(כג) וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ מָרָ֔תָה וְלֹ֣א יָֽכְל֗וּ לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת מַ֙יִם֙ מִמָּרָ֔ה כִּ֥י מָרִ֖ים הֵ֑ם עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמָ֖הּ מָרָֽה׃(כד) וַיִּלֹּ֧נוּ הָעָ֛ם עַל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹ֖ר מַה־נִּשְׁתֶּֽה׃(כה) וַיִּצְעַ֣ק אֶל־יהוה וַיּוֹרֵ֤הוּ יהוה עֵ֔ץ וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ֙ אֶל־הַמַּ֔יִם וַֽיִּמְתְּק֖וּ הַמָּ֑יִם
(23) They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; that is why it was named Marah. (24) And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”(25) So he cried out to יהוה, and יהוה showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water and the water became sweet.
וּמֶה הָיָה הָעֵץ? רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: שֶׁל עֲרָבָה הָיָה. רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: הַרְדּוּפְנִי מַר הָיָה. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר: שֶׁל זַיִת הָיָה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אוֹמֵר: קַרְדָּנִין. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: עִקְּרֵי תְּאֵנָה וְעִקְּרֵי רִמּוֹן. מִכָּל מָקוֹם, מַר הָיָה. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: בֹּא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה מֻפְלָאִין דְּרָכָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹתֵר מִדַּרְכֵי בָּשָׂר וָדָם. בָּשָׂר וָדָם, בַּמָּתוֹק מְרַפֵּא אֶת הַמָּר. אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בַּמָּר מְרַפֵּא אֶת הַמָּר.. . . . אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: לֹא כָּךְ הוּא אֻמָּנוּתִי, אֶלָּא בְּמַה שֶּׁאֲנִי מַכֶּה, בּוֹ אֲנִי מְרַפֵּא. הִלְכָּךְ הוֹאִיל וְאֵלּוּ הַמַּיִם מָרִים, אֲנִי מְרַפְּאָן בְּדָבָר מַר.
What kind of tree was it? R. Joshua held: It was a willow tree. R. Nathan declared: It was a bitter ivy tree, while R. Eleazar of Modi’im insisted: It was an olive tree. R. Joshua the son of Karha maintained that it was a cedar tree. Others said that it was the root of a fig tree and the root of a pomegranate tree. In any case, it was extremely bitter. R. Simeon the son of Gamliel said: Come and observe how different the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, are from the ways of man. Man improves the taste of a bitter thing with something sweet, but the Holy One, blessed be He, improves the taste of a bitter thing by adding something bitter. . . . . The Holy One, blessed be He, declared unto Moses: Is it not a fact that I am a unique craftsman? Do I not heal with what I wound? If these waters are bitter, I will make them palatable by adding something that is bitter.
אַ֣ל בְּנֹתַ֗י כִּֽי־מַר־לִ֤י מְאֹד֙ מִכֶּ֔ם כִּֽי־יָצְאָ֥ה בִ֖י יַד־יהוה׃
Oh no, my daughters! My lot is bitter for your sake, for the hand of YHWH has struck out against me.”
(ד) אל בנותי. כלומר אל תלכנה עמי.
Oh no my daughters: This is to say "Do not come with me my daughters"
אַל בְּנֹתַי, אַלְלַי בְּנוֹתַי, כִּי מַר לִי מְאֹד מִכֶּם, בִּשְׁבִילְכֶם, כִּי יָצְאָה בִי וּבְבָנַי וּבְבַעְלִי יַד יהוה.
No, my daughters, for I am greatly embittered for you; as the hand of YHWH has emerged against me” (Ruth 1:13).
No [al], my daughters,” woe [alelai] my daughters, “for I am greatly embittered for you,” for your sakes. “As the hand of YHWH has emerged against me,” and my sons and my husband.
