SECTION XXXXI
Text:
:i¨r0m3j,#t
sh1k¨v .#r3 .#rÜ7 ,¨±s0k¨¯ «v3¦«2tºu jh
:c7s¶bh!*g,#t
sh1k¨v o7rºu oÜ7r,#t
sh±1k¨v «i¨r0m3jºu yh
:v7n0k`*a,#t sh1k¨v i¨A0jbºu
i¨ÜA0jb,#t sh±1k¨v «c7s¶bh!*gºu f
:s2c¨g,#t
sh1k¨v z*g`c z*g`Üc,#t sh±1k¨v «i¨n0k`*aºu tf
:sÐu7,#t
sh1k¨v h*AÐhºu hÜ7AÐh,#t
sh±1k¨v «s2c`gºu cf
Targum:
TANAKH |
Translation |
SEPTUAGINT |
Translation |
v3¦«2tºu |
and these |
|
|
,¨±s0k¨¯ |
generations |
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.#rÜ7 |
Peretz |
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.#r3 |
Peretz |
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sh1k¨v |
he fathered |
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,#t |
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:i¨r0m3j |
Chetzron |
|
|
i¨r0m3jºu |
and Chetzron |
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sh±1k¨v |
the father |
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,#t |
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oÜ7r |
Ram |
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o7rºu |
and Ram |
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sh1k¨v |
the father |
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,#t |
|
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:c7s¶bh!*g |
Aminadav |
|
|
«c7s¶bh!*gºu |
and Aminadav |
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sh±1k¨v |
the father |
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,#t |
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i¨ÜA0jb |
Nachshon |
|
|
i¨A0jbºu |
and Nachshon |
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sh1k¨v |
the father |
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,#t |
|
|
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:v7n0k`*a |
Salmah |
|
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«i¨n0k`*aºu |
and Salmon |
|
|
sh±1k¨v |
the father |
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,#t |
|
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z*g`Üc |
Boaz |
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z*g`c |
and Boaz |
|
|
sh1k¨v |
the father |
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,#t |
|
|
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:s2c¨g |
Obed |
|
|
s2c`gºu |
and Obed |
|
|
sh±1k¨v |
the father |
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,#t |
|
|
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hÜ7AÐh |
Ishai |
|
|
h*AÐhºu |
and Ishai |
|
|
sh1k¨v |
the father |
|
|
,#t |
|
|
|
:sÐu7 |
David |
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|
Peshitta
4:18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
4:19 And Hezron begat
4:20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Shelab,
4:21 And Shelah begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
4:22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat King David.
Stone’s Translation
4:18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez
begot Hezron;
4:19 and Hezron begot
Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab;
4:20 Amminadab begot
Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmah;
4:21 and Salman begot
Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed;
4:22 and Obed begot
Jesse, and Jesse begot David.
KJV
4:18 Now these [are] the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
4:19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
4:20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
4:21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
4:22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
Septuagint
Ruth 4:18
kai; au|tai aiJ genevsei" Fare" Fare"
ejgevnnhsen to;n Esrwn
Ruth 4:19
Esrwn de; ejgevnnhsen to;n Arran kai; Arran
ejgevnnhsen to;n Aminadab
Ruth 4:20
kai; Aminadab ejgevnnhsen to;n Naasswn kai; Naasswn
ejgevnnhsen to;n Salman
Ruth 4:21
kai; Salman ejgevnnhsen to;n Boo" kai;
Boo" ejgevnnhsen to;n Wbhd
Ruth 4:22
kai; Wbhd ejgevnnhsen to;n Iessai kai; Iessai
ejgevnnhsen to;n Dauid
Ruth
4:18-22 And these are the
generations of Phares: Phares begot Esrom; 19 Esrom then begot Aran, and Aran
begot Aminadab; 20 and Aminadab begot Naässon, and Naässon begot
Salman; 21
and Salman begot Boöz, and Boöz begot Obed; 22 and Obed begot Jessæ, and Jessæ
begot David.
Peshat Level:
Targum
4:18 Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron.
4:19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab.
