Rashi on the Prophets and Writings

a kinsman Heb. מוֹדַע, a kinsman. He was the son of Elimelech’s brother. Our Sages said: Elimelech and Salmon the father of Boaz and So-and-So the near kinsman were all sons of Nahshon the son of Amminadab, but the merit of their fathers did not avail them when they left the Land to go abroad.

I will go now to the field To one of the fields of the people of the city, after one of them, in whose eyes I will find favor, that he will not rebuke me.

And she went, and she came, and she gleaned in the field We find in Midrash Ruth [Rabbah]: Before she went she came; Scripture says: And she came, and she gleaned? But rather, she marked the roads before she entered the field, and she went and came and returned to the city, in order to make signs and markings so that she would not stray in the paths and know how to return.
and her chance was to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz.

To whom does this maiden belong? Now was it Boaz’s habit to inquire about the women? But rather, he saw her modest and wise behavior. Two ears she would glean but three she would not glean; and she would glean the standing ears while standing and the lying ones while sitting, in order to avoid bending over.

who returned with Naomi The accent is under the “shin” because it is the past tense, and not the present tense of the verb.

And she said to herself.
I will now glean the gleaning of the ears.
and gather from among the sheaves the forgotten sheaves.

And [if] you are thirsty, you may go to the vessels And if you are thirsty, do not be ashamed to go and drink from the vessels of water that the young men will draw.

but I am not as one of your handmaids I am not as worthy as one of your handmaids.

and dip your morsel in the vinegar From here [we derive] that vinegar is beneficial for a heatwave.
and he handed her parched grain Heb. וַיִצְבָּט, and he handed her. There is no similar word in the Bible, but in the language of the Mishnah (Hagigah 3:1): “the back, the interior, and the handle (בֵּית הַצְבִיטָה).”

And also, pretend to forget Heb. שֹּׁל תָּשּׂלוּ, you shall forget, pretend that you are forgetting. The Targum for שְּׁגָגָה, inadvertence, is שָּׁלוּתָא, and similarly, (II Sam. 6:7): “for the error, (הַשַּׁל).” Another explanation: an expression of (Deut. 28:40): “your olive tree will cast off (יִשַּׁל) [its fruit].”
bundles Heb. צְבָתִים small sheaves, and there is a similar expression in the language of the Mishnah (Er. 10: 1): “If he found them (tefillin) in pairs (צְבָתִים) or in bundles.”

May he who took heed of you the owner of the field who showed you favor [and permitted you] to glean in his field.

with the living or with the deceased That he sustains and supports the living and occupies himself with the needs of the deceased.