## Rashi on Ruth Chapter 2

###### Rashi on Ruth 2:1:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:1:1)

**מוֹדַע.** קָרוֹב. בֶּן אָחִיו שֶׁל אֱלִימֶלֶךְ הָיָה. אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, אֱלִימֶלֶךְ וְשַׂלְמוֹן אֲבִי בֹעַז וּפְלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי הַגּוֹאֵל וַאֲבִי נָעֳמִי כֻּלָּם בְּנֵי נַחְשׁוֹן בֶּן עַמִּינָדָב הָיוּ, וְלֹא הוֹעִילָה לָהֶם זְכוּת אֲבוֹתָם בְּצֵאתָם מֵאֶרֶץ לְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**A kinsman.** A relative; he was the son of Elimelech’s brother. Our Rabbis of blessed memory said, “Elimelech, and Salmone¹ the father of Bo’az, and the anonymous kinsman,² and the father of Naomi,³ were all sons of Nachshon,⁴ the son of Aminadav.⁵ Yet the merit of their fathers was no avail them when they left the Land [of Yisroel] to go abroad.”

footnotes:
¹ Rus 4:21.
² Ibid. 4:1.
³ Therefore Bo’az and Naomi were cousins.
⁴ Shemos 6:23 and Bamidbar 10:14.
⁵ Maseches Bava Basra 91a.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:2:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:2:1)

**אֵלְכָה נָּא הַשָּׂדֶה.** לְאֶחָד מִשְּׂדוֹת אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר אַחֲרֵי אֶחָד מֵהֶם "אֲשֶׁר אֶמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינָיו", שֶׁלֹּא יִגְעַר בִּי:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Let me go now to the field.** To one of the fields of the people of the city, after one of them, “in whose eyes I will find favor,” so that he will not rebuke me.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:2:2
[Rashi on Ruth 2:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:2:2)

**וַאֲלַקְּטָה בַשִּׁבֳּלִים אַחַר אֲשֶׁר אֶמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינָיו.** אַחַר מִי אֲשֶׁר אֶמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינָיו:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And glean among the stalks, behind one in whose eyes I will find favor.** After someone in whose eyes I will find favor.⁶

footnotes:
⁶ Alternatively, after I find favor in his eyes, i.e., I will not glean in a field until I know the owner allows it. (Malbim)


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:3:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:3:1)

**וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתָּבוֹא וַתְּלַקֵּט בַּשָּׂדֶה.** מָצִינוּ בְמִדְרַשׁ רוּת, עַד לָא אֲזָלַת אָתַת? שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר "וַתָּבוֹא", וְאַחַר "וַתְּלַקֵּט". אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיְתָה מְסַמֶּנֶת הַדְּרָכִים קֹדֶם שֶׁנִכְנְסָה לַשָּׂדֶה, וְהָלְכָה וּבָאָה וְחָזְרָה לָעִיר כְּדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת סִמָּנִים וְצִיּוּנִים שֶׁלֹּא תִטְעֶה בַּשְּׁבִילִין וְתֵדַע לָשׁוּב:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**So she went, and came and gleaned in the field.** We find in Midrash Rus [the question is raised], “Before she had even gone she returned?” For it states, “and [she] came” and afterwards “and gleaned” [i.e., she came back before she gleaned]? Rather, [the Midrash explains] she would mark the roads before she entered the field, and she went and came and returned to the city, in order to make signs and markings so that she would not stray in the paths and she should know how to return.⁷

footnotes:
⁷ Alternatively, Rabbi Eliezer said that she kept on coming back until she found decent people with whom to go. (Maseches Shabbos 113b).


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:3:2
[Rashi on Ruth 2:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:3:2)

**וַיִּקֶר מִקְרֶהָ.** לָבֹא בְחֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר לְבֹעַז:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**[And as Divine fate decreed] she happened.** To come to the portion of the field belonging to Bo’az.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:5:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:5:1)

**לְמִי הַנַּעֲרָה הַזֹּאת.** וְכִי דַרְכּוֹ שֶׁל בֹּעַז לִשְׁאֹל בְּנָשִׁים? אֶלָּא, דִּבְרֵי צְנִיעוּת וְחָכְמָה רָאָה בָהּ. שְׁתֵּי שִׁבֳּלִים לִקְּטָה, שְׁלשָׁה אֵינָהּ לִקְּטָה. וְהָיְתָה מְלַקֶּטֶת עוֹמְדוֹת מְעֻמָּד וְשׁוֹכְבוֹת מְיֻשָּׁב, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִשְׁחֶה:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**To whom does this maiden belong.** Was it the practice of Bo’az to inquire about women? Rather, [because] he saw her modest and wise behavior [he was curious about her. He observed that] two ears she would glean but three she would not glean;⁸ and she would glean the standing ears while standing and the lying ones while sitting, in order to avoid bending over.⁹

footnotes:
⁸ As prescribed by the Mishnah (Pe’ah 6:5). The Torah in Vayikra 19:9 awards the fallen ears of grain and forgotten sheaves to the poor. Thus her exemplary behavior and her knowledge of the law caught the attention of Bo’az and he therefore inquired about her.
⁹ Maseches Shabbos 113b.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:6:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:6:1)

**הַשָּׁבָה עִם נָעֳמִי.** הַטַּעַם לְמַעְלָה תַּחַת הַשִּׁי"ן, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן עָבַר וְאֵינָהּ לְשׁוֹן פּוֹעֶלֶת:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Who returned with Naomi.** The accent is at the beginning, under the *shin*, because it is the past tense, and not the present tense [of the verb].¹⁰

footnotes:
¹⁰ See Rashi in Bereishis 29:6.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:7:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:7:1)

