This midrash is divided into eight chapters or sections ( "parashiyyot" ). It covers the whole text of the Biblical book, interpreting it verse by verse, with a mixture of literal and allegorical interpretations. The eight chapters terminate, respectively, with Ruth 1:2, 1:17, 1:21, 2:9, 3:7, 3:13, 4:15, and 4:19. As inEichah Rabbah,the commentary proper on the Book of Ruth is preceded by a long introduction (petichta), which consists of severalproemshaving no connection with one another.
The commentary itself (except in chapters 1 and 7, where it follows directly upon theBiblicaltext) is generally introduced by one or more proems. It is composed in the spirit of the Palestinianaggadists,its main sources being theJerusalem Talmud,Bereshit Rabbah,Vayikra Rabbah,andEichah Rabbah.It would seem, moreover, that its author was opposed to theBabylonian Talmud;for in his interpretation of 4:7 (a passage which is omitted in the printed editions) he disparages that work. It is true that parallel passages are found inShir ha-Shirim Rabbah(which Ruth Rabbah closely resembles regarding arrangement and mode of interpretation) and inKohelet Rabbah.But nothing proves that Shir ha-Shirim Rabbah is anterior to Ruth Rabbah, while Kohelet Rabbah is recognized by modern scholars to be posterior to this midrash.
It apparently contains no Babylonian aggadot, and, although in 1:3 (= 2:4) it gives the aggadic interpretation ofI Chronicles4:22, which is also found inBava Batra91b, it may be seen that the source in Bava Batra is abaraitaand not a Babylonian aggadah. Thus Ruth Rabbah is one of the earliermidrashim,composed about the same time as or shortly afterShir ha-Shirim Rabbah.According toZunz,[1]Ruth Rabbah (as well as Shir ha-Shirim Rabbah andKohelet Rabbah) was one of the sources of theYelammedenu,Devarim Rabbah,Pesikta Rabbati,andShemot Rabbah,being a medium between these midrashim and the older aggadah.[2]
Ruth Rabbah is specially interesting from a cultural-historical point of view, in that it endeavors to throw light on the habits and conditions of the time in which the incidents of theBook of Ruthtook place. Thus, interpreting the phrase "in the days when the judges judged" (Ruth 1:1), as "in the days when the people judged their judges," the author argues that there was a time when the judges perverted their judgments so that they were held responsible by the people. But when was there such a time, and who were those judges? According toRav,the judges wereBarakandDeborah;according toR. Huna,Deborah, Barak, andJael;and according toJoshua b. Levi,EhudandShamgar.The famine is circumstantially described; it was one of the ten great famines which afflicted the entire world.
Elimelechis portrayed unfavorably, his name being interpreted as meaning "one eager for royalty." He left the land ofCanaannot because he would himself suffer from the famine, but because he was afraid that the people might ask him for help. In interpreting 1:14, the author of this midrash expresses his views with regard to kissing. According to an anonymous authority, kisses are permitted on three occasions only: on conferring a high office, as whenSamuelkissedSaul;[3]at meetings, as whenAaronkissedMoses;[4]and at parting, as whenOrpahkissed her mother-in-law. According toR. Tanhuma,kissing is permitted also to relatives, as whenJacobkissedRachel.[5]Under other circumstances kissing is declared indecent. The description ofRuth's insistence on followingNaomi(Ruth 1:16-18) is very graphic, in that, when her attention was directed by her mother-in-law to the laws relating to proselytes, she accepted them all.
Both Naomi and Ruth are described as righteous women whose acts were charitable. Ruth particularly is pointed out as being modest and of exemplary manners.[6]In its interpretation of 3:3, the midrash shows the necessity of honoringShabbatby wearing special garments. In 3:13 there is a version of the story ofElisha ben Abuyah,the main source of which isHagigah14b. The midrash terminates with a statement to the effect that the Messiah is to descend from Ruth throughDavid.
With regard to lexical interpretations, in certain cases the explanation of words is not contrary to grammatical rules, but sometimes, as in all the othermidrashim,the interpretation is arbitrary. Thus, while "Elimelech" is interpreted as composed of "elai" and "melek" (= "to me belongs royalty"; compare above), "Naomi" as "she whose acts are agreeable," and "Orpah" (from "'oref" = "the nape of the neck" ) as "she who turned her back [comp.Jeremiah2:27 and elsewhere] upon her mother-in-law, "" Vayehi "is interpreted as an exclamation of sorrow; and" Ruth "(derived from ראה =" to see ") as" she who saw or considered her mother-in-law's words. "
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Singer, Isidore;et al., eds. (1901–1906)."Ruth Rabbah".The Jewish Encyclopedia.New York: Funk & Wagnalls.