Good morning! Boker Tov!
Have you ever felt like a “foreigner”? What was it like? Did you feel the curious stares directed your way? Did you struggle to understand the language? The currency, when making financial transactions? Did you feel fear? Did you feel alone?
I have always loved to travel. My earthly father enjoyed his work, which took him to practically every state in the USA, and I guess I inherited that tendency from him. If I had no obligations, or restrictions, I would take several exotic trips a year. Being a “foreigner”, a nakh-REE-ah, has never bothered me.
I guess this is as good a spot as any to tell you that I will be traveling to Israel in early June. My hope is to broadcast live on location in Eretz Yisrael, if Mark can figure out how to help me accomplish that. The lighting and background may be a bit substandard. But, I will do my best to figure it out. Should be interesting. Whether I’ll share from Ruth, in our ongoing study, or share about what I’ve experienced/seen or learned “in country” remains to be determined. TBD.
From the first time I visited Yisrael, I felt at home. No, I could not understand the language then, nor could I “make change”. But, my heart found a home there. I just love it. I’ve also traveled to Canada, Mexico, Peru and Haiti - - been a foreigner there - - but Israel was different. I’m so excited to return in a few days.
On my second trip, our group volunteered at one of the Israeli food bank farms, where food is raised for the indigent in the Land. Our assignment there was to harvest a field of radishes. I was amazed by the bounty I pulled from the ground. These were no measly, scrawny-looking radishes, why, they looked more like beets! They were huge and each plant seemed to hold a couple dozen! It was not hard to locate the produce at all. I thought about the stories the spies told when they returned from the spy mission into Canaan, and how they reported that the Land was flowing with milk and honey. The fields of Israel are sometimes rocky, but the soil is fertile and rich. With its arid climate, it is perfect for raising barley and then, later in the season, wheat. As you might have guessed, our trip was in late October to early November, so that we were harvesting fall crops. Today, and in the days of Ruth, the rocks were excavated and used to build borders, fences and other structures such as terraces or huts.
As we look at the verses this morning, look for instances of Ruth’s humility and Boaz’ benevolent generosity. In fact, when I teach this to my ladies in my congregation in a couple of weeks, I will provide for them what in the education world we call a “T-chart”, with Ruth across one side of the top bar and Boaz across the other side, so that they can list those traits as we go through the lesson. If you’d like to quickly draw one of your own, be my guest. Ruth’s humility - - Boaz’ generosity and benevolence
We are resuming our study in Ruth chapter 2, verse 10.
When Ruth expressed her gratitude to Boaz, look at what she did and said.
And, she fell upon her face and she bowed down toward the ground and she said to him “why I have found favor/grace in your eyes that you should notice me and I am a foreigner?”
וַתִּפֹּל֙ עַל־פָּנֶ֔יהָ וַתִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָ֑רְצָה וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו מַדּוּעַ֩ מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ לְהַכִּירֵ֔נִי וְאָנֹכִ֖י נָכְרִיָּֽה׃
Vai-tee-POOL al pah-NEH-hah vai-teesh-TAH-khoo ahr-TSAH vai-TOH-mehr ay-LAHV. mah-DOO-ah Mah-TSAH-tee Cain beh-ay-NEH-khah l’hah-kee-RAY-nee veh-ah-no-KHEE nahkh-REE-ah
Have you ever bowed down with your face to the ground? In worship of our Father Yahweh, we should probably do more of that. Ruth was not worshipping Boaz, but instead showing her extreme respect, giving him vast honor for his graciousness toward her. She could not understand why he was singling her out for this special attention, especially since she was a foreigner. At this point, remember, Boaz had not revealed himself to be a relative of Elimelech’s family; he knew it, but had not revealed it. So, she legitimately could not figure out why he was being so kind to her. It probably made her a little on-guard and suspicious, lol!
In Hebrew there are three words used to designate someone who was not native born to the land and religion of Israel: gerim, zarim and nokhrim. The former term, gerim, means those who intend to be permanent residents of the land and to adopt the laws and religion of its people. Prior to the Exodus, gerim were unknown in Israel. But, when the Hebrews left Egypt, they left with non-Jews “clinging to the corners of their garments.” Yes, I know there were no tzit tzit back then. But, the same principle applies. By the time of the Second Temple Period, (Ezra/Nehemiah), a ger was synonymous with a proselyte, someone who sought to convert to Judaism. Today, as many of my listeners know, the term “ger toshav” means a person who has bound him or herself to follow the seven Noahide laws, and in some cases even more of the halachic walk.
