Fictional telling of the story of Ruth leaves reader eagerly waiting for author’s next work

Atara Beck, Jewish Tribune, May 22 2007

For centuries Jewish students of Bible and Talmud have been exposed to ‘midrashim commentaries on the Hebrew Scriptures compiled between 400 and 1200 AD and based on exegesis, parable, and haggadic legend. Since it was men who traditionally studied Torah in-depth, the talmudic and biblical commentaries, which infinitely enrich Jewish culture, were authored by men. Only in recent years have women begun to imagine, at least publicly, other versions of what may have transpired behind the biblical words, and many have done so in the form of historical novels, perhaps the best known being Anita Diamant’s best seller, The Red Tent.

Eva Etzioni Halevy is a scholar. She’s professor emeritus of political sociology at Bar-Ilan University and has published 14 academic books and numerous articles. So, her two recent books of biblical fiction – The Story of Hannah and The Garden of Ruth – are quite a surprise. They’re creative, refreshing imaginings, from a feminine perspective, of what may have actually transpired in ancient Israel. Of course, some parts seem extremely far-fetched, but then again, so are many accepted explanations for biblical stories that attempt to portray our revered ancestors in the best light possible. As one teacher of literature commented, we’ve been exposed to 'zayde meisehs’ for so long; now it’s time for ‘bubbe meisehs.’ (‘Bubbe meiseh’ is the Yiddish for old wives’ tales.) The holiday of Shavuot falls six weeks after Passover, and it’s traditional to read the Scroll of Ruth during that festival. Etzioni Halevy's The Garden of Ruth provides a unique interpretation of the events, based on unsubstantiated suggestions by a few historians that the Scroll of Ruth may have been written by a woman. The scroll is based on the lives of Naomi and her daughter in-law, Ruth, whose loyalty and determination are the motivating factors. As well, it dates Ruth to the time of the Judges (according to some scholars, it had been part of the Book of Judges but was later separated), so the novel takes place during that time. The protaginist in Etzioni Halevy's romantic narrative is the beautiful Osnath. Not only does she have the ability to read and write, a rarity for women at the time; she’s a free-spirited intellectual with the determination to uncover the secret life of her beloved Eliab’s (David’s brother) great-grandmother, Ruth. Eliab’s library contained scrolls written by Ruth, including secrets that he finally consented to let Osnath see. Like Ruth's cup after she married Boaz, Osnath's, too was brimming over," writes the author. "Only one matter remained to mar her happiness: she could not reach agreement with her husband on the scroll she intended to write about Ruth." Although Osnath was forced to compromise by writing "a scroll depicting only those parts of Ruth’s life that it is proper for the people to know about," her version of The Scroll of Ruth "was preserved and copied countless times and passed down from generation to generation," according to the author’s fantasy. The Garden of Ruth is an enthralling, sensual work that carries the reader to biblical times and provides an unusual adaptation of the life of the revered heroine whose story comes to light at this time of year.