Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The Book of Ruth: Disposable heroes??

Here are my thoughts (for this year) about Megillat Ruth/the Book of Ruth, traditionally read on Shavuot, which begins at sundown tonight. (Chag Sameich/Happy Holiday!)
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First, there's Megillat Ruth itself: In the final chapter, chapter 4, verse 16-17, Ruth's baby is symbolically taken away from her and given to her mother-in-law.

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“16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
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17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying: 'There is a son born to Naomi'; and they called his name Obed; he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”
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Then, there's a Midrash (rabbinical interpretation of the text) that says that Boaz lived just long enough to impregnate Ruth, then died after their wedding night.
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So the only point of the story is to get a woman born non-Jewish to marry a Jew and bear a child who would be the ancestor of David HaMelech/King David, from whose line the Mashiach/Messiah will be born, just to prove that it's possible for a person who's not a literal descendant of Avraham Avinu (Abraham our Father) and Sarah Imeinu (Sarah our Mother) to become a Jew? Ruth and Boaz, as human beings, are irrelevant?
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Did it never occur to the author(s) of that Midrash that killing off Boaz also destroys the very reason for the "shotgun wedding," namely, to provide Ruth with the security of marriage, as Naomi states clearly in chapter 3, verse 1?
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“1 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?”
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I can hear Ruth now. "Great, here my mother-in-law and I schemed so nicely to get me remarried so that I'd have someone to support me, and no sooner do I put aside my widowhood than I find myself widowed all over again the very next morning."
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What were the rabbis thinking?

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