Their story, a testament to love, loyalty, and unexpected blessings, unfolds against a backdrop of moral decay, as Ginzberg tells us in Legends of the Jews.

The times, they weren't exactly shining. The moral compass of society was spinning wildly. Even a man of Boaz's stature – noble, wealthy – felt the need to sleep on the threshing floor. Why? To keep things in check, to be a physical barrier against the licentiousness that ran rampant. Can you imagine?

Then, in the dead of night, Boaz is jolted awake. Someone’s right there beside him. His first thought? A demon! Talk about a rude awakening.

But no, it's Ruth. And she quickly soothes his fears. "Don't be afraid," she basically says. "You're a leader, you come from a line of princes, you're a respected man, and you're related to my late husband. I'm a young widow, and since leaving my parents' idolatrous home, I've been fending off unwanted attention from all sides. I've come to you, the redeemer, asking you to take me under your wing – 'spread your skirt over me'," a symbolic gesture of protection and marriage, echoing the words of the Book of Ruth itself (Ruth 3:9).

Boaz, being the honorable man he is, assures her that he'll do everything he can. He explains that there’s one older brother, Tob, who has first dibs. But if Tob declines, Boaz will step up and fulfill his duty as a kinsman-redeemer.

The very next day, Boaz brings the matter before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court. And wouldn't you know it, an angel, according to the Legends, hustles Tob right over so there won't be any unnecessary waiting for Ruth and Boaz. Divine intervention, perhaps?

Here's where it gets interesting. Tob, bless his heart, wasn't exactly a Torah scholar. He mistakenly believed that the Torah's prohibition against the Moabites marrying into the Israelite community applied to women as well as men. As we see in Deuteronomy 23:3-4, the Torah does prohibit male Moabites from marrying into the community, but this was understood to only apply to men.

So, Tob declines to marry Ruth. His loss!

Which leaves the door wide open for Boaz. An octogenarian, no less! And Ruth? She was forty at the time of her second marriage. Quite the age gap, right? According to the Legends, it was against all odds that they would have children. But, as we know, miracles happen.

They were blessed with a son, Obed – and he was considered especially pious. As the story continues, Ruth even lived to see the glory of Solomon. Boaz, however, didn’t get to enjoy the fruits of their union for long. Legends of the Jews tells us that he died the day after the wedding. A bittersweet ending, perhaps? But what a legacy he left behind!

Think about it: a love story born in a time of moral decay, defying expectations, and ultimately leading to the lineage of King David, and eventually, according to Christian tradition, Jesus. Not bad for a couple who took a chance on love, loyalty, and doing the right thing, even when the world around them wasn't so righteous. What does this teach us about the power of individual choices, and the unexpected ways that goodness can blossom, even in the most unlikely of circumstances?