Hi folks,

This week we're looking at some documents that were included in the Jewish sacred texts, but are geared toward less toward God than what membership in the community entails and how that relates to gender. What stands out to you in Esther’s or Ruth’s story? What was the author trying to show about them?

For this week's response, I chose the reading on Esther because, honestly, I was already intrigued by the story in class. I find it compelling that Esther is not framed to be "powerful" but ultimately falls into this huge role that basically saves her people. The line that stuck with me the most is the one about calling on her people and approaching the king when she knows it could cost her life, because I've been in a situation where it's either do something or do nothing, and somehow you find that internal motivation to go above and beyond because there's no other choice.

The author's intent could be to show how courage is not found in the loudest of forms, but instead, in the quietest and most tactful. Esther was not a soldier, not in front of her people per se, but all it took was the right moment and situational awareness. This document shows how precarious everything was during this time frame (especially for women) and that they had little control over their lives, but were expected to be well-versed in how to deal with the worst to keep their homes and people afloat.

This document relates to a lot of other female-centric texts we've read from antiquity. In some ways, it complements them, like the fact that women do not have the freedom (most of the time) to show their power from the jump, but it also subverts things about women, like how Esther's power changes the trajectory of a nation. It reminds me that even in cultures that repressed women, they were still able to work wonders over people.

One thing I'd want to know more about is how real women responded to these stories. Did they feel energized by Esther? Or was this more of a hypothetical endeavor to make points? I think this could show how much the community respected women or what it expected from them.

I chose “ The Book of Ruth”. The reason I’m interested in this is because the story focuses more on ordinary people, rather than high-status individuals like kings, gods, as seen in most of the other stories. The detail that stood out to me the most is the moment when Naomi tells her daughters-in-law to return to their mother’s homes. This made me think about the humanity present at that time. As their mother-in-law, Naomi had a certain amount of authority over them, yet she chose not to use it. Instead of keeping them tied to her after their husbands died, she decided to release them from any obligation. She might have wanted them to have freedom and the chance to rebuild their lives. The author may be trying to communicate kindness, honesty, and genuine human emotion. I believe that the document highlights the women’s strength. After the death of their husbands, they moved to another place, worked hard, and were successful in rebuilding their own lives, especially Ruth, as she got married to Boaz. This document contradicts other readings because Ruth is not criticized for remarrying and not blamed for seducing the man instead, she is shown as a loyal and hardworking woman. I would like to find out more about how all the male members of the family died early. 

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I chose The Book of Ruth because it focuses on loyalty and relationships rather than battles or political conflicts. A passage that really stood out to me was in Chapter 1 line 16 when Ruth says to Naomi, 16 “Do not urge me to leave you—to turn back from after you; for to where you go I go, and where you lodge I lodge; your people [is] my people, and your God my God.” This line shows how deeply Ruth cares for Naomi and how willing she is to commit to a new life, even with all the uncertainties that lie ahead of her. I think the author's message was focused on kindness, the power of loyalty, and supporting one another during unfortunate times. This document shows how harshly the reality of life in ancient Israel, especially for the women who did not have husbands, and how essential family and community were for survival. It also demonstrates that someone from outside Israel, like Ruth, could be accepted and become part of its story.

The text also shows how a single act of loyalty can change a person’s future’ since Ruth eventually becomes part of the family line that leads to King David. This made me realize how ancient stories often connect ordinary people to major moments in history. I also noticed how the overall tone shifts from grief to hope, showing that compassion can rebuild lives even after loss. Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz’s interactions highlight the importance of generosity and doing what’s right, even when the law doesn’t require it. The story also challenges negative views of Moabites we’ve seen in other readings by showing Ruth as a positive and faithful character. One thing I’m still curious about is how ancient audiences understood this story. Did they see it mainly as a lesson about kindness, or as a way to explain the origins of King David’s family?