4:20
Amminadab begot Nahshon, who was the head of the household of the tribe of
4:21
Salmon begot the judge, Ivtzan, who is identical with the righteous Boaz,
because of whose merit the Israelite people were saved from their enemies, and
because of whose prayer the famine ceased in the
4:22
Now Oved begot Jesse, who was called Nahash, because no corruption and
perversion, for which he might be delivered into the hands of the angel of
death, who would take his life from him, were found in him. He lived a long
time, until the serpent's counsel to Eve, Adam's wife, to partake of the fruit
of the tree, the eating of which resulted in wisdom to distinguish between good
and evil, was recalled before God. Because of that counsel, all inhabitants of
the earth are mortal, and as a result of that blunder, the righteous Jesse
died. He is Jesse, who was the father of David, the king of
Rashi
4:18 Now these are the generations of Peretz Since (Scripture) traced David’s lineage to the name of Ruth the Moabitess, (a proselyte,) (Scripture then) went back and traced his lineage to the name of Judah (the symbol of Jewish royalty).
Mishna
Avoth Chapter 5 MISHNAH 2. [THERE WERE] TEN GENERATIONS FROM ADAM TO NOAH (Viz., (i) Adam; (ii) Seth; (iii) Enosh; (iv) Kenan; (v) Mahalaleel; (vi) Jered; (vii) Enoch; (viii) Methuselah; (ix) Lamech; (x) Noah; [Bereshit 5:3-29].), IN ORDER TO MAKE KNOWN HOW LONG-EXTENDED IS LONG-SUFFERING WITH HIM; FOR ALL THOSE GENERATIONS WERE REPEATEDLY ACTING PROVOKINGLY, UNTIL HE BROUGHT UPON THEM THE WATERS OF THE FLOOD.
[THERE WERE] TEN GENERATIONS FROM NOAH TO ABRAHAM (Viz., (i) Shem; (ii) Arpachshad; (iii) Shelah; (iv) Eber; (v) Peleg; (vi) Reu; (vii) Serug; (viii) Nahor; (ix) Terah; (x) Abraham; [Bereshit 9:10-26].), IN ORDER TO MAKE KNOWN HOW LONG-EXTENDED IS LONG-SUFFERING WITH HIM; FOR ALL THOSE GENERATIONS WERE REPEATEDLY ACTING PROVOKINGLY, UNTIL ABRAHAM, OUR FATHER, CAME AND RECEIVED THE REWARD OF ALL OF THEM.
Gemarah Level:
Talmud Babli
Yevamoth 76b GEMARA. Whence are these laws inferred? — R. Johanan replied: Scripture stated, And when Sail saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said into Abner, the captain of the host: ‘Abner, whose son is this youth’? And Abner said: ‘As thy soul liveth, O King, I cannot tell’. But did he not know him? Surely it is written, And he loved him greatly; and he became his armour bearer! — He rather made the inquiry concerning his father. But did he not know his father? Surely it is written, And the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken in years among them; and Rab or, it might be said, R. Abba, stated that this referred to the father of David, Jesse. who came in with an army and went out with an army! — It is this that Saul meant: Whether he descended from Perez, or from Zerah. If he descended from Perez he would be king, for a king breaks for himself a way and no one can hinder him. If, however, he is descended from Zerah he would only be an important man. What is the reason why he gave instructions that enquiry be made concerning him? — Because it is written, And Saul clad David with his apparel. being of the same size as his, and about Saul it is written, From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. Doeg the Edomite then said to him, ‘Instead of enquiring whether he is fit to be king or not, enquire rather whether he is permitted to enter the assembly or not’! ‘What is the reason’? ‘Because he is descended from Ruth the Moabitess’. Said Abner to him, ‘We learned: An Ammonite, but not an Ammonitess; A Moabite, but not a Moabitess! But in that case a bastard would’ imply: But not a female bastard?’ — ‘It is written mamzer [Which implies] anyone objectionable’. ‘Does then Egyptian exclude the Egyptian woman’? — ‘Here it is different, since the reason for the Scriptural text is explicitly stated: Because they met you not with bread and with water; it is customary for a man to meet [wayfarers]; It is not, however, customary for a woman to meet [them]’.
