Hoshea the Prophet The Outrageous "Shidduch" (Marriage Partnership) The Book of Hoshea begins, "The Word of HaShem that came unto Hoshea the son of Be'eri, in the days of Uzziah, Yotam, Achaz and Yechizkiyahu, Kings of Yehudah, and in the days of Yeravam ben Yoash, King of Israel." (Hoshea 1:1) RASHI comments that Hoshea prophesied for a significant number of years during the reigns of all four of the kings of Yehudah mentioned. This is proof of the principle that holding positions of authority and leadership, especially over the Jewish People, is not necessarily good for one's health, because the Prophet outlived all four of them. RASHI also notes that Yeravam ben Yoash is mentioned, even though there were numerous other Kings of Israel who lived at the same time, because that King's merit allowed him to be listed with the righteous (except Achaz) Kings of Yehudah. This was because he refused to believe the evil rumor that was fomented by Amaziah, the Priest of Bet El; namely, that the Prophet Amos, a Trei Asar colleague of Hoshea, was involved in a conspiracy against Yeravam, and had prophesied "Yeravam will die by the sword." RADAK opens his commentary by introducing himself, his family and his place of origin as David son of Yoseph, grandson of Kimchi, the Sephardi. He goes on to quote CHAZAL in their explanation of how the "Holy Dozen" Prophets came to be combined in the Hebrew Bible. Apparently, the concern of the "Anshei K'nesset HaGedolah," the Men of the Great Assembly, was that each of the Books, if left by itself, might be lost despite its greatness simply because of its relative smallness in size. Therefore, they were combined in one package, to lend quantity to their quality. The refusal of King Yeravam ben Yoash to accept the slander concerning Amos is elaborated upon by RADAK's reporting the Talmudic tradition of what Yeravam said when confronted with the accusation. "G-d forbid that Amos, that righteous person, would have made conspiratorial statements, and even if he did, he would only have done so at the command of G-d, for he is an obedient servant of HaShem." CHAZAL also say that whenever the name of the father of a prophet is mentioned, it is an indication that the father was likewise a prophet. On the other hand, if the father's name is not mentioned, that is an indication that the father was not a prophet. Here Hoshea's father's name, "Be'eri," is mentioned; therefore, we may conclude that he was a prophet as well. He is also identified as being the same individual as the "Be'erah" who was the Prince of the Tribe of Reuven (Reuven was the first-born of Yaakov and his descendants were among the Ten Tribes), sent into Exile by Tiglas Pileser of Ashur. Similarly, if the name of the prophet and the name of a city is mentioned, that is an indication that the city is the birthplace of the prophet. If no city is mentioned, it is to be understood that the prophet is from Yerushalayim. The text continues, in Hoshea 1:2, "When HaShem spoke first with Hoshea, HaShem said to Hoshea, 'Go, take for yourself a harlot for a wife, and have children of harlotry; for the Land commits great harlotry, in departing from HaShem.' " In his opening comments to the Book of Hoshea, RADAK analyzes the beginning words of this verse and, in effect, gives a lesson in how to study the "Neviim," the Prophets. The verse begins with words that could be translated as "The first words of HaShem to Man were spoken to Hoshea, and they were,…." Or as, "The first words of Hashem to Hoshea were," and then proceed to quote the words, "And HaShem said to Hoshea, '…' " And, as we will see, there is a third possibility as well. In order to reject the first possibility, one needs to bring to the study table at least a minimal knowledge of the Hebrew Bible. This would lead the student to realize that the first words of G-d to Man had been spoken long before the time of Hoshea. In fact, HaShem had spoken with "Adam HaRishon," First Man, in the Garden of Eden, with Avraham and Sarah, with Moshe Rabbeinu, the Master of the Prophets, with the great Shmuel HaNavi, Samuel the Prophet, and with many others. So, on the level of simple understanding, the "P'shat," the plain meaning, is clearly the second of the alternatives presented above. But now, as mentioned, there is still another level, which does not exclude the "P'shat," but which adds to it. It involves the knowledge of "Torah She B'al Peh," the "Oral Torah," the Jewish Tradition that has been passed down through the Ages from father to son and from teacher to student, that adds a more complete understanding of the text. Here, the RADAK cites the following Talmudic statement, "Rabbi Yochanan said, '(the clause means also that) Hoshea was the earliest of the following four Prophets who flourished at approximately the same time: