The Bible Story that is a Tribute to Women

Icon of Ruth and Naomi

The Book of Ruth has always been a popular section of the bible that holds a special appeal to women for a variety of reasons.  It is a testament of female self-sufficiency and of a close relationship between strong, resourceful women.  The richness of this story even extends to championing outcasts and oppressed people, while Ruth's example also serves as a tribute to the dignity of labor.

It is established at the beginning of this story that Ruth is not an Israelite by birth but rather a Moabite, ironically a people who were not even friends with the Israelites.  But in a plot twist of God's will, she has married a Judahite (a Hebrew person from the tribe of Judah).  With this marriage, Ruth has accepted the people of Israel as her own, moreover she has adopted the God of Israel as her own. 

These convictions are greatly tested when both she and her sister-in-law, another Moabitess, experience the deaths of their Israelite husbands.  Their mother-in-law, Naomi, had also lost her own husband, Elimelech.  The three women are left to figure out how they will survive.  Given the era in which they live, a time when women were completely dependent upon the support of men, this was especially problematic.  At first, both daughters-in-law want to stay with Naomi.  But Naomi cannot provide for them and doesn't even have any other son that either daughter-in-law could take to replace the one lost; no man means no source of support nor continuing family legacy--they are literally left with nothing!  So Naomi urges her daughters-in-law to go back to their own people.  One daughter-in-law reluctantly agrees and leaves Naomi alone with the other daughter-in-law, Ruth.  But Ruth is completely devoted to Naomi and refuses to leave her, demonstrating their strong and special relationship. (RUTH 1:16-17) 

As the elder, Naomi knows she must devise a way to provide security for herself and Ruth.  With their strength of determination and resourcefulness, Naomi takes Ruth back to Judah where Naomi's late husband owned property.  But claiming this land and continuing the family lineage are tied together; Naomi knows that there exists the requirement of a close relative (usually the dead man's brother) to marry the widow of the deceased in order to continue his family line (DEUTERONOMY 25:5-10).  Naomi is too old to have more children, so both women agree to position Ruth for this purpose.  But since there is no direct heir through Naomi's late husband, Elimelech, to inherit his land, Naomi must wisely seek out an appropriate member of their extended family that would qualify for a "Levirate-like" marriage for Ruth  (adhering to the custom by which a man may be obliged to marry his brother's widow).  The proper selection would ensure them in their claim to the land with the support that it provides, along with the carrying on the family lineage for future security. 

Naomi decides on a wealthy relation that owns a lot of land of his own, whose name is Boaz.  Since it is harvest season, Naomi puts her plan in motion by directing Ruth to go to work on Boaz's land gleaning barley from the reapers.  The women are true partners in this endeavor; Ruth exhibits her loyalty to Naomi by following her instructions.  Ruth performs an admirable work ethic, working Boaz's field of barley without rest from morning to night.  Her tireless dedication is noticed by Boaz.  She works through the harvest season, steadfastly gleaning and gathering by the handfuls the leftover barley after the reapers.  Day in and day out, Ruth not only works hard but additionally proves endless devotion to her mother-in-law by saving a portion of her daily food allotment for Naomi's consumption.

Boaz is in admiration of Ruth's efforts.  He commends her on her bravery to leave all she had known in her native land behind to stay with Naomi.  He rewards her allegiance and faithful labor by making sure she is treated respectfully by his other laborers along with her receiving an equal share of the grain.  Boaz invites Ruth to eat with him and even extends her a greater territory in which to glean.  He orders protection of her so that other laborers do not reprimand her for this greater access. Ruth maintains her dedicated work ethic and virtue to be worthy of Boaz.  Despite having just been a servant in his field, through hard work and loyalty she earns the suitability to become his wife. 

Boaz rewards Ruth with a gift of barley as a sign of "redemption".  Naomi is excited, it looks like her plan of arranging a "Levirate-like" marriage for Ruth from the extended family worked and that she and Ruth will be taken care of!

But a complication arises when another, besides Boaz, surfaces who happens to be a closer relative to Elimelech.  His position gives him the first claim on Naomi and Elimelech's property.  Custom requires that land stays in the family, although a family could mortgage land to ward off poverty; yet law required a kinsman to purchase it back into the family (Leviticus 25:25).  This near kinsman aims to take advantage of this law and buy the land.  The women are disappointed; there is no offer of a "Levirate-like" marriage and they now worry that their plans for a secure future have fallen through.

But with Ruth having successfully won favor with Boaz, he steps in to advocate for her and her mother-in-law.

