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rhuToday, the second day of Shavuot, is when we read the book of Ruth in synagogue. I was really struck by chapter 4 this year.
Our story so far: Naomi and her husband and two sons left Bethlehem during a famine, and dwelt in Moab, where the two boys married local girls. Then all three men died, and Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth return to Bethlehem. The other daughter-in-law, Orpah, took Naomi's advice to return to her parents' house and seek a new husband in Moab, but Ruth converts to Judaism and discovers Boaz, a near kinsman who is willing to fulfil the practice of levirate marriage. The problem is that there's one kinsman even closer, who would have right of first refusal to marry Ruth and claim her family's lands.
OK, so we're up to Chapter 4. Boaz goes to the city gate, assembles ten elders, and asks the near kinsman his intentions. At first, the kinsman agrees to "redeem" Naomi's family's land, but when he finds out that the package includes levirate marriage with a Moabitess convert, he begs off, "lest my inheritance be blemished." In other words, he's worried that under the terms of levirate marriage, the child will be considered Machlon's, not his; he's also apparently concerned because Ruth is a Moabitess convert. The kinsman loosens his shoe, Boaz claims Ruth as the next nearest kinsman, and not only do they live happily ever after, but their great-grandson is King David.
So the trivia question is: What is the name of this nearer kinsman? Look at the first verse of chapter 4:
(The rest of the chapter is also a fascinating bit of political propaganda, drawing powerful parallels comparing Ruth to Tamar, Boaz to Judah, King David to Nachshon ben Aminadav, and the anonymous jerkwad to Onan. Hmm, maybe I could have phrased that better.)
Our story so far: Naomi and her husband and two sons left Bethlehem during a famine, and dwelt in Moab, where the two boys married local girls. Then all three men died, and Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth return to Bethlehem. The other daughter-in-law, Orpah, took Naomi's advice to return to her parents' house and seek a new husband in Moab, but Ruth converts to Judaism and discovers Boaz, a near kinsman who is willing to fulfil the practice of levirate marriage. The problem is that there's one kinsman even closer, who would have right of first refusal to marry Ruth and claim her family's lands.
OK, so we're up to Chapter 4. Boaz goes to the city gate, assembles ten elders, and asks the near kinsman his intentions. At first, the kinsman agrees to "redeem" Naomi's family's land, but when he finds out that the package includes levirate marriage with a Moabitess convert, he begs off, "lest my inheritance be blemished." In other words, he's worried that under the terms of levirate marriage, the child will be considered Machlon's, not his; he's also apparently concerned because Ruth is a Moabitess convert. The kinsman loosens his shoe, Boaz claims Ruth as the next nearest kinsman, and not only do they live happily ever after, but their great-grandson is King David.
So the trivia question is: What is the name of this nearer kinsman? Look at the first verse of chapter 4:
וּבֹעַז עָלָה הַשַּׁעַר, וַיֵּשֶׁב שָׁם, וְהִנֵּה הַגֹּאֵל עֹבֵר אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר-בֹּעַז, וַיֹּאמֶר סוּרָה שְׁבָה-פֹּה פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי; וַיָּסַר, וַיֵּשֵׁב.
And Boaz ascended to the [city] gate and sat there, and behold! The redeeming kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken passed by; and [Boaz] said "Come over and sit here, John Doe!" And he came over and he sat.Yes, the kinsman who was so concerned about his name being wiped out from among the families of Judah has had his name erased by the author of Ruth.
(The rest of the chapter is also a fascinating bit of political propaganda, drawing powerful parallels comparing Ruth to Tamar, Boaz to Judah, King David to Nachshon ben Aminadav, and the anonymous jerkwad to Onan. Hmm, maybe I could have phrased that better.)