json/Midrash/Aggadah/Midrash Rabbah/Ruth Rabbah/English/Sefaria Community Translation.json

{
    "language": "en",
    "title": "Ruth Rabbah",
    "versionSource": "https://www.sefaria.org",
    "versionTitle": "Sefaria Community Translation",
    "status": "locked",
    "license": "CC0",
    "versionTitleInHebrew": "תרגום קהילת ספאריה",
    "actualLanguage": "en",
    "languageFamilyName": "english",
    "isBaseText": false,
    "isSource": false,
    "direction": "ltr",
    "heTitle": "רות רבה",
    "categories": [
        "Midrash",
        "Aggadah",
        "Midrash Rabbah"
    ],
    "text": {
        "Petichta": [
            "\"<b>And it was in the time the judges judged</b> (Ruth 1:1)\". Rabbi Yochanan opened his sermon and said \"Listen my nation and I will speak; O Israel and I will testify against you (Psalms 50:7)\". Rabbi Yochanan said: \"We can only testify against one who heard\". Rabbi Yudan the son of Rabbi Simon said: \"In the past the Jews were called the same as all the other nations \"And Sabata and Raamah and Sabteca (Genesis 10:7)\". From here on they are only called \"my nation\": \"Hear my nation and I will speak.\" From where did you merit to be called \"my nation\"? From \"and I will speak\"  meaning, because of what you said before me at Sinai saying: \"Everything that God said we will do and hear (Exodus 24:7)\".  \"Hear my nation\" is in the past tense, while \"and I will speak\" is in the future tense. \"Hear my nation\" refers to this world but \"and I will speak\" refers to the next world. Why should you do this? So I can have something to answer to the nations of the world, for they will say to me: \"These and those are idol worshipers, these were licentious and those were licentious, these murdered and those murdered, yet these go to the Garden of Eden and those go to Gehinnom!? At that time the defender of the Jewish people is silent, as it says: \"At that time Michael stood (Daniel 12:1)\". Now is there such a thing as sitting in heaven? But Rabbi Chanina said: \"There no concept of sitting in heaven, as it says \"And I asked one of the standing ones (<i>ka'amaya</i>) (Daniel 7:16)\" What does \"standing ones\" mean?  It refers to standing as it says: \"Seraphim stand above him (Isaiah 6:2)\" and it says further: \"And all the heavenly army's are standing above him from his left and right (1 Kings 22:19)\" and you say that Michael stood? Rather what does it mean \"he stood\"? It means he was quiet as it says in another verse: \"And I began for they did not speak they stood and answered no further (Job 32:16)\". The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Michael: \"You were quiet and did not defend my children, by your life I will talk about kindness and through this I will save my children!\". Of what kindness will God speak of to defend his nation? The kindness that  created his world, through the acceptance of the Torah, for if you would not have accepted the Torah I would have returned my world to \"formlessness and void (Genesis 1:2)\", for Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Acha: \"The world and its inhabitants were shaking and melting (Psalms 75:4)\" if it was not for Israel who stood at mount Sinai, and who made the world in the first place, as the verse says \"I made its pillars, I made its pillars forever (Psalms 75:4)\": In the merit of \"myself\" I set up the \"pillars\". And the other opinion is that it is the kindness you did for yourselves, that you accepted my Torah, because if you had not, I would have wiped you out from the nations, as the verse says:  \" God, I am your God (Psalm 50:7)\". Rabbi Yochnan said: \"God was saying: \"It is for you that \"I am your God\"\"\".  \"God, I am your God\": Reish Lakish said: \"It means that even though \"I am your God\" (and not the other nations' God) that does not help in judgment\". \"God, I am your God\": Rabbi Shimon son of Yochai taught: \"\"I am a God\" to all the nations but I did not single out a nation to be called by name except for the Jewish people; I am not called the God of all the nations, only the God of Israel\". \"God, I am your God\": Rabbi Yudan says: \"Even though I called you (Moses) a god to Pharaoh, I am your God and therefore above you\". \"God, I am your God\": Rabbi Abba interpreted the verse with regard to Israel: \"Even though i called you gods, as it says: \"I said you are gods (Psalm 82:6)\", \"I am your God\", know that I am above you\". The Rabbis interpret the verse to refer to judges: \"God said to the judges: \"Even though I called you gods, it says in the verse: \"And gods you shall not curse (Exodus 22:27)\"; know that I am above you, and then God went back and said to the Jewish people: \"I gave honor to the judges and called them gods, and you are desecrating them!\". Woe to the generation that judges its judges!",
            "\"<b>And it was in the days the judges judged</b> (Ruth 1:1). \"Laziness brings sleep (Proverbs 19:15)\", this means that Israel was too lazy to act with kindness towards Joshua, as it is written: \"and they buried him in the area of his inheritance north of Mount Gaash (Joshua 24:30)\". Rabbi Berachya said: \"We have checked all of the verses and didn't find a place named \"Mount Gaash\", rather it means that Israel was too lazy (<i>nitga'ashu</i>) to do kindness with Joshua, at that time the land was being divided, and the process of dividing was too dear to them, and so Israel was busy with their work: one was dealing with his field, one with his vineyard, one with his olives, and this one with his building to show the meaning of the verse: \"An idle soul will go hungry (Proverbs 19:16)\". They did not do a kindness for Joshua, and the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to turn the world on its dwellers like it says in the verse: \"And the earth quaked and roared (Psalms 18:8)\". \"And an idle (<i>remiyyah</i>) soul will go hungry\", because they deceived (<i>merammin</i>) the Holy One, blessed be He, because some them in fact worshiped idols, therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, starved them of Ruach Hakodesh, as it says: \"And the word of God was rare in those days (1 Samuel 3:1)\". A different understanding of the verse \"Laziness brings sleep\": because Israel was too \"lazy\" to repent on the days of Elijah, \"sleep fell upon\", prophecy increased. Yet you say it increased of the verse says \"it fell\" which sounds like it decreased! The answer is that in fact what it means is that the rarity of prophecy decreased because it was so found, like a person says to his friend: \" The prices in the market dropped\". Rabbi Simon said: \"It is like a person saying to his friend here is a sack, here is money, and here is a measure, now get up and eat!\". For Rabbi Drosa said: \"600,000 prophets were existent in the times of Elijah\". Rabbi Jacob says: \"120,000\". Rabbi Yochnan says: \"From Gevas until Antipatris there are 600,000 cities and the you dint have worse cities than Bethel and Jericho: Jericho is bad because Joshua cursed it, and Bethel because Jeroboam had put the calves there, and the verse says that: \"The prophets of Bethel came out to greet Elisha (2 Kings 2:5)\". The term \"prophets\" cannot refer to any less than 2; if  there were so many why was their prophecy not public? Because it was relevant for future generations. We can now say that any prophecy that was not needed for all generations was not made public, but in later times the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring them and their prophecy will become known, and this is what is written: \"And Hashem God will come and his holy ones with you (Zechariah 14:5). \"And the idle soul shall starve (<i>remiyyah</i>)\": This refers to the period of Elijah, because the people were being dishonest (<i>merammim</i>) with the Holy One, blessed be He, for some of them worshiped idols and some worshiped the Holy One, blessed be He. This is what Elijah said to them: \"Until when do you keep hopping between two paths (1 Kings 18:21)\". He (the idle soul) \"starved\" which means that the Holy One, blessed be He, starved them in the times of Elijah, as it says: : As Hashem lives, whom I stood in front of (1 Kings 18:15)\". Another interpretation of the verse \"laziness will bring sleep\": Because Israel too lazy to repent in the days of the judges, \"sleep will befall them\". \"And an idle soul shall starve\": because some of them served the Holy One, blessed be He, and some of them served idols, and thus the Holy One, blessed be He brought a famine on the times of their judges. ",
            "\"<b>And it was in the times when the judges judges and there was a famine</b> (Ruth 1:1)\".  \"The way of a man may be tortuous (<i>hafakhpakh</i>) and strange, but the conduct of the pure is upright (Proverbs 21:8)\": this refers to Esau the wicked, who turns (<i>mithapekh</i>) and and comes with decrees on Israel: \"You stole and you didn't steal, you killed and you didn't kill, they say we will not charge you for stealing if you tell someone who did, and the same for murder: you didn't murder tell us who murdered with you?\" They fined them and they said: \"Bring your agricultural tax, bring your house tax, bring your head tax\". The verse says the \"man\" this refers to Esau the wicked, as it says: \"And Esau was a man who knew how to hunt (Genesis 25:27)\". The verse continues: \"And  strange\": this means that he made himself strange to circumcision and to the commandments. \"The pure one\", this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who acts with proper characteristics, and gives Esau his reward like a master of the house who pays his loyal employee. Another interpretation: \"The way of a man may be tortuous (<i>hafakhpakh</i>) and strange\": this refers to the nations of the world that overturned (<i>mehapkhin</i>) and came against Israel with decrees. \"A man\": they came from Noah who is called \"a man\". \"And strange\" because they served idols. \"The conduct of the pure one\": this is the Holt One, blessed be He, who acts with proper characteristics. Rabbi Acha said: \"\"The way is torturous\": this refers to Israel as it says in the verse: \"Because they are a turned over (<i>tahpukhot</i>) generation (Deuteronomy 32:20)\". The verse continues \"man\" refers to the verse that says: \"And the man of Israel swore (Judges 21:1)\". A \"stranger\": this means they made themselves like strangers as it says: \"They betrayed god for they gave birth to strangers (Hosea 5:7)\".  \"The pure one\": this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who acts with the Jewish in a proper fashion in this world and gives their reward fully in the next world, like a person who is a loyal employee, at that time the Holy One, blessed be He said: \"My children are stubborn: I cannot kill them all, I cannot bring them back to Egypt, I cannot exchange them for a different nation. Rather what can I do with them? I will give them punishments and purify them with the famine, \"<b>in the days the judges judged</b>\". See! This is what it says: \"<b>And it was in the times that the judges judged and there was a famine in the land</b>\".  ",
            "Rabbi Yehuda the son of Rabbi Simon opened his sermon and said: \"\"And God said I will hide my face from them (Deuteronomy 32:20)\". This is analogous to a son of a king that went out into the market place and hit people, but he himself wasn't being hit, disgraced people, but himself wasn't being disgraced, and before anything would be done to him he went quickly to his father. His father said to him: \"Did you think that it was because if your own honor that you were being honored? You are only being honored because of me\". What did his father do to make him realize this? He turned his attention away from him, and no one cared about him anymore. In the same manner when Israel came out of Egypt all of the nations feared them, as it says: \"The nations heard they shook fear over took the dwellers of Philistia, the mighty ones of Edom were shocked. The mighty ones of Moab were overtaken with fright fear, and fright will fall upon them (Exodus 15:14-16)\". Since they sinned, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: \"What did you think that it was due to you that you were honored? You were only honored because of me\". What did the Holy One, blessed be He do? He stopped paying attention to them just a little bit and the Amalekites came and started fighting with them as it says: \"And the Amalekites came and fought with Israel in Rephidim (Exodus 17:8)\". And further the Canaanites came and fought with Israel, as it says : \"And the Canaanites heard (Numbers 21:1)\". The Holy One, blessed be He said: \"You do not have any real reliability, you do not believe your own words, you are switchers, as it says: \"For they are a treacherous breed, children with no loyalty (Deuteronomy 32:20)\". The verse actually says <i>'amun</i> (\"reliability) [with a missing vav, which has an identical spelling to <i>amen</i>] which hints to the fact that at the time that the prophets blessed them no one opened to say \"amen\" until Jeremiah said it: \"And I answered and said \"amen Hahsem\" (Jeremiah 11:5)\". At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, said: \"Your traders,  they are burdensome, they are stubborn, I cannot obliterate them, I cannot bring them back to Egypt, I cannot exchange them for a different nation. [Rather what can I do with them? I will give them punishments and purify them with the famine, \"<b>in the days the judges judged</b>\". See! This is what it says: \"<b>And it was in the times that the judges judged and there was a famine in the land</b>\".]  ",
            "Rabbi Nehemiah began his sermon: \"\"Your prophets Israel are like foxes in the wilderness. You did not enter the breaches and repair the walls for the House of Israel, that they might stand up in battle in the day of Hashem (Ezekiel 13:4-5)\": just as a fox waits in the wilderness to see where people come to see where to run away, so are your prophets, who don't keep breaches like Moses. Moses our prophet was like a faithful shepherd whose fence fell close to dusk. He managed to repair the fence on three sides, but there was a \"breach\" left. He stood by the \"breach\" [to defend the sheep within]. A lion came, he frightened it. A wolf came, he frightened it. And you, you didn't stand by the \"breach\" like Moses. If you had, you could have \"stood up in battle in the day of Hashem's\" anger.",
            "\"<b>And the name of the man was Elimelech</b> (Ruth 1:2)\". When trouble came to you, you forsook them: \"<b>and the man went out from Bethlehem in Judah</b> (Ruth 1:1)\". This is what scripture said: \"our cattle are well cared for (<i>'alufeinu mesubalim</i>). There is no breaching and no sortie, and no wailing in our streets (Psalm 144:14)\". Rabbi Yochanan said: \"bear\" (<i>sovlin</i>) is not written here, but rather the passive \"borne\" (<i>mesubalim</i>). In the time when the younger bear the older \"there is no breaching (<i>peretz</i>)\", and there is not outbreak (<i>pirtzah</i>) of plague, as it says: \"And a plague broke out among them (Psalm 106:9)\". \"And no sortie (<i>yotz'et</i>)\": there is no sortie of plague, as it says: \"Fire came forth (<i>vattetz'e</i>) from before Hashem (Leviticus 9:24)\". \"And no wailing\": there is no wailing from plague, as it says: \"All Israel around them fled at their shrieks (Numbers 16:34)\"\". Reish Lakish rearranged this reading: \"In the time that the old bear the young, there is no \"breach\" of exile, as it is written: \"Each one through a breach straight ahead (Amos 4:3)\". And there is no \"sortie\" (<i>yotz'et</i>) of exile, as it is written: \"Dismiss them from My presence, and let them go forth (<i>vayetze'u</i>) (Jeremiah 15:1)\". And there is no \"wailing\" from exile, as it is written: \"The outcry of my poor people From the land far and wide (Jeremiah 8:19)\" and it is written: \"And the outcry of Jerusalem rises (Jeremiah 14:2)\"\". Rabbi Luliani said: \"In the time when the young listen to the old and the old do not bear the burden of the young, upon them, as scripture says: \"Hashem will come in judgment (Isaiah 3:14)\"\". \"<b>And the name of the man was Elimelech</b>\". When trouble came to you, you forsook them: \"<b>and the man went out from Bethlehem in Judah</b>\".",
