Her story isn't just a sweet tale; it’s a cornerstone of Jewish tradition.
Now, Ruth wasn's born Jewish. She was a Moabite princess. But her heart, it seemed, had other plans. You see, Ruth's path crossed with Naomi, an Israelite woman who had suffered immense loss – her husband and sons had passed away while living in Moab. Naomi decided to return to her homeland, Bethlehem, and urged her daughters-in-law, including Ruth, to stay in Moab.
But Ruth? She was different. Something had resonated deep within her, a connection to Naomi and her faith.
Naomi, as any good Jewish mother would, felt obligated to lay out the realities of Jewish life. As we find in the Talmud (Yevamot 47b), there's a requirement to dissuade converts, to explain the weight of the mitzvot (commandments) and the challenges of the Jewish path. It wasn't about pushing her away, but about ensuring she understood the commitment she was making.
So, Naomi warned Ruth. She spoke of the stringent observances, the Sabbaths and feast days that demanded dedication. She mentioned how Jewish women didn't partake in the kinds of amusements common in other cultures. Can you imagine that conversation? Naomi, weary and grieving, trying to explain the intricacies of a life so different from what Ruth knew.
But Ruth remained steadfast. Undeterred. She affirmed her willingness to embrace Jewish customs, to live by Jewish law. As Ginzberg beautifully recounts in Legends of the Jews, when Naomi declared, "We have one Torah (law), one law, one command; the Eternal our God is one, there is none beside Him," Ruth responded with words that have echoed through generations: "Thy people shall be my people, thy God my God." (Ruth 1:16)
Talk about a powerful moment!
And so, the two women journeyed together to Bethlehem. Can you picture them, these two figures bound by love and shared loss, walking towards an uncertain future?
Their arrival was no accident. As fate would have it, they reached Bethlehem on the very day that Boaz's wife was being buried. The whole town was gathered. The assembled crowd witnessed Naomi's return, a homecoming filled with both sorrow and, perhaps, a glimmer of hope. It's like a scene from a movie, isn't it? Everything aligning for a reason.
And what was that reason? Well, that's a story for another time. But let's just say that Ruth's unwavering devotion and her fateful encounter with Boaz would have consequences that changed the course of Jewish history. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? How seemingly small decisions, acts of faith and love, can ripple outwards, shaping the destiny of nations.