Hoshea, Yeshayahu, Amos and Michah.' " So let us put ourselves in the hands of the Master Teachers, the traditional commentators on the Hebrew Bible, RASHI, RADAK, Ibn Ezra, Metzudat David, and many others, in later generations, not to mention the Rabbis of the Talmud, who have used encyclopedic knowledge of Tradition, great insight, and imagination in trying to understand the ageless words of the Prophets. And maybe you, the readers, and we can come up, with our modern perspective, a new insight or two, that can still further illuminate the ancient but more modern than tomorrow's newspaper, words of the Prophets. Back to this verse, which is rather incredible. The Commentators differ as to whether these amazing instructions were to be taken literally by the Prophet. RASHI, based on the Talmud, says that they are to be so taken. Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra differs sharply, and says "Heaven Forbid that these instructions were meant to be taken literally by Hoshea." Rather, Ibn Ezra maintains that the Prophet received these instructions in a dream by night, and only Moshe Rabbeinu, the "Master of the Prophets" himself, received Prophecy while fully awake, and possessed a "clear vision" as to HaShem's revelations. In any case, the reason for these extremely odd commands to Hoshea is that he had suggested to HaShem that if the Jewish people were in fact incorrigibly unfaithful, then He should exchange them for another people! HaShem commanded him to marry a harlot, not known for her faithfulness, develop a spousal relationship with her, have children with her, and then, later, to divorce her. The Prophet would see how difficult it is to divorce one with whom one has established an emotional relationship. And certainly this would be true of the relationship between HaShem and Israel, where the potential for faithfulness had been clearly shown, and that was backed by HaShem's oath to the "Avot." In verses Hoshea 1:3-5, we see how Hoshea begins to fulfill the commands of HaShem, either literally, or in a prophetic dream: 1:3 - "So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived, and bore him a son." RASHI quotes the Talmud, that explains the name of the wife of Hoshea, and of her father, with literal realism based on her "profession." The Master of the Commentators (RASHI) also cites the Targum Yonatan, who explains the name symbolically as meaning that if the People of Israel would accomplish their required "Teshuvah," Repentance, then their "punishments would be finished (from the "shoresh"/root "GMR," meaning "to finish");" but if not, they would continue to be oppressed by their enemies until they would be crushed and would become like a "pressed fig" (actually "Diblaim" seems to refer to a "develah," a "date," so it's not entirely clear where the "fig," (te'enah, in Hebrew) came from, but the idea is clear). 1:4 - "And HaShem said to him, 'Call his name "Yizre'el," for in just a little while, I will visit the blood of Yizre'el upon the House of Yehu, and will cause the Kingdom of Israel to cease.' " "For in just a little while, I will visit the blood of Yizre'el upon the House of Yehu…" - Background: Yehu, who had been anointed at the command of HaShem, and who represented the future of the Kingdom of Israel, had massacred the House of Achav in the Valley of Yizre'el, but not in order to fulfill the desire of HaShem that Achav be punished, but rather for his own selfish and ambitious purposes. RASHI and Metzudat David explain that Yehu's ulterior motives, and the fact that he himself returned to the full practice of idolatry, made him accountable for the blood of Achav's family. His own dynasty was therefore destroyed by the coup in which Shalum ben Yavesh toppled Zechariah ben Yeravam from power, for Yeravam ben Yoash and Yeravam's son, Zechariah were from the House of Yehu. That massacre of Achav's family, together with all the idolatry and immorality and injustice that had gone on in the Kingdom for hundreds of years, was the final blow that caused the downfall of the Kingdom of Israel. "And I will cause the Kingdom of Israel to cease" - Metzudat David explains that in just a short while, HaShem would cause the total downfall of the Kingdom of Israel. 