Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

1 Now it came to pass in the yamim when HaShofetim (the Judges) ruled, that there was a ra’av (famine) in the land. And a certain ish (man) of Beit-Lechem Yehudah went to sojourn in the sadei Moav, he, and his isha (wife), and his two banim (sons).

² And the shem (name) of the ish (man) was Elimelech, and the shem (name) of his isha (wife) Naomi, and the shem of his two banim Machlon and Kilyon, Ephrathites of Beit-Lechem Yehudah. And they came into the sadei Moav, and continued there.

³ And Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left (alive) and her two banim.

⁴ And they took them wives of the nashim (women) of Moav; the shem (name) of the one was Orpah, and the shem (name) of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about eser shanim (ten years).

⁵ And Machlon and Kilyon died also both of them; and the isha was left (alive), surviving with neither her yeladim nor her ish.

⁶ Then she arose with her kallot, that she might make teshuvah (return) from the sadei Moav: for in the sadeh of Moav she had heard how that Hashem had visited His people in giving them lechem (bread).

⁷ Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two kallot with her; and they set on the derech (way, road) to make teshuvah (return) unto Eretz Yehudah.

⁸ And Naomi said unto her two kallot, Go, go back each to her beis em (mother’s house): may Hashem show chesed (lovingkindness) to you, as ye have dealt with hamesim (the dead ones), and with me.

⁹ Hashem grant you that ye may find menuchah (resting place), each of you in the bais of her ish. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

¹⁰ And they said unto her, Surely we will make teshuvah (return) with thee unto thy people.

¹¹ And Naomi said, Turn back, my banot; why will ye go with me? Are there yet any more banim in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

¹² Turn back, my banot, go your way; for I am too old to have an ish. If I should say, I have tikvah, if I should have an ish halailah (tonight), and should also bear banim,

¹³ Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? Would ye stay from having ba’alim (husbands) for them? Nay, my banot; for it is more mar (bitter) for me than you, for the Yad Hashem has gone out against me.

¹⁴ And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpah kissed [cf Mt 26:49] her chamot; but Ruth clung unto her.

¹⁵ And she said, Hinei, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her g-ds; return thou after thy sister-inlaw.

¹⁶ And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy G-d shall be Elohai;

¹⁷ Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried. Hashem do so to me, and more also, if anything but HaMavet part thee and me.

¹⁸ When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left urging her.

146 Praise Hashem. Praise Hashem, O my nefesh.

² While I live will I praise Hashem: I will sing praise unto Elohai while I have any being.

³ Put not your trust in princes, nor in the ben adam, in whom there is no teshuah (salvation).

⁴ His ruach departs, he returneth to his adamah; in yom hahu his plans come to nothing.

⁵ Ashrei is he that hath El Ya’akov for his ezer, whose hope is in Hashem Elohav:

⁶ Oseh Shomayim vaAretz, the yam, and all that therein is: HaShomer Emes l’olam (Who keepeth Truth forever):

⁷ Oseh mishpat for the oppressed; Who giveth lechem to the hungry. Hashem mattir asurim (sets free the prisoners):

⁸ Hashem openeth the eyes of the ivrim: Hashem raiseth them that are bowed down: Hashem loveth the tzaddikim:

⁹ Hashem shomer over the gerim; He relieveth the yatom (fatherless, orphan) and almanah; but the Derech Resha’im He frustrates.

¹⁰ Hashem shall reign l’olam, even thy G-d, O Tziyon, l’dor vador. Praise Hashem.

¹¹ But when Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach came as the Kohen Gadol of the coming tovot (good things), he entered through the Mishkan Gadol, the greater and more perfect Mishkan, not made with hands, that is, not of this B’ri’ah (Creation);

¹² Not through the dahm of se’irim (goats) and of agalim (bulls) but through his own dahm [Isa 52:15] he entered the Kodesh HaKodashim once and for all, having secured for us the Geulah Olamim.

¹³ For if the dahm of se’irim (goats) and parim (young bulls) and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have become tum’a (uncleanness), if this dahm sets apart for kedushah for the tohorah (purification) of the basar,

¹⁴ By how much more will the dahm of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach who through the eternal Ruach Hakodesh offered himself without MUM (defect, VAYIKRA 22:20) to G-d, by how much more will his DAHM (Isa 52:15) purify our matzpun (conscience) from ma’asim metim (dead works) in order to serve the Elohim Chayyim.

²⁸ And one of the Sofrim approached and heard them debating, and seeing that Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach answered them well, asked him, Which mitzvah is rishonah of all the mitzvot?

²⁹ Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach answered, SHEMA YISROEL ADONOI ELOHEINU ADONOI ECHAD is harishonah.

³⁰ VAHAVTA ES ADONOI ELOHECHA BKHOL LVAVCHA UVECHOL NAFSHECHA UVECHOL MODECHA. [DEVARIM 6:4,5]

³¹ And the shneyah is this, VAHAVTA LREACHA KAMOCHA [VAYIKRA 19:18]. There is not another mitzvah greater than these.

³² And the Baal Torah said to him, Well spoken, Rabbi, beemes you have said that Hashem is ECHAD (one, DEVARIM 6:4), and EIN OD and there is no other [YESHAYAH 45:18] except him. [DEVARIM 4:35,39; YESHAYAH 45:6,14; 46:9]

³³ and to have ahavah for him BECHOL LVAVCHA (with all your heart) and with all your binah UVECHOL MODECHA (with all your strength DEVARIM 6:5) and LREACHA KAMOCHA (your neighbor as yourself, VAYIKRA 19:18) is greater [than] all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. [SHMUEL ALEF 15:22; HOSHEA 6:6; MICHOH 6:6 8]

³⁴ And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, when he saw that this Torah teacher answered with chochmah (wisdom), said to him, You are not far from the Malchut Hashem. And no one was daring to put a she’elah (question) in front of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach again.