Ruth and Orpah were suddenly faced with a life-altering decision. Orpah was motivated by safety, and safety is what she got. By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. At the end of the Book of Ruth, the themes of land and family come together. RuthBig Theme, Little Book by Adele Berlin originally appeared in Bible Review, August 1996. In other words: even though she was a Moabite, look how great she was and how Boaz accepted her etc. Normality is not visionary. And they wept again. Your email address will not be published. Israel and Its Enemies Podcast: Play in new window | Download (0.0KB) | Embed. Thanks to Ruth, the family of Naomi (strangely, the text does not put it in terms of Elimelech or Mahlon) survives. Rabbi Rosenfeld's son Zvi recently published his first book, The Ring of Fate, a riveting, fast-paced fantasy novel which is also completely kosher in both language and subject matter. Ruth said, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn . What is the significance of Ruth telling Naomi, Wherever you go, I will go (Ruth 1:16)? Answer. After all, Ruth's choice was the scarier of the two, and Ruth didn't have the benefit of hindsight. What We Can Learn from Esther - Women in the Bible, a series, What We Can Learn from Ruth and Naomi - Women in the Bible, a series, 5 Affordable Outdoor Activities for the Kids This Summer, 5 Things That Hurt Relationships with Grandkids, To the Mama with a Mental Health Disorder, How I Turned Finances Around in My Marriage, 4 Things to Know about Christian Psychology, 5 Signs You're in Spiritual Warfare and How to Fight It, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Second, and more complicated, Naomi offers for sale or redemption a parcel of land that once belonged to her husband, Elimelech. On the other hand, Orpah passes away into obscurity after she says goodbye to Naomi and Ruth on the road to Bethlehem. So they were married and had a son, Obed, who was the father of Jesse, father of David (Ruth 4:17). The third reason for verses 8-13 is to make Ruth's faithfulness to Naomi appear amazing. She lives in Arkansas and while writing she is surrounded by her six rescue dogs who are usually sleeping. 982, page 76), based on some other Midrashic statements, that at the time of her marriage Ruth was halachically not yet an adult, because she was an ailonis (a woman who never undergoes the normal bodily changes of puberty) but didn't exhibit the symptoms thereof (listed in Rambam, Hil. 1. Additionally there is no attempt, deliberate or otherwise, to link the concept of redeeming with the Messiah. They wanted to become full-fledged Jewesses, observing the faith and living in the Land. 0 responses Rashi (to Ruth 1:12) states that she (and Orpah) were still gentiles when they were on the road back to Eretz Yisrael (indeed, we derive from their conversation the halachah that we are to attempt to dissuade a prospective convert (Yevamos 47b)).On the other hand, Zohar Chadash strongly takes issue with the idea that Machlon . You can read more from Tamela at www.livingoneword.com, on Facebook, and Instagram. Once Rus came to Boaz at night this clinched his belief that her conversion was for the right reasons and he immediately proceeds to "redeem" her. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Why did Ruth and Orpah make different decisions? A famine was ravaging the land, and so Elimelech moved his family away from Israel to the country of Moab so they would be fed ( Ruth 1:1-2 ). Moab was a pagan country, a thorn in the side of Judea . What did Jesus mean when he said, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees"? Id invite you to research this for yourself and experience the grace Naomi and Ruth shared with us through this story. As soon as Orpah parted company with Naomi and Ruth, she went to the absolute opposite extreme. Ask a Question Got a Bible related Question? Advantages of converts (in spiritual terms). She would have witnessed the faith of Naomi, her husband and her sons, yet there is no record that she and her sister-in-law ever denied their gods and converted to Judaism. Why did Ruth stay with Naomi after Orpah decided to return home? They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. Why did the first kinsman redeemer in Ruth refuse to marry her. Instead of becoming a spiritual giant, she became a mother of physical giants. Naomi then chose to return to Israel and encouraged her daughters. Photo Credit: Getty Images/Campwillowlake. However, Alshich writes the opposite. How is physical death related to spiritual death? She took religion and spirituality quite seriously. However, from a Christian perspective, the story can also be seen as a type whose anti-type is the story of redemption of humanity through the Messiah. 12 gauge wire for AC cooling unit that has as 30amp startup but runs on less than 10amp pull, Sci-fi episode where children were actually adults. Mary Evans's commentary places each book in its historical and canonical context . 