>. In Ruth the word <\/span>shalaf<\/span><\/i> is also used in the context of feet. Here, Boaz virtuously redeems Naomi\u2019s husband\u2019s field when he draws, <\/span>va\u2019yishlof<\/span><\/i>, his shoe (Ruth 4:7-8). Throughout Tanakh the root <\/span>sh-l-f<\/span><\/i> describes fighting and aggression. Only in the book of Ruth is the root <\/span>sh-l-f<\/span><\/i> used peacefully, when it twice describes Boaz's righteous redemption of his brother\u2019s field.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The root <\/span>d-v-k <\/span><\/i>in Judges similarly describes Israelites belligerently chasing one another (see Judges 20:42). In the Book of Ruth, <\/span>d-v-k<\/span><\/i> describes virtuous loyalty, when Ruth <\/span>davka,<\/span><\/i> clings<\/span> to Naomi and when Boaz tells Ruth to <\/span>tidbikin<\/span><\/i>, stick to his maidens and field (Ruth 1:14; 2:8; 2:23). \u00a0Similar patterns appear for the words <\/span>menucha<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Tamar<\/span><\/i> and c<\/span>hayil<\/span><\/i> (see for example Judges 20:43, Ruth 1:9, 3:1; Judges 20:33, Ruth 4:12 and Judges 20:44, Ruth 2:1)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These words then follow the surface-depth theme we\u2019ve seen throughout the comparisons of these two texts. Just as Judges describes a society that on the <\/span>surface<\/span> appears moral but <\/span>in reality<\/span> is corrupt, these words in Judges are on their <\/span>surface<\/span> positive words, but their <\/span>context<\/span> describes depravity and sin. In the book of Ruth, as the Israelites learn to look beyond the surface of Ruth as a foreign woman and discover her inner goodness, these very words from Judges regain their positive associations while describing acts of true valor and virtue.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chapter 21<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In this last chapter of Judges we will contrast one final theme: how the Israelites in Judges and then in Ruth attempt to save a part of Israel they fear may become lost forever. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

After the Israelites win the civil war against their brother Benjamin, they virtuously cry out upon realizing the men of Benjamin have no women to marry and therefore may disappear as a tribe. The Israelites, however, are themselves to blame as they killed all the women of Benjamin and had earlier taken an oath against marrying into the tribe of Benjamin. In fact, they swore that anyone from among Israel who did not partake in this oath should be put to death. The Israelites then realize that the people of Jabesh-gilead were not at the oath-taking ceremony. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Israelites send fighters to Jabesh-gilead with instruction to kill all the men, married women and children, thereby seemingly fulfilling their obligation to kill those who didn\u2019t take that oath. They then leave the virgin women alive, breaking the very oath they just murdered a whole city for, and give those women to the Benjaminite men. There are not enough women, however, so they instruct the men of Benjamin to hide and seize other women celebrating a festival for the Lord. The Israelites have \u201csaved\u201d a tribe of Israel through additional mass killings and seizing of innocent women.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the last chapter of Ruth, Boaz also encounters the potential loss of a part of Israel, the possibility of Naomi\u2019s family\u2019s names disappearing if a relative does not redeem their field. After a closer relative declines to redeem the field and marry Ruth, Boaz, a distant relative, marries Ruth and redeems the field as he proclaims that<\/span> 'the name of the deceased should not be cut off from among his brothers'<\/span><\/i> (Ruth 4:10). This redemption ends not with mass killing, but with a new life, the birth of a son to Boaz and Ruth.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Through exploring words, actions and themes, we saw how the book of Ruth serves as a contrast to the corruption in the end of Judges. The book of Ruth then is a redemptive story about a nation as they learn to look beyond the surface, and overcome their transgressions from Judges. While the last episodes in Judges refrain and ultimately end with <\/span>there was no king in Israel<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>every man did what was right in his own eyes <\/span><\/i>(Judges 21:25), the book of Ruth concludes with the pronouncement that the people merit a new era of kingship, as the union of Boaz and Ruth leads directly to the birth of King David.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For a fuller exploration about the contrast between the end of the Book of Judges and the Book of Ruth, please see: Raskas, Jennifer R.<\/span><\/i> \u201cThe Book of Ruth: A Contrast to the End of the Book of Judges.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/a> Jewish Bible Quarterly. Volume 43:4 (2015): p. 223-232<\/span><\/i><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":56559,"alt":"","title":"jud-end-wheat-field","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field.jpg","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Deep Parallels, Contrasts and Lessons: Ruth in the Context of Judges 17-21","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Judges as Context and Counterpoint","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":56559,"alt":"","title":"jud-end-wheat-field","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field.jpg","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-1024x768.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-1200x900.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/jud-end-wheat-field-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ruth","chapter":false,"chapter_main_number":false,"date":false,"wall_id":"2031"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"337","name":"Ruth","old_id":"737"}]},{"order":4,"id":"96166","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Structure And Meaning In The Book Of Ruth ","post_title":"Structure And Meaning In The Book Of Ruth","slug":"structure-and-meaning-in-the-book-of-ruth-2","old_id":"96166","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34011,"post_title":"Jeremy Benstein","slug":"dr-jeremy-benstein","old_id":"34011","first_name":"Jeremy","last_name":"Benstein","description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English. 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https:\/\/youtu.be\/Vd529RnkuBA<\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Vd529RnkuBA","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Structure And Meaning In The Book Of Ruth","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"An eye-opening three-way comparison","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Vd529RnkuBA","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ruth","chapter":false,"chapter_main_number":false,"date":false,"wall_id":"2031"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"332","name":"24 in 24","old_id":"732"},{"term_id":"337","name":"Ruth","old_id":"737"}]},{"order":5,"id":"96171","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Readings on Ruth ","post_title":"Readings on Ruth","slug":"readings-on-ruth","old_id":"96171","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"2031","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"From the book: \"Gleanings: Reflections on Ruth\" (Maggid\/Koren)","post_main_content_content":"