            "Rabbi Tanchuma in the name of Rabbi Chiyya and Rabbi Berachya in the name of Rabbi Elazar [all] said, \"This midrash came up to our hands from the exile - 'Any place that it is stated, \"and it was in the days of,\" it is nothing but a term of grief.'\" Rabbi Chiyya: \"Every place that it is stated \"and it was in the days of\" it discusses trouble or joy. If trouble, unforeseen, and if joy, also unforeseen\". Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Natan, \"And there are five\": \"And it was in the days of Amrafel\" (Genesis 14:1): What grief was there over there? They made a war. [It is comparable] to a dear friend of a king who entered a province, and on his account was the king [concerned] about that whole province. [Then] barbarians came and grappled with him. And when he wanted to leave, they all said to him, \"Woe that the king will no longer be concerned about the province as he was\": So [too,] was Abraham a dear friend of the Holy One, blessed be He - as it is written about him (Isaiah 41:8), \"the seed of Abraham, My dear one\"; and it is written (Genesis 12:3), \"and through you shall all the families of the world be blessed.\" And when the barbarians came and grappled with him, they all said, \"Woe that the Holy One, blessed be He, will not be concerned with the world as He was; since He was concerned with the world for his sake.\" This is [the meaning of] that which the verse stated (Genesis 14:7), \"And they came to Ein Mishpat (which can be understand as the eye of justice)\" - Rabbi Acha said, \"They sought to grapple with no less than the eyeball of the world.\" They said, \"They sought to blind the eye that [suppressed] the trait of [strict] judgment in the world.\" [The verse continues -] \"It (<i>hi'</i>) is Kadesh,\" [but] it is written, \"h'i (<i>hu</i>) is Kadesh\"; meaning to say, he sanctified (<i>hu kidesh</i>) the name of the Holy One, blessed be He and went down to the fiery furnace. When they saw that the things were like this, they cried out. (2) \"And it was in the days of Ahaz the son of Joshiah, King of Judah\" (Isaiah 7:1). What grief was there over there? \"It is what is stated by the verse (Isaiah 9:11), \"Aram is in front and the Philistines are behind, etc.\" [It is comparable] to a king that gave his son over to a mentor, and the mentor hated him. He said, \"If I kill him, I will become liable for death. Rather, I will take away his nourishment from him and he will die on his own\": So did the evil Ahaz say, \"If there are no goats, there will be no rams; if there is no flock, there will be no shepherd, [and] where will the world be?\" So did he say, \"If there are no masters, there will be no students; if there are no students, there will be no sages; if there is no Torah, there will be no synagogues and study halls.\" What did he do? He passed all the synagogues and study halls and sealed them. And this [is the meaning of] that which the verse states (Isaiah 8:16), \"Bind up the message; seal the instruction with My disciples.\".... And when they saw that the things were like this, they all started to cried out, \"Woe that the world is being destroyed\" - when [study of] the Torah was negated, that was in the days of Ahaz. (3) \"And it was in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah\" (Jeremiah 1:3). What grief was there over there? \"I looked at the earth, and behold it was empty and void; at the heavens and their light was not\" (Jeremiah 4:23), [It is comparable] to edicts of the kings that were were brought to the province. What did the people of the province do? They tore them up and burned them. This is what the verse stated (Jeremiah 36:23), \"And it was when Yehudi would read three columns or four\" - meaning to say, he read four verses - and in the fifth verse, he read, \"And her tormentors became the head\" (Lamentations 1:5) - and it is is written (Jeremiah 36:23), \"he would tear it with a scribe's blade and throw it into the fire until the end of all of the scroll.\" And when they saw this, everyone began to cry out, \"Woe for the decree that is hanging over us.\" \"<b>And it was in the days when the judges ruled</b>\" (Ruth 1:1) - there was famine there. [And to what is the matter comparable?] To a province that was liable a tax to the king. [So] he sent collectors to collect it. The people of the province rose and smote the collectors and hung them. The judgment that they were liable - as they appointed other judges for themselves - they did to the collectors. So did they do at that time.... (5) \"And it was in the days of Ahashverosh\" (Esther 1:1). What grief was there over there? [It is comparable] to a king that had a vineyard, and he had three enemies. What did they do? One cut the small berries, the second ripped the clusters and the third uprooted the vines: So did Pharaoh began with the small berries, as it is stated (Exodus 1:22), \"Any son that is born, throw him into the river.\" Nebuchadnezzar [ripped the clusters,] as it is stated (Jeremiah 29:2), \"the craftsmen and the smiths\".... Haman [then] came [to] uproot the vines, as it is stated (Esther 3:13), \"to annihilate, to kill and to destroy.\" Everyone began to cry out, \"Woe.\" Rabbi Shimon ben Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, \"Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (<i>vayehi</i>),' it is used for grief and it is used for joy. And when for grief, there is no grief like it, and when for joy, there is no joy like it.\" Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman came and divided it, \"Any place that it is stated 'it will be,' it is used for joy; [but] 'and it was' [is for] grief.\" The Sages responded, \"Behold 'And God said, \"<i>Vayehi</i> (here used as a command form, and not past tense) light\"' [is] joy!\" He said to them, \"It too is not of joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. As so did Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon say, '[Regarding] the light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day, Adam [could] look and observe from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. [But] since the Holy One, blessed be He, saw the deeds of the generation of Enosh and the generation of the flood, He arose and hid it from them. That is [the meaning of] what the verse states (Job 38:15), \"From the wicked is their light withheld.\" And to where is it hidden? [It is] in the Garden of Eden, for the righteous ones, as it is stated (Psalms 97:11), \"Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the straight-hearted.\"'\" They responded to him further, \"It states, 'And it was evening and it was morning, one day.'\" He said to them, \"On that day too, it is not of joy, as all the acts of the first day are destined to wither, as it is stated (Isaiah 51:6), 'when the heavens melt away like smoke and the earth wither like a garment.'\" They responded to him, \"Behold, the [acts of] the second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day.\" He said to them, \"They too are not of joy, as all the acts of the six days of creation require further action - for example, wheat needs to be ground; mustard needs to be mellowed; lupine need to be mellowed.\" They responded to him, \"[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yosef and he was a successful man' (Genesis 39:7)?\" He said to them, \"It too is not of joy, as that 'bear' chanced upon him from this, as it is stated in the verse, 'after' - 'And it was after these things, and the wife of his master raised, etc.' (Genesis 39:7)....\" They responded to him, \"[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Joshua, and his reputation was in all the land' (Joshua 6:27)?\" He said to them, \"It too is not of joy, as he had to rend his garments.\" They responded to him, \"And is it not written (I Samuel 18:14), 'And it was that David was successful in all of his ways and the Lord was with him'?\" He said to them, \"It too is not of joy, as enmity descended into the heart of Saul from this, as it is stated (I Samuel 18:9), 'And it was that Saul eyed David.'\" They responded to him, \"And is it not written (II Samuel 7:1), 'And it was when the king sat in his house and the Lord allowed him rest from all of his enemies'?\" He said to them, \"It too is not of joy, as on that same day, Nathan the prophet came to David and said to him, 'However you will not build the House' (I Kings 8:19).\" They said to him, \"Behold, we have said what is ours; [now] say what is yours - that 'and it will be' is joy.\" He said to them, \"'And it will be on that day that the mountains will drip with nectar' (Joel 4:18), that will be in the days of the messiah, and there will be great joy for Israel. And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that a man shall save alive a heifer of the herd and two sheep' (Isaiah 7:21). And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that living waters will come out from Jerusalem' (Zechariah 14:8). And so [too,] 'And he will be like a tree planted over streams of water' (Psalms 1:3). And so [too,] 'And the remnant of Jacob will be among many nations' (Micah 5:6).\" They said to him, \"But behold, it is written (Jeremiah 38:28), '<i>vahaya</i> (here used in the past tense, and not like the other examples) when Jerusalem was captured'!\" He said to them, \"It too is not of grief, as on that day was the verdict of Israel for their sins taken; as so is it written (Lamentations 4:22), 'Your sin has been completed, Daughter of Zion, He will not again exile you.'\" This is the end of the <i>petichata</i> of <i>Ruth Rabbah</i>. "
        ],
        "": [
            [
                "\"<b>In the days the judges judged</b> (Ruth 1:1)\" [which could also be \"the judges were judged\"]. Woe to a generation that judges its judges and woe to a generation whose judges need to be judged. As it says: \"And they didn't listen to their judges (Judges 2:17)\". Who were those judges? Rav said: \"They were Barak and Deborah\". Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi said: \"They were Shamgar and Ehud\". Rav Huna said: \"They were Deborah, Barak, and Yael\". 'Judge' means one, 'judges' two, and '<b>the judges</b>' three\".",
                "Rebbe asked Rabbi Betzlel: \"Why does it say:  \"your mother prostitutes herself (Hosea 2:7)\"? Is it possible Sarah the matriarch did so? He told him: \"Heavens forbid! It means that the words of Torah are disrespected by the simpletons when their own expounders disrespect them. I heard from Rabbi Yaakov bar Avdimei and Ovadia: \"words of Torah are treated as prostitutes by the simpletons when those who expound them disrespect them\"\". Rabbi Yochanan added: \"How do we know this? From here: \"The poor man's wisdom is not respected (Ecclesiastes 9:16)\". Was the wisdom of poor Rabbi Akiva disrespected? No, \"poor\" means somebody who disrespects his own words. Such as an elder sitting and teaching \"be fair in judgement (Deuteronomy 16:19)\", and he isn't fair in judgement; \"ignore your relationship with the litigants (Deuteronomy 16:19)\", and he does not ignore his relationship; \"take no bribes(Deuteronomy 16:19)\", and he takes bribes. \"Do not oppress the widow and orphan (Exodus 22:21)\", and he does oppress them. Samson went after his eyes, as it says: \"Give her to me for she seems good to me (Judges 14:3)\". Gideon worshiped stars as it says: \"And he made it into an ephod (Judges 8:27)\". There is no worse poverty than this. Woe to the judge who is not fair in judgment! Rabbi Chiyya taught: \"\"You shall not render an unfair decision: do not favor the poor or show deference to the rich; judge your kinsman fairly (Leviticus 19:15)\" teaches that the judge who perverts justice is called by five names: harmful, hated, detestable, excommunicated, abomination. And the Holy One, blessed be He, calls upon him five names: evil, blasphemer, transgressor of the covenant, provoker of anger, rebel. He adds five things to the world: making the land impure, desecrating the name of God, removing the Shekhinah, destroying Israel with the sword, exiling them from their land\". Woe to the generation that is perverted thus! Rabbi Chiyya taught: \"\"You shall not render an unfair decision (Leviticus 19:15)\" in legal judgment (<i>din</i>). If to legal judgment this relates , then why does it say \"in judgment (<i>bemishpat</i>)\"? It means \"in measurement\", as if it teaches that the one who measures is called a judge, and if he lies, he is called by five names, and he adds five things\". Woe to the generation whose measures are false! As Rabbi Banaya in the name of Rabbi Huna: \"If I saw a generation whose measures were false, the kingdom comes and battles against that generation. Upon what is this based? \"False scales are an abomination to Hashem (Proverbs 11:1)\", and it is written \"When arrogance appears, disgrace follows (Proverbs 11:2)\". Rabbi Berachya said in the name of Rabbi Abba: \"It is written: \"Shall he be acquitted despite wicked balances (Micah 6:11)\". Can it be that a generation whose measures are false is acquitted? Rather, \"and a bag of fraudulent weights? (Micah 6:11)\"\". Rabbi Levi: \"Yet Moses allegorically spoke of this to them, to Israel, in the Torah: \"You shall not have in your pouch alternate weights, larger and smaller. You shall not have in your house alternate measures, a larger and a smaller (Deuteronomy 25:13-14)\", and if one does this, then finally a kingdom comes and battles against him, as it is written: \"For everyone who does those things, everyone who deals dishonestly, is abhorrent to Hashem your God (Deuteronomy 25:16)\" and it is written: \"Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt (Deuteronomy 25:17)\". ",
                "Rabbi [Yehudah] said: \"Blessings bless their masters, and curses curse their masters. Blessings bless their masters, as is written: \"You must have completely honest weights and completely honest measures, if you are to endure long on the soil that Hashem your God is giving you (Deuteronomy 25:15)\" and if you do thus, this will be to you. And curses curse their masters, as is written: \"You shall not have in your pouch alternate weights, larger and smaller (Deuteronomy 25:13)\" and if you do thus, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: \"You sought to do great and a small, and by your life and not even the small will be supplied to the hand of he who does evil, as it is written: \"You shall not have in your pouch (Deuteronomy 25:13)\". And furthermore: \"With Me, therefore, you shall not make any gods of silver, nor shall you make for yourselves any gods of gold (Exodus 20:20)\".  The Holy One, blessed be He said: \"You sought to make for me gods of silver and gold. As you live ones of wood will not be supplied into the hand of he who does evil, as it written: \"nor shall you make for yourselves\"\".",
                "\"<b>There was a famine in the land</b> (Ruth 1:1)\". Ten famines have come into the world: one in the days of Adam the first man, one in the days of Lamech, and one in the days of Abraham, and one in the days of Isaac, and one in the days of Jacob, and one in the days of Elijah, and one in the days of Elisha, and one in the days of David, and one in the days \"<b>the judges judged</b>\", and one which changes and comes to the world. One in the days of Adam the first, as it is said: \"Cursed be the ground because of you (Genesis 3:17)\". And one in the days of Lamech, as it is said: \"out of the very soil which Hashem placed under a curse (Genesis 5:29)\". And one in the days of Abraham, as it is said: \"There was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt (Genesis 12:10)\". And one in the days of Isaac, as it is said: \"There was a famine in the land—aside from the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham (Genesis 26:1)\". And one in the days of Jacob, as it is said: \"It is now two years that there has been famine in the land (Genesis 45:6)\". And one in the days of Elijah, as it is said: \"there will be no dew or rain except at my bidding (1 Kings 17:1)\". And one in the days of Elisha, as it is said: \"There was a great famine in Samaria (2 Kings 6:25)\". And one in the days of David, as it is said: \"There was a famine during the reign of David, year after year for three years (2 Samuel 21:1)\". And one in the day the judges judged, as it is said: \"<b>and there was famine in the land</b>\". And one that changes and comes to the world, as it is written: \"when I will send a famine upon the land: not a hunger for bread or a thirst for water (Amos 8:11)\". Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Samuel: \"The really actual one was was supposed to come upon them in the days of Saul and was not supposed to come in the days of David, and because Saul was a wooden vessel made from sycamore wood and was not able to withstand it, the Holy One, blessed be He, brought it to David, and he was a wooden vessel of olive wood and he was able to withstand it. A riddle says: \"Shilo sinned and Yochanan was punished\". Thus all of them did not come when men were weak, but rather when men were powerful and they were able to withstand them. Rabbi Chiyya in the name of Rabbi Shimon son of Elazar: \"like a glass blower who had a basket full of cups and etched glass in his hand, and and then he was seeking to hang up his basket and he brought a peg and suspended himself from it first and then he would hang his basket\". Thus all of them did not come when men were weak, but rather when men were powerful. Rabbi Berachya would always recite about them: \"He gives strength to the weary (Isaiah 40:29)\". Rabbi Berachya in the name of Rabbi Chelbo: \"Two came in the days of Adam the first\". Rabbi Huna in the name of Rab Acha: \"One in the days of Abraham and one in the days of Lamech\". The famine which was in the days of Elijah was of scarcity: one year produced and one year did not produce, but the famine which came in the days of Elisha, that was a real disaster, as it is said: \"until a donkey’s head sold for eighty [shekels] of silver and a quarter of a kab of doves’ dung for five shekels (2 Kings 6:25)\". Of the famine that came in the days the judges judged, Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Dosa: \"42 <i>se'ot</i>  there were and became 41\". See! It is taught by the tannaim that a man does not go forth outside the land, unless two <i>se'ot</i> can be acquired for a shekel. Rabbi Shimon son of Gamliel: \"In what time does he not go out if he can acquire food? Rather if he goes to acquite food and if he can acquire a <i>se'ah</i> for a shekel he does not go out from Israel to another land. And see! The tannaim teach that in a time of plague and a time of war he sits on his feet, and in a time of plague he moves his feet. \" Why was Elimelech punished? Because he struck [despair] into the hearts of Israel, for nothing did he rule the country, and the countrymen were sure that when the years of plague/famine would come, he would be able to sustain the country for 10 years with food! When the year of famine came to the land, his maid went to the market stalls and her basket was in her hand, and the people of the district said: \"Is this the one whom we trusted in that when the famine came he would be able to provide for us for ten years? And see! His maid is standing in the market and her basket is in her hand!\" Elimelech was one the great leaders of his district and one of the financial supporters of his generation. But when the years of famine came, he said, “Now all Israel will come knocking at my door, each one with his basket.” He got up and fled from them. This is the meaning of the verse, “<b>and a man went [out] from Beth-lehem in Judah</b>.",
                "\"<b>And a man of Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the country of Moab</b> (Ruth 1:1)\". \"<b>A man went</b>\", a stump. Go and see how the Holy One, blessed be He, honored him in his coming to the land of Israel rather than his going out. There it is written: \"Their horses...their mules...their camels (Ezra 2:66)\". But see, above is written: \"<b>A man went</b>\", a stump. Rather there upon the hands of those who go out from the land, to outside the land, what is written does not describe their possessions. \"<b>A man went</b>\", a stump. \"<b>To reside in the country of Moab</b>\": Rabbi Levi said: \"Every place where you go out into a field is a city, a city is is district, a district is a province. Field is a city: “Go to your field at Anathoth! (1 Kings 2:26)\". City is a district: \"Pass through the city, through Jerusalem (Ezekiel 9:4)\". District is a province: \"Over 127 districts (Esther 1:1)\"\". \"<b>With his wife and two sons</b>\": he was the chief, and his wife was secondary to him and his sons were secondary to them."