Boaz meets this near kinsman at the city gate, a location famous for settling contracts. This kinsman first says he'll purchase Naomi and Elimelech's land but when he hears he must also marry Ruth, he withdraws the offer. 

Boaz then satisfies custom by marrying Ruth and becomes the "kinsman's redeemer".  

Ruth and Naomi partnered to succeed with their plans despite Deuteronomy 23:3-6 which excludes any Ammonite or Moabite from the congregation of the Lord (joining the Israelites).  They were able to do this because Ruth had already set a precedent of exception by having married Naomi's son, a Judahite, and with her regarding herself a member of his family even after his death she was able to proceed in her marrying another Judahite.  This not only benefited the two women, but also went on to benefit all of God's people; both Boaz and Ruth become the ancestors of David and--resultingly--of Jesus Christ Himself.  As such, Ruth teaches Jews and Christians alike how outsiders can become good, exemplary followers and there is no reason to exclude them.

That is why this section of scripture is held in great esteem by both Jews and Christians.  For Jews, who fall under the category of Jews-by-choice, this book uniquely addresses the difficulty of trying to apply the laws given in books such as Deuteronomy which excludes outsiders.  For Christians, Ruth prefigures being the outsider who is grafted into joining the ranks of God's chosen people.   

Her story that she shares with Naomi makes The Book of Ruth one of the greatest mother-daughter stories ever told.  Women continue to celebrate it as a tribute to what godly women can accomplish, not the least of which was setting into place a descendancy celebrated by Jews and Christians that eventually went on to change the world!

The Morning Brew Book Review: THE SECRET CHORD by Geraldine Brooks

Welcome to the Christian Coffee Clutch's first edition of "The Morning Brew Book Review"!

Introduction

Although I am an Orthodox Christian and this blog is primarily for Christian camaraderie, nonetheless with the commonalities and crossovers of other major religions there is certainly a place at this table for all people of faith and even for those just curious about religion in general.  I see such diversity as a strength for connecting, not a weakness of ambiguity.  Our coffee clutch is not really about pushing pluralism, it is more about the awe of discovery.  I have found that during my own interfaith dialogue experiences, not only did I learn about another person’s faith beliefs while they also learned something about mine, I unintentionally ended up reaping an increased knowledge about my own religion.  At such times, when my counterpart brought up a point that I had not considered or did not know much about, I would say to myself, “That’s interesting!  I wonder what my own religion’s approach is to that very same point?”  I would then go back to my Orthodox Christian sources and gain the benefit of being further schooled.

The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks 

Hits the High Note

Such was the fascination I felt and rewarding education I obtained as an Orthodox Christian reading Geraldine Brook’s The Secret Chord (published by Viking - An imprint of Penguin Ran House LLC, 2015).  This is a story about the life of the Old Testament's King David as seen through the eyes of his court prophet, Nathan.  However, it is not the Christian Old Testament account of King David's story, but rather in this version Ms. Brooks follows what has been recorded about David’s life as revealed in Jewish sources which include the Tanakh and the Talmud.   I had much appreciation for the obvious research Ms. Brooks did to construct the foundation of her story about this consequential point in ancient times, which makes for a must-read for any true lover of history no matter if that reader is a practitioner of any religion or even one who practices no religion at all.

While there exists no source that supplies solid and thorough information about David’s complete life story, Ms. Brooks took the numerous informational dots she had collected and connects them with the blending in of her own unique created brand of entertainment.  Her story is a captivating—and just as important, plausible—rendition of describing events like the violent battles, or even of a horrific rape, in disturbing graphic detail.  She also paints each scene in her own poetic style to add vibrancy to the historic story settings. Ms. Brooks also craftily reveals critical character motivation even for the most controversial figures (David being chief among them) along with their page-turning development.  All of these components work together to unfold her own exclusive and plausible story of David in its entirety.   For historical fiction in general and biblical historical fiction in specific, plausibility is key.  Ms. Brooks leaves the reader feeling that it all really could have happened that way.

Naturally, there are moments in “The Secret Chord” that are not in line with my own faith’s beliefs.  One example being that Orthodox Christianity does not officially hold the view that there existed a homosexual relationship between David and Jonathan.  This is not due to homophobia or heterophobia as Orthodox Christianity does not preach either; there is just no supporting evidence found in our scripture for it.  Even in David’s Song of Lamentation the language describing their relationship is interpreted as a powerful profession of love and grief with no explicit sexual suggestion.  Whether by reason of doctrine or dramatic license, Ms. Brooks’ story took a different view on this as well as some other points, but none of which interferes with nor detracts from the enjoyment of her story. 