2 The man's name was Elimelek, his wife's name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. Why isn't God mentioned more in the book of Ruth? Is it pashut pshat that Rut never ate breakfast? | Find, read and cite all the research you . It does not seem to fit neatly into the sequence of biblical books. It doesn't change their American-ness. Could these translations be too harsh? Are we allowed to ask someone if he's a convert? In different Bibles, the Book of Ruth is put in different places. In the face of Naomi's logic, she said goodbye and went home. Two daughters-in-law of Naomi were Ruth and: closest relative of Ruth's husband. As the Talmud (Sotah 42b) puts it, The Holy One blessed be He said, Let the sons of the kissed one (of Orpah, whom Naomi kissed goodbye) fall in the hands of the sons of the one who cleaved.. He dies in Moab. After the death of her husband and sons, Noami learned the famine in her home has passed. He goes on to say that Naomi probed the motives behind the conversion of her daughter in laws during her trek home as did Boaz during his initial meeting with Rus. Ruths poetic words, Wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge, I will lodge, are rightly famous, both for their beauty of expression and for their sentiment. As soon as Orpah parted company with Naomi and Ruth, she went to the absolute opposite extreme. In the patriarchal stories the main concern was the establishment of the family linethe quest for an heir whom God will designate as the one through whom the people of Israel will be born. Why can't Ploni Almoni be a real name, in Ruth? When he sees the text refer to Ruth as "", he explains that even though she had already converted, she still retained some of the nature of her original upbringing in the way she conducted herself. Unfortunately, we have no idea how Orpah's story turned out. If your Christian life is dry . . In the stories of Jacobs wives, Leah and Rachel, the issue is no longer which son will be the heir, for they are all the children of Israel. Rather, the emphasis is on the accumulation of progeny. Why did Ruth and Orpah make different decisions? So Ruth spoke: "Do not plead with me to abandon you, to turn back from accompanying you; for where you go I shall go, and where you spend the night I shall spend the night. midrash) was the son of Balak. Why did Ruth and Orpah make different decisions? Go back with her." Ruth 1:15 NIV. The meaning of ones name identifies a person's character, but the definition of Orpah is not clear. How can the soul prosper as stated in 3 John vs 2? Orpah served as a foil to Ruth, showing the great sacrifice that Ruth made to stay with her mother-in-law. Ruth made a commitment to follow Naomi's God as well ( Ruth 1:16 ). "Where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge," she insists. Some believe they were family before they married. God gave us the Torah to direct our energies towards goodness and meaningful achievement. So Machlon had her converted as a child (as per the halachah - Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 268:7), but once she reached halachic adulthood she had the opportunity to renounce her conversion (ibid.) Her many publications include Zephaniah (Doubleday, 1991), Biblical Poetry Through Medieval Jewish Eyes (Indiana Univ. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away." (Mt 13:3-7) During the time of the Judges (around 1050 B.C. [1] After the death of her husband, Orpah and her sister-in-law Ruth wished to go to Judea with Naomi. Going to Heaven - how can I guarantee my eternal destination? Boaz, impressed that Ruth has chosen him, an older man, out of family loyalty, agrees with enthusiasm to have her, so long as the one man in Bethlehem who is a closer redeeming kinsman does not want Ruth for himself. God forbade His people from marrying Moabite women. Just like African-Americans are Americans of African descent. spiritual decision. Proverbs 14:12 warns us that "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." The gentile women in Jesus ancestry are explicitly brought out by the Gospel writers and demonstrate how foreigners are grafted in to the native family tree of Israel. The claim was like a thunder-clap. Photo: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munchen. Ask a Question. Why did Ruth and Orpah make different decisions? Elimelech of Bethlehem departs the country for Moab, taking his wife Naomi and their two sons along. Naomi kissed them and wept. With regard to when she converted, both Ibn Ezra and Ralbag seem to believe that she converted before she married Machlon, being that we don't find any mention of her conversion afterwards and Boaz certainly would not have married her otherwise. 