What made Ruth find favor in Boaz’s eyes? Rav Shlomo Katz opens up the first meeting between Ruth and Boaz—not as a romantic tale, but as a blueprint for holy connection. Ruth’s words, “And I am a foreigner,” are not a disclaimer, but the very reason she is worthy of being seen. Her sense of distance, of not-yet-being, is what draws Boaz in.
Through the lens of Chassidut, we explore the spiritual power of shef’lut—humble self-awareness— as the fertile ground where true intimacy, both with Hashem and with another soul, begins to grow. Because the more I recognize that I am not the center, the more room I have for love, gratitude, and the kind of partnership that holds space for imperfection. And in this space, a David HaMelech can be born.