רות, פרק א׳, פסוק ט״ו

At the decisive moment when the paths of the two daughters-in-law separate, the heavy weight of social expectation finally lifts. Once Orpah turns her back and begins her journey home, Naomi seizes the opportunity to test Ruth's true intentions. Pointing out that her sister-in-law [ביאור שטיינזלץ] has already departed [רש״י], Naomi speaks from a deep psychological understanding of the situation. She suspects that Ruth might have remained only out of embarrassment, not wanting to be the first to leave after ten years of taking shelter under God. Now that Orpah has taken the first step, the barrier of shame is broken, allowing Ruth to return home without fear of criticism [אלשיך, אגרת שמואל]. Furthermore, Naomi worries that Ruth's previous promises of loyalty might have been empty words, much like Orpah's proved to be, prompting her to urge Ruth to return to her family [אגרת שמואל].

However, Naomi’s urging may also stem from a place of genuine, protective concern for Ruth’s future. At that point in history, the specific law permitting Moabite women to marry into the Israelites was not yet widely known. Naomi likely believed that if Ruth continued with her, she would be barred from ever marrying again [חומת אנך].

The observation that Orpah has returned to her people and her gods sparks an interesting discussion regarding her religious history. The mention of returning to her gods suggests to some that Orpah had indeed abandoned idolatry during her marriage and was only now reverting to her old ways [רלב״ג]. Others argue that the daughters-in-law had never fully converted, but had merely expressed a willingness to do so. If they had not yet converted, Naomi's certainty that Orpah was returning to idolatry stems from the physical return to Moab itself. The social environment holds a powerful influence; anyone who chooses to live among a foreign nation will inevitably learn from their actions and ultimately return to their gods [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, אגרת שמואל].

In her final plea, Naomi offers Ruth a practical solution: to simply follow her sister-in-law. She carefully avoids telling Ruth to return to her gods. Instead, she suggests that Ruth catch up with Orpah merely to avoid making the lonely journey back to Moab by herself. Naomi makes it clear that traveling alongside Orpah does not obligate Ruth to imitate her spiritual choices or return to a life of idolatry [אלשיך, אגרת שמואל].