Below is a collection of Megillat Ruth resources, created by The Lookstein Center staff or contributed to the site by Jewish educators.

This is a growing collection. Check back soon or write to us at content@lookstein.org if you didn’t find what you’re looking for.

 

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Megillat Ruth Overview

There is a famine in the land of Israel during the time period of the Judges (shoftim). Naomi, her husband Elimeleh, and their two sons are a very wealthy family that moves from the Israeli city of Bet Lehem to Moab. Elimeleh dies, and Naomi’s sons marry women from Moab, Orpah and Ruth. Then, Naomi’s sons also die, leaving Naomi and her two daughters-in-law widowed. Naomi hears that the famine in Israel has ended and decides to return. She encourages Orpah and Ruth to stay in Moab and remarry, as she is too old to have more children. Orpah returns to her people, but Ruth refuses to leave Naomi, declaring her commitment to the God of the Jews, the nation of Israel, and Naomi in the process. 

When Naomi and Ruth return to Israel, they are poor and in need of food. Ruth goes to collect grain in the fields of a wealthy man named Boaz, who turns out to be a relative of Naomi’s husband. Boaz takes notice of Ruth and offers her extra food, making sure she is safe as she collects the grain. Naomi sees this as a sign of kindness and instructs Ruth to approach Boaz and request his protection as a relative who can marry a widow to preserve the family line. Boaz and Ruth establish a connection and have an understanding between them, but Boaz informs Ruth that a closer relative exists who would be first in line before him to marry the widow Ruth. After determining that the closer relative does not want to perform this duty, Boaz marries Ruth, and they have a child together, who is the ancestor of King David.

Megillat Ruth Educational Themes
  • Loyalty
  • Kindness
  • Conversion to Judaism
  • Familial Relationships
  • Significance of Choices
  • Jewish Continuity
Key Characters in Megillat Ruth

Ruth, Naomi, Elimeh, Mahlon, Hilion, Orpah, Boaz, Ploni Almoni (the “Goel” – Redeemer)

Key Pesukim
  • Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi and her acceptance of Judaism:
    Ruth 1:16-17

וַתֹּאמֶר רוּת אַל תִּפְגְּעִי בִי לְעׇזְבֵךְ לָשׁוּב מֵאַחֲרָיִךְ כִּי אֶל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלְכִי אֵלֵךְ וּבַאֲשֶׁר תָּלִינִי אָלִין עַמֵּך עַמִּי וֵאלֹקיִךְ אֱלֹקי׃ בַּאֲשֶׁר תָּמוּתִי אָמוּת וְשָׁם אֶקָּבֵר כּה יַעֲשֶׂה ה’ לִי וְכֹה יוֹסִיף כִּי הַמָּוֶת יַפְרִיד בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵךְ׃

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. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus and more may the LORD do to me if anything but death parts me from you.”

  •  Boaz’s Kindness to Ruth:
    Ruth 2:8-9 

 וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּעַז אֶל רוּת הֲלוֹא שָׁמַעַתְּ בִּתִּי אַל תֵּֽלְכִי לִלְקֹט בְּשָׂדֶה אַחֵר וְגַם לֹא תַעֲבוּרִי מִזֶּה וְכֹה תִדְבָּקִין עִם נַעֲרֹתָי׃ 

עֵינַיךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר יִקְצֹרוּן וְהָלַכְתְּ אַחֲרֵיהֶן הֲלוֹא צִוִּיתִי אֶת הַנְּעָרִים לְבִלְתִּי נׇגְעֵךְ וְצָמִת וְהָלַכְתְּ אֶל הַכֵּלִים וְשָׁתִית מֵאֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאֲבוּן הַנְּעָרִים׃

Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen to me, daughter. Don’t go to glean in another field. Don’t go elsewhere, but stay here close to my girls. Keep your eyes on the field they are reaping, and follow them. I have ordered the men not to molest you. And when you are thirsty, go to the jars and drink some of [the water] that the men have drawn.”

  • Connection of Ruth and Boaz to King David:
    Ruth 4:13-17, 22-23 

וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת פָּרֶץ פֶּרֶץ הוֹלִיד אֶת־חֶצְרוֹן…עֹבֵד הוֹלִיד אֶת יִשָׁי וְיִשַׁי הוֹלִיד אֶת דָּוִד׃

This is the line of Perez: Perez begot Hezron….Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

Lesson Plans and Resources

Kindness: A Key Theme in Megillat Ruth – In this lesson, elementary school students analyze the story of Megillat Ruth and the theme of kindness that appears throughout the story, and then explore how to incorporate kindness into their own lives. By The Lookstein Center. 
This printable document includes comprehension questions to help students understand the text of each perek of Megillat Ruth. By The Lookstein Center.

Videos

The Book of Ruth: A Music Video for Shavuot –​ This video from Bimbam tells the story of Megillat Rut through a song.
Shavuot: The Scandalous Backstory of Ruth and Boaz –​ This video from Aleph Beta delves more deeply into the story and characters in Megillat Ruth.