The latter two terms, zarim and nohkrim, referred to people who “retained their ties to their original home and sought to maintain their former political or social status. On occasion they came as invaders (II Sam. 22:45–46; Obad. 1:11).
Let’s look at the second passage, the one from Obadiah. These verses pertain to the destruction of the nation called Edom, the descendants of Esau, because when their “brothers”, the children of Isaac and descendants needed their help, they would not help them. They stood by and (presumably) gloated while Jerusalem was looted and pillaged. Note the use of the word “strangers” in this verse.
On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were just like one of them.
More often, though, the nokhreem and zareem entered the land in the pursuit of trade and other commercial ventures. The usual laws were not applicable to them, and they were protected by folk traditions concerning the proper treatment of strangers (cf. Job 31:32) and by special conventions resulting from contractual arrangements between the Israelites and their neighbors”.
Now, notice that in verse 10, Ruth referred to herself NOT as a gerah, but instead as the feminine form of nokhrim (nahkh-REE-ah). Prior verses have made it clear that Ruth intended to be a gerah. So, why she used the less-committed term here is somewhat puzzling to me. More of her humility, perhaps?
In verse 11, Boaz shares his reasoning for extending cain/favor to Ruth.
And he replied, Boaz, and he said to her: it has been FULLY retold to me all that you have done unto your MIL after the death of your man/husband, and you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth and you have come to a people whom not you knew yesterday or before.
וַיַּ֤עַן בֹּ֙עַז֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָ֔הּ הֻגֵּ֨ד הֻגַּ֜ד לִ֗י כֹּ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂית֙ אֶת־חֲמֹותֵ֔ךְ אַחֲרֵ֖י מֹ֣ות אִישֵׁ֑ךְ וַתַּֽעַזְבִ֞י אָבִ֣יךְ וְאִמֵּ֗ךְ וְאֶ֙רֶץ֙ מֹֽולַדְתֵּ֔ךְ וַתֵּ֣לְכִ֔י אֶל־עַ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָדַ֖עַתְּ תְּמֹ֥ול שִׁלְשֹֽׁום׃
Vai-YAHN Boaz vai-YOH-mehr lahhh hoo-GAYD hoo-GAHD lee kohl asher ahseet et ha-moh-TAKE ah-kah-RAY moht ee-shake vah-tah-AHZ-vee el ahm asher loh yah-DAH-aht t’mohl sheel-SHOHM
Do you wonder if Boaz was thinking of his mother, Rahab, as he said these words Could this be a reason why he admired Ruth? Rahab and Ruth shared many of the same characteristics. Let’s review them briefly again.
Born into pagan cultures
Said “yes” to the spirit of the Most High God
Helped the people of Yisrael
Married an Israelite of high esteem and thereby joined the people of God
The words hoo-GAYD hoo-GAHD are an infinitive in the Hebrew, what we call an infinitive of emphasis. It is similar to when we read “Verily, verily..” in the Apostolic Writings, the Brit Chadasha, the New Testament. In the Hebrew, one of the ways emphasis was conveyed was through repetition. The Hebrew “NaGAHD” means “retelling”, and it is from this verb we get the term “hagaddah”, which means “the retelling”. We use that term at Passover as in “the Passover Hagaddah”, the Passover re-telling. So, Boaz is saying emphatically here that he has heard “far and wide” about Ruth’s extraordinary, magnanimous deeds.
Verse 12 is a blessing Boaz pronounces over Ruth, in response to her great kindness to her mother-in-law and her becoming a part of the nation of Yisrael. It is either a prayer, a promise or a prophecy, or perhaps all three. Let’s look at it.
He will repay, Yahweh, your work, and He will give a reward girl, full, from Yahweh God of Yisrael, who you have come for refuge under His wings.
יְשַׁלֵּ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה פָּעֳלֵ֑ךְ וּתְהִ֨י מַשְׂכֻּרְתֵּ֜ךְ שְׁלֵמָ֗ה מֵעִ֤ם יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֖את לַחֲסֹ֥ות תַּֽחַת־כְּנָפָֽיו׃
Y'shah-LAYM Yahweh poh-oh-LAKE oo-teh-HEE mahs-koor-TAKE SHLAY-mah may-EEM Yahweh elohay Yisrael ah-SHER baht lah-khah-SOHT TAH-khat k’nah-FAHV
Here, it is important to note that Boaz states that Yahweh will not only give Ruth her just wages, but that He will go beyond that and give her a reward. So, in other words, Boaz is in a sense prophesying over Ruth and saying that God will go “above and beyond” His promises to lavish goodness upon her life. One of the Jewish commentaries explains it in terms of a worker. An artisan is rewarded for his work, sort of as a 1099 contract worker. But, Ruth has signed on as an employee of the LORD God, so that she is now “on salary”, on full and regular sustaining salary. I thought that was an interesting way to look at it. The phrase “come for refuge under His wings” is an idiomatic expression that refers to her having converted, with a sincere heart, so that He can do what only He can do.
