The beauty of Ruth’s character

I HAVE always loved the Scroll of Ruth. Especially Ruth herself. It is such a loving, gentle, harmonious and literally redeeming story.

Aside from the tender emotion and transformative nature of Ruth’s story, I think that is what really makes Ruth the story we all love is that it is redeeming.

Ruth is so unselfish, so loyal, courageous and generous, and life does right by her.

At the beginning of the story Ruth is a lonely, childless widow, a gentile immigrant from an enemy of Israel, and by the end she is the matriarch of the Davidic dynasty.

How did that happen?

It happened because of kindness, chesed.

Kindness has the power to bring about life transformations.

That is what gentle, beloved Ruth teaches us.

Why was the Scroll of Ruth written? Ruth Rabbah answers: “The book of Ruth does not come to teach what is permitted or what is forbidden . . . so why was it written [and included in the books of Tanach]? It was written but for one reason, to teach how wonderful the reward is for those who perform acts of kindness.”

The question in the midrash is worded strangely, because we do in fact learn laws about things allowed or forbidden from the Scroll of Ruth. We learn about the commandments of leket, shichehah and pe’ah (the laws pertaining to providing grains in the fields to those considered disadvantaged in society, such as orphans, widows or foreigners). We also learn laws about conversion to Judaism from the poignant, parting scene between Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, when Naomi three times refuses their affectionate attempts to accompany her back to her hometown of Bethlehem.

Yes. There may be laws learned from the story of Ruth. But the Scroll of Ruth is there not for the law, but for the lore. It is the story aspect of the book of Ruth, of the many acts of lovingkindnesses between Ruth and Naomi, between Naomi and Ruth and, finally, between Ruth and Boaz that is the true purpose and legacy of the Scroll of Ruth.

THE story begins “in the days when the judges judged.” Setting aside the human message of such words, of judging or being judgmental, the era of the Judges was a time fraught with chaos, a time of degeneracy and of an ultimately, morally bankrupt society.

Then, in the middle of all that, comes the contrasting story of Ruth. Ruth represents a parallel world to the times of the Judges, a world of how things should be, and could be. In Ruth’s world, you step into a world where people are good and caring and try to help one another. It is the ideal world. It is a world of kindness.

With kindness a new world order can be built, olam chesed yibaneh. That is what happens in the story of Ruth. A new Jewish world is built. A family who has lost all, with no hope for a future, is transformed by kindness, and unexpectedly births a future for itself.

In the poignant, parting scene between Naomi and her daughters-in-law Ruth and Orpah, there is so much tenderness and affection. It is a moving and painful farewell draped in tragedy between people who suffered so much tragedy together, and endured so much anguished loss, loneliness and grief. These women all loved the same men. Now they are gone. Naomi is the last connection to the daughters’-in-law bond of love in this world.

Reluctantly, Orpah honors Naomi’s wish for the women to return to their nation, community, family. There are real tears and cries of pain; real affection. A kiss goodbye, and Orpah is gone. The three women who were once bonded by thick and thin are now split apart.

Then Ruth shocks us by doing the unexpected. From the first time she speaks, her words arrest us. She takes the courageous and spontaneous leap of faith into the unknown, and shows what really and truly unconditional loving is — loyalty, nobility and unshakable faith in G-d.

Her inspiring all encompassing embrace and pledge to Naomi are the first words we ever hear from her: “ Where you go, I shall go; where you lodge, I shall lodge; your people shall be my people, and your G-d my G-d; Where you die, I will die.”

How eloquent! How courageous! How strong and regal!

Ruth has everything to lose by remaining with Naomi (as the story unfolds, we see time and again Ruth sacrifice her own self-interest for that of Naomi).

But, “Ruth clung (davka bah) to Naomi.”  This three word verse has always moved me so.

Orpah does nothing wrong. She struggles with the separation, but then, with sadness, makes her peace with it, or at least accepts it.

Ruth, on the other hand, does the extraordinary. She stands by Naomi. Ruth becomes the d’veikah, the attacher. The one who clings and attaches to Naomi. Clings and attaches to Judaism. Clings and attaches to kindness. And ultimately clings to G-d.

It is this most unselfish and deeply generous choice of Ruth’s soulful attachment that changes the course of Jewish history forever.

ACCORDING to rabbinic sources, Ruth’s courageous pledge and clinging to Naomi is more a dialogue with Naomi than a one-way declaration. In each of Ruth’s emotional commitments, she addresses each of Naomi’s reasons for Ruth and Orpah not to return to Bethlehem with her.

It is a conversation between these two women, a conversation of deep love and abiding friendship on Ruth’s part.

At last, after Naomi sees Ruth has made up her mind, there is a surrendered silence. Then, although Naomi lost all of the family with whom she had originally departed from Bethlehem, against all odds she does not return alone. There is just the moving image of the two women, the two childless widows, Naomi and Ruth, silently — empty but together — walking toward Bethlehem.

As the story continues, it is a story replete with one gesture of lovingkindness unfolding after another.

Back in Bethlehem, Ruth helps Naomi, Naomi guides Ruth, Boaz treats Ruth with lovingkindness and the blessings of G-d, and ultimately is faithful to his word as he chooses to become Ruth’s redeemer.

Ruth and Boaz are blessed with a son. The women of Bethlehem who envelop Ruth and Naomi at the birth quite incredibly turn to Naomi! Even at this moment of great joy and blessing for Ruth, the mother of the child, she manages to shine  the light on what this birth means to Naomi, the grandmother.

They praise G-d for the blessing He has wrought, and they express their hope and wish to Naomi that her new grandson “restore her soul” and be a “nourisher of life” to Naomi in her old age.

They then acknowledge the beauty of Ruth’s loving character, “who is better to you (Naomi) than seven sons.”

The baby is passed to Naomi, and the scroll is sealed with the intimate and maternal image of Naomi — not Ruth! — cradling Ruth and Boaz’s baby son, Oved, in her arms.

Ruth remains in the background, always giving and repairing the pain of her mother in law, Naomi.

That is Ruth’s beauty. The beauty of anyone who truly, deeply pledges a commitment to true Judaism even, as Ruth teaches, when this undermines one’s interests. Still, Ruth attaches to and becomes a part of the Jewish nation.

On Shavuot, when we received the Torah, “the tree of life,” we all became converts and took that leap of faith with Ruth.

Copyright © 2011 by the Intermountain Jewish News