## Rashi on Ruth Chapter 3

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

**מֹדַעְתָּנוּ.** קְרוֹבֵנוּ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Our kinsman.** Our relative.


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

**הִנֵּה הוּא זֹרֶה.** הַמּוֹץ. וונטו"ר בְּלַעַ"ז:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Behold, he will be winnowing.** The chaff, *vraner* in O.F.


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

**הַלָּיְלָה.** שֶׁהָיָה הַדּוֹר פָּרוּץ בִּגְנֵבָה וְגָזֵל, וְהָיָה יָשֵׁן בְּגָרְנוֹ לִשְׁמֹר גָּרְנוֹ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Tonight.** Because the generation was unrestrained in theft and robbery; he would sleep in his granary to guard his granary.


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

**וְרָחַצְתְּ.** מִטִּנּוּף עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁלָּךְ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**[And you shall] bathe.** From the contamination of your [past] idolatry.¹

footnotes:
¹ Rus, obviously does not have to be told to do such a basic thing (i.e., to bathe), therefore it must allude for her to remove the contamination of her past idolatry.


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

**וָסַכְתְּ.** אֵלּוּ מִצְוֹת:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And scent yourself.** These are the [Torah’s] precepts.


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

**וְשַׂמְתְּ שִׂמְלֹתַיִךְ.** בְּגָדִים שֶׁל שַׁבָּת:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Dress [yourself] in your finest garb.** Shabbos garments.²

footnotes:
² Maseches Shabbos 113b. The word שמלה rather than בגד or לבוש indicates especially fine clothing of Shabbos or Yom Tov. Malbim Alternatively, the mere mention to put on clothes is superfluous, it therefore must refer to Shabbos clothing. (Sifsei Chachomim)


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:3:4
[Rashi on Ruth 3:3:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:3:4)

**וְיָרַדְתְּ הַגֹּרֶן.** וְיָרַדְתִּי כְּתִיב זְכוּתִי תֵרֵד עִמָּךְ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And go down to the threshing floor.** It is written וְיָרַדְתִּי [=and I will go down]; [i.e.,] my merit will go down with you.³

footnotes:
³ And protect you from any mishap.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:3:5
[Rashi on Ruth 3:3:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:3:5)

**אַל תִּוָּדְעִי לָאִישׁ.** לְבֹעַז:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**But do not identify yourself to the man.** To Bo’az.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:6:1
[Rashi on Ruth 3:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:6:1)

**וַתֵּרֶד הַגֹּרֶן וַתַּעַשׂ.** הִיא אָמְרָה לָהּ "וְרָחַצְתְּ וָסַכְתְּ וְשַׂמְתְּ שִׂמְלוֹתַיִךְ עָלַיִךְ", וְאַחַר כָּךְ "וְיָרַדְתְּ הַגֹּרֶן. וְהִיא לֹא עָשְׂתָה כֵן. אֶלָּא אָמְרָה, "אִם אֵרֵד כְּשֶׁאֲנִי מְקֻשֶּׁטֶת, הַפּוֹגֵעַ בִּי וְהָרוֹאֶה אוֹתִי יֹאמַר שֶׁאֲנִי זוֹנָה". לְפִיכָךְ, יָרְדָה בַתְּחִלָּה הַגֹּרֶן וְאַחַר כָּךְ קִשְּׁטָה אֶת עַצְמָהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּתָּהּ חֲמוֹתָהּ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**So she went down to the threshing floor and she did.** She [Naomi] said to her, “Bathe and scent yourself, dress yourself in the finest garb,” and afterwards, “and go down to the threshing floor.” But she [Rus] did not do so, but [instead] she said, “If I go down when I am dressed up, whoever meets me or sees me will think that I am a harlot.” She therefore first went down to the threshing floor and afterwards adorned herself, as her mother-in-law had instructed.⁴

footnotes:
⁴ Maseches Shabbos 113b.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:7:1
[Rashi on Ruth 3:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:7:1)

**וַיִּיטַב לִבּוֹ.** עָסַק בַּתּוֹרָה:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And his heart was jubilant.** Because he engaged in Torah [study].⁵

footnotes:
⁵ Alternatively, he was happy that his prayers were accepted and the famine ended. (Targum)


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

**וַתָּבֹא בַלָּט.** בְּנַחַת:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And she came in softly.** בַלָּט =] silently.⁶

footnotes:
⁶ Alternatively, slowly. (Radak)


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:8:1
[Rashi on Ruth 3:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:8:1)

**וַיֶּחֱרַד הָאִישׁ.** כְּסָבוּר שֵׁד הוּא וּבִקֵּשׁ לִזְעֹק, וְהִיא אֲחָזַתּוּ וּלְפָפַתּוּ בִּזְרוֹעוֹתֶיהָ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**The man was startled.** He thought it was a demon and wanted to scream, but she held him and encompassed him with her arms.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:8:2
[Rashi on Ruth 3:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:8:2)

