Abstract to Ingeborg Lederer, The Commentary on the Book of Ruth

The commentary on Ruth in Manuscript Vatican ebr. 18 is put together in two parts, both written by different Hands.These two parts contain interpretations which can also be found in other manuscripts.

In comparison with parallel commentary versions in other manuscripts, the compiled remarks may be attributed to different origins, like Midrash Ruth Zuta, or exegetes like Rashi, and exegetes of the Northern French School in his footsteps.

This article elaborates on the different parts of the commentary, including, e.g., an example referring to peshat-exegesis, as a way of interpretation formulated by Rashi's successors. Also other topics like sources, subject matter and purpose of the commentary as one unit will be discussed in the course of this paper.

The Hebrew text of the commentary on Ruth in Manuscript Vatican ebr. 18 and its parallel version in Manuscript Hamburg hebr. 32 is displayed in the appendix at the end of the article.