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"Go Over And Uncover His Feet."
Ruth and Boaz's marriage originated from their mysterious encounter at the threshing floor ~ The purpose ~ "to perpetuate the name of the deceased upon his estate." Ruth 4:11-12
Naomi instructed Ruth to meet Boaz at the threshing floor, explaining: "Daughter,
I must seek security for you, where you may be happy" ~ alluding to Ruth's marriage, and
"Bathe, anoint yourself, dress up" (Ruth 3:3) ~ the traditional marriage
preparations. However, "Go down to the threshing floor; do not disclose yourself to the man until
he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he lies down, and go over and uncover his feet
and lie down" (Ruth 3:3-4) was no ordinary marriage proposal.
Naomi was preparing Ruth for an illicit relationship with Boaz. She assumed that in Boaz, after eating and
drinking, would be unable to restrain himself upon discovering a beautiful woman lying at his feet in the middle of the night,
with nobody around to witness the event. But Boaz declared: "As Yahveh lives, lie
down until morning."
Naomi expected that Boaz would tell Ruth that same night "what you are to do" (Ruth
3:4) and hoped that their encounter at the threshing floor would lead to marriage. "For the
man will not rest, but will settle the matter today." (Ruth 3:18) She was convinced that Boaz would accept his
responsibility to marry Ruth, being her redeeming kinsman, and not allow his encounter with her to remain
an illicit relationship.
"Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."
Naomi’s approach gives rise to the critical question of whether it is permissible to fulfill a
noble objective through inappropriate means?
This brings to mind a similar question concerning Rebecca, who ordered Jacob to deceptively take the
blessings intended for his brother. Convinced that Jacob deserved the blessings, by virtue of his character and the prophecy
she received from Yahveh ~ "the older will serve the younger" ~ Rebecca instructed Jacob to deceive his father and take his
brother's blessing. In both instances, the women felt assured of their success, despite the considerable risk entailed. Still,
this comparison with Rebecca could not justify what Naomi did.
"I must seek security for you."
Despite the impropriety of Naomi's scheme, she had Ruth's well being in mind. No ordinary Israelite
would be willing to marry a Moabite girl, lest he "impair his estate" (Ruth 4:6), yet Boaz told Ruth, "Your
latest act of kindness is greater than the first, in that you have not turned to younger men, whether poor or rich."
Ruth 3:10
Even after resettlement in Israel, Ruth could have "turned to younger men." Boaz recognized her
decision not to do so as an act of kindness to Naomi. "Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not
follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your Elohim
my Elohim. Where you die, I will die, and here I will be buried. Thus and more may Yahveh do to me if anything but death parts
me from you." Ruth 1:16-17
Joining Naomi's people and embracing their faith was not the primary reason for Ruth's
declaration. She, instead, focused on her desire to stay with Naomi. The significance of this point had to do with her devotion
to Naomi and her refusal to "turn to younger men". Her marriage to a different man would have pulled her to
his family and estate, and would separate her from Naomi - something she had promised to never do.
Naomi understood that finding "security" ~ a husband acceptable to Ruth ~ would have to be from
within her family, someone who would redeem the family's estate. Such a marriage would not only prevent Ruth's separation
from her, but would rebuild her family by "perpetuating the name of the deceased upon his estate."
When immediately upon their return from Moab, Yahveh directed Ruth to Boaz's field, Naomi took
it as a sign and said to Ruth, "Blessed be he of Yahveh, who has not failed in his kindness to the living
or to the dead, for the man is related to us; he is one of our redeeming kinsmen." Ruth 2:20
"I will do everything you tell me."
Seeing that several months have passed and Boaz had not yet fulfilled his obligation as redeemer, Naomi
decided to rely on her 'sign' and actively pursue the matter.
Ruth responded to Naomi's plan, saying, "I will do everything you tell me."
Ruth 3:5 She went to the threshing floor, not to find 'security' for herself, but rather to obey her mother-in-law,
Naomi. Although Boaz treated her kindly when they first met, she knew that what she was going to
do was wrong and there was no guarantee that Boaz would marry her. Still, despite her concerns, "She
did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her." Ruth 3:6
Beyond her commitment to Naomi, Ruth was driven by another consideration ~ to perpetuate the name of the
deceased and rebuild Naomi's family. "Spread your robe over your handmaid, for you are a redeeming kinsman."
Ruth 3:9 Just as Naomi's primary goal was Ruth's security, so was Ruth's objective to find security for her mother-in-law by
rebuilding her family.
"To perpetuate the name of the deceased upon his estate."
Is it proper to perpetuate the deceased's name in such way? To answer this question, we must analyze
the commandment of levirate marriage in Deuteronomy 25:5-8
Verse 5: "When brothers dwell together and one of them dies and leaves
no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married to a stranger, outside the family. Her husband's brother shall unite
with her, take her as his wife and perform the levir's duty."
Verse 6: "The first son that she bears shall be accounted to the dead
brother, that his name may not be blotted out in Israel."
Verse 7: "But if the man does not want to marry his brother's widow,
his brother's widow shall appear before the elders in the gate and declare: My husband's brother refuses to establish a name
in Israel for his brother; he will not perform the duty of a levir."
Verse 8: "The elders of his town shall then summon him and talk to
him. If he insists, saying, I do not want to marry her, his brother's widow shall go up to him."
Verse 5 describes the situation ("When brothers dwell together and one of them dies") and says: "the
wife of the deceased shall not be married to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall perform the levir's
duty" ~ engage in marital relations ("unite with her and take her as his wife") to perform the "levir's
duty."
Although the purpose was the union between the brother and the widow to perpetuate the name of the deceased,
this had to be done through the process of marriage. Towards this end, the Torah permits the otherwise forbidden
marriage to one's sister-in-law. Even the lofty purpose of perpetuating the name of the deceased does not permit an illicit
relationship.
In verses 7-8, which deal with a situation where the brother refuses to fulfill his obligation "to marry
his brother's widow", the marriage cannot occur, even though the deceased's name could be perpetuated outside the context
of marriage, as was in Tamar and Judah's case. (See Genesis chapter 38)
Had Ruth's visit to the threshing floor proceeded according to Naomi's plan, it would have gone
against the Torah, because the Torah demands that marriage precedes the yibbum (physical intimacy), whereas Naomi intended
for the act of yibbum to lead to marriage. Although Naomi's plan would have fulfilled 'redeeming the lost property of a relative',
it should have originated with Boaz. The problem arising from Ruth's loyalty to Naomi was overcome
by Boaz's extraordinary strength. He understood that Ruth's kindness towards Naomi could not remain in the threshing
floor.
The existence of "another redeemer closer than I" (Ruth 3:12) did not prevent him from performing the
yibbum. Although the primary responsibility fell on the oldest brother, it could be fulfilled by the younger brother
as well. Interestingly, Naomi was aware of the closer relative, yet sent Ruth specifically to Boaz.
Boaz knew that in order for him to receive Yahveh's blessings, Ruth's redemption was to be
carried out in in strict compliance with Torah Law, including the presence of witnesses and elders.
And his blessing was: "May Yahveh make the woman who is coming into your
house like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the House of Israel." Ruth 4:11
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