R. Shmuel Bar Nachman said” Cursed be the wicked. In reference to Potiphar’s wife it say, “and she said, ‘lie with me”, like an animal, but of Ruth it says, “and spread your wing over your handmaid (Genesis Rabbah 87,4).
This comparison between Ruth and Potiphar's wife calls to mind an important idea explicated so beautifully by R. Tsadok Hakohen in Likuttei Amarim 80b. He writes that every element seeks to join itself with what is like it. If a woman on a low spiritual level seeks out an elevated man it is either a sign that something within him still requires correction or, that an element of goodness within her is crying out for redemption. The impure does not desire to attach itself to the pure, if not for one of these two reasons. Why would a Gentile jet-setter, a woman like the wife of Pharaoh’s chief executioner desire to attach herself to a completely pious Jewish man? It must be a desperate cry for meaning and redemption. This is why Joseph was initially tempted somewhat by his master’s wife, for he understood that she could not be attracted to him unless they shared something on a deeper level. So happens, it turned out to be her daughter Asnat, who ultimately married Joseph. The comparison between Potiphar’s wife and Ruth emphasizes that Ruth wanted Boaz solely for his goodness and righteousness. She was motivated by pure and religious motives and he instinctively sensed that. Ruth throws back to Boaz the same words that he said to her at their first meeting: “HaShem recompense your work, and be your reward complete from HaShem, the G-d of Israel, under whose wings you came to take refuge.' (Ruth 2:14). She asks that Boaz spread his wing over her, meaning his outer four-fringed garment (as many still spread a Tallis to constitute a Chuppah), alluding to the commandment of Tsitsit and its power to guard against temptation (see Malbim here, and Rashash to Kiddushin 18b). When a man spreads his garment over a woman he symbolozes that this man and this woman are now wearing the same cloak and face the world under the same cover. Ruth was prepared to cloak herself in the garments of the Sage of Israel with everything that it entailed.
So intermarriage is not, perhaps, something that is bereft of spiritual component. Rather, like all things, it is misdirected spirtuality, a kernel of goodness that is hijacked by impure forces, or it is a call to teshuvah. At times, it is redeemed later, when the non-Jewish partner takes interest in Judasim and ultimately converts. Often, however, the sparks remains trapped in exile, to the tragedy the Jewish people and the entire world.
Interesting. Boteach has a controversial article on the Noah Feldman debacle here http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-shmuley-boteach/stop-ostracizing-those-wh_b_57321.html what is your take on that?
Posted by: ha-historion | August 17, 2007 at 12:36 PM
Interesting. Boteach has a controversial article on the Noah Feldman debacle here http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-shmuley-boteach/stop-ostracizing-those-wh_b_57321.html what is your take on that?
Posted by: ha-historion | August 17, 2007 at 12:38 PM
I posted on that, here http://www.avakesh.com/2007/08/intermarriage.html.
His position is the general Chabad position. The Chassidishe seem marginally more tolerant than the Litvishe on this issue.
Posted by: avakesh | August 17, 2007 at 02:11 PM