1:5 - "And it shall come to pass on that day that I will break the bow of Yisrael in the Valley of Yizre'el." Metzudat David explains that the "Bow of Israel," representing its strength, would be broken in "Emek Yizre'el," the Valley of Yizre'el, the seat of power of the Kings of Israel. In verses 6-9 of the First Chapter, Hoshea has a daughter with Gomer, and then another son, both of whom also receive symbolic names: 1:6 - "And she conceived again, and bore a daughter. And He said unto him, 'Call her name "Lo-Ruchama"; for I will no longer have mercy on the House of Israel, that would cause Me in any manner to pardon them.' " Metzudat David explains that HaShem says here that until now, He forgave the sins of Israel because of His Mercy for them. But henceforward, HaShem would not have Mercy upon them, and therefore their sins would not be pardoned. Ibn Ezra cites a number of historical examples to illustrate HaShem's not coming to the aid of the Kingdom of Israel. In the time of Pekach ben Remalyahu, one of the last Kings of Israel, Tiglas Pileser of Ashur succeeded in exiling the populations of many of the cities of the Northern Kingdom. And, in the time of Hoshea ben Elah, the last King of the Kingdom of Israel, Shomron itself, its stronghold, was conquered (a tragedy not to be repeated, hopefully, in our time), and with that came the collapse of the Kingdom of Israel. 1:7 - "But I will have compassion upon the House of Yehudah, and will save them by the Name of HaShem, their G-d, and I will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, nor by horses, nor by horsemen." RASHI explains that once the Kingdom of Israel is "gone," it will again be possible to have mercy on the Kingdom of Yehudah, from the time of King Chizkiyahu until the time of King Tzidkiyahu, the last King of Yehudah. Ibn Ezra explains that unlike the defeat and Exile visited upon the Kingdom of Israel in the times of Pekach ben Remalyahu and Hoshea ben Elah, HaShem did come to the aid of Yehudah and Yerushalayim, when Sancheriv laid siege to it, in the time of Chizkiyahu, King of Yehudah. It was then that Yeshayahu prophesied, "Therefore, so says HaShem regarding the King of Ashur, 'He will not enter this place, and he will not shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor erect a mound against it. By the way that he came, so shall he return, and he shall not come unto this city, says the L-rd.' " ("Melachim"/Kings 2; 19:32-33) "And it was on that very night that an Angel of the L-rd went out, and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians one hundred eighty five thousand soldiers; and when they 'woke up' in the morning, they were all dead corpses." ("Melachim"/Kings 2; 19:35) 1:8 - "When she had weaned 'Lo-Ruchama,' she conceived and bore a son." RASHI offers two interpretations, one together with the Ibn Ezra: Only RASHI among the four great commentators that we have mentioned seems to work with the idea that, again, Hoshea's family experiences took place as described and, according to this view, this verse is also to be taken literally; namely, that after the actual weaning of the daughter, "Lo Ruchama," was a son, "Lo Ami," born. The alternative interpretation, offered by RASHI together with the Ibn Ezra, is that the reference of the "weaning," the end of being a baby, when all sins are forgiven, is to the "disappearance" of the Ten Tribes; namely, their assimilation and absorption into the cultures into which they had been exiled earlier. Actually, the fate of the Ten Tribes is taken up in the Talmud, and is the subject of a dispute in the Mishnah between Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Akiva, usually optimistic, is here of the opinion that the Ten Tribes will never return. Rabbi Eliezer is on this subject more optimistic, and states the opinion that they will indeed return to the bosom of their People. And they both derive their opinions from the same verse, where HaShem says that He will send a part of our People to a far-away Exile, "just as this day." Rabbi Akiva interprets "just as this day" as follows, "when this day is gone, it never will return, so will the Ten Tribes never return." Rabbi Eliezer interprets the reference to the "day" as follows, "Just as a given day sometimes becomes bright with sunlight and sometimes darkens with heavy cloud, just so will the history of a part of our People darken and, after a long time, ultimately brighten." In fact, it may be that we have seen the beginning of that process with the "return" of the Ethiopian Jews to the State of Israel. 1:9 - "And He said, 'Call his name "Lo-Ami," for you are not My People, and I will not be yours.' " Metzudat David explains HaShem's expression "You are not My People" as meaning "You do not observe My Laws with the proper Reverence, as a People should show even for the laws of its flesh-and-blood Kings." Therefore, HaShem says, "I will not be your G-d, and I will not be 'on your side' when you need help." We express the hope that our relationship with HaShem has not fallen to this terrible level. And that, in these perilous, yet hopeful times, when there has been such growth, physical and more importantly, spiritual rebuilding in Yerushalayim, that HaShem will remain with us and be "on our side" as we struggle with our implacable enemies for Israel, Yerushalayim and the Temple Mount.
|
520.gif){kind=small}