How do you guys feel about the Jewish custom of levirate marriage or yibbum? The OED defines it as "the custom among the Jews and some other nations, by which the brother or next of kin to a deceased man was bound under certain circumstances to marry the widow". Essentially, its purpose was to keep the family name and line going. The first born son of the later union would still bear the deceased father's name and be entitled to all his property and/or possessions.
Keeping this custom in mind, you have to look at the story of Ruth a little differently. Apparently, Ruth is childless when she departs with Naomi from Moab. And her only brother-in-law dies alongside her husband. Her social status is pretty much nothing if she stays behind with the Moabites. She probably knows exactly what her options are when in comes to men in the community, and also the stigma of remaining un-remarried. Her best option is to try greener pastures. Ruth knows that her mother-in-law is returning to her "own country" where there are bound to be a few relatives to whom she could try and intiate the levirate custom. Why else would she rather die than leave Naomi's side? The Bible may try to sell Ruth as loyal, but I like to think she is just being practical.
Naomi was just as aware of the custom of levirate marriage as her daughter-in-law. She is the one that teaches Ruth to pimp herself out, giving her pretty exact instructions. Check out 3:1 through 3:16. Naomi knows the steps required in setting up the match between Boaz and Ruth. I think these steps, like rolling back the covering from the sleeping man's feet, must have been a part of the levirate custom. Otherwise, how would Naomi have been so sure of Boaz's reaction? As for Boaz, he does the right thing by marrying Ruth. He gets a smart wife and a nice chunk of land. Also, I think men could be punished for not carrying out this bizarre custom. But, I will have to research that some more.