The Scriptures speak of several instances of wings - - the Earth is described as having wings in Isaiah 24:16. The sun is described as having wings in Malachi 3:20. Various angelic beings (cherubim and seraphim are described as having wings. But, none of them are greater than the wings of the One at whose word the universe and everything in it was created.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the [a]fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
4He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
Could the Mashiach, our beloved Lord Yeshua, have been thinking of Psalm 91, when He stood on the Mount of Olives, just prior to the Triumphant Entry on Nisan 10 in 30 CE, and said the following:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”
The image is powerful. In my blog, resplendentdaughter.blogspot.com , I have been posting my written notes from these weekly teachings. I saw a photo, years ago, of an eagle parent (could have been the mama or the dad, as they both do that sitting duty) who had spread its wings out over the eggs in the nest while a heavy snow covered the area. The parent was covered in snow as well, but the eggs were kept safe and warm, protected from harm. Indeed, they later hatched, grew, thrived and finally fledged. I will post that photo when I post these notes there this afternoon. There is no safer place for the child of God, than to be securely established in the merits of Yeshua HaMashiach, abiding in Him and through Him under the shadow of the Almighty, sheltered under His wings.
Verse 13:
And she said, “I will find (or, may I find) favor in your eyes, my master, because you have comforted me and because you have spoken upon the heart of your maidservant, and I not be like one of your maidservants.
וַתֹּאמֶר אֶמְצָא־חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֲדֹנִי כִּי נִחַמְתָּנִי וְכִי דִבַּרְתָּ עַל־לֵב שִׁפְחָתֶךָ וְאָנֹכִי לֹא אֶהְיֶה כְּאַחַת שִׁפְחֹתֶיךָ׃
Vai-TOH-mer em-TSAH cain b'ay-NEH-khah adoni kee nee-kham-TAH-nee v’kee dee-BAR-tah ahl-LAVE sheef-khah-TEH-khah v’anochi lo eh-heh-YEH kee-ah-KHAHT sheef-khoh-TEH-khah
Ruth seems to hope that she doesn’t mess this up, LOL! I don’t mean to be disparaging of her or to make light of the Scriptures, but at face value that’s how it appears. What we are more likely seeing, though, is Ruth’s humility shining through. Instead of getting “the big head” here, she demurely responds that she hopes she continues to dwell in his good graces, just a very humble response. In the English, you don’t see “the heart” (if you’ll pardon the pun) of what she is actually saying when she says that he touched her heart, spoke to her heart. She goes on to add that all this favor from Boaz is even more remarkable because she is not like one of his maidservants, that is, she is not deserving because she is a nakh-REE-ah, a foreigner. Again, just amazing humility from this woman. The term ”maidservant” is a respectful term, used by women, when addressing gentlemen in authority over them.
In the Beatitudes the Mashiach taught that the meek would “inherit the earth”. Obviously, humility is a trait that is highly prized by God and one which brings great reward. I was told by an admirer many years ago that I was a meek person. I don’t think he could have hardly gotten it more wrong. I don’t consider myself meek at all, because I struggle greatly with having too much confidence and pride. In fact, I get impatient with those whose struggles are in the areas of fearfulness and timidity. I certainly need more meekness in my life.
Moving on to verse 14:
And he said, to her, Boaz, for the time for the eating, draw near (a command) here and you will eat the bread and dip your morsel in the vinegar. And, she sat from the reapers; and he reached out roasted grain. And she ate, and was satified and had some left.