            ],
            [
                "Rabbi Simon, in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, and Rabbi Chama the father of Rabbi Hoshea in the name of Rabbi [Yehudah]: Chronicles was only given for exegetical purposes. See [this will be proven through the exegesis of the following verses] it is written: [\"<b>The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er father of Lecah, Laadah father of Mareshah, and the families of the linen factory at Beth-ashbea; and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba and Joash, and Saraph, who married into Moab and Jashubi Lehem (the records are ancient). These were the potters who dwelt at Netaim and Gederah; they dwelt there in the king’s service</b> (1 Chronicles 4:21-23).\"] <b>The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er father of Lecah</b> (1 Chronicles 4:21)\": that is the \"<b>father</b>\" president [father] of the court of Lecah. \"<b>Laadah father of Mareshah</b>\": leader of the court of Mareshah. \"<b>And the families of the linen factory</b>\": this is Rahab, the harlot who hid the spies in linen; see it is written: \"Now she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under some stalks of linen  (Joshua 2:6)\". Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon: \"linen was her business\". \"<b>At Beth-ashbea</b>\" because the spies made a vow (<i>nishbe'u</i>) to her, as it is said: \"Now, since I have shown loyalty to you, swear to me by Hashem (Joshua 2:12)\". \"<b>And Jokim</b>\" Because they paid (<i>qiyymu</i>) a vow to her; see! it is written: \"So the young spies went in (Joshua 6:23)\". And what does \"and brought out all her families (Joshua 6:23)\" teach us? Rabbi Shimon son of Yochai the tanna taught that even if her family was two hundred men and they mend and were joined to two hundred other families, they all were saved by her merit. \"And all her family\" is not said, but rather \"All her families\". \"<b>And men of Cozebah</b>\": because she lied (<i>kizzvah</i>) to the king of Jericho, as it is said: \"“It is true,” she said, “the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from (Joshua 2:4)\". \"<b>And Joash</b>\" because she did not care (<i>nitya'asah</i>) about her life. \"<b>And Saraf</b>\" because she exposed herself to the punishment of burning (<i>srufin</i>). \"<b>Who made themselves husbands to Moab</b>\": because she came and joined herself to Israel and her deeds ascended to her Father in Heaven. \"<b>And Jashubi Lahem</b>\": because she was joined to Israel and they accepted the Torah, as it is written about her: \"Go and fight (<i>lachamu</i>) those attacking me (Psalm 34:1)\". \"<b>And the records are ancient</b>\": Rabbi Ayyvu and Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon were saying the words express hidden things, but they are clearer in another place. \"<b>\"These are the potters</b>\": they are the spies. See!, it is written: \"Joshua son of Nun secretly (<i>cheresh</i>) sent two spies from Shittim (Joshua 2:1)\". Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nehemiah: One said: \"There were tools of carpenters (<i>naggarut</i>) in their hands, as it says \"spies (<i>meragglim</i>) said\". Rabbi Nehemiah says: \"Pottery vessels were in their hands, and they said\" \"We are potters\"\". Rabbi Shimon the son of Yochai the tanna taught \"secretly (<i>cheresh</i>)\"  is as its heard: he said to them: \"Make yourselves dumb (<i>chershin</i>) and understand their secrets. Rabbi Shimon son of Eleazar says: \"You make yourselves dumb (<i>chershim</i>) and you understand their affairs\". \"<b>And those be dwell in Netaim</b>\": These were practiced in planting (<i>neti'ah</i>), as it is said: \"And there they cut down a branch (Numbers 13:23)\". \"<b>And Gederah</b>\"\" because she hid them behind a fence (<i>gader</i>) as it is said: \"Make for the hills (Joshua 2:16)\". There are those who say that the Ruach Hakodesh rested upon her when Israel was being gathered to the land. And how from all of that did she know they were returning in three days? Because the Ruach Hakodesh rested on her. \"<b>They dwelt there in the king’s service</b>\": from this they said: \"Ten kohanim who were prophets descended from Rahab the harlot: Jeremiah, Hilkiah, Seraiah, Mahasyah, Hanameel, Shallum, Baruch, Neriah, Ezekiel, Buzi\". And there are those who said: \"Also Huldah the prophetess descended from the sons of the sons of Rahab the harlot\". ",
                "Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachmani interpreted these verses from Chronicles as referring to David. \"<b>The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er father of Lecah</b> (1 Chronicles 4:21)\": that is the \"<b>father</b>\" president [father] of the court of Lecah. \"<b>Laadah father of Mareshah</b>\": leader of the court of Mareshah. \"<b>And the families of the linen factory</b>\": this is David who worked on the Temple's curtain; see it is written (2 Samuel 21:19): \"And Elhanan\": this is David whom the Holy One, blessed be He, was gracious to. \"Son of Jaare\": the son who became great in the forest (<i>ya'ar</i>). \"Oregim\" because he worked on the temple's curtain (<i>'arag</i> means \"weave\")\".  Another explanation: \"Oregim\" because they raised up to him the halakhah and he wove it together. Another interpretation: \"Oregim\": they are the Sanhedrin because they wove the words of the Torah with him. \"<b>At Beth-ashbea</b>\" \" because the Holy One, blessed be He, made a vow (<i>nishb'a</i>) to him, as it is said: \"I have made a covenant with My chosen one; I have sworn to My servant David (Psalms 89:4)\". \"<b>And Jokim</b>\" Because he paid (<i>qiyyem</i>) a vow to him; see! it is written: \"Hashem swore to David a firm oath that He will not renounce (Psalms 132:11)\". \"<b>And men of Cozebah</b>\": Rabbi Azariah and Rabbi Yonatan and Rabbi Yitzchak son of Maryon and those who say that it was Rabbi Jose son of Rabbi Chanina: \"The major part of the Sanhedrin was from Judah. What is this based on? As it is said:  \"His eyes are darker than wine; His teeth are whiter than milk (Genesis 4:12)\": and they were sharp (<i>sodrin</i>) in halakhah like teeth and they produced it as pure as \"milk\". <b>And Joash</b>\" because he did not care (<i>nitya'es</i>) about his life, as it is said: \"Let Your hand fall upon me (1 Chronicles 21:17)\". \"<b>And Saraf</b>\" because he recalled the work of the burned ones  (<i>srufim</i>): \"O Hashem, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers (1 Chronicles 29:18)\". \"<b>Who made themselves husbands to Moab</b>\" because he descended from Ruth the Moabitess. \"<b>And Jashubi Lahem</b>\": because he came from Bethlehem in Judah. \"<b>And the records are ancient</b>\": Rabbi Ayyvu said: \"This is David and Solomon who were joined before the Holy One, blessed be He in the building of the Temple. Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Simon said: \"This is Benaiah son of Jehoiada who participated with King Solomon in building the Temple\". Rabbi Yehudah said: \"This is Jehoiada the High Priest who participated with Joash in repairing the Temple. Rabbi Nehemiah says: \"This is Jeremiah and Ezekiel who were joined before the Holy One, blessed be He, that he not destroy the Temple. \"<b>\"These are the potters (<i>yotzrim</i>)</b>\": this is Boaz (tz) and Ruth (r) [as indicated by the letters of their names]. \"<b>And those be dwell in Netaim</b>\": This is Solomon because he was like one who plants (<i>net'a</i>) a kingdom. \"<b>And Gederah</b>\": these are the Sanhedrin because they enclosed (<i>godrim</i>) with him the words of the Torah. \"<b>They dwelt there in the king’s service</b>\": Based on what did they say the Ruth the Moabitess did not die until she saw Solomon the son of her son sitting and judging the case of the harlots. See! It is written: \"And he had a throne placed for the queen mother\": this is Bathsheba, \"and she sat on his right (1 Kings 2:19)\", this is Ruth the Moabitess. ",
                "Rabbi Menachem the son of Avin interpreted these verses from Chronicles as referring to Moses. \"<b>And Jokim</b>\", on the basis of \"Advance (<i>qumah</i>), O Hashem! May Your enemies be scattered (Numbers 10:35)\". \"<b>Men of Cozeba</b>\": they spoke of the Holy One, blessed be He, like liars (<i>kezavim</i>), as it is said: \"Let not Your anger, O Hashem, blaze forth against Your people (Exodus 32:11)\". \"<b>Joash</b>\" because he did not care (<i>nitya'esh</i>) about his life, as it is said: \"but if not, erase me (Exodus 32:32)\". \"<b>And Saraf</b>\" because he remembered the deed of those who were burned (<i>serufin</i>), as it is said: \"Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Exodus 32:13)\". \"<b>Who became husbands to Moab</b>\" because  his pleasant deeds went and ascended before his Father in Heaven. \"<b>And Jashubi Lechem</b>\" because he ascended upward and returned (<i>shavah</i>) to the Torah, as thus it is said: \"You went up to the heights, having taken captives (<i>shavita shevi</i>) (Psalms 68:19)\". \"<b>The records are ancient (<i>'atiqim</i>)</b>\": Rabbi Ayybu and Rabbi Yehudah son of Simon: Rabbi Ayybu said: \"Even records which were removed (<i>nit'atqu</i>) from them, he strengthened them, as it is said: \"Carve two tablets of stone like the first (Exodus 34:1)\". These words describe the one said to move (<i>ma'tiqo</i>) the world, what you say, it said: \"From there he moved on (<i>vayya'teq</i>) (Genesis 12:8)\"\". Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Simon said: \"The words describe unknown things here, but in another place they are clear that he strengthened them for him, as it is said: \"And Hashem said: Write down these commandments, for in accordance with these commandments (Exodus 34:27)\". \"<b>These are the potters (<i>yotzrim</i>)</b>\", on which: \"And Hashem God formed (<i>vayyitzer</i>) out of the earth (Genesis 2:19)\"\". Another interpretation: \"<b>These are the potters</b>\": they are the souls of the righteous, because guided by them the Holy One, blessed be He, created his world. \"<b>Dwellers of Netaim</b>\": on which: \"And Hashem planted (<i>vayyitt'a</i>) (Genesis 2:8)\". \"<b>And of Gederah [fence]</b>\": on which:  \"Who set the sand as a boundary to the sea (Jeremiah 5:22)\". \"<b>With the king in his service</b>\": with the King of Kings of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, the souls of the righteous dwelled there because by them he was guided and created his world.",
                "Another interpretation: \"<b>And Jokim</b>\": this is Elimelech. \"<b>And the men of Cozeba</b>\" these are his sons because they were made false (<i>mekuzzavim</i>). \"<b>Joash</b>\" because they give up on (<i>nitya'ashu</i>) the land of Israel. \"<b>And Saraf</b>\" because they burned (<i>sarfu</i>) the Torah. Rabbi Menachama in the name of Rabbi Acha: \"And did they burn it? Rather this teaches you that anyone who departs from the Torah in even one matter it is as if they burned it\". \"<b>Who became husbands to Moab</b>\" because they married Moabite women and they left Israel and they joined the field of Moab. \"<b>And Jashubi Lachem</b>\": this is Naomi, as it is said: \"<b>So Naomi returned (<i>vattashav</i>), and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the field of Moab--and they came to Beth-lehem (<i>lechem</i>)</b> (Ruth 1:22)\". \"<b>And the records are ancient</b>\" and all of them, one by one, have been expounded for themselves.",
                "\"<b>The man’s name was Elimelech</b> (Ruth 1:2\": Rabbi Meir was interpreting names. Rabbi Joshua son of Karchah was also interpreting names. \"<b>The man’s name was Elimelech</b>\": he was saying: \"To me (<i>elai</i>) will come the kingship (<i>malkhut</i>)\". \"<b>His wife’s name was Naomi</b>\" because her deeds were pleasant (<i>na'im</i>) and pleasing (<i>ne'imim</i>). \"<b>and his two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion</b>\": Machlon because they were erased (<i>nimchu</i>) from the world. And Chilion because they were destroyed (<i>kalu</i>) from the world. \"<b>Ephrathites</b>\": Rabbi Joshua son of Levi says: \"Royals (<i>palatini</i>)\", and Rabbi the son of Rabbi Nechemiah says: \"Nobles (<i>eugenistai</i>)\". Another interpretation: \"<b>Ephrathites</b>\": Rabbi Pinchas said: \"Ephraim was crowned with the whole crown from Jacob our father at the time he was departing (<i>petirato</i>) from the world. He said to him: \"Ephraim, head of the tribe, head of the yeshivah, the ascended and the praised of my sons will be called by your name: \"son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite (1 Samuel 1:1)\". \"Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephraimite (1 Kings 11:26)\". \"David was the son of a certain Ephrathite (1 Samuel 17:12)\". \"<b>Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites</b>\".",
                "\"<b>They came to the country of Moab and remained there.</b> (Ruth 1:2)\": at first they came to them in the cities and they found them out of control with abominations, and then they came to them in the country and found them deficient in water, and then they went back to them in the cities \"<b>They came to the country of Moab and remained there</b>\".",
                "\"<b>Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died (Ruth 1:3)</b>\": the tannaim taught that everyone is going to die and everyone is going to death, and it is praiseworthy for a man who goes out of the world with a good name. A man dies, who is diminished by him but his wife?, as it is said:  \"<b>Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died</b>\". And a woman dies, and who is diminished by her but her husband?, as it is said: \"when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow (Genesis 48:7)\". Rabbi Yochanan said: \"[literally] the death of Rachel is upon me\". Rabbi Jacob our father: \"More difficult upon me was the death of Rachel than all the troubles that came upon me\". ",
                "Rabbi Yochanan said: \"From where did Rabbi Shimon son of Jehozadak: \"Contemporaries and contemporaries, friendship groups and friendship groups, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings into the world: one from a group of contemporaries dies and the whole group of contemporaries sorrows. A friend from a group of friends dies and the whole friendship group sorrows, as Rabbi Samuel son of Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: \"Eras are eras, and one of them does not enter into the era of his companion even by a little bit\". Rabbi Jose the son of Chalafta said: \"In my days I did not call my wife \"my wife\" and my house \"my house\" but rather I called my wife \"my house\" and my house \"my wife\". And I did not call my ox \"my ox\" and my field \"my field\" but rather I called my ox \"my field\" and my field \"my ox\". \"<b>And she was left (<i>vattisha'er</i>) with her two sons</b> (Ruth 1:3)\": Rabbi Chanina son of Rabbi Abbahu: \"she was made as the remnant (<i>sheyarei</i>) of meal offerings\". ",
                "\"<b>They married Moabite women</b> (Ruth 1:4)\": The tannaim taught in the name of Rabbi Meir that they did not convert them nor did they immerse them and the new halakhah has not been made and they were not unpunished on account of them: [the halakhah being] Ammonite and not Ammonitess; Moabite and not Moabitess. \"<b>The name of the one was Orpah</b>\" because she turned her back (<i>oref</i>) on her mother-in-law. \"<b>The name of the other was Ruth</b>\" because she looked (<i>ra'atah</i>) to the words of her mother-in-law. Rabbi Beivai in the name of Rabbi Reuben said: \"Ruth and Orpah were the daughters of Eglon, as it is said: \"I have a secret message for you.” The king thereupon commanded, “Silence!” (Judges 3:19)\". And it is written: \"and when Ehud approached him...Ehud said, “I have a message for you from God”; whereupon he rose from his seat. (Judges 3:20)\", and he said to him: \"The Holy One, blessed be He said: \"You stood from your throne for my glory, as you live I will cause to rise from you a son sitting on the throne of Hashem\"\". \"<b>And they lived there about ten years</b>\": like 30 or 40, more or less.",
                "\"<b>Then those two—Mahlon and Chilion—also died</b> (Ruth 1:5)\": Rabbi Chunya and Rabbi Yehoshua son of Rabbi Avin and Rabbi Zavda his son-in-law of Rabbi Levi: \"The master of mercies at first does not take punishment from souls\". From what do you teach this? From Job, as it is said: \"A messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing (Job 1:14)\". Rabbi Chama son of Rabbi Chanina said: \"The Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to him a vision, a sketch of the world to come: \"The plowman shall meet the reaper (Amos 9:13)\", \"when Sabeans attacked them and carried them off (Job 1:15)\"\". Rabbi Abba son of Kahana said: \"They went out from Kefar Kerinos and the walked all the Avalonim to the tower of the dyers and they died there: \"Only I alone have escaped to tell you (Job 1:15)\"\". Rabbi Chanina said: \"The word \"only\" (<i>raq</i>) is a limitation word, and so he was broken and beaten\". Rabbi Yudan said: \"The word \"alone\" (<i>levadi</i>) is a limitation: \"This one was still speaking (Job 1:16)\" and while he was speaking his account, he died\". \"This one was still speaking when another came and said, “A Chaldean formation of three columns (Job 1:17)\": Rabbi Samuel son of Nachman said: \"When Job heard he began to stir his ranks for war, and he said: \"How many ranks am I able to arm and how many squads am I able to form, and this nation in this world is despised: \"Behold the land of Chaldea— This is the people that has ceased to be (Isaiah 23:13)\"; if only they had not come to cause the fear of them to fall upon me\". And when he said to him: \"God’s fire fell from heaven (Job 1:16)\", Job said: This is from heaven? What can I do \"so that I keep silent and do not step outdoors (Job 31:34)\" and so \"he took a potsherd to scratch himself as he sat in ashes (Job 2:8)\". But in Egypt it was this way: \"He struck their vines and fig trees (Psalm 105:33)\" and later \"He gave their beasts over to hail, their cattle to lightning bolts (Psalms 78:48)\" and still later: \"He struck every first-born in Egypt (Psalm 78:51)\". And so with plagues it is this way: in the beginning they come on his house. If he repents for himself it is made good, and if not, look the contaminated ones are removed, as it is said: \"the priest shall order the stones with the plague in them to be pulled out (Leviticus 14:40)\". And if he repents for himself it is made good, and if not, the whole is demolished. If he repents for himself, it is made good, but if not the plagues come upon his clothes  and the contaminated ones must be washed. And if he repents for himself, it is made good, and if not the contaminated clothes are torn, as it is said: \"he shall tear it out from the cloth (Leviticus 13:56)\". If he repents for himself, it is made good, and if not the contaminated clothes are burned, as it is said: \"He shall burn the clothing (Leviticus 13:52)\". And finally the plagues come upon his body. And if he repents, it is made good, and if not, he leaves and comes back. And if he repents, it is made good, and if not: \"Being unclean, he shall dwell apart; his dwelling shall be outside the camp (Leviticus 13:46)\". And so with Machlon and Chilion it went this way: at first their horses, donkeys, and camels died, and then later, Elimelech died, and after that \"<b>Then those two—Mahlon and Chilion—also died so the woman was left (<i>sha'er</i>) </b>\": Rabbi Chanina said: \"She was made the reside of residue (<i>sheyarei sheyarim</i>)\". ",
                "\"<b>She started out with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab for in the country of Moab she had heard</b> (Ruth 1:6)\": <b>she heard</b> from the merchants traveling in the cities. And what did <b>she hear</b>? \"<b>that Hashem had taken note of His people and given them food</b>\". One scripture says: \"For Hashem 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, Hashem 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 said: \"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)\"\". ",
                "\"<b>Accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, she left the place where she had been living</b> (Ruth 1:7)\": \"<b>She left</b>\": Did no one leave except for her? And how many camels left, how many she-asses left, but you say \"<b>She left</b>\"! Rabbi Azariah in the name of Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon: \"Great in the city, he is its splendor, he is its glory, and he is its beauty, and he is its praise. He turns from there and its splendor turns, its glory turns, its beauty turns, its praise turns. And so you bought forth Jacob our father when he left Beersheba, and did leave except him from there? And how many camels left, how many she-asses left, but you say \"he left (Genesis 28:10)\"! When a righteous man is in the city, he is its splendor, he is its glory, and he is its beauty, and he is its praise. And when he leaves there its splendor turns, its glory turns, its beauty turns, its praise turns\". So this teaches that there was no one except for Naomi who was righteous, but in the latter situation, how can it be? Was not Isaac there? Rather, Rabbi Azariah in the name of Rabbi Azariah the son of Simon: \"Not similar is the memory of one righteous man to two righteous men\". \"<b>And they set out on the road back to the land of Judah</b> (Ruth 1:7)\". Rabbi Yehudah said and Rabbi Yochanan said: \"They transgressed the standard of the law and they walked on a festival day\". Another opinion: \"<b>And they set out on the road</b>\": the way was difficult for them because they walked barefoot. [Another]: \"<b>And they set out on the road</b>\": they were focused on the ways (<i>telakhnah</i> is connected to <i>hilkhot</i> from the root <i>halakh</i>) of conversion. ",
                "\"<b>But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Turn back, each of you to her mother’s house</b> (Ruth 1:8)\": to the house of her people. Avnimos of Gadara, his mother died and Rabbi Meir went up to visit him and he found them sitting in mourning. And at another time his father died and Rabbi Meir went up to visit him and found them busy about their work. He said to him: \"From appearances, I think that your mother is more beloved to you than your father\". Avdimos said to him: \"Is it not written: \"<b>Turn back, each of you to her mother’s house</b>\" but not \"to her father's house\"? He responded to him: \"You spoke well for a gentile has no father\".   ",
                "\"<b>God will deal kindly with you</b> (Ruth 1:8)\" . Rabbi Chanina son of Ada says, \"<b>He will deal (<i>ya'aseh</i>)</b>\" is what is written (k'tiv),  \"<b>as you dealt with the dead</b>\" when you were occupied with their shrouds, \"<b>and with me</b>\" when they renounced their ketubot.  Rabbi Zeira says: \"This book [of Ruth] 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 lovingkindness.\"",