(טז) וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רוּת֙ אַל־תִּפְגְּעִי־בִ֔י לְעׇזְבֵ֖ךְ לָשׁ֣וּב מֵאַחֲרָ֑יִךְ כִּ֠י אֶל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֵּלְכִ֜י אֵלֵ֗ךְ וּבַאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּלִ֙ינִי֙ אָלִ֔ין עַמֵּ֣ךְ עַמִּ֔י וֵאלֹהַ֖יִךְ אֱלֹהָֽי׃(יז) בַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּמ֙וּתִי֙ אָמ֔וּת וְשָׁ֖ם אֶקָּבֵ֑ר כֹּה֩ יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה יהוה לִי֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֔יף כִּ֣י הַמָּ֔וֶת יַפְרִ֖יד בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֵֽךְ׃(יח) וַתֵּ֕רֶא כִּֽי־מִתְאַמֶּ֥צֶת הִ֖יא לָלֶ֣כֶת אִתָּ֑הּ וַתֶּחְדַּ֖ל לְדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶֽיהָ׃(יט) וַתֵּלַ֣כְנָה שְׁתֵּיהֶ֔ם עַד־בּוֹאָ֖נָה בֵּ֣ית לָ֑חֶם וַיְהִ֗י כְּבוֹאָ֙נָה֙ בֵּ֣ית לֶ֔חֶם וַתֵּהֹ֤ם כׇּל־הָעִיר֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ן וַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָה הֲזֹ֥את נׇעֳמִֽי׃(כ) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ן אַל־תִּקְרֶ֥אנָה לִ֖י נׇעֳמִ֑י קְרֶ֤אןָ לִי֙ מָרָ֔א כִּי־הֵמַ֥ר שַׁדַּ֛י לִ֖י מְאֹֽד׃(כא) אֲנִי֙ מְלֵאָ֣ה הָלַ֔כְתִּי וְרֵיקָ֖ם הֱשִׁיבַ֣נִי יהוה לָ֣מָּה תִקְרֶ֤אנָה לִי֙ נׇעֳמִ֔י וַֽיהוה עָ֣נָה בִ֔י וְשַׁדַּ֖י הֵ֥רַֽע לִֽי׃(כב) וַתָּ֣שׇׁב נׇעֳמִ֗י וְר֨וּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּ֤ה כַלָּתָהּ֙ עִמָּ֔הּ הַשָּׁ֖בָה מִשְּׂדֵ֣י מוֹאָ֑ב וְהֵ֗מָּה בָּ֚אוּ בֵּ֣ית לֶ֔חֶם בִּתְחִלַּ֖ת קְצִ֥יר שְׂעֹרִֽים׃
(16) But Ruth replied, “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 God my God.(17) Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus and more may YHWH do to me-b if anything but death parts me from you.”(18) When [Naomi] saw how determined she was to go with her, she ceased to argue with her;(19) and the two went on until they reached Bethlehem.
When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole city buzzed with excitement over them. The women said, “Can this be Naomi?”(20) “Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, for Shaddai has made my lot very bitter.(21) I went away full, and YHWH has brought me back empty. How can you call me Naomi, when YHWH has dealt harshly with-f me, when Shaddai has brought misfortune upon me!”(22) Thus Naomi returned from the country of Moab; she returned with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabite. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Kenosis is “the process of the self emptying itself of self,” the point of being empty is not to have an empty mind; it is to make room for the new, the Other. It is paradoxical; she who desires fullness must seek emptiness.”
—Scott Peck
כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה עַצְמוֹ כַּמִּדְבָּר, הֶפְקֵר, אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִקְנוֹת אֶת הַחָכְמָה וְהַתּוֹרָה,
Anyone who does not make themselves empty like the wilderness cannot acquire the wisdom and the Torah.
