THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
Some criticize both Noemmin and Ruth, the former for her suggestion and the latter for her compliance, particularly in the act of lying down at Boaz’s feet. When Ruth listened to her mother-in-law’s words about Boaz being their kinsman, she recalled his kindness and perceived that, as her late husband's relative, he might be inclined to marry her according to the law, thereby honoring the memory of the deceased. This understanding becomes clear in the subsequent events. It is narrated that Ruth communicated with her mother-in-law, saying, “And to me also she will say, ‘Come to my children, until they finish all the harvest that is mine.’” Upon hearing this, Noemmin encouraged her to lie at Boaz’s feet, emphasizing the importance of not squandering her beauty.
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This is underscored in the counsel she provided: "That thou mayest come in, and open thyself at his feet, and lie down: and he shall tell thee what thou canst do" (Ruth 3:4).
Furthermore, the mother-in-law wisely expressed gratitude toward the absent benefactor. She declared, “Blessed be he who received thee for having satisfied an empty soul by doing this for one who labored for him.” She noted, “For he looked,” she observed, “not at thy poverty, but at the Lawgiver, who commanded that care be shown to widows.”