Sotah
37a … each tribe was unwilling to be
the first to enter the sea. Then sprang forward Nahshon the son of Amminadab
and descended first into the sea; as it is said: Ephraim compasseth me about
with falsehood, and the house of
Baba
Bathra 91a R. Hanan b. Raba said in
the name of Rab: Elimelech and Salmon and such a one and the father of Naomi
all were the sons of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab. What does he come to teach
us [by this statement]? — That even the merit of one's ancestors is of no avail
when one leaves the land [of
Yevamoth 76b MISHNAH. AN AMMONITE AND A MOABITE ARE FORBIDDEN AND THEIR PROHIBITION IS FOR EVER , THEIR WOMEN, HOWEVER, ARE PERMITTED AT ONCE. AN EGYPTIAN AND AN EDOMITE ARE FORBIDDEN ONLY UNTIL THE THIRD GENERATION. WHETHER THEY ARE MALES OR FEMALES. R. SIMEON, HOWEVER, PERMITS THEIR WOMEN FORTHWITH. SAID R. SIMEON: THIS LAW MIGHT BE INFERRED A MINORI AD MAJUS: IF WHERE THE MALES ARE FORBIDDEN FOR ALL TIME THE FEMALES ARE PERMITTED FORTHWITH, HOW MUCH MORE SHOULD THE FEMALES BE PERMITTED FORTHWITH WHERE THE MALES ARE FORBIDDEN UNTIL THE THIRD GENERATION ONLY. THEY REPLIED: IF THIS IS AN HALACHAH, WE SHALL ACCEPT IT; BUT IF IT IS ONLY AN INFERENCE, AN OBJECTION CAN BE POINTED OUT. HE REPLIED: NOT SO. [BUT IN FACT] IT IS AN HALACHAH THAT I AM REPORTING.
GEMARA. Whence are these laws inferred? — R. Johanan replied: Scripture stated, And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said into Abner, the captain of the host: ‘Abner, whose son is this youth’? And Abner said: ‘As thy soul liveth, O King, I cannot tell’. But did he not know him? Surely it is written, And he loved him greatly; and he became his armour bearer! — He rather made the inquiry concerning his father. But did he not know his father? Surely it is written, And the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken in years among them; and Rab or, it might be said, R. Abba, stated that this referred to the father of David, Jesse. who came in with an army and went out with an army! — It is this that Saul meant: Whether he descended from Perez, or from Zerah. If he descended from Perez he would be king, for a king breaks for himself a way and no one can hinder him. If, however, he is descended from Zerah he would only be an important man. What is the reason why he gave instructions that enquiry be made concerning him? — Because it is written, And Saul clad David with his apparel. being of the same size as his, and about Saul it is written, From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. Doeg the Edomite then said to him, ‘Instead of enquiring whether he is fit to be king or not, enquire rather whether he is permitted to enter the assembly or not’! ‘What is the reason’? ‘Because he is descended from Ruth the Moabitess’. Said Abner to him, ‘We learned: An Ammonite, but not an Ammonitess; A Moabite, but not a Moabitess! But in that case a bastard would’ imply: But not a female bastard?’ — ‘It is written mamzer [Which implies] anyone objectionable’. ‘Does then Egyptian exclude the Egyptian woman’? — ‘Here it is different, since the reason for the Scriptural text is explicitly stated: Because they met you not with bread and with water; it is customary for a man to meet [wayfarers]; It is not, however, customary for a woman to meet [them]’.
Midrash Level:
Midrash Rabbah
Ruth
VIII:1 R. Abba b. Kahana opened [his exposition with the verse], Tremble,
and sin not (Psalm IV, 5). David said to the Holy One, blessed be He, ' How
long will they rage1 against me and say, "Is he not of tainted descent? Is
he not a descendant of Ruth the Moavitess?" Commune with. your own heart
upon your bed (ib.). Ye also, are ye not descended from two sisters? Look upon
your own genealogy and be still (ib.). And Tamar who married your ancestor
Bereshit 12:5 The word toledot appears everywhere in the Torah with a deficient spelling (i.e., lacking the letter vav), except for two instances: "These are the chronicles of Peretz," and ["These are the chronicles of the heaven and the earth upon their creation"]. Why are all the others lacking the letter vav? ... Because of the six (vav) things taken from Adam: his radiance, his life, his stature, the fruit of the earth, the fruit of the trees, and the luminaries.... For though the world was created perfect, these were ruined by Adam's sin, and shall be restored only with the coming of [Mashiach,] the descendent of Peretz.
