Orpah

Sources

They broke into weeping again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell. But Ruth clung to her.

The verse recounts that he was “named Goliath, of Gath” (I Samuel 17:4). Rav Yosef taught: This is because everyone would thresh his mother by cohabiting with her like people do in a winepress [gat], where everyone tramples. It is written that Goliath came from “the caves [me’arot] of the Philistines” (I Samuel 17:23), but we read, according to the Masoretic text: He came from among “the ranks [ma’arkhot] of the Philistines…

“They raised their voices, and wept again. Orpa kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth cleaved to her” (Ruth 1:14).
“They raised [vatisena] their voices, and wept.” [The word vatisena appears in this verse] without an alef [indicating that] their strength was weakened, as they were walking and weeping. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Orpa walked forty paces with her mother-in-law [before leaving], and [therefore] her descendant’s [sentence] was in abeyance for forty days…

Ruth Rabbah 2:20

He mounted the king’s mule and arose and went to the land of the Philistines. The land miraculously contracted for him and he arrived quickly. As he was progressing he saw Orpah, Ishbibenob’s mother, who was spinning thread with a spindle. When she saw him, she removed her spindle and threw it at him, intending to kill him. After failing to do so, she said to Abishai: Young man, bring me my spindle. He threw the spindle and struck her at the top of her brain and killed her.…

Sanhedrin 95a:10-15

“They took for themselves Moavite wives: the name of one was Orpa, and the name of the second was Ruth; and they dwelled there approximately ten years” (Ruth 1:4).
“They took for themselves Moavite wives.” It is taught in the name of Rabbi Meir: They did not convert them, they did not immerse them, the halakha had not yet been innovated, such that they would not have been punished for them; an Ammonite and not a female Ammonite, a Moavite and not a female Moavite.
“The name of one was Orpa,” because she turned her back [oref] to her mother-in-law…

Ruth Rabbah 2:9

Learn Moreלקריאה נוספת

Relatedראו גם

David and Goliath

Childילדים

Parent-in-Lawחותנים

Sheetsדפי מקורות

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible on our site. Click OK to continue using Sefaria. Learn More.OKאנחנו משתמשים ב"עוגיות" כדי לתת למשתמשים את חוויית השימוש הטובה ביותר.קראו עוד בנושאלחצו כאן לאישור