וַיֹּאמֶר לָה בֹעַז לְעֵת הָאֹכֶל גֹּשִׁי הֲלֹם וְאָכַלְתְּ מִן־הַלֶּחֶם וְטָבַלְתְּ פִּתֵּךְ בַּחֹמֶץ וַתֵּשֶׁב מִצַּד הַקֹּוצְרִים וַיִּצְבָּט־לָהּ קָלִי וַתֹּאכַל וַתִּשְׂבַּע וַתֹּתַר׃
Vai-TOH-mer Lah Boaz l’aytz ha-oh-khel goh-shee ha-lohm v’ah-KHALT meen ha-lechem v’tah-VALT. Pee-taykh bah-KHO-metz vah-tay-shev mee-tsahd ha-koht-sareem vai-yeets-baht lahhh kah-LEE vah-toh-KHAHL vah-tees-bah vah-toh-TAYR
To be invited to eat with a person in that culture of the Hebrews, and indeed still today among the Orthodox Jews, was a sign of acceptance. It was something not taken lightly at all. I remember once that I was on a plane ride home from Yisrael, and I was seated by the window, with an orthodox couple seated beside me. Of course, the woman was seated in between me and the man. They did not speak to me, choosing to speak in Hebrew. In the course of the flight, the woman took off her wig and laid it on her lap. Now, that is typically not done except in the privacy of a couple’s bedroom. The woman is not supposed to show her “real hair” to anyone but her husband. I mention this to demonstrate how non-existent I was viewed; it was literally as though I was not there, on this 11-hour plane ride. Similarly, on my first trip to Jerusalem, I stayed in a highly orthodox neighborhood. Passing individuals on the street, they would rarely even acknowledge my presence, especially the men. The women would sometimes smile and nod. The more orthodox communities are highly exclusionary. I don’t say this to be critical. I mention it to illustrate that it was a mark of high acceptance that Boaz invited Ruth to dine with him and his workers, to share dipping bowls with them, bowls into which they would dip their portions of bread.
When the Scriptures say that Boaz reached out (his hand) to give her roasted grain, this is the only time in the Hebrew Scriptures this particular verb vai-yeets-baht occurs. In this, Boaz was being a gracious host. Some commentators mentioned that if Boaz had known Scripture would record of him doing this, he would have instead fed her fatted calves!
Vinegar is a substance that both aids in stimulating digestion and in cooling the body. It was particularly beneficial to the reapers, who spent long hours in the sun.
The word “from” in this passage is used to convey “alongside”, according to some commentators. “She sat alongside the reapers”, that is. Not at the head of the table with Boaz. Not in front of everyone else. She chose to try to blend in. Another mark of humility.
The Scriptures indicate that the portion Boaz handed her was quite substantial, because she was satisfied and still had some left over. Parched grain was a staple of the Hebrew diet, similar to eating dry cereal in our modern times, although I doubt our cereal is as nutritious as was that parched grain. Perhaps this was the first “filling” meal she had eaten in quite a while. Why do you think Ruth saved her “leftovers”? I think she was thinking of Naomi, who was waiting at home and who also had not eaten well in some time. Ruth could, then, have stopped for the day and taken grain home to Naomi. But, she was diligent, focused and determined to bring home as much grain as she could. Who knew what could happen tomorrow? Was Boaz as generous as he seemed? Would his largesse continue? Ruth was going to find that yes, indeed, he was a gracious, generous man. And, more than that, he would become a go-el.
Now, we are beginning to see traits in Boaz that you would see in a Redeemer, specifically THE Redeemer. On to verse 15. Look at what he does next.
And she arose to glean. Boaz, he commanded his young men saying: “She will glean also between the sheaves and you will not humiliate her.”
וַתָּקָם לְלַקֵּט וַיְצַו בֹּעַז אֶת־נְעָרָיו לֵאמֹר גַּם בֵּין הָעֳמָרִים תְּלַקֵּט וְלֹא תַכְלִימוּהָ׃
Vai-tah-KAHM l’lah-KAYT vah-yet-TSAHV et neh-ah-RAHV lay-MOHR: Gahm bayn ha-ah-mah-REEM T'lah-KAYT v’loh tahkh-lee-MOO-hah
So, thus far, we see that Boaz has recognized/seen Ruth, honored/praised Ruth for her virtue, welcomed her, fed her, and now is adding to her an additional layer of favor, to watch over her. In this last command concerning her, he is not only “giving her a break”, but treating her extremely well. As opposed to giving her outright charity, he allows her to return to gleaning, but he is making it easier for her to find success in his field. Now, legally, the poor were not entitled to glean “between the sheaves”, but even in this, were she to be so bold, she was not to be prohibited from that.
Verse 16:
And also, you shall (command) pull, you shall pull out, to her from the bundles and leave (the grain) and she will gather up and you guys not will rebuke her.