The story of man is the journey from toledot to toledot, from the perfect world that G-d created to the restored perfection of the age of Mashiach. In the simply stated words of Rashi, "The toledot of the righteous are their good deeds."
Ruth VIII:1 AND RAM BEGOT AMMINADAB; AND AMMINADAB BEGOT NAHSHON, AND NAHSHON BEGOT SALMON (IV, 19, 20). [Why is he called Salmon?] Because up to him they formed ladders (sulamoth) of princes, from him onwards they formed ladders of kings. R. Isaac opened his exposition with the verse Then said I: Lo, I am come (Psalm XL, 8). I ought to have sung a song that I have come, since the word az (lo!) refers to song, as it is said, Then (az) sang Moses (Exodus XV, 1). I was included in the verse An Ammonite and a Moabite shall not come into the assembly of the Lord (Deuteronomy XXIII, 4), but I have come with the roll of a book which is prescribed for me (Psalm loc. cit.). ’ With the roll’ refers to the verse, Concerning whom Thou didst command that they should not enter into Thy congregation (Lam. I, 10). ’In the book,’ as it is said, ’An Ammonite and a Moavite shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord’ (Deuteronomy XXIII, 4). And not only have I been allowed to enter, but in the roll and the book it is written concerning me. ' In the roll ‘-Perez, Hezron, Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David; ’in the book’; And the Lord said: Arise, anoint him; for this is he (I Sam. XVI, 12). R. Huna said: It is written For God hath appointed me another seed (Genesis IV, 25), that is, seed from another place, referring to the Messiah. R. Berekiah and R. Simon said: We may illustrate with a parable of a king who was traveling from one place to another, when a precious pearl fell from his head. So the king and all his retinue stopped there. All the passers-by asked, ‘What are the king and his retinue doing here?’ They discerned the reason and said, ‘A pearl has fallen from his head.’ What did he do? He gathered all the soil into heaps and brought brooms. He had one heap swept, but did not find it; a second heap, and he did not find it; but in the third, he found it, and they announced, ‘The king has found his pearl!’ So the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham, ’Get thee out (Genesis XII, 1). It was to thee that I looked forward. What need had I to record the genealogy of Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Nahor, and Terah? (I Chron. 1, 24). Only on account of thee, Abram-the same is Abraham’ (ib.); And foundest his heart faithful before Thee (Neh. IX, 8). So said the Holy One, blessed be He, to David, ‘What need had I to record the genealogy of Perez, Hezron, Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz, Obed, Jesse? Only on account of thee; I have found My servant, David.’
Zohar Level:
Soncino
Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 85a There is a tradition concerning King
Solomon, that when he first sat on his throne the Moon was in her fulness, as
he was the fifteenth in descent from Abraham, the pedigree being Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Perez, Hezron, Ram (Ruth IV, 19), Aminadab, Nahshon,
Shalmon, Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David, Solomon. Therefore it is written: “Then
Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord” (I Chr. XXIX, 23), and also “six ascents
had the throne”, thus being a replica of the Supernal Throne. In the days of
Zedekiah, the Moon was in her wane, and the face of
Soncino
Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 103b A man who has children by his first
wife, and brings such a woman into his house, unites himself with a flaming
sword, in two ways: first, because two have already entered and been violently
ejected, and now he is the third; and, secondly, how can he let his spirit
enter into a vessel which has already been used by others, associate himself
with her and cleave to her? It is not that he is prohibited to do so, but in
doing it he chooses a bad companion to himself R.Levitas, from Kephar Oni, used
to jeer and scoff at a person who married a woman of this sort, applying to her
the words: “And she shall laugh at the last day” (Proverbs XXX1, 25), meaning,
the “last one” who unites himself with such a woman will be a laughing stock.
