The Book of Ruth is a thoroughly lovable book: famine turns to plenty, barrenness to childbirth, loneliness to redemption. But it is more than a simple fairy tale. Read in a wisdom-seeking spirit, it has much to teach us about the enduring questions of human life and Judaism’s answers to these questions. It conveys these teachings the way that great literature always does – by presenting us with unforgettable characters and making us feel the challenges and joys of life along with them. In this seminar, we will study the whole of the book of Ruth by doing a particularly close reading of four speeches – one from each of the book’s four chapters. Each speech (or moment of dialogue) is only a few words but is packed with emotional power and with deep meaning.
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