וַתֵּלַ֣כְנָה שְׁתֵּיהֶ֔ם עַד־בּוֹאָ֖נָה בֵּ֣ית לָ֑חֶם וַיְהִ֗י כְּבוֹאָ֙נָה֙ בֵּ֣ית לֶ֔חֶם וַתֵּהֹ֤ם כׇּל־הָעִיר֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ן וַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָה הֲזֹ֥את נׇעֳמִֽי׃ . . .. וַכָּל הָעִיר עֲלֵיהֶן וַתֹּאמַרְנָה הֲזֹאת נָעֳמִי, זוֹ הִיא שֶׁמַּעֲשֶׂיהָ נָאִים וּנְעִימִים, לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיְתָה מְהַלֶּכֶת בְּאִיסְקַפְּטִיאוֹת שֶׁלָּהּ, וְעַכְשָׁיו הִיא מְהַלֶּכֶת יְחֵפָה, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ הֲזֹאת נָעֳמִי, לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיְתָה מְכֻסָּה בְּבִגְדֵי מֵילָתִין, וְעַכְשָׁיו הִיא מְכֻסָּה בִּסְמַרְטוּטִין, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ הֲזֹאת נָעֳמִי, לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיוּ פָּנֶיהָ מַאֲדִימוֹת מִכֹּחַ מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה, וְעַכְשָׁיו פָּנֶיהָ מוֹרִיקוֹת מִן רְעָבוֹן, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ הֲזֹאת נָעֳמִי, וְאוֹמֶרֶת לָהֶן, אַל תִּקְרֶאנָה לִי נָעֳמִי קְרֶאןָ לִי מָרָא, בַּר קַפָּרָא אָמַר לְפָרָה הֶדְיוֹטִית שֶׁהֶעֱמִידוּהָ בְּעָלֶיהָ בַּשּׁוּק, אָמַר, רַדְיָנִית הִיא, וּמַשְׁוָה תְּלָמִים תְּלָמִים הִיא. אָמְרִין אִין רַדְיָנִית אִילֵין מַכּוֹתֶיהָ דְּאִית בָּהּ מָה אִינוּן. כָּךְ אָמְרָה נָעֳמִי, לָמָּה, וַיהוה עָנָה בִי וְשַׁדַּי הֵרַע לִי.
“The two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. Upon their arrival in Bethlehem the entire city was in a tumult about them, and the women said: Is that Naomi?” (Ruth 1:19). . .
“The entire city was in a tumult about them and the women said: Is that Naomi” – is that she whose actions are fine and pleasant [ne’imim]? In the past, she would go about in her litters, and now she is walking barefoot, and [that is why] you say: “Is that Naomi?” In the past she was clothed in silken garments, and now she is clothed in rags, and you say: “Is that Naomi?” In the past, her face was red from food and drink, and now her face is pale from hunger, and you say: “Is that Naomi?”
She said to them: Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara; as the Almighty has greatly embittered [hemar] me (Ruth 1:20).
And she says to them: “Do not call me Naomi [pleasantness]; call me Mara [bitterness]” – Bar Kappara said: [It is analogous] to an inferior cow whose owner stood it in the marketplace and said: It is for plowing and it plows straight furrows. They said: If it is for plowing, what are all these wounds on it? So said Naomi: “[I went full, and YHWH brought me back empty;] why [call me Naomi,] and YHWH has afflicted me, and the Almighty has hurt me” (Ruth 1:21)?
(חנינא קרא יוחנן ואשתו אלעזר וגאולה ושמואל בלימודי סימן): רבי חנינא אומר מהכא (רות ד, יז) ותקראנה לו השכנות שם לאמר יולד בן לנעמי וכי נעמי ילדה והלא רות ילדה אלא רות ילדה ונעמי גידלה לפיכך נקרא על שמה
The Gemara presents a mnemonic for the following discussion: Ḥanina called; Yoḥanan and his wife; Elazar and redemption; and Shmuel in my studies. Rabbi Ḥanina says: Proof for the aforementioned statement can be derived from here: “And the neighbors gave him a name, saying: There is a son born to Naomi” (Ruth 4:17). And did Naomi give birth to the son? But didn’t Ruth give birth to him? Rather, Ruth gave birth and Naomi raised him. Therefore, he was called by her name: “A son born to Naomi.”