‘Now we have to turn our attention to a great and noble spot which once was on
the earth, being a very root and stock of truth, to wit, Obed the father of
Jesse, the grandfather of David. It has been affirmed that he was such a “last
one”: how, then, could the root of truth.(David) emanate from such a place? The
fact, however, is that Obed worked and laboured at the root of the tree, until
it was regenerated and made wholesome: it was therefore that he was called Obed
(labourer, also. ”worshipper”), a name which no other man merited to bear. He
came, he digged, he hoed round the root of the tree, he pressed out the
bitterness from the branches and made wholesome the crown. Then came Jesse, his
son, who further improved and invigorated it, and grafted it on to the branches
of another stately tree, joining tree with tree so that they were intertwined.
And when David came he found the branches entwined and knit together, and was
thus enabled to attain dominion over the world. And all these things which came
to pass had their cause and beginning in Obed.’ Having spoken thus, the old man
wept again and said: ‘Old man, old man, did I not say that thou hadst plunged
into the midst of the great sea? Now thou art indeed in the very midst of the
mighty waves! Old man, old man, thou hast none to blame but thyself; hadst thou
remained silent at the beginning all would have been well with thee, but now
thou mayest not, and there is none to take hold of thine hand! Thou art alone.
But arise, old man, and take courage! Obed remedied himself because he came out
from the evil field in which were bad cisterns. Then came Jesse, his son, who
improved and hoed round that tree and digged up that which was evil and that
which was bitter likewise. This is a mystery of mysteries, and I know not with
certainty whether or no to reveal it. Yet say on, old man.! Yea, I shall
certainly speak, if only in order that these two who shall hear me should be
made fully cognizant of the other transmigrations of the souls of men. Now,
Obed, as I have said, hoed round the root of the tree, so improving it
somewhat; and yet, when King David came, he was left only with the lower,
feminine tree, and had to receive life from another tree. Now, if he for whom
the way was so well prepared had to develop thus, how much more so ordinary
persons who undergo transmigration! Thus, then, it was with Perez, and with
Boaz likewise. Obed was also thus. With regard to all of these, the tree
emerged from the side of evil and was afterwards joined to the side of good, as
we read that “Er, the firstborn of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the Lord”
(Genesis XXXVIII, 7); so was Onan (Ibid. 9, 10); so also was Mahlon, although
his evil was not so great. Thus, in all these there was a tincture of ill, from
which, however, good eventually emerged; as it is written of David, their
descendant: “goodly to look to”, “and the Lord was with him” (I Sam. XVI, 12,
18). Thus the tree below was purified and remained so, so that “God ruled over
the nations” (through the house of David). ‘The grades of
Other Commentaries:
Me’am Lo’ez
4:18
And these are the generations of Peretz: Peretz begot Chetzron.
Having been told that Obed was Ishai’s father and King David’s grandfather, the scripture goes back in time to trace the lineage of Obed from Peretz. the ancestral father of monarchy.
It is a rule in scripture that the expression vktu, “and these,” adds to the previous matter. In this case, vktu links the birth of Peretz to judah and Tamar with the birth of Obed to Boaz and Ruth. to teach that both women acted for the sake of heaven.
Furthermore, just as the unusual events leading to the marriage of Boaz and Ruth were arranged by God to produce David, so were the unusual events leading to the union of Judah and Tamar, brought about by Him. [For the details of this incident see Genesis ch. 38.]
[Ruth
merited to bear the royal seed because of her kindness and her devoted cleaving
to God]. Tamar merited it because she was willing to suffer death, and with it
the loss of the royal seed she knew she was carrying, rather than shame
According
to the Midrash, the monarchy came through women of pagan origins so that the
kings would have an element of cruelty from the mother’s side, in addition to
compassion from the father’s side. This equipped them with the ability to exact
revenge from
The
three scriptural episodes leading to the emergence of David involved wondrous
ways dependent on split-second timing; had the moment passed, they would have
come to nothing.
When Tamar was giving birth to her twin sons, Zerach put out his hand but drew it back, and Peretz was born first. “And she said, ‘Wherefore have you made a breach (peretz) for yourself?’ Therefore his name was called Peretz” (Genesis 38:29).