                "\"<b>May Hashem grant (<i>yitten</i>)</b> (Ruth 1:9)\": Rabbi Jose said: \"All those good and consoling actions which the Holy One, blessed be He would \"<b>grant</b>\" to Solomon, as it is written: \"God granted (<i>vayyitten</i>) Solomon  wisdom (1 Kings 5:9)\" and these will be from you. \"<b>Each of you find security</b>\": \"<b>you find</b>\" is written: one will find, but two will not find. \"<b>In the house of a husband</b>\": thus there is no fulfillment of the spirit for a woman except in the house of her husband. \"<b>And she kissed them farewell. They broke into weeping and said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 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?</b>\" (Ruth 1:9-11): Does a man perform a levirate marriage to the wife of his brother if he is not in the world at that time? [No.]",
                "\"<b>Turn back, my daughters, go</b> (Ruth 1:12)\": Rabbi Samuel bar Nachmani in the name of Rabbi Yudin son of Rabbi Chanina [explains]: \"In three places it is written here \"<b>return</b> (Ruth 1:8)\", \"<b>return</b> (Ruth 1:11)\", \"<b>return</b> (Ruth 1:12)\" corresponding to the three times we push away a [potential] convert. And if he bothers [trying to convert] longer than that we accept him\". Rabbi Yitzchak said \"A convert should not stay over outside (Job 31:32)\": [this teaches that] A person should always push away with his left and bring closer with his right. \"<b>for I am too old to be married</b>\": Rabbi Yochanan said: \"The Torah teaches you the way of the land, that one does not have sex during the day but rather at night. See! It is written: \"She would go in the evening and leave in the morning (Esther 2:14)\" and it is written: \"<b>even if I were married tonight</b>\".",
                "\"<b>Even if I were married tonight and I also bore sons</b>\" that is even if I were to have a husband tonight and I bore sons, but still \"<b>should you wait for them to grow up?</b> (Ruth 1:13): would you be able to wait and \"<b>on their account debar yourselves from marriage? Oh no, my daughters! My lot is far more bitter than yours, for the hand of Hashem has struck out against me.</b>”",
                "Rabbi Chanina son of Rabbi Abbahu interpreted this verse as referring to Moses. Moses said before the Holy One, blessed be He: \"Master of the world, with the word \"behold\" I praised you, as it is said: \"Behold, the heavens to their uttermost reaches belong to Hashem your God (Deuteronomy 10:14)\" and I was hopeful that you would give me a promotion. Did you not \"<b>on their account debar</b>\" me, you caused the Angel of Death to touch me and thus you abandoned me and said to me: \"behold, days are approaching when you must die (Deuteronomy 34:14)\". And you returned and said to Israel: \"Woe my daughters and sons, <b>my lot is far more bitter than yours</b> because of you \"<b>the hand of Hashem has struck out against me</b>\".",
                "Rabbi Levi said: \"Every place where it is said \"<b>the hand of Hashem</b>\" that is the plague of sickness, and it is a <i>binyan av</i> deduction that applies to all of them: \"Then the hand of Hashem will strike your livestock in the fields—the horses, the asses, the camels, the cattle, and the sheep—with a very severe pestilence (Exodus 9:3)\"\". Bar Kappara said: \"They wanted a hand and pestilence was on them\". Rabbi Simon said: \"When they went forth there was a plague, but when they rested there was not a plague\". The students of Rabbi Nechemyah derived from the following: it is written: \"When they went forth, the hand of Hashem was against them to their undoing (Judges 2:15)\": when they went forth there was a plague, and when they stayed there was not a plague. Rabbi Reuben said: \"So their children harassed them and said: \"When will these people die and we will be gathered into the land?\"\".",
                "\"<b>They broke into weeping again</b> (Ruth 1:14)\": the word \"<b>they broke</b>\" is spelled without an alef. Thus, they were weakening as they walked about and wept. Rabbi Berechyah said in the name of Rabbi Yitzhak: \"Forty paces did Orpah go with her mother-in-law and [for this reason, retribution] was suspended for her descendant Goliath for forty days, as it is said: “And the Philistine drew near morning and evening and presented himself for forty days (1 Samuel 17:16)\"\". Rabbi Yehudah said in the name of Rabbi Yitzhak: \"Four miles did Orpah proceed with her mother-in-law and as a reward four mighty men descended from her, as it is said, “These four were descended from the Rafah (2 Samuel 21: 22)\"\". Rabbi Yitzhak said: \"The whole of that night when Orpah separated from her mother, a hundred uncircumcised heathens raped her\". Rabbi Tanchuma said: \"Even one dog raped her, as it is written: \"And the Philistine said to David, am I a dog? (1 Samuel 17:43)\"\".",
                "\"<b>And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell</b> (Ruth 1:14)\": every kiss is frivolous except for three: kisses of greatness, and kisses of meeting, and 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)\". And kisses of leaving, as it is said: \"<b>And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell</b>\". Rabbi Tanchuma said: \"Also kisses of affinity, as it is said: \"Then Jacob kissed Rachel (Genesis 29:11)\". Why? Because she had affinity with him. \"<b>So she said, “See, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and her gods</b> (Ruth 1:15)\".",
                "\"<b>And Ruth said: entreat me not to leave you and to return from following you</b> (Ruth 1:16)\"-- what does \"<b>entreat</b>\" [lit. \"hurt\"] mean?  Ruth said to Naomi, \"Do not sin against me by telling me to leave and return from following you. I intend to convert anyway, and it is better that I do it with you than with someone else.\" When Naomi heard this, she immediately began to lay out before her the laws of conversion. Naomi said, \"My daughter, Jewish women do not go to the non-Jews' theaters and circuses.\" Ruth said, \"<b>Where you go, I will go</b>.\" Naomi said, \"My daughter, Jewish women do not live in a house where there is no mezuzah.\" Ruth said, \"<b>Where you lodge, I will lodge</b>.\" \"<b>Your people shall be my people</b>,\" refers to warning and punishment, and \"<b>Your God shall be my God</b>\" refers to the rest of the commandments.  ",
                "“<b>Where you go I will go</b>” [refers] to the tent of meeting, [and to the towns of] Gilgal, Shiloh, Nob, Gibeon, and the eternal house [in Jerusalem – i.e., to the various places where sacrifice to God will be mandated]. “<b>And where you lodge, I will lodge</b>” [means that] I will spend the night concerned for my sacrifices. “<b>Your people shall be my people</b>” [means that I shall] nullify my [attachment] to idols. “<b>And your God shall be my God</b>” [means that I am willing] to pay full recompense for my actions [according to the rewards and punishments set out in Jewish law].",
                "“<b>Where you die, I will die</b> (Ruth 1:17)” – These are the four capital punishments of the Jewish Court [to which Ruth is willing to become a subject]: stoning, burning, beheading, and strangulation. “<b>And there I shall be buried</b>” – [this refers to] the two cemeteries reserved for the court: one for [those who were] stoned or burnt; and one for [those who were] beheaded or strangled [Ruth said, regarding these punishments:] “<b>Thus and more may Hashem do to me</b>\". [Naomi] said to her: “My daughter, all that which you are able to acquire, in terms of the commandments, and righteousness, [i.e., as a Jew, you must] acquire in this world; but in the future, [after we’re dead and buried, there is no opportunity to accrue more merit or to repent. At that time] “<b>only death will separate between you and me</b>.\""
            ],
            [
                "This is what the scripture says: \"<b>Small and great alike are there, and the slave is free of his master</b>\" (Job 3:19). Rabbi Simon said: \"this is one of four verses which are like to one another. \"<b>Small and great alike are there</b>\": this is the world, who is small is able to be made great and who is great is able to be made small, but in the one that is going to come, who is small will not be able to be made great and who is great will not be able to be made small. \"<b>And the slave is free of his master</b>\": this is the one who does the will of his creator (<i>yotzer</i>) but displeases his <i>yetzer</i>; death becomes his freedom, as it is said \"<b>And the slave is free of his master</b>\". Rabbi Meyasha son of Bereh of Rabbi Joshua was insensate for three days because he was sick, and after the three days his sense revived itself, and his father said to him \"where were you?\". He said to him: \"I was in a confused world\". And his father said to him: \"And what did you see there?\" And R. Meyasha said to him: \"I saw the multitude of the sons of man now in glory and then in disgrace\". And when Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish heard they came to visit him. He said to them \"Did you really hear what this youth said?\". And they said to him: \"What did he say?\". He told them of the matter. Reish Lakish said: \"And is that not a whole verse: \"thus said the Lord God: <b>Remove the turban and lift off the crown! This shall not remain as it is; exalt the low and abase the high</b> (Ezekiel 21:31)?\". Rabbi Yochanan said: \"Were I not to have come up except to his the matter, this would be enough\". Rabbi Huna, the Exilarch, asked Rabbi Chisdai: \"What is this that is written \"<b>Remove the turban and lift off the crown!</b>\"? And he said to him \"<b>Remove the turban</b>\" from our rabbis, and \"<b>lift off the crown</b>\" from the kingdoms of the world. He said to him \"you are named <i>chesed</i> (i.e. <i>Chisd</i>ai) and what you have is <i>chased</i>.",
                "It is written: \"<b>For he who is reckoned among the living has something to look forward to—even a live dog is better than a dead lion</b> (Ecclesiastes 9:4)\". The tannaim taught: \"The one who sees an idol, what does he say? \"Blessed is the one who gives compassion to those who transgress his will\". A place where idolatry has been torn out from it? \"Blessed is the one who tears out idolatry from our land. And thus may it be your will, Hashem, our God, that you tear it our from every place and you will turn the heart of those who serve it to your service with a whole heart\". But is one not found to pray for the wicked? Rabbi Yochanan says: \"it is written \"<b>chosen (<i>yevuhar</i> \"reckoned\")</b>\". Even all those who stretched for their hands against the Temple, there is hope for them. To resurrect them, it is not possible as they already stretched forth their hands to the Temple. To destroy them is not possible since they have already made repentance. He says about them: \"And then sleep an endless sleep, never to awake (Jeremiah 51:39)\". \"<b>Even a live dog is better than a dead lion</b> (Ecclesiastes 9:4)\": in this world he who is a dog may be made into a lion and he who is a lion may be made into a dog. But, in the one to come, he who is a lion will not be able to be made a dog, and everyone who is a dog will not be able to be made into a lion. The Emperor Hadrian, may his bones rot, asked Rabbi Joshua son of Chananyah, and he said to him: \"I am better than Moses, your rabbi.\" And Joshua said to him: \"Why?\" \"Because I am alive and he is dead, as it is written \"<b>Even a live dog is better than a dead lion</b>\". He said to him, are you able to decree that no one kindle a light for three days?\" Hadrian said: \"Yes\". In the evening they went together onto the roof of the palace, and they saw smoke from a distance! He said to him: \"What's this?\" And Hadrian replied to him: \"a sick <i>eparch</i> came and the doctor saw him and said to him \"Only if you drink hot water he will get better\"\". And he said to him: \"May his spirit die, as your decree while you are alive is nullified, and Moses, our Rabbi, from the time that he decreed on us \"You shall kindle no fire throughout your settlements on the sabbath day (Exodus 35:3)\" no Jew lights a light on the day of Shabbat, and even now his decree is not nullified, but you said \"I am better than him!\"\". \"<b>Tell me, O Hashem, what my term is, what is the measure of my days; I would know how fleeting my life is</b> (Psalm 39:5)\". David said before the Holy One, Blessed is He: \"Lord of the world make know to me <b>when I will die</b>\". God said to him: \"That is a secret and it is not revealed to a human and it is not possible to reveal it to you.\" David: \"And the <b>measure of my days</b>, what are they?\" God said to him \"Seventy\". David: \"I would know, <b>what is my end</b>? Reveal to me on what day I will die.\" God said to him: \"On Shabbat\". And he said to him: \"Subtract one day for me\". God said to him: \"No\". David asked \"Why?\". God said to him: \"Precious to me is one prayer which you stand and pray before me than a thousand offerings that Solomon your son is going to bring before me, as it is said: \"on that altar Solomon presented a thousand burnt offerings (1 Kings 3:4)\". And David said to God: \"Then add a day for me\". God said to him \"No\". And David asked \"Why?\" He said to him: \"The era of your son is pressing\". About this Rabbi Shimon son of Abba in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: \"Eras are eras and one of them cannot meet in the middle of the era of its neighbor, even a little bit\". And David died on Atzeret [Shavuot] that was on Shabbat, and the Sanhedrin went out to meet with Solomon and he said to them: \"move him here and there\". They responded to him: \"This is the Mishnah: they anoint and wash so long as it is not moved (Shabbat 23:5)\". And Solomon said: \"The dogs of my father's house are hungry\". And they said to him: \"This is the Mishnah: they cut up gourds before an animal, a corpse, and before dogs (Shabbat 24:4)\". What did he do? He stretched out a canopy and spread it out over him so the sun would not descend and there are those who say that he called eagles and they spread out over him their wings so that the sun would not descend on him.",
                "He said: \"\"<b>A twisted thing that cannot be made straight, a lack that cannot be made good</b> (Ecclesiastes 1:15)\". In this world he who is twisted can be made straight and he who is straight can be made twisted, but in the one that will come, he who is twisted will not be able to be made straight, and he who is straight may not be able to be made twisted. \"<b>A lack that cannot be made good</b>\" that is from the wicked who were partnered, one with another in the world. One of these made repentance before his death and one did not make repentance. This former was found standing in the congregation of the righteous and the latter was standing among the congregation of the wicked. And he saw the other and said: \"Woe is me, for is it that there is favoritism in the issue? I and this man, we stole; I and this man, we killed as one, but this one is standing in the congregation of the righteous and I in the congregation of the wicked!\" And they turned and said to him: \"You who were a fool in the world, you were disgraced and were thrown onto your bed for three days, and were you not dragged by ropes for burial: \"Worms are to be your bed, Maggots your blanket! (Isaiah 14:11)\". As this friend of yours knew to return from that path, but you were in turn able to make repentance and you did not!\" And he said to them: \"Allow me and I will go and do repentance\". And they turned to him and said: \"Fool in the world, do you not know that this world is like Shabbat, and the world which you have come from is like Shabbat eve? If a man is not straight on Shabbat, how will he be able to be so on Shabbat\"? And further this world is like the sea and the world which you have come from is like the dry land. If a man is not straight on dry land how will he be so on the sea? And further, this world is like the desert, and the world which you have come from is like the inhabited land. If a man is not straight in the inhabited land, how will he be straight in the desert? He clasps his hands and eats his flesh, as it is said: \"The fool folds his hands together And has to eat his own flesh (Ecclesiastes 4:5)\". And he said: \"Allow me and I will see my friend in his glory\". And they turned and said to him: \"Fool in the world, we are commanded by the mouth of the Mighty One that the wicked do not stand at the side of the righteous and the righteous by the side of the wicked, and the impure not by the side of the pure and the pure not by the side of the impure, and because of what are we commanded about this gate? As it is said: \"This is the gateway to Hashem— the righteous shall enter through it (Psalms 118:20)\".",
                "Here is an illustration. Rabbi Chiyya the elder and Rabbi Shimon the son of Chalafta were studying in a session of the Torah in this great house of study in Tiberias on the eve of Passover, but there are those who say on the eve of the great Fast [Yom Kippur], and they heard the noise of the crowd making a ruckus. And he said on the outer benches: \"What's the commotion?\". He said: \"He who has something buys, and he who does not have something is going to the master of his servitude and he is making him give to him\". And he said: \"If this is so, I will go to the master of my servitude and make him give to me\". He went and he prayed at the Eleusis of Tiberias, and he saw some hand holding out to him an expensive pearl, and he went taking it to his master, our Rabbi [Yehudah]. He said to him: \"How did this come to be yours? Wow, it is priceless! So now here are three dinars for you. Go and get your needs for the festival and after the festival we will go and announce it and what price we get for it you will have\". So he took the three dinars and went and bought his purchases and went home. And his wife said to him at home \"Shimon, are you a thief? The whole estate that is yours, it is only worth 100 <i>maneh</i> and with what did you make these purchases? He told her the whole matter. She said to him: \"What is your desire? Would you lessen your bridal chamber from your companion by one pearl in the world to come?\" He said to her: \"What should be done?\" She said to him \"Go and return the purchases to their masters and the dinars to their master and the pearl to its master\". When our Rabbi [Yehudah] heard, he was distressed. He sent and had her come, and he said to her: \"All this distress you have distressed this righteous man!\" She said to him: \"What is your desire? Would you lessen your bridal chamber from your companion by one pearl in the world to come?\" He said to her: \"And if it is lessened, can it not be replaced?\" She said to him: \"Rabbi, in this world we are worthy to look upon your face, but did not Reish Lakish say: \"For every righteous man there is a righteous chamber all to himself?\"\" And he yielded to her. [She continued] \"and further, is it not the way of those in the upper world to give and their way is not to receive?\". The later miracle was weightier than the previous. Receiving it his [Shimon's] hand was towards the earth and giving it back his hand was facing toward the sky, like a man who lends to his friend!",
                "\"<b>When [Naomi] saw how determined she was to go with her, she ceased to argue with her. </b> (Ruth 1:18): Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon said: \"Come and see how precious are the converts before the Place. As soon as she who gave her decision to convert, she is written of as equal to Naomi\". ",
                "\"<b>And the two 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?”</b> (Ruth 1:19)\": Rabbi Samuel, son of Rabbi Simon said: \"That was the day of harvesting the <i>omer</i>\". The tannaim teach that all the nearby cities to there were assembled so that it might be harvested with a big to-do. And there are others who say that  Ibzan married off his daughters on that day. Rabbi Tanchuma in the name of Rabbi Azaryah and Rabbi Menachama in the name of Rabbi Joshua the son of Avin: \"It is written: \"O Hashem, God of hosts, who is mighty like You, O Yah?  (Psalms 89:9)\" who brings forth matters in their due season? The wife of Boaz had died on that day, and all Israel had assembled for acts of charity, and [in Aramaic] all the people had gone out for acts of charity, and Ruth gathered with Naomi, and as one was going out the other was assembling. \"<b>the whole city buzzed with excitement over them. The women said, “Can this be Naomi?”</b> she whose works are pleasant (<i>naʾim</i>) and pleasing (<i>neʿimim</i>)? In times past she was carried around on her litter, and now she is walking uncovered, and you say “<b>Can this be Naomi?”</b>\". In times past she was covered in garments of very soft wool, and now she is covered in rags, and you say “<b>Can this be Naomi?”</b>\". 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 “<b>Can this be Naomi?”</b>\". And she said to them: \"<b>Do not call me Naomi...Call me Mara, for Shaddai has made my lot very bitter</b> (Ruth 1:20)\". Bar Kappara said: \"Like a normal ox which they have brought into the market, he says \"she is a plow ox and she plows sure furrows\". They reply: \"if she is a plow ox, and why are there whip marks on her?\" Thus Naomi said: \"Why? Hashem has afflicted me and <b>Shaddai has made my lot very bitter</b>\". ",
                "\"<b>I went away full, and Hashem has brought me back empty. How can you call me Naomi, when Hashem has dealt harshly with me, when Shaddai has brought misfortune upon me!</b> (Ruth 1:21)\". \"<b>I went away full</b> with sons and <b>full</b> with daughters. Another explanation: \"<b>I went away full</b>\" that is I was pregnant. \"<b>How can you call me Naomi, when Hashem has dealt harshly with me</b>\": \"<b> has dealt harshly (<i>'anah</i>) with me</b>: the measure of judgment, and how can you tell? It said: \"If you do mistreat them (<i>'anneh te'anneh</i>), I will heed their outcry as soon as they cry out to Me (Exodus 22:22)\". Another explanation: \"<b> when Hashem has dealt harshly with me</b>\": he bore witness against me. How do you say that? It said: \"if he has testified falsely (<i>'anah</i>) against his fellow (Deuteronomy 19:18)\". Another explanation: \"<b> when Hashem has dealt harshly with me</b>\": all of his attention was not to anyone except toward me, because in this world \"<b> Hashem has dealt harshly with me</b>\", but in the one to come, what is written? \"I will delight in treating them graciously, and I will plant them in this land faithfully, with all My heart and soul (Jeremiah 32:41)\"."