**וַיִּלָּפֵת.** וַיֵּאָחֵז כְּמוֹ וַיִּלְפֹּת שִׁמְשׁוֹן:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And [he] turned about.** וַיִּלָּפֵת =] and he was seized, as in, “And Shimshon grasped וַיִּלְפֹּת.”⁷

footnotes:
⁷ Shoftim 16:29. Alternatively, “his skin Hardened [like a turnip= לפת] from fright.” (Maseches Sanhedrin 19b)


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:8:3
[Rashi on Ruth 3:8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:8:3)

**וְהִנֵּה אִשָּׁה.** נָתַן יָדוֹ עַל רֹאשָׁהּ וְהִכִּיר שֶׁהִיא אִשָּׁה:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**And behold there was a woman.** He placed his hand on her head and recognized that it was a woman [and not a demon].⁸

footnotes:
⁸ Because demons have no hair. Alternatively, he realized from her voice that she was a woman, or he saw her by the light of the moon.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:9:1
[Rashi on Ruth 3:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:9:1)

**וּפְָרַשְׂתָּ כְנָפֶךָ.** כְּנַף בִּגְדְּךָ לְכַסּוֹתִי בְטַלִּיתְךָ וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן נִשּׂוּאִין:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Spread your mantle.** The corner of your garment to cover me with your cloak; and this is an expression of marriage.⁹

footnotes:
⁹ An expression taken from birds who spread their wings [כנף] when they mate. (Malbim)


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:9:2
[Rashi on Ruth 3:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:9:2)

**כִּי גֹאֵל אָתָּה.** לִגְאֹל נַחֲלַת אִישִׁי כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וּבָא גוֹאֲלוֹ הַקָּרוֹב אֵלָיו וְגָאַל וגו'". וַחֲמוֹתִי וַאֲנִי צְרִיכוֹת לִמְכֹּר נַחֲלָתֵנוּ, וְעַתָּה עָלֶיךָ לִקְנוֹת. קְנֵה גַם אוֹתִי עִמָּהּ שֶׁיִּזָּכֵר שֵׁם הַמֵּת עַל נַחֲלָתוֹ, כְּשֶׁאָבֹא עַל הַשָּׂדֶה יֹאמְרוּ "זֹאת אֵשֶׁת מַחְלוֹן":

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**For you are a near kinsman.** To redeem my husband’s inheritance, as it is stated, “and a close relative comes and redeems, etc.”¹⁰ And my mother-in-law and I must sell our inheritance, and now it is incumbent upon you to buy it. Acquire [i.e., marry] me also, along with it,¹¹ so that the name of the deceased be remembered upon his estate, so that when I come to the field they will say, “this is Machlon’s wife.”

footnotes:
¹⁰ Vayikra 25:25.
¹¹ The Torah requires only that he redeem the relative’s property, but it does not require that he redeem his relative’s wife. She therefore asked him to marry her.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:10:1
[Rashi on Ruth 3:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:10:1)

**מִן הָרִאשׁוֹן.** אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂית עִם חֲמוֹתֵךְ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**[Your] earlier [kindness].** That you did for your mother-in-law.¹²

footnotes:
¹² When you abandoned your home and fortune to stay with your mother-in-law. Your last act of kindness, i.e., your willingness to marry an older man to perpetuate your late husband’s name is a greater sacrifice on your part.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:12:1
[Rashi on Ruth 3:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:12:1)

**וְעַתָּה כִּי אָמְנָם כִּי.** אִם כְּתִיב וְלֹא קְרִי. כְּלוֹמַר, מַשְׁמַע סָפֵק וַדַּאי יֵשׁ גּוֹאֵל קָרוֹב מִמֶּנִּי. (סְפָרִים אַחֵרִים: "כִּי אִם" מַשְׁמַע סָפֵק וְהוּא וַדַּאי.) אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, שַׂלְמוֹן וֶאֱלִימֶלֶךְ וְטוֹב אַחִים הָיוּ. וּמַהוּ "אֲשֶׁר לְאָחִינוּ לֶאֱלִימֶלֶךְ"? לְעוֹלָם קוֹרֵא אָדָם אֶת דּוֹדוֹ אָחִיו, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם כִּי נִשְׁבָּה אָחִיו". וַהֲלֹא אַבְרָהָם דּוֹדוֹ הָיָה? כָּךְ הָיָה בֹעַז לֶאֱלִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן אָחִיו, קְרוֹבוֹ שֶׁל מַחְלוֹן, אֲבָל טוֹב הָיָה קָרוֹב יוֹתֵר:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Now, though it is true that.** אִם [=if] is written but not read, i.e., it conveys uncertainty [who will be the actual redeemer], for there is surely a redeemer closer than I.¹³ (Another version: “כִּי אִם” conveys doubt, but it is certain [that he was a definite redeemer]).¹⁴ Rabbi Yehoshua the son of Leivi said, “Salmone, Elimelech, and Tov were brothers. Then what is the meaning [of the statement by Bo’az], “which belonged to our brother, to Elimelech”? A person always refers to his uncle as his brother, as the matter is stated, “And Avrom heard that his brother was captured.”¹⁵ Now was not Avrohom his [Lot’s] uncle?¹⁶ So was Bo’az, Elimelech’s nephew, a relative of Machlon, but Tov was more closely related.