Our sages elaborate: Zerach wanted to come out first but God said, “The Messiah will descend from Peretz—shall Zerach come out first? Let him return to his mother’s womb, so that Peretz will be first.”
Peretz bore the seed of the monarchs, who break through to make way for themselves. Of his descendant the Messiah it is thus written: “The breaker (.rup, poretz) shall go up before them; they shall break forth and pass on by the gate and go through it. Their king shall pass before them, and the Lord at their head” (Micah 2:13).
Peretz (“breach”) alludes to the moon, which is sometimes “breached” and sometimes “built”; Zerach (“radiance”) alludes to the sun, which shines steadily. Zerach represents the priesthood; Peretz, the monarchy. Just as the moon grows to fullness in fifteen days, so did the monarchy grow to its full splendor in the fifteenth generation from Abraham to Solomon. David (sus, numerically equivalent to 14), the fourteenth generation, is hinted at in the verse (Genesis 39:28): “When [Tamari was giving birth, he gave a hand (sh, numerically equal to 14).”
Our sages say: All the ,urus, “generations,” in the scripture are incomplete (missing a letter vav), except for two: “These are the generations of heaven and earth” (Genesis 2:4), and “These are the generations of Peretz.” The first describes the beginning of creation, before the angel of death came into being. At that time the generations were complete. After Adam and Eve sinned, God depleted all the generations in scripture. The generations of Peretz, however, are complete, because he was the forebear of the Messiah, in whose days God “shall swallow up death forever” (Isaiah 25:8).
In those days, the sun and moon [which was diminished for “complaining” that it and the sun were the same size, and “two kings cannot share the same crown” (Midrash)] will again shine forth with their original glory. And the light of the Messiah—which is now hidden because of our sins—will also shine forth in all its glory. The generations of heaven and earth, and the generations of Peretz, will be complete.
4:19,
20 And Chetzron begot Ram, and Ram begot Aminadav; and Aminadav begot Nachshon,
and Nachshon begot Salmah.
Peretz generated a line of tzaddikim who each in turn begot another tzaddzk. The fact that they were righteous is inferred from the doubling of their names, which shows that they had a double existence: they lived in this world and continue to live in the next.
Their
virtues are hinted at in their names. For example, vnka Salmah. whose name
means “garment,” was so called because he clothed [his soul] in a beautiful
garment of good deeds. It was his namesake, Salmah the Righteous, who cancelled
the watches placed by the king of the Israelite kingdom, Jereboam [to prevent
his subjects from making their pilgrimage to the
The
name Salmah is derived from okx, sulam, ladder, and has the same
letters as vnka Shlomo, Solomon. Thus the Midrash says: Until Salmah they
made ladders for nessiim (princes), henceforth for kings. That is, the
generations from Peretz to Nachshon [leader of the tribe of
4:21
And Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed.
[Salmon is a variation of Salmah, mentioned in the previous verse.]
Boaz
saved
This
book contains eighty-five verses, corresponding to the numerical value of zguc,
Boaz. All except eight begin with the letter vav, for this Megillah was written
for
Obed, however, was born circumcised.
Obed (servant of God) served God with all his heart, thereby fulfilling God’s essential demand of a king. As David said, “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands the imaginations of all thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever” (1 Chronicles 28:9).
4:22
And Obed begot Ishai, and Ishai begot David.
The name hah, lshai, stems from ,uah, existence. For Ishai never sinned, and if Adam’s sin had not brought the decree of death upon mankind, Ishai himself would still exist in this world. It is fitting that “lshai begot David” and established the eternal dynasty of the house of David, which will culminate in the revoking of the death decree during the Messianic era; may it come speedily in our day.
In Praise of the Proselyte
Ruth
suffered poverty and loneliness to cleave to God, and she gave
Precious are the ohrd, proselytes, for the patriarchs and prophets called themselves ohrd which also means strangers. Abraham said, “I am a stranger and sojourner with you” (Genesis 23:4); Isaac was called a stranger, as God said to him, “Sojourn (rud) in this land” (Genesis 26:3); and the sons of Jacob said, “To sojourn (rudk) in this land have we come (Genesis 47:4). David said, “For I am a stranger with you, a sojourner, as were all my fathers” (Psalms 39:13); “I am a sojourner in the earth” (Psalms 119:19); “For we are strangers before You, and sojourners, as were all our fathers” (1 Chronicles 29:15).
