Question: Could you discuss the qualities of Orpah in the Book of Ruth and why she chose to return to her own people. Was it practical? Was she from wealth? etc. What happened to her?

Answer: To me, Orpah is one of the saddest characters in the Bible.  Both she and Ruth wanted to become part of a Jewish family. They both loved Naomi and didn’t want to be parted from her. Both of them offered to accompany her back to Israel. Yet, their paths diverged.

Ruth refused to be swayed, she ignored all obstacles. Her success is eternal – the great-grandmother of David and of the Messiah!

Orpah allowed herself to be discouraged by the difficulties involved. Her own family was noble, and Naomi could promise nothing but abject poverty and humiliation. Orpah gave up, and turned back to her old ways. Our sages say that she became completely corrupt in an amazingly short time, and her legacy was being the grandmother of Goliath.

Orpah teaches a frightening lesson: How small is the difference between tremendous success and disastrous failure.

Rabbi Dessler, in his work Michtav M’Eliyahu (“Strive for Truth” is the translated book), says it this way: Throughout our lives, we are faced with many tests daily. If we make a right choice, we grow a little better; a wrong choice, we go in the opposite direction. But some tests are different. A person can be faced with a single decision which is a lever for tremendous change. Not just a test for now, but a decision on a whole lifestyle. Should I try keeping kosher? Should I go to seminary or to secular college? Should I take the job at the big law office, or the one which doesn’t pay as well, but helps Jewish Community? These kinds of decisions change a person’s whole spiritual level.

We should always consult with someone greater at such times; our own judgment is sure to be distorted by our desires. We also need to pray to the Almighty to help us. Our sages teach that the reason Caleb was successful, out of the spies (m’raglim) that entered Israel, was that he went to pray at the graves of our forefathers in Hebron.

Best wishes,
Michoel Reach