by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 26, 2023 | Leadership, Ruth
By Rabbi Tuly Weisz According to the Talmudic sage Rabbi Zeira, the Book of Ruth was included in Hebrew scripture in order “To teach us the greatness of the reward for acts of lovingkindness.” However, there is another opinion that explains the need for this...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 26, 2023 | Redemption, Ruth
By Rabbi Tuly Weisz The Book of Ruth is a story of redemption. By marrying Ruth, Boaz redeems her and her former husband by carrying on his family name, and also redeems the property that belonged to Elimelech and his family. However, the Book of Ruth is not only...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 26, 2023 | Kindness and Compassion, Ruth
By Rabbi Tuly Weisz By declaring her allegiance to God and the Jewish people, Ruth became one of a small number of righteous non-Jews in the Bible who stand out for recognizing God. Jethro, for example, moved by what he heard about the Exodus from Egypt, went to meet...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 26, 2023 | Kindness and Compassion, Ruth
By Rabbi Tuly Weisz The books of the Writings were written through divine inspiration, without direct communication from God. Since these works were not written through direct communication with God, there was some uncertainty as to which books should and should not...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 26, 2023 | Kindness and Compassion, Ruth
By Rabbi Tuly Weisz The story of Ruth opens with a famine in the Land of Israel which causes a man, Elimelech, to move his family from Israel to the plains of Moab. This is not the first time we hear of a famine in Israel in the Bible. Almost as soon as Abraham steps...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 26, 2023 | Ruth
By Rabbi Tuly Weisz Though it is never explicitly discussed, the Land of Israel is front and center in the Book of Ruth. While the primary characters in this short book do not travel extensively, geography nevertheless plays a critical role in the story. The story...
