Quand Noémie écrivait Ruth: Hcombining dot belowesed et rédemption à distance de dieu

This essay interprets and develops S. D. Goitein's thesis that the Scroll of Ruth was written by a "wise and old" woman. This interpretation is neither historical nor philological but based on an analysis of the narrative strategy of the text. Its goal is to propose a different exegesis of a book that has been studied by ancient rabbis as well as by contemporary literary critics, and in particular feminist critics. The hypothesis of a female author of Ruth allows a better understanding of its original use of the notions of redemption (ge'ulla) and loving-kindness (hcombining dot belowesed). It also reveals a novel ethical and metaphysical meaning of the text.