Life against death in the Book of Ruth

Abstract

The commonly accepted view that Ruth is a pastoral idyll is one capable of blinding us to its central message. For underlying this simple and charming little tale is a cosmic struggle of profound and manifold implications - the struggle between life and death. There is, of course, no abstract treatment of this theme. It is expressed, rather, through the personal, national and religious experiences of people's lives, experiences which, to the author of Ruth, are quite inseparable. ¶

We would be justified, I believe, in dividing the characters of the book into two major camps, that of life and that of death: Ruth versus Orpah, Boaz versus Elimelech, Machlon and Kilyon, the land of Israel versus the field of Moab, and, most important, Naomi versus Marah. The crucial figure in Ruth To Naomi, for she is the center of its conflict. She moves from Israel to Moab to Israel, from life to death and back again, and the outcome of the struggle for life in the last three chapters depends upon! which aspect of Naomi emerges-does she remain Marah or does Naomi appear once more? ¶ As for the G-d of Israel, He is no doubt responsible for both life and death; trust in Him, however, yields fertility both to the land and to the individual. We shall see, in fact, that the redemption effected by Boaz is simply a manifestation of the work of the true Redeemer. In Ruth, then, G-d appears more frequently among the soldiers of life; it is this that assures their victory. (from Introduction)