Another layer of interest I found is a personal one.  I, too, albeit as someone with a different faith prospective but as someone who shares Ms. Brooks’ passion for David’s story, have authored a book about David and Michal, "CONDEMNATION: The Calamity of Israel's First Crown" which will be published by Archway, a division of Simon & Schuster, and made available in 2018.  Given Michal’s tragic life, along with how women were characterized and treated, David and Michal’s story is not an easy one to write for any female of today’s world.  As such, it was especially interesting for me as a female to see another woman’s take not just on the tragedy of Michal, but also on the belittlement of women evident in the treatment of them as well as additionally showcased in the amount of polygamy that occurred.  There is also the challenge of considering the justification for the excessive amount of  bloodshed, of the innocent along with the guilty.  I found it refreshing that Ms. Brooks did not gloss over such subjects but approached each of them by tactfully opening the door to some healthy debate, acknowledging the complexity while even offering critique.

While I have constructed a very different angle on the lives of David and Michal in my upcoming book, I have aimed to also achieve the same entertaining plausibility that Ms. Brooks has accomplished.  And I hope to attract a diversity in readership that “The Secret Chord” has proven, as I have attested to, is possible.

Since Biblical Years - YOGURT ADDS YEARS

Ordinary Yogurt packs
extraordinary
health benefits!

The origin of yogurt with its numerous health benefits dates back thousands of years.  Tradition holds that Abraham was visited by an angel that actually directed him to eat the biblical version of what we now call yogurt in order to live a long life.  It is believed that Abraham lived for 175 years!

Biblical scholars surmise that scriptural references to curds was what we now call yogurt.  Yogurt is mentioned as one of the blessings in The Song of Moses, Deuteronomy 32:14 "Curds of cows, and milk of the flock, with fat of lambs, and rams, the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the finest of the wheat--and the blood of grapes you drank wine."  God ordered the Israelites to learn this song, which describes these blessings He is giving them as well to outline His vengeance.  He did this in the anticipation of their future apostasy (turning away from Him) in the Promised Land.  At the point of when He expected the people to turn from Him, God intended to use the song as a witness against them.

God's blessing of yogurt remains an enriched one.  Yogurt contains bone-building calcium.  It prevents colds, allergic reactions and even fights cancer.  Lab studies show yogurt strengthens the immune system to fight diseases before they do serious damage.  It also lowers bad cholesterol levels, prevents dangerous intestinal inflections, improves bowel function, and blocks ulcers. 

With so many benefits, it's easy to see why a regular consumption of yogurt improves longevity.  In today's region encompassing Turkey, Armenia, and part of the Causcasus Mountains, we find a higher than average number of people, who happen to eat plenty of yogurt, live to be well beyond 100 years while maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. 

From early on, Israelites made and savored sour or curdled milk (curds), sweetening it with a variety of fruits or adding crunch with nuts.   During this era, the poisoning afflictions of botulism, salmonella, and staph were easily fatal.  Today, research indicates that yogurt contains several antibiotics that can be as effective as the prescription drug terranycin against these diseases.

In fact, yogurt's lactobacilli destroys E-Coli and cures most gastrointestinal ailments.  It is also a natural laxative, maintaining balance between good and bad bacteria.  Yogurt is a natural antibiotic that can prevent dysentery and influenza.  It even counteracts penicillin's destruction of all bacteria. 

Yogurt contains natural fatty, hormonal substances called prostaglandins E-2.  This element protects the stomach lining against irritants like cigarette smoke and alcohol.  

Yogurt is even effective against canker sores and vaginitis. 

This dairy product also lowers the "bad" LDL cholesterol in blood while elevating the "good" HDL cholesterol.  This helps to prevent heart disease.

During the 19th century, Microbiologist Dr. Elias Metchnikoff carried out experiments with yogurt at the Pasteur Institute in Paris and found the scientific support that yogurt prevented heart disease.  He additionally noted that people who ate a lot of yogurt rarely became senile and the body's natural deterioration slowed down.

Labneh can be made or bought at International, Greek,
or Middle Eastern specialty food markets.
Pictured here is a platter of Labneh topped with
my garden's chopped herbs of
parsley, chives, basil, oregano and thyme. 

While yogurt is recognized today as a popular health food, in order to get all of yogurt's benefits you need to be sure to get the kind that contains "live active cultures".  We can find yogurt in grocery stores everywhere  and in most convenient stores. 