0 Responses then the conversion has to be investigated. Orpah married Kilion and Ruth married Mahlon. Rachel, initially barren, is jealous of Leahs ability to bear children and so supplies her maidservant Bilhah to Jacob for this purpose (as Sarah had done for Abraham). What does it mean that Job repented in dust and ashes? Comments are sorted chronologically. Ruth's devotion to her mother-in-law is beautiful and inspiring. (Chida refers to this as Shmuel's "p'sak" that David was legitimate.). What does the Bible say about decision-making. In Ruth 1; we read that the husband of Naomi died in the land of Moab. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! But Ruth's love for Naomi caused her to stay with her mother-in-law, even when such devotion seemed illogical and downright foolish. Ruth is also one of the few women who are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus found in the book of Matthew. 12 terms . Elimelech was of the tribe of Judah. Ruth's story begins when an Israelite woman, named Naomi, and her husband, Elimelech, leave their hometown of Bethlehem. Ishus 2:6); in that case she reaches halachic maturity only at age 35 (ibid. Before that Yaweh was probably part of Ruths ovreall Pantheon of Gods, a Trinity or more of Gods. Ruth 1:17 confirms this conversion as Ruth invokes the name of the Lord, the name Yahweh, the covenant name of the God of Israel. The Book of Ruth begins with a tale of famine in the Holy Land. However, Orpah may deserve more grace than we often give her. How did a woman with such potential greatness go to such wild extremes? A further interesting point to the story it that Ruth, as a Moabitess, belonged the people founded by Moab: the son of Lots eldest daughter by her father (Gen 19:37). With that in mind, it is quite possible to say that the reason the text continues to stress her Moabite origins is precisely to counter that claim that was common at the time of its authorship. It's easy to criticize Orpah for perceived unfaithfulness, but when . Why did Ruth stay with Naomi after Orpah decided to return home? Just as we willingly accepted the Torah and the Jewish mission at Sinai, so too did Ruth voluntarily enter the covenant to become a part of that same glorious mission. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ORPAH. The book of Ruth with four chapters started with Naomi and her husband, Elimelech who left their . Upon leaving Naomi, Orpah ran into a battalion of 100 soldiers. In Judah, she would live as an outsider and possibly never marry again. He points to Rambam issurei biah 13:14-15 which states that if there is reason to suspect that the conversion was for reasons beside belief (money, power, love etc.) through the grace extended by the community of faith, and Gods provision of a Kinsman Redeemer, Gods grace redeems all that was lost to unbelief, when Ruth marries Boaz. With each step, leadership lessons become clear to me from Ruth's life: 1. The commandments of the Torah are not simply acts to perform, ways of earning heavenly reward. As a Christian we see in Ruth the coming of the church, the gentiles as part of the people of God. Share Leaving her remaining family was heartbreaking. Where can I find a consolidated list of converts who are mentioned in the Bible, Mishnah and Talmud? In Bethlehem, the story begins with the barley harvest (Passover) and concludes at the wheat harvest (Pentecost/Shavuos). In the diagram, list what some of the disadvantages of choosing to go with Naomi to Bethlehem might have been. She had married the son of an Israelite family while they were living in Moab, but at some point her father-in-law, her husband, and her husband's only . Orpah, by contrast, disappears from the story and is forgotten. An heir implies an inheritance, and in the Bible that means land. "In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. I also said that people use this to try and undermine the halakhic requirements of giyur which I should I guess have qualified. If employer doesn't have physical address, what is the minimum information I should have from them. Clarify The story of Tamar and Judah is also a story of family continuity achieved by the determination of a woman. Either way, Orpahs name reveals a sense of running away or turning away. What are the biblical principles for solid decision-making? But alas, both the usual explanation (that Shavuot celebrates the spring grain harvest, which forms the setting for the book) and various lesser-known explanations (that David, a great-grandson of Ruth, died on Shavuot or that Ruths loyalty to Naomi symbolizes Israels loyalty to the Torah) touch only upon superficial connections or are clearly midrashic1 efforts to forge a connection. As for why the text continues to refer to her as "", first of all, as @Alex has noted in the comments to the other answers, it is not uncommon to find someone referred to by the country of origin even if they are no longer associated with it. After the death of all the male members of her family (her husband, her father-in-law, and her brother-in-law), she stays with her mother-in-law, Naomi, and moves to Judah with her, where Ruth wins the love and . Akeidas Yitzchak condemns this approach, though, since Naami explicitly tells her to return to her people, and why would Naami try to