            ],
            [
                "This is what the scripture said \"<b>And Shacharayim begot children in the field of Moab after he had sent them away, Hushim and Baara his wives</b> (1 Chronicles 8:8)\", and Elijah, remembered for good, asked Rabbi Nehorai and said to him: \"What is this that is written \"<b>And Shacharayim begot children in the field of Moab</b>\"?\" And he said to him: \"A great man begot \"<b>in the field of Moab, after he had sent them away</b>\", because they were from the tribe of Benjamin, as it is written: \"and the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying (Judges 20:12)\". Another interpretation: \"<b>And Shacharayim</b>\": this is Boaz, and why was he called by the name Shacharayim? Because he was freed (<i>meshuchrar</i>) from his sins. \"<b>Begot children in the field of Moab</b>\", this is because he begot from Ruth, the Moabitess. \"<b>After he sent</b>\": this is from the tribe of Judah, as it is said: \"and he sent Judah before him unto Joseph (Genesis 46:28)\". \"<b>Hushim and Baara his wives</b>\", he was a man who was the progenitor of his wives? Rather he was strong like a tiger and he understood the halakhah \"Ammonite and not Ammonitess; Moabite and not Moabitess\". \"<b>And he begat again from Hodesh his wife</b> (1 Chronicles 8:9)\": this is not desire for her; rather he begat from his wife Baara, and it is better understood that in his days the halakhah \"Ammonite and not Ammonitess; Moabite and not Moabitess was new (<i>nitchadshah</i>). And further the scripture says: \"Jether the Ishmaelite (1 Chronicles 2:17)\". And further the scripture says \"Jether the Israelite (2 Samuel 17:25)\". Rabbi Joshua the son of Levi said: \"this Jether is an Israelite and that one was an Ishmaelite\". Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman and the Rabbis: Rabbi Samuel said: \"He was an Ishmaelite, but you said an Israelite! Rather he was an Ishmaelite and he entered the Temple and he found Jesse sitting and expounding thus the scripture \"Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth (Isaiah 45:22)\", and then he converted and gave him his daughter\". The Rabbis said: \"He was an Israelite and you said an Ishmaelite! Rather, he was an Israelite and he girded his sword like an Ishmaelite and planted his sword in the middle of the Temple and said 'either I will kill or I will be killed as far as I support the halakhah of the Rabbis; should anyone abolish the halakhah then with this sword I will cut off his head: \"An Ammonite but not an Ammonitess; a Moabite and not a Moabitess\"\".",
                "\"<b>So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the fields of Moab</b> (Ruth 1:22)\": this is she who returned from the field of Moab. \"<b>And they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest</b>\". Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said: \"[this means] every place as it is said \"<b>the barley harvest</b>\"; in its abbreviated form the scripture says <i>omer</i>. By \"wheat harvest\" the scripture means the two loaves. In its abbreviated form [it means] whoever officiates here and there.",
                "\"<b>And Naomi had a kinsman (<i>moda'</i>) of her husband's, a mighty man of valor</b> (Ruth 2:1)\". <i>Moda'</i> [means] relative. Rabbi Abbahu said: \"[if] a giant marries a giant, what do they bear? Powerful men of \"<b>valor</b>\". Boaz married Ruth. What did they produce? David: \"who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in affairs, and an attractive man, and Hashem is with him (1 Samuel 16:18)\". He is \"skillful in playing\" [that is] in scripture. \"And a mighty man of valor\" [that is] in Mishnah. \"And a man of war\" who knows to take and to give in the war of the Torah. \"And prudent in affairs\" in doing good. \"And an attractive man\" in Talmud. Another interpretation: \"And prudent in affairs\" that he deduces a thing from the midst of a thing. \"And an attractive man\" who illuminates his face with halakhah. \"And Hashem is with him\": the halakhah is according to his words. \"<b>Of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz</b> (Ruth 2:1)\": the wicked precede with their name [i.e.]  \"Goliath was his name (1 Samuel 17:4)\", \"Nabal was his name (1 Samuel 25:3)\", \"Sheba, the son of Bichri, was his name (2 Samuel 20:1)\". But the righteous precede with \"name\" [i.e.] \"and his name was Kish (1 Samuel 9:1)\", \"and his name was Saul (1 Samuel 9:2)\", \"and his name was Jesse (1 Samuel 17:12)\", \"and his name was Mordechai (Esther 2:5)\", \"and his name was Elkanah (1 Samuel 1:1)\", \"<b>and his name was Boaz</b>\". They are similar to their creator, as it is said: \"and my name Hashem I did not reveal to them (Exodus 6:3)\". They had objections to that:  \"and his name was Laban (Genesis 24:29)\". Rabbi Yitzchak said: \"a paradox!\". Rabbi Berachya said \"refined (<i>meluban</i>) by evil\". And it is written \"and the sons on Samuel, the firstborn was Joel by name, and the name of his second-born was Abijah (1 Samuel 8:2). The rabbis said \"as this is evil so that is evil.\" And Rabbi Yehudah, son of Rabbi Simon: \"they changed their deeds and were found worthy of the Ruach Hakodesh, as it is said \"the word of Hashem which came to Joel, the son of Petuel (Joel 1:1)\". ",
                "\"<b>And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi: 'Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find favor</b> (Ruth 2:2)\". Rabbi Yannai said \"she was forty years old (\"a daughter of forty years\") and they did not call her a \"daughter\" but rather \"a daughter of forty years\"\". \"<b>And she went, and came</b> (Ruth 2:3)\": not yet had she left, and you say \"<b>and she came</b>\"? Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon said \"she started leaving marks before her on the paths\". \"<b>And she happened by chance (<i>veyiqer miqreha</i>)</b>\" Rabbi Yochanan said: \"Everyone who saw her orgasmed (<i>meriq qeri</i>)\". \"<b>The portion of the field...of the family of Elimelech</b> (Ruth 2:3)\": it was given to her from what would fall as her \"<b>portion</b>\".",
                "\"<b>And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem</b> (Ruth 2:4)\": Rabbi Tanchuma in the name of the Rabbis said: \"Three things the lower Beit Din decreed and the upper Beit Din agreed with them; and these were: to greet someone with the name [of God], the megillah of Esther, and <i>ma'aserot</i>\". From where comes the greeting? As it is said \"That think to cause My people to forget My name (Jeremiah 23:27)\". When did they think this? In the days of Athalia. And the Rabbis said: \"in the days of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah\". Rabbi Chanina in the name of Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon: \"in the days of Mordechai and Esther.\" And Boaz stood in his Beit Din and ordained that people greet someone with the name [of God], as it is said: \"<b>And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers: 'Hashem be with you.'</b>\". In the same way the angel said to Gideon: \"Hashem is with you, mighty man of valor (Judges 6:12).\" From where comes the megillah of Esther? Rabbi Jeremiah in the name of Rabbi Samuel son of Isaac said: \"What did Mordechai and Esther do? They wrote letters and sent them to all the people in the exile and they said \"you undertake to celebrate these two days in the future\", and they sent letters back and replied: \"These crises with Haman, were they not enough, and yet you require us to celebrate these two days?\" And they said to them: \"If you say this because you are afraid, see!, this is written in the scrolls, as it is said \"Are not these things written in the Book of Chronicles (Esther 10:2)?\". What did they do? They wrote a second letter and sent it to them: \"this second letter is the letter of Purim (Esther 9:29)\". Rabbi Chelbo in the name of Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman: \"85 elders and from them around 30 prophets were concerned about this verse: \"These are the commandments which Hashem commanded Moses (Leviticus 27:34)\". [It says] \"these\", and there is no adding and there is no subtracting and the prophets cannot add to the thing from thence, but Mordechai and Esther tried to add a new law upon them until the Holy One, blessed be He, illuminated their eyes and they found this written in the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. In the Torah it is written: \"Write this remembrance in a book (Exodus 17:14)\". In the Prophets it is written: \"Then they that feared Hashem spoke one with another; and Hashem hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written (Malachi 3:16).\" In the writings it is said: \"Are not these things written in the Book of Chronicles?\" Rab and Rabbi Chanina and Rabbi Yonatan the son of Kappara and Rabbi Joshua the son of Levi said: \"this megillah, it did not say it was from the mouth of the Beit Din, but it was said to be from Sinai; rather, there is no before and after in the Torah\". And from where did the Holy One, blessed be He, agree? Rab said: \"\"the Jews ordained, and took upon them (the text is spelled <i>qbl</i> but is read <i>qiblu</i>) (Esther 9:27)\", but that is not written, <i>qibel</i> is written: the Rabbi of the Jews [Moses] \"ordained it\"\". And as for the <i>ma'aserot</i> where are they from? Rabbi Berachya in the name of Rabbi Keritzfah: \"Because of the sin of <i>terumot</i> and <i>ma'aserot</i> they were exiled. Shimon the son of Abba in the name of Rabbi Yochanan said \"because they were exiled, they were exempt, and yet they took on the requirement personally on themselves\". What did the men of the Great Assembly do? They wrote a book and spread it out in the temple courtyard, and at morning they woke up and they found it sealed. See! as it is written \" And yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and subscribe it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, set their seal unto it (Nehemiah 10:1)\". Further it is written \"and on the seal (<i>al hachatum</i>) and still further it says \"Now those that set their seals (<i>al hachatumim</i>) (Nehemiah 10:2)\". How does this work? Rather, \"on the seal (<i>al hachatum</i>)\" is the Beit Din above, and \"their seals (<i>al hachatumim</i>)\" is the Beit Din below. They are those who also say \"the sack of Jericho\" [should be added to the three things of the lower Beit Din] and thus the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Joshua \"Israel has sinned (Joshua 7:11)\". But did not Joshua make the decree? Rather it teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him.",
                "\"<b>Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers</b> (Ruth 2:5)\": over how many was he set?  Rabbi Eliezer the son of Miriam: \"over forty two he was set, because, see!: \"And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel...And he set 70,000 of them to bear burdens (2 Chronicles 2:16-17)\", and he who works this way is able to see and know what a worker does. \"<b>Whose maiden is this?</b>\" And he did not recognize her? Rather when he saw that she was pleasant and her demeanor modest, he began to ask about her. All the women bent to glean, but she sat and gleaned. All the women raised their dresses [to work], but she let down her dress. All the women laughed with the reapers, but she was reserved by herself. All the women gleaned between the sheaves, but she gleaned from the public leavings. And in the same way \"And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner ['Abner, whose son is this youth?] (1 Samuel 17:55)\": and he did not recognize him. Yet the day before he had sent to Jesse and said: \"'Let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight. (1 Samuel 16:22)\"; so now he is asking about him? Rather when Saul saw the head of the Philistine in his hand he began to ask about him. Is he [a descendant] from Perez, he was a king. Or is he from Zerah, he was a judge? And Doeg the Edomite happened at that time to be present and said to him: \"Even if he is a descendant of Perez, is he not forbidden? Is not he forbidden by his family? Is he not [a descendant] from Ruth, the Moabitess?\" But Abner said to him, \"but has not the new halakhah been made, \"Ammonite but not Ammonitess, Moabite but not Moabitess\"? And Doeg said to him \"If [we follow the precedent] then Edomite but not Edomitess, Egyptian but not female Egyptian? Why were the men rejected, was it “Because they met you not with bread and with water? (Deut 23:5)\".  The women were also to have  gone to meet the men?\" And for a moment the halakhah was hidden from Abner's eyes. Saul said to him \"[as for] the halakhah that was hidden from your eyes, go and ask Samuel and his Beit Din. When he came near to Samuel and his Beit Din he said to him: \"So, from where do you hold your opinion? It is not from Doeg. Doeg is a heretic and he is not going to leave the world in peace, and I cannot let you go until it is solved.\" And Samuel said: \"As it is written: \"All glorious is the king's daughter within the palace (Psalm 45:14)\" for a woman, she does not go out, and for a man he does go out: \"and because they hired against you (Deuteronomy 23:5)\". It is for a man to hire and not a woman\". \"<b>And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said: 'It is a Moabite maiden'</b> (Ruth 2:6)\". And you said her demeanor is pleasant and modest. Rather her mother in law taught her.",
                "\"<b>And she said: Let me glean, I pray you, and gather among the sheaves...a little</b> (Ruth 2.7)\": she gathered \"a little\" for herself, more than for her who was waiting for her in the house.",
                "\"<b>Then said Boaz unto Ruth: 'Did you not hear, my daughter? Do not go to glean in another (<i>acher</i>) field</b> (Ruth 2:8); and further \"You shall not have other (<i>acherim</i>) gods before me (Exodus 20:3)\". \"<b>Neither pass from here (<i>mizzeh</i>)</b> (Ruth 2:8)\"; and further \"This (<i>zeh</i>) is my God and I will praise him (Exodus 15:2)\". \"<b>But stay here beside my young women (<i>na'arotay</i>)</b>\": these are the righteous who are called \"youths\" (<i>ne'arim</i>), as it is said \"Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your maidens (<i>na'aroteikha</i>) (Job 40:29)\". ",
                "\"<b>Let your eyes be on the field that they  reap, and you will go after them; have I not commanded the young men that they shall not touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the jars, and drink of that which the young men have drawn</b> (Ruth 2:9)\". \"<b>Your eyes</b>\" this is the sanhedrin. Two hundred and forty eight are the parts which are in a man, and they do not move unless \"<b>after</b>\" \"<b>the eyes</b>\". See! It is said \"<b>your eyes</b>\" and \"<b>you will walk after them</b>\". \"<b>They shall not touch you</b>\" [that means] do not reject. \"<b>And when you are thirsty, go to the jars (<i>kelim</i>)</b>\": these are the righteous who are called \"jars\", as it is said \"How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons (<i>kelim</i>) of war perished! (2 Samuel 1:27)\". \"<b>And drink of that which the young men have drawn</b>\": this is the <i>Beit Hasho'evah</i> (the water drawing ceremony of Sukkot), and why its name <i>sho'evah</i>? Because from them they drew (<i>sho'avin</i>) the Ruach Hakodesh, as it is said \"and you shall draw (<i>ushe'avtem</i>) water with joy from the springs of salvation (Isaiah 12:3)\".  "
            ],
            [
                "\"<b>He was with David at Pas-dammim</b> (1 Chronicles 11:13)\": Rabbi Yochanan said \"in the red field\". Rabbi Samuel son of Nachmani said \"in Pas Dammim, because from there blood was split (<i>pasqu damim</i>). \"<b>And there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a plot of ground full of barley</b> (1 Chronicles 11:13)\" and scripture further says: \"And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils (2 Samuel 23:11)\". Rabbi Jacob said: \"lentils\" this is because the lentils were like barley\". Rabbi Levi said: \"the Philistines that gathered were as tall as barley and they walked as high as lentils\". \"<b>But they stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it</b> (1 Chronicles 11:14)\" and scripture further says \"But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it (2 Samuel 23:12)\". This teaches that they returned it to its owners and it was precious to them like a field full of saffron. Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said: \"it was one year and there were two fields.\" The simple explanation for it is to destroy and to shed blood; why is it necessary to state this? Indeed, you would say to destroy but not to shed blood. And so it was necessary to say from where this came, \"to destroy\" either lentils or barley, as man eats lentils and animals eat barley. From lentils the <i>omer</i> is not offered, and from the barley it is. From lentils <i>challah</i> is not dedicated, and from barley it is. The rabbis said: \"there was one field and two years; has it not been learned \"from the previous year\" that there is no teaching from experience?\" \"<b>And David longed, and said: 'Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!'</b> (1 Chronicles 11:17)\". Rabbi Chiyya said: \"halakhah is needed for this. \"<b>And the three broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; but David would not drink of it</b> (1 Chronicles 11:18)\". And he did not want that the halakhah  become permanent in reference to that, as if he had made a legal subject and the halakhah became permanent for the future, \"that a king may break the law to make a way for himself and there is no one to stop him\". The son of Kappara said: \"it was a festival and the water was a libation and he was overly zealous for what it was. \"<b>And the three broke through</b>\": and why were there three? One was killing, and one was clearing away the corpses, and on was purifying the flask. Rabbi Chonya in the name of Rabbi Joseph: \"the law of the captive applies to this\". Rabbi Shimon in the name of Rabbi said: \"the [law of] the building of the Temple applies\".",
                "\"<b>Then she fell on her face, and bowed down to the ground</b> (Ruth 2:10)\" this teaches that she prophesied she was going to be familiar like the way of the whole earth.",
                "\"<b>And Boaz answered and said unto her: 'It hath fully been told (<i>hugad hugad</i>) to me</b> (Ruth 2:11).\" Why is the verb \"<b>been told (<i>hugad</i>)</b>\" repeated two times? It \"<b>was told to me</b>\" in the house; it \"<b>was told to me</b>\" in the field. \"<b>All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband</b>\": surely this also includes the life of her husband. \"<b>and how you left your father and your mother, and the land of your birth</b>\": \"<b>the land of your birth</b>\" this is your prefecture. \"<b>And left your father and your mother</b>\": from your idolatry, as it is said \"Who say to a tree: 'You are my father', and to a stone: 'You have brought us forth' (Jeremiah 2:27)\". \"<b>And the land of your birth</b>\": this is her village. \"<b>And have come unto a people that you did not know yesterday</b>\": if  \"<b>yesterday</b>\", you would not have been [accepted].",