Yogurt is available in abundance especially as a fruit-filled dessert in the dairy aisle, with the Greek version now leading the trend!  But there is an equally enjoyable savory version known in the Middle East as Labneh b Zeit, which is a strained and spiced yogurt dip (or used as a spread) that can be adorned with tasty herbs and eaten with pita.  This version is now appearing on the American culinary radar especially thanks to PBS Celebrity Chef Julie Taboulie and her premiere 2017 cookbook "Julie Taboulie's Lebanese Kitchen: Authentic Recipes for Fresh and Flavorful Mediterranean Home Cooking" which shares how to make Lebanese yogurt as well as how to prepare it in the form of Labneh b Zeit.  This is a perfect mazza  plate to present when you entertain, or to serve as a brunch/lunch dish.  It is easy to make, super healthy, and best of all it is addictively awesome!

WHEAT = BIBLICAL WEALTH + BOOSTER OF HEALTH

Our star ingredient of the week has enjoyed many mentions in the bible, while in today's world this famous food, the "staff of life", is still highly valued as a major agricultural market commodity.

Wheat has always been versatile; this was especially true during biblical times when it was considered a staple and served in some form at every mealtime.  Wheat was crushed and baked into casseroles, porridges, or soups, it was also added to salads and desserts.  Wheat was even elevated into an important religious symbol!  This grain could convey God’s mood: its plentiful harvest was seen as a blessing from God, however a widespread crop failure of this critical grain could lead to famine--and that signified His displeasure.  The following passage illustrates how wheat was used as a component in God's demonstration of anger:   

“Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes.  Is it not the wheat harvest today?  I will call unto the Lord, and He shall send thunder and rain; that you may  perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, by asking for yourselves a king.  So Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent (torrential) thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.” (1 Samuel 12:16-18)

God infused wheat with an impressive nutritional value which has acted to both sustain and protect life.  As sustenance, wheat is unrivaled in its quality fiber for healthy digestion.  In a ¼ cup, there is as much as 5 grams of fiber, in addition to its content of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc.  Wheat also offers chromium, manganese, and Vitamin E.  With so many benefits, it is no wonder that it was considered God’s gift that became regarded as an earthly commodity of wealth as described in the Old Testament passage below: 

“Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!  Praise thy God, O Zion!  For He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; He hath blessed thy children within thee.  He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.” (Psalm 147:12-14)

Wheat in the form of bread is also shown as crucial sustenance in the story of Ruth:

 “And Boaz said unto her, ‘At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar.’  And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.” (Ruth 2:14)

In wheat’s defensive role, it protects against infections, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, and guards against colon, bowl, and rectal cancer.  Nutritional experts have noted that in today’s world where fiber intake is the highest, colon and bowel disorders are rare. 

Wheat’s ability to sustain life and guard against disease is summed up nicely in what is perhaps wheat’s  most famous scriptural shout-out—where wheat was described being baked into Ezekiel’s bread, then seen as survival food during the challenge of the Babylonian conquest. 

“Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, 390 days shalt thou eat thereof.” (EZEKIEL 4:9)

The following recipe stars our famed ingredient in the role of bulgar wheat, and is one that I published in my other blog mideastfoodfest.blogspot.com.  It is a favorite from my husband's side of the family whose roots hail from the captivating mountainous region of Lebanon.  It is completely vegan, and a hit for garlic-lovers!

Lenten Recipe - COOKED BURGHUL (BULGAR)

Some enjoy eating this dish by scooping up cooked bulgar with raw onion wedges. Recommend serving with Italian bread.

1 1/4 c. med. or course ground bulgar (cracked wheat)
3 med. onions, chopped
8-10 cloves of fresh garlic (1/2 bulb), minced or crushed
Extra virgin olive oil
6 oz. can plain tomato paste
Salt & pepper
Water

Add the onions to a 4-quart saucepan with a generous amount of olive oil. Saute until onions are lightly carmelized. Reduce heat and add half the amount of garlic (5-6 cloves). Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not burn or overcook the garlic. Mix the bulgar into the pan with the onions, remove from heat and add cold water until the water level is at least twice that of the bulgar mixture level. Return to the stove on medium-high heat and bring to a medium boil, lower heat to simmer. Stir in the remainder of the garlic. Add tomato paste. Stir frequently throughout. Salt and pepper to taste as the mixture thickens. Cook until the bulgar is tender and mixture has thickened. If desired, add a little more olive oil to give it more richness. Enjoy!