Our
sages compared the proselyte to the ewe that fled from the field and joined the
shepherd’s flock. The shepherd loved the new sheep more than all the rest, for
the rest of his flock he had to pay for, but he acquired her without payment.
Similarly, God performed many miracles and wonders for
God
loves
Converts are as dear to God as the Sabbath. The Torah warns twenty-eight times to treat converts properly, the same number of times that it warns against desecrating the Sabbath and against worshipping idols.
Precious
are converts; throughout the scriptures they are likened to
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: He who loves God is beloved of Him, as it is written, “He loves the stranger.”
Of
the righteous of
Onkelos the proselyte asked Rabbi Eliezer, “Is the entire love God has for the proselyte in that he gives him bread and clothing?” Rabbi Eliezer replied, “Is that a small thing in your eyes? For this Jacob prayed. saying, ‘If God ... will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear (Genesis 28:20). Onkelos then came before Rabbi Yehoshua, who appeased him, thus: “Bread is the Torah, as it is written, ‘Wisdom calls .. . Come, eat of the bread’ (Proverbs 9:1—5). Clothing is Torah, as it is written, ‘You have a mantle (vkna), be you our ruler’ (Isaiah 3:6). Moreover, a convert’s daughter can marry a priest and bear priestly sons who eat the showbread and wear the priestly vestments, and they are entitled to chaflah (a portion of dough that must be separated from all bread baked) and the first-shearing of wool.”
Both
The
expression iumr, acceptance, is found concerning both
Both
are guarded: “Behold, He Who guards
Converts are included in the four groups who answer before God, as described in the verse: “One [the righteous] shall say, “I am the Lord’s; and another [children of the wicked] shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another [the penitent sinners] shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord; and he [the proselyte] shall surname himself by the name of Israel” (Isaiah 44:5).
Rabbi Eliezer said: Joining Israel through conversion is considered as doing a kindness for all of Israel, as Saul said to Yithro’s descendants: “For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt”(1 Samuel 15:6). Can anyone possibly do kindness for an entire nation? But because he converted—as we learn from his words, “Blessed be the Lord, Who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians.... Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods” (Exodus 18:10—11)—it is considered as if he did kindness with them all.
Precious
are the converts, for God adds to their names, as in the case of Yithro. His
name was originally r,h, Yether, as it is written, “And he returned to
Yether, his father-in-law” (Exodus 4:18); but after he converted, a letter was
added to make it
A
gentile who embraces Judaism is rewarded like a Jew who has toiled at the Torah
all his life. Thus Moses said to Yithro, “Come with us, and we will do you
good, for the Lord has spoken good concerning
One
of the Kenites, Yonadav ben Rechav, had heard a prophet foretell the destruction
of the
Said
Rabbi Yochanan: Greater is the covenant that God made with the sons of Yithro
than that which he made with David, for the covenant with Yithro was
unconditional, whereas the covenant with David was not. Thus it is written, “If
the children forsake my law. .. . Then will I visit their transgression with
the rod, and their iniquity with strokes” (Psalms 89:31—33); “but if your
children keep My covenant and My testimony that I shall teach them, their
children also forever shall sit upon the throne” (Psalms 132:12).
Abraham Ibn Ezra
Malbim
"Son of man, for how long will my honor
be a shame!" The Yalkut Shimoni, Tehillim 4, relates that scoffers
in David's generation ridiculed him, for he was descended from Ruth, the
Moabitess. King David responded to them (Tehillim 4:5), "Say in
your hearts on your beds and be silent! Did not you come from a prohibited
union of two sisters?" The people and the Elders sensed this, and said, "May
the ETERNAL grant [that] the woman who is entering your home [be] like Rachel
and Le' ah...And may your household be like the House of Peretz, whom Tamar
bore to Yehudah." For they understood that all of this “deceit” was
necessary in order to bring forth precious souls from the hands of their
oppressors.
Alshich