                "\"<b>Hashem recompense your work, and be your reward complete from Hashem, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge</b> (Ruth 2:12).\" Rabbi Chasa said: Solomon will be your reward\". \"Under whose wings (<i>kenafayv</i>) you have come to take refuge\": Rabbi Avun said: \"We have heard that there are wings (<i>kenafayim</i>) of the earth, as it is said \"From the uttermost part (<i>kenaf</i>)of the earth have we heard songs (Isaiah 24:16)\". And there are wings for the sun, as it is said \"But unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings (<i>kenafeyha</i>)(Malachi 3:20)\". And there are wings to the <i>chayyot</i> (class of angels) as it is said \"and the noise of the wings of the <i>chayyot</i> (Ezekiel 3:13). And there are kings to the cherubim, as it is said \"for the cherubim spread out their wings (1 Kings 8:7)\". And there are wings to the seraphim, as it is said \"seraphim were standing above and each had six wings (Isaiah 6:2)\". Come and see how great is the strength of the righteous and how great the strength of righteousness, and how great the strength of those who complete good deeds, because they take refuge not in the shadow of dawn, or the shadow of the \"wings\" of the earth, nor in the shadow of the wings of the sun, nor in the shadow of the wings of the <i>chayyot</i>, the cherubim or the seraphim. Rather, they are in the shadow of he who spoke and the universe was, as it is said \"How precious is your lovingkindness, O God! and the children of men take refuge in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:8)\"\".",
                "\"<b>And she said: 'Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken to the heart of your handmaid, though I be not as one of your handmaidens'</b> (Ruth 2:13)\". He said to her \"be silent\" and \"peace\" you are not from the handmaidens (<i>amahot</i>) but rather from the mothers (<i>imahot</i>). And similarly \"And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name (Numbers 32:42) this teaches that her own name did not remain to her. And similarly: \"And he said to me 'To build her a house in the land of Shinar; and when it is prepared, she shall be set there in her own place (Zechariah 5:11)\": this teaches that there is not salvation for falsehood [since \"to her\" could also be read as \"no\": \"to not build a house\"].",
                "\"<b>And Boaz said unto her at meal-time: 'Come hither, and eat of the bread, and dip your morsel in the vinegar.' And she sat beside the reapers; and they reached her parched corn, and she did eat and was satisfied, and left thereof</b> (Ruth 2:14)\". Rabbi Yonatan began: \"For this verse there are six interpretations: one is David. \"<b>Come here (<i>halom</i>)</b>\": that is draw near to kingship\", and not \"here\" but rather \"kingship\", just as it is written: \"that you have brought me thus far (<i>halom</i>)? (2 Samuel 7:18)\".  \"<b>And eat from the bread</b>\": that is the bread of kingship. \"<b>And dip your morsel in the vinegar</b>\": these are the chastenings, as it is said \"O Hashem, rebuke me not in Thine anger, neither chasten me in Thy wrath. (Psalm 6:2)\". \"<b>And she sat beside the reapers</b>\": that is the kingship was taken from him for a time, as Rav Huna said: \"it was six months when David fled before Absalom and these are not included in the count, because he was making atonement for himself with a goat like a commoner. \"<b>And they reached her parched corn</b>\": that is his kingship was renewed, as it is said \"Now know I that Hashem saves His anointed (Psalms 20:7)\". \"<b>And she did eat and was satisfied, and left thereof</b>\": he eats in this world, and he eats in the days of the Messiah, and he will eat in the world to come. The second explanation for \"<b>come here</b>\" is Solomon. \"<b>Come here</b>\": that is draw near to kingship. \"<b>And eat from the bread</b>\": that is the bread of kingship. As it is said \"And Solomon's bread for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal (1 Kings 5:2)\". \"<b>And dip your morsel in the vinegar</b>\": this is the stain on his works. \"<b>And she sat beside the reapers</b>\": that is the kingship was taken from him for a time, as Rabbi Yochai the son of Chanina said: \"an angel descended in the guise of Solomon and sat on his throne. And Solomon was going to each door Israel, saying \"I, Kohelet, was king over Israel in Jerusalem (Ecclesiastes 1:12)\". And what did one woman from them do? She set before him a plate of beans and she struck him with a cane on his head and said to him \"Does not Solomon sit on his throne? But you are saying \"I am Solomon, king of Israel\"\". \"<b>And they reached her parched corn</b>\": that is his kingship was renewed. \"<b>And she did eat and was satisfied, and left thereof</b>\": he eats in this world, and he eats in the days of the Messiah, and he will eat in the world to come. The third explanation for \"<b>come here</b>\" is Hezekiah. \"<b>Come here</b>\": that is draw near to kingship. \"<b>And eat from the bread</b>\": that is the bread of kingship. \"<b>And dip your morsel in the vinegar</b>\": this is the chastisements as it is said \"And Isaiah said: 'Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover.' (Isaiah 38:21)\". \"<b>And she sat beside the reapers</b>\": that is the kingship was taken from him for a time, as it is said: \"'Thus says Hezekiah: This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke (Isaiah 37:3)\". \"<b>And they reached her parched corn</b>\": that is his kingship was renewed, as it is said: \"Hezekiah king of Judah; so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth (2 Chronicles 32:23)\". \"<b>And she did eat and was satisfied, and left thereof</b>\": he eats in this world, and he eats in the days of the Messiah, and he will eat in the world to come. The fourth explanation for \"<b>come here</b>\" is Manasseh. \"<b>Come here</b>\": that is draw near to kingship. \"<b>And eat from the bread</b>\": that is the bread of kingship. \"<b>And dip your morsel in the vinegar</b>\": this is because he made his deeds sour like evil deeds. \"<b>And she sat beside the reapers</b>\": that is the kingship was taken from him for a time, as it is written : \"And Hashem spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed. Wherefore Hashem brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks (2 Chronicles 33:10-11)\".  Rabbi Abba, the son of Kahana said: \"with shackles\". Rabbi Levi the son of Chayata: \"they made for him a mule of bronze and they kindled a fire under it, and he was calling out to this and that idol \"save me\", and when he say that it was all in vain he said \"I remember that my father read to me \"When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you...for Hashem your God is a merciful God (Deuteronomy 4:30-31).\" I will call to him and if he answers it is good and if he does not answer, then all is the dame and the whole thing is useless. Now at that time the ministering angels stood and closed all the windows of the sky and they said before the Ruler of the universe: \"The man who said up an image in your Temple, and you going to accept his repentance?\" And he said to them: \"If I not not accept his repentance, then see, I am closing the door in the face of all who repent. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He dug a hole (<i>chatirah</i>) beneath his throne of glory [for the prayer to enter], a place where the angels were not able to reach; see! it is written: \"And he prayed unto Him; and He was entreated (<i>vayye'ater</i>) of him, and heard his supplication\". Rabbi Levi said: \"In Arabia they call <i>chatirah</i> a <i>'atirah</i>\". \"<b>And they reached her parched corn</b>\": that is his kingship was renewed, as it is said: \"and brought (<i>heshivo</i>) him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom (2 Chronicles 33:13)\". And how was he brought (<i>heshivo</i>) back? Rabbi Samuel in the name of Rabbi: \"by a wind\"; see how he said \"he sends (<i>mashiv</i>) the wind.\" \"<b>And she did eat and was satisfied, and left thereof</b>\": he eats in this world, and he eats in the days of the Messiah, and he will eat in the world to come. The fifth explanation for \"<b>come here</b>\" is the King Messiah. \"<b>Come here</b>\": that is draw near to kingship. \"<b>And eat from the bread</b>\": that is the bread of kingship. \"<b>And dip your morsel in the vinegar</b>\": this is his chastisements, as it is said: \" But he was wounded because of our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5)\". \"<b>And she sat beside the reapers</b>\": that is the kingship was taken from him for a time, as it is said \"I have gathered all the nations against Jerusalem to wage war and the city will be taken (Zechariah 14:2)\". \"<b>And they reached her parched corn</b>\": that is his kingship was renewed, as it is said \"and he shall smite the land with the rod of his mouth (Isaiah 11:4)\". Rabbi Berechya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: \"like the first redeemer so is the second redeemer. How did the first redeemer reveal himself and then returned and was hidden from them? How long was he hidden? Three months, as it is said: \"And they met Moses and Aaron (Exodus 5:20)\". How does the latter redeemer reveal himself and then return and be hidden from them? How long is he hidden? Rabbi Tanchuma said in the name of the Rabbis: \"45 days. See! It is written: And from the time that the continual burnt-offering shall be taken away (Daniel 12:11); and see! It is written: \"Happy is he that waits, and comes (Daniel 12:12)\". What are all these extra days [beyond the 45 mentioned by Daniel]? Rabbi Yitzchak son of Qetzartah on the basis of Rabbi Jonah said: \"these 45 days are the days when Israel plucks the salt-bush and eats it, as is written \"They pluck salt-bush with wormwood (Job 30:4)\". Where will he lead them? From the Land to the Desert of Judah, as it is said: \"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness (Hosea 2:16)\". But also some said to the Wilderness of Og and Sihon, as it is said: \"I will yet again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed season (Hosea 12:10)\". And everyone who believes in him, he will live. But everyone who does not believe in him, he will go to the nations of the world and they will kill him. Rabbi Yitzchak son of Maryon said: \"at the end, the Holy One, blessed be He, will be revealed to them and he will cause manna to descend for them, as there is nothing new under the sun. The sixth explanation for \"<b>come here</b>\" is Boaz. \"<b>Come here</b>\": that is come here. \"<b>And eat from the bread</b>\": that is the bread of the reapers. \"<b>And dip your morsel in the vinegar</b>\": this is the custom of reapers to dip their bread in vinegar. Rabbi Yonatan said \"from this they bring in kinds of food dipped in vinegar to granaries\". \"And she sat beside the reapers\": that is at their side and that is all that is meant. \"<b>And they reached her parched corn</b>\": they pinched a bit with two fingers. Rabbi Yitzchak said: you have heard two things regarding this: either the blessing rested in the fingers of that righteous man or in the stomach of that righteous woman, and because of this it is written \"<b>And she did eat and was satisfied, and left thereof</b>\": from these words it appears that the blessing rested in the stomach of that righteous woman\". Rabbi Yitzchak the son of Maryon said: \"the scripture came to teach us that if a man is going to do a mitzvah, let it be done with his whole heart. Now if Reuben had known that the Holy One, blessed be He would write about him \"And Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand (Genesis 37:21)\" on his shoulder he would have brought him to his father. And if Aaron had known that the Holy One, blessed be He would write about him \"And also, behold, he comes forth to meet you (Exodus 4:14)\" with tambourines and dances he would have met him.  And if Boaz had known that the Holy One, blessed be He would write about him \"<b>And they reached her parched corn, and she did eat and was satisfied, and left thereof</b>\" he would have fed her with fattened calves\". Rabbi Kohen and Rabbi Joshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: \"Previously when a man performed a mitzvah, a prophets wrote about it. But now, when a man performs a mitzvah who writes about it? Elijah writes it and the Messiah and the Holy One, blessed be He, seal it with their hands. See! It is written: \"Then they that feared Hashem spoke one with another; and Hashem hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared Hashem, and that thought upon His name (Malachi 3:16)\"\".",
                "\"<b>And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying: 'Let her glean even among the sheaves, and put her not to shame</b> (Ruth 2:16-17).\" Rabbi Yochanan used to scatter coins at random so Rabbi Shimon the son of Ba might gather them. Our Rabbi [Yehudah] used to leave out beans so that Rabbi Shimon the son of Chalafta might gather them. ",
                "\"<b>So she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley</b> (Ruth 2:17).\" And how much is an ephah? Rabbi Yochanan said: \"three <i>se'im</i> as we have learned, the ephah is three <i>se'im</i> (Menachot 76b). \"<b>And she took it up, and went into the city</b> (Ruth 2:18)\".",
                "\"<b>And her mother-in-law said unto her: 'Where hast thou gleaned to-day?</b> (Ruth 2:19)\". It was taught in the name of Rabbi Joshua: \"more than what the master of the house does with the poor man, the poor man does with the master of the house, and so Ruth said to Naomi \"<b>The man's name with whom (<i>imo</i>) I worked today</b> (Ruth 2:19)\" and she did not say \"the man who worked with me (<i>imi</i>)\"; rather \"<b>with whom I worked</b>\": \"the magnitude of deeds and magnitude of good I did with him for the sake of one small bit of food which he gave me to eat\"\". Rabbi Yose said \"because and because (<i>ya'an uveya'an</i>); the word <i>ya'an</i>, \"because\" is an anagram for <i>'ani</i>, \"poor\".  Rabbi Shiloh from Naveh: \"wealth depends on the poor\". Rabbi Nachman: \"it is written: \"“Because of that (<i>biglal</i>) Hashem your God will bless you in all your work (Deut. 15:10)\" this is a wheel (<i>galgal</i>) which goes around and around the world for everyone, like the wheel of a bilge-water pump that fills the empty and empties the full. Bar Kappara said \"you have no man that does not come to this destiny of poverty, and if he does not come, his son does, and if not his son, then his grandson comes\". It was taught that Rabbi Eliezer the son of Jacob said: \"the vengeance of the Gentiles is by the hand of Israel, and the vengeance of Israel by the hand of their poor, as it is said \"[and your eye be evil against thy needy brother, and you give him nought;] and he cry unto Hashem against you, and it be sin for you (Deuteronomy 15:9)\"\". Rabbi Avihun said: \"this poor man is standing at your gate and the Holy One, blessed be He, is standing at his right hand; if you give to the poor man, the one standing at his right blesses you; if you do not, he is going to punish you because of this very man, as it is said: “Because He will stand at the right hand of the needy (Psalm 109:31)\". Rabbi Abbahu said \"we must strive to strengthen the poor, even to the fraudulent from them\" because Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish were going to bathe in the bath house of Tiberias and one of the poor harassed them, and he said to them \"give me something\", and they said to him \"when we come out we will give you something.\" When they came out they found that he was dead. They said: \"we were not able to help him alive, so let us help him since he is dead.\" When they had washed his body they found a bag of dinars under his body. And they said \"it is fine\". And so Rabbi Abbahu said: \"we must strive to strengthen the poor, even to the fraudulent from them, for if there were not frauds among them then when one man from them asked for charity from someone and he did not give it to him rightaway then he would be immediately killed. ",
                "\"<b>And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law: 'Blessed be he of Hashem, who has not left off His kindness to the living and to the dead.'</b>  (Ruth 2:20)\": that is the feeding and support of \"<b>the living</b>\". \"<b>And the dead</b>\" that is being attentive to their shrouds. \"<b>And Naomi said unto her: 'The man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen.</b> (Ruth 2:20)\". Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said: \"Boaz was great in that generation and the woman made him a relative, as it is said \"<b>The man is nigh of kin unto us\"</b>\".   ",
                "\"<b>And Ruth the Moabitess said: 'Yea, he said unto me: You shall keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.'</b> (Ruth 2:21)\". Rabbi Chanin the son of Levi said: \"She really was a Moabitess, considering he said \"<b>you shall stay near my maidens</b> (Ruth 2:8)\". And she said instead \"<b>You shall keep fast by my young men</b>\". \"<b>So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz [to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law]</b> (Ruth 2:23)\". Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said: \"from the end of the barley harvest to the end of the wheat harvest is three months\". \"<b>And she dwelt with her mother-in-law...And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her: 'My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? And now is there not Boaz our kinsman</b> (Ruth 2:23-3:2)\". ",
                "\"<b>Wash yourself, and anoint yourself</b> (Ruth 3:3): \"<b>wash</b>\" yourself from the soiling of idolatry, \"<b>and anoint</b>\": this means with mitzvot and righteousness. \"<b>And put your raiment upon thee</b>\" because she was naked, but rather \"Shabbat clothes\". From this Rabbi Chanina said: \"it is required that a man have for himself two cloaks, one for weekdays and one of Shabbat\", and thus Rabbi Simlai interpreted in public and they wept saying \"as we dress on weekdays, so we dress on Shabbat.\" He said to them, \"we are required to change them up\". \"<b>And descend to the threshing floor</b>\": she said to her \"my merit will go down with you\". Another explanation for \"<b>And descend to the threshing floor</b>\", from here that they do not make threshing floors except in the lower part in the city. It is said that Rabbi Shimon the son of Chalafta bought a certain field from Rabbi Chiyya. Rabbi Shimon said: \"how much does it produce?\" Rabbi Chiyya said \"100 kors\". So he sowed it and it grew and produced less than 100. And Rabbi Shimon said to Rabbi Chiyya: \"did not my master say that this produces 100 kors? So I sowed it and it grew and produced less than 100\". He replied to him: \"yes\". And he said \"but it produced less\". He responded \"where did you set up the threshing floor?\". He said: \"in the upper city\". Rabbi Chiyya responded: \"isn't it written \"<b>and go down to the threshing floor</b>\" and so because of this sift the chaff and it will produce the balance\".",
                "\"<b>And it shall be, when he lies down, that you will mark the place where he shall lie, and you will go in, and uncover his feet, and lay down; and he will tell thee what you will do. And she said unto her: 'All that thou say unto me (<i>elai</i>) I will do.</b> (Ruth 3:4-5)\". The word <i>elai</i> is read but it is not written. She said to her: \"What if one from the dogs should come and rape me? But still it is my duty to fulfill it according to your words.\"",