יַעַשׂ יהוה עִמָּכֶם חֶסֶד, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר אָדָא אָמַר, יַעֲשֶׂה כְּתִיב, כַּאֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם עִם הַמֵּתִים, שֶׁנִּטְפַּלְתֶּם בְּתַכְרִיכֵיהוֹן, וְעִמָּדִי, שֶׁוִתְּרוּ לָהּ כְּתֻבּוֹתֵיהֶן. אָמַר רַבִּי זְעֵירָא, מְגִלָּה זוֹ אֵין בָּהּ לֹא טֻמְאָה, וְלֹא טָהֳרָה, וְלֹא אִסּוּר, וְלֹא הֶתֵּר, וְלָמָּה נִכְתְּבָה לְלַמֶּדְךָ כַּמָּה שָׂכָר טוֹב לְגוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים.
“May YHWH perform [ya’as] kindness with you” – Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ada said: It is written “ya’aseh.” “As you performed with the dead” – that you tended to their shrouds; “and with me” – that you relinquished your marriage contracts. Rabbi Ze’eira said: This scroll does not contain [the laws of] purity or impurity, and not prohibitions or allowances. Why was it written? It is to teach you the extent of the good reward for those who perform kindness.
וַתֹּ֨אמֶר נׇעֳמִ֜י לְכַלָּתָ֗הּ בָּר֥וּךְ הוּא֙ לַיהוה אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹא־עָזַ֣ב חַסְדּ֔וֹ אֶת־הַחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַמֵּתִ֑ים וַתֹּ֧אמֶר לָ֣הּ נׇעֳמִ֗י קָר֥וֹב לָ֙נוּ֙ הָאִ֔ישׁ מִֽגֹּאֲלֵ֖נוּ הֽוּא׃
Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of YHWH, who has not failed in His kindness to the living or to the dead! For,” Naomi explained to her daughter-in-law, “the man is related to us; he is one of our redeeming kinsmen.”
(יד) וַתֹּאמַ֤רְנָה הַנָּשִׁים֙ אֶֽל־נׇעֳמִ֔י בָּר֣וּךְ יהוה אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹ֣א הִשְׁבִּ֥ית לָ֛ךְ גֹּאֵ֖ל הַיּ֑וֹם וְיִקָּרֵ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃(טו) וְהָ֤יָה לָךְ֙ לְמֵשִׁ֣יב נֶ֔פֶשׁ וּלְכַלְכֵּ֖ל אֶת־שֵׂיבָתֵ֑ךְ כִּ֣י כַלָּתֵ֤ךְ אֲֽשֶׁר־אֲהֵבַ֙תֶךְ֙ יְלָדַ֔תּוּ אֲשֶׁר־הִיא֙ ט֣וֹבָה לָ֔ךְ מִשִּׁבְעָ֖ה בָּנִֽים׃(טז) וַתִּקַּ֨ח נׇעֳמִ֤י אֶת־הַיֶּ֙לֶד֙ וַתְּשִׁתֵ֣הוּ בְחֵיקָ֔הּ וַתְּהִי־ל֖וֹ לְאֹמֶֽנֶת׃(יז) וַתִּקְרֶ֩אנָה֩ ל֨וֹ הַשְּׁכֵנ֥וֹת שֵׁם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יֻלַּד־בֵּ֖ן לְנׇעֳמִ֑י וַתִּקְרֶ֤אנָֽה שְׁמוֹ֙ עוֹבֵ֔ד ה֥וּא אֲבִֽי־יִשַׁ֖י אֲבִ֥י דָוִֽד׃ {פ}
(14) And the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be YHWH, who has not withheld a redeemer from you today! May his name be perpetuated in Israel!(15) He will renew your life and sustain your old age; for he is born of your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons.”(16) Naomi took the child and held it to her bosom. She became its foster mother,(17) and the women neighbors gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi!” They named him Obed; he was the father of Jesse, father of David.