Boaz Blesses Ruth and Swears Against His Inclination at Night

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bo 16:5

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"And he said: Who are you? And she said: I am Ruth your handmaid [and so forth]. And he said: Blessed are you to the LORD, my daughter" (Ruth 3:9-10). It was not enough that he did not curse her; rather, he blessed her. "You have made your latter kindness better than the first" (ibid.). So it was with Boaz; he expounded: What does a woman love? A poor young man more than a rich old man. "And I am eighty years old, yet she has come to me to sanctify the Name of Heaven." He began to bless her. He said to her, "Spend the night [and so forth; if he will redeem you, good]" (ibid. v. 13), "but if he does not wish to redeem you [and so forth]" (ibid.). Rabbi Yehudah ha-Levi son of Rabbi Shalom said: The evil inclination came to him. It said to him, "You are unattached and she is unattached; take her." Immediately he made his inclination swear an oath, and said to it, "As the LORD lives" (ibid.), "I will not touch her." Rabbi Huna said: She said to him, "Are you sending me away with mere words?" He said to her, "As the LORD lives, I am not sending you away with words." David said: I am obligated to give thanks to You for the miracles that You performed with my grandfather and with my grandmother at night; therefore, "At midnight I rise to give thanks to You" (Psalm 119:62).

Themes

Evil InclinationWomenConversionDavidRedemption

Biblical References

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