                "\"<b>And she went down unto the threshing-floor</b> (Ruth 3:6)\". About Moab it is written: \"I know his arrogance, the word of Hashem, that it is ill-founded, his boastings have wrought nothing well-founded (Jeremiah 48:30)\". Rabbi Chanina the son of Kappa and Rabbi Simon and the Rabbis: Rabbi Chanina said: \"the arrogance of Moab was not for the name of Heaven but for the name of promiscuity, as it is said \"And Israel dwelled in Shittim and the people began to be promiscuous with the daughters of Moab (Numbers 28:1)\". \"His boastings have wrought nothing well-founded\": in the name of promiscuity but rather in the name of Heaven\". It doesn't say \"and you do nothing well-founded\" but rather \"His boastings have wrought nothing well-founded\": they did not do anything for the name of Heaven but rather for the name of promiscuity. \"And Israel dwelled in Shittim and the people began to be promiscuous with\": the Rabbis said that at the beginning Moab's boasting was for the name of promiscuity but in the end in the name of Heaven, as it is said \"<b>And she descended to the threshing floor and did</b>\".",
                "\"<b>And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry</b> (Ruth 3:7)\": why was \"<b>his heart merry</b>\"? Because he had blessed his food. Another interpretation: \"<b>And his heart was merry</b>\" because he had eaten dessert after the meal and that accustoms the tongue to Torah. Another interpretation: \"<b>And his heart was merry</b>\"  because he was engaged in the words of the Torah, as it is said: \"Good to me is the Torah of your mouth (Psalm 119:72). Another interpretation: \"<b>And his heart was merry</b>\" because he was seeking a wife, as it is said \"He who has found a wife has found good (Proverbs 18:22)\". \"<b>He went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn</b> (Ruth 3:7)\". Rabbi Judah the Nasi asked Rabbi Pinchas the son of Chama: \"Boaz was a great man of his generation, but it says \"<b>at the end of the heap of corn</b>\"? And Rabbi Pinchas replied: \"Because that very generation was obsessed with promiscuity, and they gave money to prostitutes from their threshing floors. See! It is written \"Rejoice not, O Israel, unto exultation, like the peoples, for you have gone astray from your God, you hast loved a harlot's hire upon every corn-floor (Hosea 9:1)\". And this was not the way of the righteous to do this, and further, it being the case that the mouth of the righteous is far from stolen money, so their wealth is valued by them\". "
            ],
            [
                "\"<b>At midnight</b> (Ruth 3:8)\": \"I arise <b>at midnight</b> to praise You for the judgments of Your righteousness (Psalm 119:62).\" Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Jacob: \"the harp and the lyre were set above the head of David and when he was awakened in the <b>middle of the night</b>, he stood and played on them\". Rabbi Levi said: the the harp was hung \"for the judgments of Your righteousness\", the \"judgments\" that you brought to Pharaoh, as it is said: \"But Hashem afflicted Pharaoh and his household with mighty plagues (Genesis 12:17)\", and the \"righteousness\" that is what you did with Abraham and Sarah\". Another interpretation: \"for the judgments of Your righteousness\", the \"judgments\" that you brought on the Egyptians and the \"righteousness, what you did with our fathers in Egypt, since it was not possible for them to perform themselves the mitzvot and they would be saved, and you gave to them two mitzvot which they were to perform them selves and they would be saved, and they were these: the blood of Passover and the blood of circumcision. Rabbi Levi said \"on the same night the blood of Passover was mixed with the blood of circumcision, as it is said: \"When I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you: “Live in spite of your blood.” Yea, I said to you: “Live in spite of your blood (Ezekiel 16:6)\".\" Another interpretation: \"for the judgments of Your righteousness\", the \"judgments are those which you brought on the Ammonites and Moabites, and the \"righteousness\" what you did with my [David's] grandfather and grandmother, because if he afflicted her with a curse once, and from where would I have come?, and you placed in his heart to bless her, as it is said: \"<b>Blessed are you to Hashem, my daughter</b> (Ruth 3:10)\": \"A man’s fears become a trap for him, But he who trusts in Hashem shall be safeguarded (Proverbs 29:25)\". Rabbi Akiva went on a journey to Rome and he said to a son of his house: \"go and buy me something pleasing to everyone from the market\" and he went and bought fowl for him, and he said to him: \"why were you so long? Did you have to trap them?\" And he said: \"[yes] because they are frightened of people\", and Akiva read to him this verse: \"A man’s fears become a trap for him\". The fear (trembling) is that which Jacob caused Isaac, as it is written: \"Isaac was seized with very violent trembling (Genesis 27:33).\" And justly he could have cursed him, but rather \"But he who trusts in Hashem shall be safeguarded\" and you placed it in his heart to bless him, as it is said: \"now he must remain blessed!(Genesis 27:33)\". This fear, that is what Ruth caused Boaz, as it is said \"<b>the man was frightened, and turned himself</b> (Ruth 3:8)\". And he justly could have cursed her, but rather \"But he who trusts in Hashem shall be safeguarded\" and you placed it in his heart to bless her, as it is said \"<b>Blessed are you to Hashem, my daughter</b> (Ruth 3:10)\". \"And he turned himself\" she clasped him like ivy and he began to touch her hair, and said \"spirits do not have hair\" and so he said to her \"<b>who are you</b>\", a spirit or a woman, and she said \"a woman\". \"Are you unmarried or a man's wife?\" and she said to him \"unmarried\". \"Are you unclean or clean\" and she said to him \"clean\". \"<b>And, behold, a woman</b>\", the cleanest of all the women \"<b>lay at his feet</b>\", as it is said \"<b>And he said 'who are you?' and she said 'I am Ruth your maidservant</b> (Ruth 3:9)\". Rabbi Berechyah said: \"curesed are the wicked, as there it is written \"she caught hold of him by his garment and said, “Lie with me!” (Genesis 39:12)\" but here \"<b>spread therefore your cloak over your handmaid</b> (Ruth 3:9)\".",
                "\"<b>And he said blessed are you to Hashem, my daughter; you have shown more kindness at the end than the beginning</b> (Ruth 3:10)\". Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yochanan said: \"forever a man should not restrain himself from going to an old man for his blessing. Boaz was eighty years old and he was not endowed [with children]. When the righteous woman prayed for him, from that he was endowed, as it is said \"<b>and Naomi said 'blessed is he to Hashem'</b> (Ruth 2:20)\"\". Reish Lakish said: \"Ruth was forty years old and she had not been endowed [with children] when she was married to Machlon, and when the righteous man prayed for her, she was endowed, as it is said \"<b>And he said 'blessed are you to Hashem, my daughter</b> (Ruth 3:10)\". And the Rabbis said: \"Both of them were not endowed, but rather they were blessed by the righteous, as it is said \"<b>And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said: We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman</b> (Ruth 4:11)\"\". \"<b>You have shown more kindness at the end than the beginning</b>\": Rabbi Samuel the son of Rabbi Yitzchak said: \"a woman loves a poor young man more than a wealthy old man\".",
                "\"<b>And now, my daughter, fear not...And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I</b> (Ruth 3:11-12)\": the Rabbis and Rabbi Joshua son of Levi. The Rabbis held the view that Tov, Elimelech and Boaz were brothers and Rabbi Joshua said that Salmon, Elimelech and Tov were brothers. They objected to him: \"but see it is written \"<b>which belongs to our brother, Elimelech</b> (Ruth 4:3)\"\" and Rabbi Joshua said to them \"a man does not hesitate to call his uncle his brother\". ",
                "\"<b>Stay the night</b>\", this night you stay without a husband, but this is the last night you spend without a husband. \"<b>Then, in the morning, if he will redeem you, very well; let him redeem you; but if he will not redeem you, then I will redeem you</b> (Ruth 3:13)\". Rabbi Meir was sitting and expounding and expounding the law in Tiberias and Elisha, his rabbi, passed by on the street riding a horse on Shabbat. And they said to Rabbi Meir: \"Look! Elisha is passing by in the street!\" Rabbi Meir greeted him and Elisha said: \"what are you up to expounding?\" Rabbi Meir said \"and Hashem blessed the end of Job's life more than the beginning (Job 42:12)\". And Elisha responded: \"What are you saying about it?\" And he replied: \"\"blessed\" that is he doubled his wealth for him\". And Elisha said to him \"Akiva your teacher did not used to say that, but rather \"And Hashem blessed the end of Job's life more than the beginning\": because of his mindful repentance and good deeds which were in his hand at the beginning. What else?\" And Rabbi Meir responded: \"the end of a matter is better than its beginning (Ecclesiastes 7:8)\". And Elisha said \"What did you say about that\"? And Rabbi Meir replied \"you have the example of a man who buys merchandise in his youth and he has a loss, and he profits from it in old age. Another interpretation: \"the end of a matter is better than its beginning\" you have the example of a man who does evil deeds in his youth but good deeds in his old age. Another interpretation: \"the end of a matter is better than its beginning\": a man can learn Torah in his youth and forget it, but in his old age he can renew it, and so \"the end of a matter is better than its beginning\". And Elisha said to him: \"Akiva your teacher did not say this, but rather \"the end of a matter is good\" that is when it is good \"from its beginning\". And for me there is this example: Avuyah, my father, was a great man of his generation and when the time came for my circumcision he invited all the great men of Jerusalem, and he invited Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Joshua among them. And when they ate and drank some sang songs and others alphabetic acrostics. Rabbi Eliezer said to Rabbi Joshua, these men are busying themselves on pointless things, and we are neglecting to pursue our affairs. So they began with the Torah and from the Torah the Prophets and from the Prophets to the writings and they rejoiced in these words as when they were given from Sinai surrounded by flaming fire. And were they not given from Sinai in fire, as it is said \"And the mountain burned with a fire reaching up to the heart of the sky (Deuteronomy 4:11)\"? And Avuya said \"So great is the power of the Torah, this son of mine, if he survives, I will offer to give him to the Torah.\" And so because the intention of my thought was not for the sake of Heaven, my Torah did not continue in me. And what further did you discuss, Meir?\" Rabbi Meir responded to him: \"Gold or glass cannot match its value, Nor vessels of fine gold be exchanged for it (Job 28:17)\". And he said: \"What did you say about that?\" And Rabbi Meir said: \"These are words of the Torah which are difficult to buy as vessels of gold and easy to destroy like glass\". Elisha responded: \"Akiva your teacher did not speak this way, but rather as vessels of gold and glass if they are broken, it is possible to repair them, so a wise disciple that has lost his Mishnah is able to renew it\". And then Elisha said: \"return\". And Rabbi Meir said: \"Why?\". And he responded: \"because this is the edge of the Shabbat boundary\". He responded: \"How do you know?\" Elisha said: \"From the footsteps of my horse which has gone across 2,ooo <i>amot</i>. And Meir said: \"And with all this wisdom of yours you will not return?\" And Elisha responded: \"That is not in my power\". And he asked: \"Why?\". And Elisha explained to him \"I was riding on a horse and while passing behind a synagogue on Yom Kippur that fell on Shabbat I heard a voice from Heaven break forth saying: \"Turn back, O rebellious children (Jeremiah 3:22). Turn back to Me, and I will turn back to you (Malachi 3:7), except for Elisha the son of Avuya because he knows my strength and has rebelled against me\". How did this thing happen to him? They said that one time he was sitting and reciting in the Valley of Geinosar and he saw that one man went to the top of a palm tree and took the mother bird with her young and descended without trouble, and on the day after Shabbat he saw another man go to the top of the palm tree and he took the young and sent away the mother and when he came down a snake bit him and he died. He said: \"As it is written: \"Let the mother go, and take only the young, in order that you may fare well and have a long life (Deuteronomy 22:7), but how is it good for this man and how is there a long life for this man?\" And he did not know that it had been interpreted by Rabbi Akiva in public: \"that you may fare well (<i>tov</i>)\" in the world that is entirely good (&lt;tov&lt; i=\"\"&gt;) and \"have a long life (<i>ha'arakhta</i>)\" that is in the length (<i>'arokh</i>) of eternity\". And some were saying because he saw the tongue of Rabbi Judah the baker given to the mouth of a dog. And Elisha said: \"If the tongue which occupied itself every day in Torah [is treated] thus, how much more the tongue of the one who knows nothing and is not occupied in Torah!\" and thus he said \"If so then there is no reward for the righteous and no resurrection of the dead!\" And some were saying it is because his mother while pregnant was passing by the idolatrous temples and she smelled [the sacrifices] and they gave to her from the sacrificial meat and she ate it and it was poison spreading in her belly like the venom of a large snake. After many days Elisha the son of Avuya became sick and they said to Rabbi Meir: \"Elisha your teacher is sick.\" He went to greet him and said \"Repent again\". And Elisha responded: \"After this they would accept me?\" And Rabbi Meir said: \"You return man to dust (Psalm 90:3)”; until the crushing of the soul\". As soon as he heard this Elisha son of Avuya wept and died. And Rabbi Meir was rejoicing and said: \"my teacher was taken as he repented!\". And when they buried Elisha, a light descended to burn his grave and they said to Rabbi Meir: \"the grave of your teacher is burning\". And he went and spread his tallit over it. And he said to Elisha: \"<b>Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well (<i>tov</i>); let him do the kinsman's part but if he be not willing to do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as Hashem lives; lie down until the morning.'</b> (Ruth 3:13)\". \"<b>Stay this night</b>\" in this world that is all night. \"<b>It shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well</b>\": \"<b>It shall be in the morning</b>\" that is in the world that is all good\"; \"<b>that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman</b>\" that is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said \"Good is Hashem to all (Psalm 145:9)\". \"<b>If he be not willing to do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as Hashem lives; lie down until the morning.'</b>\" and the fire stopped. And they said to him: \"Our teacher, in the world to come if they say to you: 'would you rather see your father or your teacher', what would you say?\" Rabbi Meir said: \"my father and only then my teacher\". And they said to him \"Did they hear you or not?\" And he replied: \"Is it not the tradition that the case of the Torah with the Torah and the case of tefillin with tefillin may be saved? They save Elisha because of the merits of his Torah\". After many days his daughters came seeking charity from Rabbi and he said: \"May no one show him mercy; may none pity his orphans (Psalm 109:12)\". They said to him \"Do not consider his actions but his Torah!\" And as soon as he heard that Rabbi began weeping and decreed that they should be given help, saying: \"if he whose Torah was not for the name of Heaven stands thus, how much more so for he whose Torah was for the name of Heaven!\" Rabbi Yose: \"these are the three to whom the <i>yetzer</i> came to attack and they each strengthened themselves with an oath. And these are they: Joseph, David, and Boaz\". Joseph, as it is written: \"How then could I do this most wicked thing (Genesis 39:9)\". Rabbi Chunya said in the name of Rabbi Idei: \"Is the scripture ever mistaken? \"And I sin against God (Genesis 39:9)\"; but here \"I sin against Hashem\" is not written but \"against God\" and Joseph said \"I will not sin and not do this most wicked thing\". From where David? As it is said: \"And David went on, “As Hashem lives, Hashem Himself will strike him down, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go down to battle and perish (1 Samuel 26:10)\". To whom did he swear? Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman: Rabbi Eliezer said: \"He swore to his <i>yetzer</i>\". Rabbi Samuel son of Nachman: \"He swore to Abishai son of Zeruah and he said: \"As Hashem lives if you touch him I will mix your blood with his blood\". From where Boaz? As it is said: \"<b>As Hashem lives lie down until the morning</b> (Ruth 3:13)\". Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Chunya: Rabbi Yehudah says \"all that very night his <i>yetzer</i> fought with him and said: \"You are unmarried and seek a wife, and she is unmarried and seeks a husband; stand up man and become the master of this woman!\" And Boaz swore to his <i>yetzer</i>: \"As Hashem lives I will not touch her!\" And to the woman he said: \"<b>Stay this night. It shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well</b>\". And Rabbi Chunya says: \"It is written: \"A wise man is strength (<i>ba'oz</i>) (Proverbs 24:5)\"; [rather read] \"A wise man is Boaz; a knowledgeable man exerts power\" when he strengthened himself against his <i>yetzer</i> with an oath. "
            ],
            [
                "\"<b>And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before (<i>btrwm</i>) one could discern another. For he said: 'Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.'</b> (Ruth 3:14)\": Rabbi Berechya said \"<b> before (<i>beterem</i>) one could</b>\" but what is written is <i>btrwm</i>; this teaches that she waited six hours, as the count of <i>waw</i> [the extra w in <i>btrwm</i>] is six. <b>For he said: 'Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.'</b> To whom did he say this? Rabbi Meir said: \"to a boy of his household\". Rabbi Chunya and Rabbi Jeremiah in the name of Rabbi Samuel the son of Rav Yitzchak: \"All that very night Boaz was prostrated in prayer on his face, saying: \"Master of Worlds, let it be revealed and known before you that I did not touch her, and so may it be your will that <b>'it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.'</b> and the name of Heaven not be desecrated because of me\"\". ",
                "\"<b>And he said, “Hold out (<i>havi</i>) the shawl you are wearing.” She held it while he measured out six measures of barley, and he put it on her back. When she got back to the town</b> (Ruth 3:15)\". But <i>havah</i> is written, the teaches that he was speaking to her in the masculine gender so that her presence with him would not be known. \"<b>She held it</b>\": this teaches that she clothed her loins like a man. \"<b>He measured out six measures of barley, and he put it on her back</b>\": Rabbi Simon said that Bar Kappara was expounding in Sepphoris: \"Is it the way of a king to betroth a woman to himself with <b>six measures of barley</b> or is the way of a woman to be betrothed with six <i>se'im</i>?\" Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon said: \"by the merit of \"<b>six measures of barley, and he put it on her back</b>\" she was rewarded that six righteous men would raise from her, and each one had six good characteristics: David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, Daniel, and the King Messiah. David, as it is said: \"“I have observed a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilled in music; he is a stalwart fellow and a warrior, sensible in speech, and handsome in appearance, and Hashem is with him. (1 Samuel 16:18)”. Hezekiah, as it is said: \"In token of abundant (<i>marbeh</i>) authority And of peace without limit Upon David’s throne and kingdom... He has been named “The Mighty God is planning grace; The Eternal Father, a peaceable ruler” (Isaiah 9:5-6)\". And how about those who say that (<i>marbeh</i>) is traditionally spelled with a <i>mem sofit</i>? Josiah, as it is said: \"For he  will be as a tree planted near waters, which spreads out its roots along a brook (Jeremiah 17:8)\". Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, as it is said: \"youths without blemish, handsome, proficient in all wisdom, knowledgeable and intelligent, and capable of serving in the royal palace (Daniel 1:4)\". And Daniel as it is said: \"extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, to explain riddles and solve problems (Daniel 5:12)\". And King Messiah, as it is said: \"The spirit of Hashem shall alight upon him: A spirit of wisdom and insight, A spirit of counsel and valor, A spirit of devotion and reverence for Hashem (Isaiah 11:2)\". ",