The reading I chose was The book of Ruth. The book of Ruth caught my interest because I have heard of the story prior in my church experiences but never really read it for myself. The detail in the passage that jumped out to me as I was reading is Chapter 3 verse 1-5 which states "And her mother-in-law Naomi says to her, “My daughter, do I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? ² And now, is not Boaz of our acquaintance, with whose young women you have been? Behold, he is winnowing the threshing-floor of barley tonight, ³ and you have bathed, and anointed yourself, and put your garments on you, and gone down to the threshing-floor; do not let yourself be known to the man until he completes to eat and to drink; ⁴ and it comes to pass, when he lies down, that you have known the place where he lies down, and have gone in, and uncovered his feet, and lain down—and he declares to you that which you do.” ⁵ And she says to her, “All that you say—I do.”. That detail stood out to me because I did not expect her mother in law to be supportive in her finding a new husband after she was left a widow. I expected the mother in law to be more strict and forbidding especially due to the period and circumstances of the century they were in. I think the author was trying to communicate the aspect of getting married again after losing a partner in a women's life during this period and how it was allowed but most importantly it was allowed due to connections that was maid through the mother in law and how well she knew her daughter in law. In my opinion, this document is telling me that the time and place in which this passage was written was not as strict as I thought it was in certain circumstances towards women. This document contradicts a the other passages we have previously read regarding a woman getting remarried and the standards set towards it. I would like to find out whether ideas of gender in ancient Israel was more belief based or society constructed.

I picked the reading from the Book of Ruth. It caught my eye because the story felt very human and easy to connect with. The part that jumped out most was when Ruth tells Naomi that she will stay with her no matter what and that her people will become her people. It felt strong and honest and it showed how much she cared. The author seems to be showing how loyalty and care can change a person’s path. Ruth had every reason to walk away but she chose to stay and that choice shaped her future.

The document tells us that the time and place were hard. Families depended on each other, especially women. Widows had limited options and survival often depended on relatives stepping in to help. Community rules about land, marriage and family were taken seriously. Compared to other readings from this period, this one gives a more peaceful picture. It focuses on daily life, personal decisions and how people treated each other. Some other texts from the same time show more conflict or political struggle, while Ruth shows a smaller world built on relationships.

I would like to know more about how the system of family redeemers worked and how common it was for someone from another group to join a new community like Ruth did.

The Book of Ruth, I was interested in it because it’s a calm, personal story, and it feels different from the dramatic events in many other readings.

The part that grabbed my attention was how Ruth refuses to leave Naomi after their husbands die. Instead of going back to her own people, she chooses to stay with Naomi and support her. That decision says a lot about her character.

I think the author was trying to show that small acts of loyalty and kindness can change someone’s entire life. Ruth wasn’t powerful or famous, but her choices led her to stability and eventually into an important family line.

It also shows how difficult life was at that time, especially for widows. Survival depended a lot on family connections and land. It also shows that even though Israel had its own traditions, a foreign woman like Ruth could still be accepted and respected.

Compared to other readings, Ruth doesn’t focus on kings or battles --it focuses on everyday people. But like some of the other stories, it still highlights how women played important roles behind the scenes.

I’m also curious about how often women like Ruth were able to make such choices and what challenges they usually faced in those times.

I chose to read The Book of Ruth because I thought it was interesting how it talks about kindness, family, and faith. Ruth’s story really stood out to me because she was brave and loyal even after losing her husband. She decided to stay with her mother-in-law, Naomi, instead of going back to her own country. The part that jumped out to me was when Ruth said to Naomi, “Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay; your people will be my people, and your God my God.” This shows how much Ruth cared about Naomi and how loyal she was. I think the author wanted to show that love and faith can make people strong, even when life is hard. This story tells us that during that time, life was tough for women, but they could still be brave and make a difference. Ruth worked hard and trusted God, and in the end, her kindness was rewarded when she married Boaz and became part of King David’s family.