<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">The Rabbis tell us the Book of Ruth teaches neither of things that are permitted or forbidden.</span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">Why then is it part of Holy Scriptures? Because its subject matter is <i class="">gemilus chassodim</i>. Along</span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">the same line, three times a day we recite “God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob.”</span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">However, we conclude the blessing “<i class="">mogen Avraham” </i>— only with Abraham. Why? In explanation, a</span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">Chassidic Rabbi explains that each of the patriarchs symbolizes one of the three essentials as</span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">articulated in <i class="">Pirkei Avos</i> 1:2). Jacob represents <i class="">Torah</i>; Isaac, <i class="">Avodah</i>; and Abraham, <i class="">gemilus chassodim.</i></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">Though all three principles are vital, kindness is sufficient to stabilize the world (how we need it now more</span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">than ever!). An interest in the performance of good deeds was the quality that marked Abraham — a </span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">quality which can be a shield and support to us even when other qualities in our nature are weak — hence,</span></div><div class=""><i style="font-size: 20px;" class="">MOGEN AVRAHAM.</i></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">Ruth was no ordinary convert. Her name gives us a clue to her essence. </span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">In Hebrew, Ruth's name is comprised of the letters reish, vav, tav, which add up to a numerical value of 606. </span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">As all human beings have an obligation to observe the seven Noachide commandments — so called because </span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">they were given after the flood — as did Ruth upon her birth as a Moabite. Add those seven commandments </span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">to the value of her name and you get 613, the number of commandments in the Torah. <br class=""><br class="">The essence of Ruth, her driving life force was the discovery and acceptance of the 606 commandments she was missing.<br class=""><br class="">Another lovely aspect is the meaning of the name "Ruth." In Hebrew the name is probably a contraction of re'ut, ' friendship,' which admirably summarizes her nature. The meaning in English is also very apropos: <br class=""></span><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>• Compassion or pity for another<br class=""></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>• Sorrow or misery about one's own misdeeds or flaws.</span></div></div></body></html>