convince her to retract her conversion? Moab was familiar and comfortable, and there were possible marriage proposals. Why did Ruth stay with Naomi after Our weekly email is chockful of interesting and relevant insights into Jewish history, food, philosophy, current events, holidays and more Dovid Rosenfeld, a native of the Washington, D.C. area, works both as a programmer for aish.com and as a responder for its Ask the Rabbi service. Ezra/Nehemiah recount the peoples return to the land and the restoration of the community in it. She was from Moab and was the daughter-in-law of Naomi and wife of Chilion. Great insight in the sacred scripture. Why did Boaz not want anyone to know Ruth was at the threshing floor? Report In the story of Ruth and Naomi, we see Compassion, Acceptance, Kindness, and finally, Loyalty. Orpah decides to return to her own people and gods; Ruth clings to Naomi and Naomi's God. The whole theme is that of the need of redemption of those unable to rescue themselves by a kinsman redeemer. Akeidas Yitzchak therefore believes that Ruth converted on the way with Naami. 14 Liberal scholars argue that Ruth was written after the Babylonian exile. Tamela Turbeville wants every woman to know God loves them, no matter what their past looks like. The Book of Ruth begins with a tale of famine in the Holy Land. Does a halachically circumcised non-Jew need Hatafat Dam when converting? Are there scriptures to support any model of the shape of the earth? Share Naomi even later tested them to see if they have converted. Orpah chose to return to her home, and Ruth decided to stay with Naomi. It is available as both book and ebook. I overpaid the IRS. Ruth's response revealed the difference between Orpah and herself. How is the 'right to healthcare' reconciled with the freedom of medical staff to choose where and when they work? The section known in Jewish tradition as the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings) details the vicissitudes of the people in the promised land, until, at the end of Kings, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar conquers the territory of Judah and sends its people into exile. The sons too perish, and at last Naomi resolves to return to Israel, widowed, childless and impoverished. Ruth's choice led to poverty and singleness for a long period of time. What is the significance of Ruth telling Naomi, "Wherever you go, I will go" (Ruth 1:16)? She gathered her belongings and set out for Bethlehem with her dutiful daughters-in-law in tow. This transaction raises legal questions, but more importantly, the proper inheritance of land has special significance in the Bible. The book of Judges presents Israel's frailty, the nation's need for deliverance, and God's use of flawed leaders to guide his chosen people through a dark period of their history. In the Book of Ruth, Orpah and Ruth chose different paths because that was best for them. How can we know what parts of the Bible apply to us today? A ketana can certainly be mezukeket leyibbum (read: a female minor whose husband dies childless is obligated in yibbum or chalitza to the husbands brothers if he has any.). Repentence comes due to conviction. Leah and Rachels eagerness to bear children for Jacob is again emphasized when they argue over who shall use the aphrodisiac mandrakes found by Leahs son (Genesis 30:1416). Who should be making the financial decisions for a church body? In this coming together of family and peoplehood, we are again reminded of the stories of the patriarchs, in which the family represents the people. Do What You Know Is Right, Not What Looks Right to Others. In Moab, as a mother and wife, she had hope. Following the death of her husband, Elimelech, and her two sons, Naomi decided to leave Moab, where her family had fled to escape famine. Kovetz Haoros Ubeurim Oholei Torah, no. Who will occupy the Millennial Kingdom?added 5 months ago; What does the Bible say about decision-making. There her husband died, and her sons married Moabite women named Ruth and Orpah. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. And how to capitalize on that? Thereafter, we read: "Jehovah granted her conception and she bore a son.". Answer. Perhaps, Naomi began to consider her future and the future and hopes of her daughters-in-law. But Ruth makes a different decision, revealing not only her dedication to her mother-in-law, but her dedication to the God of Israel (As Naomi noted, Orpah was . Following the death of her husband, Elimelech, and her two sons, Naomi decided to leave Moab, where her family had fled to escape famine. ORPAH. The tale begins not in Israel or Judah but in Moab, where the Israelite Naomi and her husband, Elimelech, and her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, went during a famine in Judah. Perhaps out of obedience, or maybe out of duty, the women continued with their mother-in-law. Thus and more may the Lord do to me if anything but death part me from you. We follow the familiar or follow God. All rights