footnotes:
¹³ The kinsman was Elimelech’s brother whereas Bo’az was only his nephew.
¹⁴ I.e., without the word אם to indicate that there was actually no uncertainty, i.e., that Bo’az knew that he would indeed be the one to redeem her.
¹⁵ Bereishis 14:14.
¹⁶ Lot’s father Haran, was Avrohom’s brother; see Bereishis 11:27.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:12:2
[Rashi on Ruth 3:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:12:2)

**קָרוֹב מִמֶּנִּי.** שֶׁהוּא אָח וַאֲנִי בֶן אָח:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Even closer than I.** For he [Tov] is a brother, and I am a brother’s son [i.e., nephew].¹⁷

footnotes:
¹⁷ And therefore he has priority.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:13:1
[Rashi on Ruth 3:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:13:1)

**לִינִי הַלַּיְלָה.** לִינִי בְלֹא אִישׁ:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Stay the night.** Stay over [one more night] without a husband.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:13:2
[Rashi on Ruth 3:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:13:2)

**חַי ה'.** אָמְרָה לוֹ "בִּדְבָרִים אַתָּה מוֹצִיאֵנִי". קָפַץ וְנִשְׁבַּע לָהּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוֹצִיאָהּ בִּדְבָרִים. וְיֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ, "לְיִצְרוֹ נִשְׁבַּע, שֶׁהָיָה יִצְרוֹ מְקַטְרְגוֹ, אַתָּה פָנוּי וְהִיא פְנוּיָה, בֹּא עָלֶיהָ". וְנִשְׁבַּע שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹא עָלֶיהָ אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי נִשּׂוּאִין:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**As Adonoy lives.** She said to him, “You are dismissing me with words [i.e., excuses].” He jumped up and swore to her¹⁸ that he would not dismiss her with words. Some of our Rabbis said that he swore to his evil inclination, for his evil inclination was inciting him [by saying], “You are not married and she is not married; be intimate with her.” So he swore that he would not be intimate with her except with marriage.

footnotes:
¹⁸ ‘חי ה is the Biblical form of an oath, as in I Shmuel 19:6.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:14:1
[Rashi on Ruth 3:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:14:1)

**וַיֹּאמֶר אַל יִוָּדַע.** מוּסָב עַל "וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרֶם יַכִּיר". הוּא זֵרְזָהּ לָקוּם, כִּי אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ, "אֵין כְּבוֹדִי שֶׁיִּוָּדַע כִּי בָאָה הָאִשָּׁה הַגֹּרֶן:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**For he said, “It must not be known.**” This refers back to “and she arose before one could recognize [another].” He hurried her to rise because he said in his heart, “It does not befit my honor that it should be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”¹⁹

footnotes:
¹⁹ According to the Alshich, Bo’az was concerned with Rus’ reputation rather than his own, because his righteousness was well known and nobody would suspect him of acting immorally.


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:15:1
[Rashi on Ruth 3:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:15:1)

**שֵׁשׁ שְׂעֹרִים.** אִי אֶפְשַׁר לוֹמַר שֵׁשׁ סְאִין, שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכָּהּ שֶׁל אִשָּׁה לָשֵׂאת כְּמַשּׂאוֹי זֶה, אֶלָּא שֵׁשׁ שְׂעוֹרִים מַמָּשׁ. וְרָמַז לָהּ שֶׁעָתִיד לָצֵאת מִמֶּנָּה בֵּן שֶׁמִּתְבָּרֵךְ בְּשֵׁשׁ בְּרָכוֹת: "רוּחַ חָכְמָה וּבִינָה, עֵצָה וּגְבוּרָה, רוּחַ דַּעַת וְיִרְאַת ה'":

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Six measures of barley.** It is impossible to say [that it means] six *se’ah*, because it is not customary for a woman to carry such a [large] load; rather, [it means] literally, six barleycorns; and he hinted to her that there was destined to emerge from her a son who would be blessed with six blessings: “the spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of Adonoy.”²⁰ which is one sixth of a *se’ah*, also referred to as a שש and mentioned in Yechezkel 45:13. The Mishnah in Maseches Pe’ah (8:7) states that a poor person who is traveling from place to place must be given not less than a half *kav* of wheat from which to make bread. Bo’az therefore gave Naomi a whole *kav*, one half for Rus and the other half for herself. (Malbim) The six barleycorns may allude to the six righteous men, each blessed with six virtues are destined to descend from this marriage: Dovid, Daniel, Chananya, Mishaeil, Azaryah and Moshiach. (Targum)

footnotes:
²⁰ Yeshaya 11:2. Alternatively, this is the equivalent of a kav


###### Rashi on Ruth 3:18:1
[Rashi on Ruth 3:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Ruth/r/3:18:1)

**כִּי אִם כִּלָּה.** הָאִישׁ אֶת הַדָּבָר הַיּוֹם:

**The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001:**
**Until he settles.** [I.e., until] the man [settles] the matter today.