וְגַם שֹׁל־תָּשֹׁלּוּ לָהּ מִן־הַצְּבָתִים וַעֲזַבְתֶּם וְלִקְּטָה וְלֹא תִגְעֲרוּ־בָהּ׃
V'gahm shol-tah-sho-LOO lahhh meen hahtz-vah-TEEM vah-ah-zahv-TEHM v’leek-TAH v’LOH teeg-ah-roo bahhh
But, Boaz’ generosity continues! Not only were the reapers to let a few heads of grain fall here and there, they were told to actively drop handfuls/bundles from the sheaves they were gathering, and to do it in such a way that Ruth would be able to get them, and to let her gather as much as she could, without rebuke. The use of the prepositional phrase “for her” (Lahhh) is there to indicate that the workers were not to do this for just any of the poor who were trailing behind and gathering, but specifically for Ruth.
I’m not given to flights of fancy, but I imagine Ruth recognized the change in the behavior of the young men in charge of the harvest, that is, the official reapers who were of the household of Boaz. She was no fool. She could see that there was more grain being “left behind”, and I don’t have any doubt she figured it out. Realizing she was going to go home with more grain than she had anticipated, I would not be surprised if she was furtively wiping tears from her eyes, tears of gratitude, as she gleaned.
Due in large part to Boaz’ goodness, Ruth was able to gather up a tremendous amount of grain over the course of that day. She gleaned from morning until nearly sundown (ha-ahrev), a time of day between late afternoon and sundown. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Verse 17:
And she gleaned in the field until the evening. And she beat out that from gleaning, like an ephah
(ay-FAH) of barley.
וַתְּלַקֵּט בַּשָּׂדֶה עַד־הָעָרֶב וַתַּחְבֹּט אֵת אֲשֶׁר־לִקֵּטָה וַיְהִי כְּאֵיפָה שְׂעֹרִים׃
Vai-t'lah-KAYT bah-sah-DEH ahd ha-AH-rev vai-tahkh-boht aht ah-SHER lee-kay-TAH vah-yeh-HEE k’AY-fah soh-oh-REEM
If you have ever watched a starving person eat, they do so “like there’s no tomorrow”, as though the food they are urgently consuming may be the last meal they ever eat. I think of this type of behavior when I consider Ruth’s actions on that spring day in the field of Beit Lechem. She began that morning, and took one rest break at the time for the lunch meal. She returned to the fields after the meal and worked until nearly sundown. (After the sun sets is called LaiLah or “night”, not “evening”.) Even so, just looking at the hours she put in, without looking at the volume of grain she gathered, you might just still be a little bit “meh” about her work that day.
However, consider this: When a head of grain is gathered, not all of it is edible. Notice in the verse that, at the end of the day, she pounded the heads of grain vigorously, to release the edible kernels of barley. And, just the edible portions that she took home weighed about an ephah. “How much does an ephah weigh,” you ask? Well, about 35 pounds. Even when I was “pushing 40”, I would have had trouble hauling 35 pounds of grain home, especially after I had worked in the fields all day. Had she not beaten the grain out, she would have had to make a couple of trips at least to get all the stalks and so forth. This would not have been safe at night, alone. Whew!
But, what did that mean in practical terms? To answer that, let’s look at Exodus 16:36
“Now, an omer is one-tenth of an ephah.”
Or, put another way - - - an ephah equaled 10 omers. And, an omer was a day’s food for one person. Therefore, Ruth’s yield from her first day of gleaning was enough food to feed her and Naomi for five days. Very impressive indeed!
By the way, once you know that an omer is a daily allotment of food, the “omer count” that is done between Passover and Shavuot seems more appropriately named, does it not? Each evening, we “count the omer”, that is, we consume and digest a daily portion of meditation. And, in that way, Shavuot culminates, finds its conclusion, in Shavuot/Pentecost.
Verse 18:
And she carried, and she came the city, and she saw (her mother-in-law) what she had gleaned. She (Ruth) brought out and gave to her what she had remaining from her abundance/satisfied.
וַתִּשָּׂא וַתָּבֹוא הָעִיר וַתֵּרֶא חֲמֹותָהּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר־לִקֵּטָה וַתֹּוצֵא וַתִּתֶּן־לָהּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר־הֹותִרָה מִשָּׂבְעָהּ׃
By the time Ruth got back to Naomi’s house, it must have been dark or nearly dark. Naomi must have been very concerned that Ruth was gone so long! She also must have been quite hungry. Imagine how her eyes must have brightened, to see Ruth return with 35 pounds, roughly a bushel, of barley! How amazed and overjoyed with relief she must have been! Intuitively, Naomi realized that such a large amount of barley could not have resulted from mere gleaning the meager amounts customarily dropped behind the reapers. Were you Naomi, what would be the first question you would have asked, upon seeing that sack with 35 pounds of barley inside?
Well, we will take up there next week.
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