reserved. I propose a much more fundamental and far-reaching link between Ruth and the Torahindeed, with the entire Biblea link that goes to the very heart of the overarching theme of the Bible. Orpah agrees, but Ruth refuses with the resounding words: Together they journey to Naomis former home in Bethlehem. And she took that same zeal and self-sacrifice and brought them to the other side. Human beings have an enormous potential for greatness. Central to the Book of Ruth is the institution of the goel, the redeemer whose duty, according to Leviticus 25:25, is to buy back any land sold by his kinsman out of economic necessity. Naomi is left with two daughter in laws. Abarbanel writes that Shmuel Hanavi wrote Ruth after he anointed David to highlight David's ancestry and to show that he came from noble stock. (Although Ralbag does mention that this was because Naami wanted to see if her conversion was legitimately sincere.) RUTH: GOD PROVIDES A KINSMAN-REDEEMER. She would abandon the gods of Moab, and Ruth and Naomi would both be committed to the one true God of Israel. The outcome of Orpahs choice is not known. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. a. Thrice-bereaved of any provider, Naomi decides to return to Judah, having heard that the Lord had given food to her people in Bethlehem. Are there scriptures to support any model of the shape of the earth? Ruth vows, Your people will be my people and your God my God, a declaration of love and loyalty cemented when Ruth marries Elimelechs wealthy kinsman, Boaz. And why shouldn't open-hearted Orpah, in her little time, also love her Moabite mother-in-law, who is like her own mother, and who will also call her 'daughter'. First, Ruth establishes a physical connection with her newly adopted land as she gleans in Boazs field. What does a zero with 2 slashes mean when labelling a circuit breaker panel? The name Ruth means "companion, friend, woman of beauty," but it can also mean "a feeling of pity, distress of grief." As we will learn as we begin to study Ruth, she lives up to all these . So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab(Ruth 1:1). Why did Ruth and Orpah make different decisions? Orpah, as a mere agent in the story, serves as a foil for Ruth. This would be uplifting even on the level of an individual family; but like the patriarchal stories, the Book of Ruth speaks to the national level as well. Why did the first kinsman redeemer in Ruth refuse to marry her? Vote Up She willingly submitted herself to them all. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is. Share In ancient times, a name revealed a lot about that person. Orpah and Ruth chose different paths, Ruth toward God and chose the faithful way, and Orpah chose the familiar path wherein she returned to familiar people and gods. She almost gave up her entire past and homeland to embrace a new religion. Report, July 30 2019 Its a beautiful story of redemption and grace. When Boaz visits the field and hears of Ruths loyalty to his kin Naomi, he instructs his workers to allow her to glean unmolested and even to leave additional grain in her path. For me this circumstance reinforces the message of Christ that what is in an individuals heart is what countswhat had always counted, but the Law and its observance had been intended to maintain a close relationship between God and his Chosen People until the coming of Jesus and the new, simpler, covenant. While the two women have several things in common, they are different in some respects. God reveals the true identity of . 2:4). She pleaded with the two to return to their homeland and their people because there is no future where she is going. Naomi's two sons married Moabite women called Orpah and Ruth. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. Tens years later, and without any children, the two sons die. We will discuss how Providence and human choice interacts to shape the history on individuals and nations, God . The Fall of the House of Orpah. The narrative from Exodus to Deuteronomy relates the return of this people from Egypt to the land they have been promised. What's the explanation of this Yalkut (if there is any)? Ruth, on the contrary, was renouncing the polytheism of the Moabites and embracing the monotheism of the Hebrews. Why did Ruth and Orpah make different decisions? So too Ruth could be Jewish and still be the the Jewess-from-Moab. Not only that it also opens up the reality that Jesus not only came to redeem the chosen ones but also the gentiles who like Ruth left her old gods and identity for a new identity in Christ, the executed messiah!! Dam when converting though she was from Moab and was the scarier of the Sadducees '' themselves by kinsman. May the Lord do to me if anything but death part me from Ruth #. People and Gods ; Ruth clings to Naomi appear amazing at www.livingoneword.com, the... And of the Sadducees '' her dutiful daughters-in-law in tow this was because Naami wanted become. 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