Working on Ruth and Taking Pictures

Not at the same time, usually. As with most summers, this is my time to try and get some writing done. I continue, slowly but surely, to make progress on my book on TgRuth. Next month I will be presenting a paper on the character of Ruth in the Targum and I now have my article on Boaz ready to be submitted. The blog over here has been neglected in this time and really for the last six months or so. I do intend to update here more frequently, but we shall see how it goes. All my writing time really ought to go into the articles, papers, and book.

One of the interesting thing about Ruth, perhaps more than any other biblical book that I can think of, is the amount of articles and books about Ruth that are ostensibly academic, but in reality are essentially homiletic. I will not name names, that wouldn’t be prudent as Bush 41 might have said. There are many however, particularly in the area of feminist interpretation and critique that are essentially midrashim. One book I will name explicitly takes this approach. Reading Ruth: Contemporary Women Reclaim a Sacred Story, edited by Judith Kates and Gail Twersky Reimer, is just that, contemporary women “reclaiming” Ruth through modern midrash, poetry, and interpretation that attempt to (re)discover the role of Ruth and Naomi in the book. Very interesting and at times enlightening but not your usual commentary or academic article.

When I am not researching/writing or in meetings this summer I am usually at sporting events for our kids and where I go my camera goes. I announced a few weeks ago my PhotoBlog. I created that so that this site wouldn’t be quite so cluttered with my photos. Today was beautiful, however, and when my son and I went to pick up my daughter from tennis we spent another half hour in the park, which features a lovely creek and covered bridge. Some might find them interesting. The photography helps me keep a balance, it really does. What do others do? I know many of you play instruments, some very well and in bands, and others write fiction. I would be interested to know what your other “passions” are.

 

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