**וַתֹּאמֶר.** בְּלִבָּהּ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And she did say.** To herself.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:7:2
[Rashi on Ruth 2:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:7:2)

**אֲלַקְּטָה נָּא.** לֶקֶט הַשִּׁבֳּלִים:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Please allow me to glean.** The gleaning of the ears.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:7:3
[Rashi on Ruth 2:7:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:7:3)

**וְאָסַפְתִּי בָעֳמָרִים.** שִׁכְחָה שֶׁל עֳמָרִים:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And gather among the sheaves.** The forgotten sheaves.¹¹

footnotes:
¹¹ Devarim 24:19.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:9:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:9:1)

**וְצָמִת וְהָלַכְתְּ אֶל הַכֵּלִים.** וְאִם תִּצְמְאִי אַל תִּכָּלְמִי מִלֶּכֶת וְלִשְׁתּוֹת מִכְּלֵי הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאֲבוּן הַנְּעָרִים:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And when you are thirsty, go to the jugs.** And if you are thirsty, do not be ashamed to go and drink from the vessels of water that the young men will draw.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:13:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:13:1)

**לֹא אֶהְיֶה כְּאַחַת שִׁפְחֹתֶךָ.** אֵינֶנִּי חֲשׁוּבָה כְּאַחַת מִן הַשְּׁפָחוֹת שֶּׁלְּךָ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**I cannot even be considered as one of your handmaidens.** I am not as worthy as one of your handmaidens.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:14:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:14:1)

**וְטָבַלְתְּ פִּתֵּךְ בַּחֹמֶץ.** מִכַּאן שֶׁהַחֹמֶץ יָפֶה לְשָׁרָב:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And dip your bread in the vinegar.** From here [we derive] that vinegar is good for the heat.¹²

footnotes:
¹² Maseches Shabbos 113b. It is a popular and refreshing drink for those who toil in extremely hot climates.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:14:2
[Rashi on Ruth 2:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:14:2)

**וַיִּצְבָּט לָהּ קָלִי.** וַיּוֹשֶׁט לָהּ. וְאֵין לוֹ דִמְיוֹן בַּמִּקְרָא אֶלָּא בִלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה: אֲחוֹרַיִם וְתָוֶךְ וּבֵית הַצְּבִיטָה:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And he handed her some roasted grain.** And he extended to her. There is no similar [word] in Scripture, but only in the language of the Mishnah, “the outside, the inside and the handle [= בֵית הַצְּבִיטָה.”¹³

footnotes:
¹³ Maseches Chagigah 3:1.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:16:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:16:1)

**וְגַם שֹׁל תָּשֹׁלּוּ.** שָׁכוֹחַ תִּשְׁכְּחוּ, עֲשׂוּ עַצְמֵיכֶם כְּאִלּוּ אַתֶּם שׁוֹכְחִים. תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל שְׁגָגָה שְׁלוּתָא, וְכֵן "עַל הַשַּׁל". דָּבָר אַחֵר, לְשׁוֹן "כִּי יִשַּׁל זֵיתֶךָ":

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And let [some sheaves] fall for her.** שֹׁל תָּשֹׁלּוּ =] you should forget; pretend as though you are forgetting.¹⁴ The Targum for שְׁגָגָה [=oversight], is שְׁלוּתָא,¹⁵ and similarly, “because of this error.”¹⁶ Another explanation [of שֹׁל תָּשֹׁלּוּ is “let fall”], an expression [as in,] “your olive tree will cast off [= יִשַּׁל [its fruit].”¹⁷

footnotes:
¹⁴ The double verb indicates that the action was to be repeated many times.
¹⁵ Bamidbar 15:25.
¹⁶ II Shmuel 6:7.
¹⁷ Devarim 28:40.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:16:2
[Rashi on Ruth 2:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:16:2)

**צְבָתִים.** עֳמָרִים קְטַנִּים. וְיֵשׁ דֻּגְמָתוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה, מְצָאָן צְבָתִים אוֹ כְרִיכוֹת:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Bundles.** Small sheaves, and there is a similar expression in the language of the Mishnah, “[If] he found them [tefillin] tied up in bundles or in packets.”¹⁸

footnotes:
¹⁸ Maseches Eruvin 10:1.


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:19:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:19:1)

**יְהִי מַכִּירֵךְ בָּרוּךְ.** בַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה שֶׁנָּשָׂא וְנָתַן לָךְ פָּנִים לִלְקֹט בְּשָׂדֵהוּ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Blessed be he that took note of you.** [I.e.,] the owner of the field who showed you favor [and allowed you] to glean in his field.¹⁹

footnotes:
¹⁹ Alternatively, the person who takes note of you and marries you will be blessed because you are a gifted person. (Gra).


###### Rashi on Ruth 2:20:1
[Rashi on Ruth 2:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/2:20:1)

**אֶת הַחַיִּים וְאֶת הַמֵּתִים.** שֶׁזָּן וּמְפַרְנֵס אֶת הַחַיִּים וְנִטְפָּל בְּצָרְכֵי הַמֵּתִים:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**With the living and with the deceased.** That he feeds and sustains the living, and occupies himself with the needs of the deceased.²⁰

footnotes:
²⁰ The “needs of the deceased” refers to the kindness displayed by Bo’az to Elimelech and his sons. (Ibn Ezra) Alternatively, the “needs of the deceased” refers to the willingness of Bo’az to perform a levirate marriage and will thus do kindness to the memory of her deceased husband. (Alshich)