A Multifaceted Nuptial Blessing: The Use of Ruth 4: 11–12 Within Medieval Hebrew Epithalamia

When bestowing poetic blessings upon newly married couples, the medieval Hebrew poets often advance analogies to biblical figures, indicating their wish that the couple should merit the good fortune of, for instance, the forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or of later biblical figures such as Moses, Zipporah, Phinehas, or Hannah. The most common analogy offered, however, is that of the matriarchs Rachel and Leah, as per Boaz’s nuptial blessing from Ruth 4:11: “May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, both of whom build up the House of Israel!” In this study, the usage of this recurring motif throughout medieval Hebrew epithalamia will be considered, so as to demonstrate its role as a focal point of poetic creativity.