                "\"<b>And he came to the city</b>\". There was no need to say this but rather \"she came to the city\"! But you said \"<b>and he came to the city</b>\" rather this teaches that he was walking with her and not one from the youths touched her.",
                "\"<b>And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said: 'Who are you, my daughter?'</b> (Ruth 3:16)\". But how did she not recognize her? Rather she said to her \"are you unmarried or a man's wife?\" And Ruth said to her: \"unmarried \"<b>and she told her all that the man had done to her</b>\".  ",
                "\"<b>And she said: 'These six measures of barley he gave me; for he said to me: Go not empty-handed unto your mother-in-law.'</b> (Ruth 3:17)\". Rabbi Alexander said: \"In every place Israel was gathered they did not go out empty-handed; with the spoil of Egypt they did not go out empty-handed. With the spoil of Sihon and Og they did not go out empty-handed. With the spoil of the 31 kings they did not go out empty handed, as it is said, empty-handed in Egypt, for it is said: \"so that when you go, you will not go away empty-handed (Exodus 3:21)\". And it is said about those who ascend for the pilgrimage festivals: \"and none shall appear before Me empty-handed (Exodus 23:15)\". And it is said about the righteous: \"<b>For he said to me: 'Go not empty-handed unto your mother-in-law'</b>\". But this \"empty-handed\" is not as it is said about Egypt, but this \"empty-handed\" that is said about the righteous is like to that found in connection to those who ascend for pilgrimage festivals, for, see!,it is taught that the appearance offering is two me'ot of silver and the festival offering one meah of silver.",
                "\"<b>Then said she: 'Sit still, my daughter</b> (Ruth 3:18)\". Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Samuel son of Rav Yitzchak: \"the righteous their yes is yes and their no is no, as it is said: \"<b>for the man will not rest, until he have finished the thing this day</b>\".",
                "\"<b>Meanwhile, Boaz had gone to the gate and sat down there. And now the redeemer whom Boaz had mentioned passed by. He called, “Come over and sit down here, So-and-so!” And he came over and sat down </b>(Ruth 4:1)\": so was he waiting behind there and then he appeared? Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said: \"Even if he was at the ends of the earth, the Holy One, blessed be He, would have flown him and brought him there so that a righteous man would not be upset sitting there\". Rabbi Berachya: \"So expounded the two great men of the world, Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Joshua: Rabbi Eliezer said: \"Boaz made his thing and Ruth did her thing, and Naomi did her thing, and the Holy One, blessed be He said: \"So I will do my thing\". And he said \"Hey, so and so, go there\". Rabbi Joshua said: his name was Ploni Almoni (\"so and so\")\". Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said that he was ignorant of the words of the Torah. He said: \"the first ones did not die but rather because they took her and I am going to go and take her? I certainly am not going to take her. I will not pollute my seed and I am not going to create unfitness for my children\". And he did not know that the halakhah had been changed \"Ammonite and not Ammonitess; Moabite and not Moabitess\". ",
                "\"<b>Then [Boaz] took ten elders of the town and said, “Be seated here”; and they sat down.</b> (Ruth 4:2)\". Rabbi Alexander said: \"From here it is that there is no power for the subordinate to sit until the greater authority gives it to him.\" Rabbi Pinchas said: \"From here is this, that for the house they appoint elders in the banquets over them\". Rabbi Eliezer said for Rabbi Yose, from here is the blessing of grooms is among ten. Rabbi Yudan the son of Pazi: \"There is not an end of the matter for a young man and a young woman, but even if a widower a widow, it has to be among ten\".",
                "\"<b>He said to the redeemer...the piece of land which belonged to our kinsman Elimelech. I thought I should disclose the matter to you and say...If you are willing to redeem it, redeem! </b> (Ruth 4:3-4)\". He said this to the redeemer. \"<b>But if you will not redeem</b>\" he said this to the Beit Din. \"<b>tell me, that I may know</b>\": so you say that I have a wife and I have children, and I will take her into my house with the understanding that I will not have sex with her. When the redeemer heard that this was the case, he said \"that is enough about her as Ruth has gone\".",
                "\"<b>Boaz continued, “When you acquire the property from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabite, you must also acquire (<i>qanita</i>) the wife of the deceased</b> (Ruth 4:5)\": \"I must acquire\" (<i>qaniti</i>) is written. This proves the point that Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said that he was ignorant of the words of the Torah. He said: \"the first ones did not die but rather because they took her and I am going to go and take her? I certainly am not going to take her. I will not pollute my seed and I am not going to create unfitness for my children\". And he did not know that the halakhah had been changed \"Ammonite and not Ammonitess; Moabite and not Moabitess\". ",
                "\"<b>Now this was formerly done in Israel in cases of redemption or exchange: to validate any transaction, one man would take off his sandal and hand it to the other</b> (Ruth 4:7)\". Rabbi Chanina interpreted this verse for Israel, as Israel first broke into praise \"<b>for redemption</b>\", as it is said \"This is my God and I will praise him (Exodus 15:2)\", and immediately for the \"<b>exchange</b>\", as it is said \"They exchanged their glory for the image of a bull that feeds on grass (Psalms 106:20)\". There is nothing for you hideous and abominable and offensive as when a bull is eating grass. At first they were buying with a shoe or sandal, as it is said \"<b>A man took off his shoe</b>\" and later they went on to buy with cutting, and what is this cutting? Rabbi Yose the son of Avin: \"Everyone who sells his field to a gentile, his kinsmen would bring vessels full of beans and nuts and they broke them before the children and the children gathered them and said \"so and so\" is 'cut off' from his inheritance. If it was returned, they said that \"so and so has returned to his inheritance\". In this way anyone who takes a wife and she is not allowed to him, his kinsmen would bring vessels full of beans and nuts and they broke them before the children and the children gathered them and said \"so and so\" is removed from his family\". If he divorced her, they said that \"so and so has returned to his family\". They began to buy with a shoe or sandal: <b>a man took off his shoe and gave it to his companion</b>\", and then they began to buy with money and with deeds and with improvements. The three were written about in one verse: \"Fields shall be purchased\" (Jeremiah 32:44) this is money. \"And deeds written and sealed (Jeremiah 32:44): these are witnesses to the deeds. \"And witnesses called in (Jeremiah 32:44)\": these are witnesses of the improvement. Rabbi Yose in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: \"Money cannot cause purchase if it is less than a perutah of silver, and land cannot be acquired for less than a perutah\". On the other hand there is the word of Rabbi Chanina, as Rabbi Chanina said: \"all the shekels mentioned in the Torah are sealim. And in the prophets, litrim (a Roman <i>libra</i>). And in the writings: kanterim (a Roman <i>centenarium</i>). Rabbi Yudan the son of Pazi: \"Except for the shekels of Ephron which were kanterim\", but that is not similar, for there is written <i>kesef</i> and what Rabbi Chanina said was shekels. But it is not against Rabbi Eliezer, as Rabbi Eliezer said: \"a walk acquires\" and he taught: \"if a man walks through a field in its length and in its breadth, he has acquired it to the place he walked to\", according to the words of Rabbi Eliezer. And the sages said: \"He has not acquired it until he has improved it\", and everyone agrees that when a man sells his field to his friend, when he has walked it, he has acquired.",
                "\"<b>So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Acquire for yourself,” he drew off his sandal</b> (Ruth 4:8)\": whose was the sandal? Rav and Levi: one said the sandal was Boaz's and the other said the sandal was the redeemer's. The words seem to support the view of the one who said the sandal was Boaz's, because the custom of the one who takes is to give a pledge. And further: \"Ahijah took hold of the new robe he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces (1 Kings 11:30)\": whose was the robe? Rav and Levi: one said the robe was Jeroboam's, and the other said the robe was Ahijah's. Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said: \"the reasonable view supports the one who said it was Ahijah's robe, because the custom of the righteous is to tear when the House of David was divided in the kingship. And further: \"As Samuel turned to leave, Saul seized the corner of his robe, and it tore (1 Samuel 15:27)\": whose was the robe? Rav and Levi: one said the robe was Saul's, and the other said the robe was Samuel's. The reasonable view supports the one who said the corner of the robe was Samuel's because it is the custom of the righteous to tear when their plannings do not make profit. And further: \"Jeroboam could not muster strength again during the days of Abijah. Hashem struck him down and he died (2 Chronicles 13:20)\": Rabbi Samuel said you might think that Jeroboam was struck down but he was not struck down, rather it was Abijah, and why was Abijah struck down? Because he disfigured the faces of Israel, as it is said: \"Their disfigured face accuses them (Isaiah 3:9)\". Rabbi Acha said: \"Because he stationed over them guards for three days and their appearance changed, as we have it from tradition they cannot serve as witnesses over the appearance of a face with the nose. Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish: Rabbi Yochanan said: \"Because he shamed them in public, as it is said \"and possess the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods (2 Chronicles 13:7)\". Reish Lakish said: \"Because he despised the glory of Ahijah the Shilonite, as it is said \"Riff-raff and scoundrels gathered around him (2 Chronicles 13:8): he called Ahijah the Shilonite a \"scoundrel\". And the Rabbis said: \"Because idolatry came into his hand and he did not destroy it, see!, it is written: \"Abijah pursued Jeroboam (2 Chronicles 13:19)\", and it is written: \"He set up one in Bethel (1 Kings 12:29)\". And see how the verses are a <i>qal vechomer</i>: if the king who insults a king is struck down as it is written, how much more a private person who insults a private person!\"",
                "\"<b>All the people at the gate and the elders answered, “We are. May Hashem make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the House of Israel! Prosper in Ephrathah and perpetuate your name in Bethlehem!</b> (Ruth 4:11)\": Rabbi Berachya said: \"Most of those sitting there were from Leah, and so he makes Rachel the main subject\". Rabbi Abba the son of Kahana said: \"Rachel was primary (<i>'iqaro</i>), as it is said: \"but Rachel was barren (<i>'aqarah</i>) (Genesis 29:31)\": the primary one (<i>'iqar</i>). Rabbi Shimon the son of Yochai taught: \"Because they spoke words against Rachel, so the descendants were called by her name, as it is written: \"Rachel weeping for her children (Jeremiah 31:15)\". And that is not the end of the matter with her name, but also in the name of her son, as it is said: \"Perhaps Hashem will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph (Amos 5:15)\". And that is not the end of the matter with the name of her son, but also in the name of her grandson, as it is said: \"Truly, Ephraim is a dear son to Me, A child that is dandled! (Jeremiah 31:20)\"\".",
                "\"<b>And may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah—through the offspring which Hashem will give you by this young woman</b> (Ruth 4:12)\". They said that all he children which the Holy One, blessed be He, would give to you will be from this righteous woman. And further: \"Isaac pleaded with Hashem opposite his wife, because she was barren (Genesis 25:21)\". What is \"opposite his wife\"? Rather this teaches that Isaac was prostrated on one side and Rebecca was on he other side, and he said \"Master of the World, all the children which you are going to give to me, may they be from this righteous woman\". And further: \"Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife (1 Samuel 2:20)\": he said \"the children which the Holy One, blessed be He is going to give to me, may they be from this righteous woman\". \"<b>So Boaz married Ruth; she became his wife, and he cohabited with her. Hashem let her conceive, and she bore a son</b> (Ruth 4:13)\". Rabbi Shimon the son of Lakish said: \"there was no womb for her, but the Holy One, blessed be He, carved a womb for her\". ",
                "\"<b>And the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be Hashem, who has not withheld a redeemer from you today! May his name be perpetuated in Israel!</b> (Ruth 4:14)\": what is \"<b>today</b>\"? \"<b>Today</b>\" rises in the firmament. Thus it will be for your seed, and it will rise and rule in Israel forever. Rabbi Chuna said: \"From the blessings of women the root of David was not cut off in the days of Athaliah. And Rabbi Tanchuma in the name of Rabbi Samuel said: \"It is written there: \"that we may maintain life through the seed of our father (Genesis 19:32)\": it is not written \"a son\", but rather \"seed\", that is the seed itself which will come from another place. And where is this? This is the King Messiah\". ",
                "\"<b>He will renew your life and sustain your old age; for he is born of your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons</b> (Ruth 4:15).” Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nechemya: Rabbi Yehudah says: \"It is from the seven heads of the fathers as it is said elsewhere: \"Ozem sixth and David seventh (2 Chronciles 2:15)\". Rabbi Nechemya said: \"From the seven here: Perez, Hezrom, Ram, Aminadab, Nahson, Salmon, Boaz\"."
            ],
            [
                "Rabbi Abba son of Kahana began: \"So tremble, and sin no more; ponder it on your bed, and sigh (Psalms 4:5)\": \"tremble and sin no more\", David said before the Holy One, blessed be He, until when are they going to cause me to tremble and say 'his family is illegitimate and is he not from Ruth the Moabitess?'\" \"Ponder it on your bed, and sigh\": but did you not come from two sisters\" Look at how your roots are and be quiet. And also Tamar who took Judah your ancestor, did he not invalidate the family? And on top of that she was the daughter of Shem the son of Noah! What connection do you trace for yourselves?\" Rabbi Jacob the son of Aviyyah said: \"tremble\" at your <i>yetzer</i> and do not sin\". And the Rabbis said: \"upset your <i>yetzer</i> and do not sin\". \"These (<i>'eleh</i>) are the generations of Peretz (Ruth 4:18). Rabbi Abba said every place that \"these\" (<i>'eleh</i>) is said it invalidates the first verse but \"and these\" (<i>ve'eleh</i>) increases the first verse. \"And Hezron bore Ram (Ruth 4:19)\": and was not Jerahmeel the son of Kadmai? \"The sons of Hezron that were born to him: Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai (1 Chronicles 2:26)\"? He married a Canaanite woman to adorn (<i>lehit'ater</i>) himself, as it is written: \"Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was 'Atarah (1 Chronicles 2:26)\". \"And Ram bore Amminadab and Salmon (Ruth 4:20)\", but rather because they made ladders (<i>sullamot</i>) for princes and then they made ladders for kings. Rabbi Yitzchak began: \"Then (<i>'az</i>) I said, “Then I said: See, I will bring (Psalm 40:8)\": 'I had to say a song when I came'. And it is not \"then\" (<i>'az</i>) but rather a song, as it is said: \"Then (<i>'az</i>) Moses and the Israelites sang this song (Exodus 15:1)\": from this I was not able to come and I came \"with a scroll (<i>megillat sefer</i>) recounting what befell me (Psalm 40:8)\". \"With a scroll\": (<i>megillah</i>)\"Which You have denied admission into Your community (Lamentations 1:1)\". \"Of a book (<i>sefer</i>): \"No Ammonite or Moabite shall be admitted into the congregation (Deuteronomy 23:4)\". And I did not come by this law, but rather by a scroll and a book written about me. \"In a scroll\": Perez, Hezron, Ram, Aminadab, Nahson, Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David. \"In a book\": \"And Hashem said, “Rise and anoint him, for this is the one (1 Samuel 16:12)\". Rabbi Huna says: \"It is written: \"God has provided me with another seed (Genesis 4:25)\": the seed will come from another place, and who is this? This is the King Messiah\". Rabbi Berachya and Rabbi Simon: \"there is a parable of a king who was traveling from place to place and a pearl fell from his head. The king stood up and all of his servants there and the people walking by were saying: 'what is up with the king and all of his servants here?' And they saw and said: \"A pearl has fallen from his head\". What did he do? He heaped up the dust and brought in brooms and swept one pile and he did not find it. And the second, and he did not find it. And the third, and he found it. So they said the king found his pearl. So the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: \"Go for yourself from your native land (Genesis 12:1)\". \"For you I have waited, why do I need to trace the connection of Shem, Arpachsad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Nahor, Terah?Only because of you \"Abram, he is Abraham (1 Chronicles  1:27) and \"you found his heart faithful before you\" (Nehemiah 9:8)\". And so said the Holy One, blessed be He, to David: \"Why do I need to trace the connection of Perez, Hezron, Ram, Amminadab, Nahson, Salmon, Boaz, Obed, Jesse? Is it not because of you: \"I have found David, my servant (Psalms 89:21)\". "
            ],
            []
        ]
    },
    "schema": {
        "heTitle": "רות רבה",
        "enTitle": "Ruth Rabbah",
        "key": "Ruth Rabbah",
        "nodes": [
            {
                "heTitle": "פתיחתא",
                "enTitle": "Petichta"
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "",
                "enTitle": ""
            }
        ]
    }
}